March 3, 2024 “Brothers and sisters, let us be open to welcome the light of Jesus! He is love, He is life without end. Along the roads of existence, which can be tortuous from time to time, let us seek His face, that is full of mercy, fidelity, and hope. It is Prayer, listening to the Word and the Sacraments, especially Confession and the Eucharist, that help us to do this: Prayer, listening to the Word and the Sacraments help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.”
“To seek, to stay, and finally, to proclaim. The disciples sought Jesus, then they went with Him and stayed the entire evening with Him. And now, to proclaim. Then, they return and they proclaim. To seek, to stay, to proclaim. Do I seek Jesus? Do I stay with Jesus? Do I have the courage to proclaim Jesus? The disciples’ first encounter with Jesus was such a powerful experience that the two disciples always remembered the time: “it was about the tenth hour” (v. 39). This lets us see the power of that encounter. And their hearts were so full of joy that straight away they felt the need to communicate the gift they had received. Indeed, one of the two, Andrew, hastens to share it with his brother.”
A strory from Garrison Keillor: I did a show in New York a couple weeks ago and at the end I had the audience sing “Silent Night,” the verse about calmness and brightness and also the shepherds and heavenly hosts and then we hummed a verse which, a capella, was so tender and haunting and beautiful, I saw people dabbing at their eyes, but at the same time I knew I was out on a limb, it being New York, there being so many unbelievers in the crowd and –– Hello? It’s New York? The handclapping to “Chanukah O Chanukah” an hour before told you that the Bernsteins and Brusteins and Blooms were in the house, and had they paid $109.50, to attend a Lutheran service? I don’t think so but I’m not going to speak for them.
They all knew the words: this came through clearly. Maybe they were Orthodox Chasidim from Crown Heights but they knew “Silent Night” and you can call it colonial acculturation but it sounded authentic to me and my purpose was only to give them the pleasure of joining a 1500-voice choir, a rare privilege in our fragmented society, wary people edging away from each other, and shouldn’t each of us at least once a year consider the possibility that the Creator of the Universe of galaxies known and unknown billions of light years away should come to this tiny insignificant planet in the form of an infant in order to better understand us mortal beings? It’s beyond our understanding but then so is the Universe. In return, I will consider that maybe the Chasidim are right and I have wasted a great deal of time listening to sermons on the Pauline epistles. I do believe in the Christmas story, that God put his omnipotence on a shelf and became an infant child –– it’s in keeping with Christ telling his disciples, “What you do for the least of these, ye do for me.” I believe, except for the three wise guys. How they snuck in is a mystery. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh are not suitable gifts for a newborn. Three wise women would’ve brought something useful and arrived in time to help deliver the infant, make supper, and clean the stable.
Lunar Aquarius Instead of looking at your Star/Zodiac Sign, this Lunar Horoscope reveals the guidance of your Aquarius Moon Sign.This week, Lunar Aquarius, you have a strong desire to connect with others and to be social in whatever ways you can. There is an emphasis on cultivating connections with friends or family members that you may have inadvertently neglected as of late. Due to circumstances outside of your control you may have not been as present as you would like. This week it is incredibly important that you work to repair any broken bonds, and connect at both an emotional and spiritual level. There is another significant lunar event this week. A Last Quarter Moon in Sagittarius rises on March 6th representing full-circle change, adaptability, and potent new beginnings. Last Quarter Moons are all about turning points, and last year this exact moon phase coincided with the beginning of lockdown, new restrictions and the dramatic changes that would alter the course of our world. And yet, one year later, we are once again greeted by this powerful lunation. What felt chaotic and uncertain now feels hopeful. The changes and powerful turning point from one year ago now comes full circle. Sagittarius the sign of optimism and adventure imbues this moon with positivity and hope for the future. Now, in hindsight, you can reflect on the necessary experiences you (and the broader global community) needed to go through as we enter a new age of awareness. This Moon squares a Pisces Sun. As both Sagittarius and Pisces are of the mutable modality, the message here is about the importance of fluidity and adaptability. Much of the past year may have felt frustrating for you. Trying to traverse the many challenges and obstacles in your path. Pushing back against some of the less desirable changes, resisting things as a defense mechanism. Yet now, the ability to adapt and let go of that resistance is critical to move forward. This mutable moon is here to guide you. To give you the courage to flow with new circumstances and new realities; to engage with the future from a place of curiosity and optimism. This week, reflect on how you can be more open to change, more fluid and free. You may have felt that you needed to be a “rock” for yourself and your family over the past year. Strong and stable, able to weather whatever life throws at you. But all of that hardness and resilience can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. There is another path forward. Instead, imagine yourself as water. Able to twist and turn yourself as necessary to navigate obstacles, to flow through them and around them rather than press against them. Your dreams and goals are flexible. Rather than facing sadness when you encounter a wall, imagine the numerous ways you can move around it. Pisces is the quintessential wishful thinker. This is a dreamy moon one where fantasies take hold.
As we move deeper into 2021, I’m sure you’re starting to see some new ideas and opportunities emerging on your horizon. There’s definitely a feeling of wanting to move forward again, even if it’s just a few small steps. So, let’s talk about what that might look like! If we take a look at the numerical value of March 2021 for example, we can see we’re working with the number 8 and that’s the Strength card, Jeanne! This is a fantastic energy to work with, especially as we try to clean up the chaos from last year. Strength is a Major Arcana card, depicting a woman gently petting a lion. She looks sweet – the opposite of threatening or intimidating – and yet, she controls the lion. Are you getting a feel for what this card might be telling you, Jeanne? Exactly! This card is about taking control and mastering even the biggest challenges in your life with confidence! So, where is it that your attention is needed? Your finances? Your health? Your relationships? Nothing is off the table when you’re working with the tarot – that’s one of the things I LOVE about using this tool. And drawing the Strength card for the month tells me that we’ll likely see more than one opportunity to demonstrate that inner strength and come out on top! This is a positive, action-oriented influence Jeanne, often representing good news, good energy and good outcomes, so Dawn Anne
My goal isn’t to take away your confusion. Confusion is a fertile field in which everything is possible. If you think you “know,” you’ve just calcified again. Ram Dass
Is there something exciting out on the raggedy edges called Perhaps? What sorts of certainties stifle curiosity? What sorts of sureness make life livable?
I have a lot of edges called Perhaps and almost nothing you can call Certainty. Mary Oliver in “Angels,” Blue Horses