Listening for the Sacred Heartbeat (a liturgy)
“It was on Iona years ago that I first became aware of the need to reclaim some of the features of ancient Christianity in the Celtic world as lost treasure for today. Part of that treasure is the much-cherished image of John the Evangelist, also known as John the Beloved, leaning against Jesus at the Last Supper. Celtic tradition holds that by doing this he heard the heartbeat of God. He became a symbol of the practice of listening—listening deep within ourselves, within one another, and within the body of the earth for the beat of the Sacred Presence.”
― John Philip Newell, The Rebirthing of God: Christianity's Struggle for New Beginnings
Lord, it is hard to listen in our world today. Our busyness, smart phones and constant accessibility draw us in and constantly demands our attention. We fail to listen for your still small voice.
Lord, it is hard to hear in our world today. We are bombarded with so many immediate ‘needs.’ The clanging of cymbals in our ears make it hard to hear your still small voice.
Lord, it is hard to just be in our world today. We feel value because of what we do, we seek the approval of others and so we try to do more, do it better and get it done faster. We fail to know our selves because we focus on our work and not our souls.
Lord, it is hard quiet our hearts in our world today. We say ‘we’ll rest when we die,’ and we keep on working. Our children long for our attention, but we train them to instead find love in our phones and tablets. We struggle to know how to quiet ourselves, instead we choose to stay busy.
Lord change our hearts, let us be a community of believers living by the heart beat of your son, Jesus. Help us to see and hear you in every living thing, in the face of our neighbors and in the beauty of creation. Lord, teach us to listen, like John the apostle listened, teach us to pause in our every day lives and seek the abundance of a quieted heart. Teach us your way in a busy, noisy and self-absorbed culture, that we may show the love of Christ in all of our lives.
“When he awakened from sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it.... This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:16–17). In the Celtic world that gateway is present everywhere. In every place is the immediacy of heaven. In every moment we can glimpse the Light that was in the beginning and from which all things have come. As Oliver says, “The threshold is always near.”3 We can step over this threshold and back again in the fleeting span of a second. In a single step we can find ourselves momentarily in that other world, the world of eternal Light, which is woven inseparably through this world—the world of matter that is forever unfolding like a river in flow.”
― John Philip Newell, The Rebirthing of God: Christianity's Struggle for New Beginnings
Time for Silent Meditation:
God, let us abide in your sacred heart beat. Let know your presence and have courage to do your will. Teach us your way, oh Lord, and send us from this place to the halls of power and the back alleyways of despair, that we may bear witness to your love and mercy.
― John Philip Newell, The Rebirthing of God: Christianity's Struggle for New Beginnings
Lord, it is hard to listen in our world today. Our busyness, smart phones and constant accessibility draw us in and constantly demands our attention. We fail to listen for your still small voice.
Lord, it is hard to hear in our world today. We are bombarded with so many immediate ‘needs.’ The clanging of cymbals in our ears make it hard to hear your still small voice.
Lord, it is hard to just be in our world today. We feel value because of what we do, we seek the approval of others and so we try to do more, do it better and get it done faster. We fail to know our selves because we focus on our work and not our souls.
Lord, it is hard quiet our hearts in our world today. We say ‘we’ll rest when we die,’ and we keep on working. Our children long for our attention, but we train them to instead find love in our phones and tablets. We struggle to know how to quiet ourselves, instead we choose to stay busy.
Lord change our hearts, let us be a community of believers living by the heart beat of your son, Jesus. Help us to see and hear you in every living thing, in the face of our neighbors and in the beauty of creation. Lord, teach us to listen, like John the apostle listened, teach us to pause in our every day lives and seek the abundance of a quieted heart. Teach us your way in a busy, noisy and self-absorbed culture, that we may show the love of Christ in all of our lives.
“When he awakened from sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it.... This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:16–17). In the Celtic world that gateway is present everywhere. In every place is the immediacy of heaven. In every moment we can glimpse the Light that was in the beginning and from which all things have come. As Oliver says, “The threshold is always near.”3 We can step over this threshold and back again in the fleeting span of a second. In a single step we can find ourselves momentarily in that other world, the world of eternal Light, which is woven inseparably through this world—the world of matter that is forever unfolding like a river in flow.”
― John Philip Newell, The Rebirthing of God: Christianity's Struggle for New Beginnings
Time for Silent Meditation:
God, let us abide in your sacred heart beat. Let know your presence and have courage to do your will. Teach us your way, oh Lord, and send us from this place to the halls of power and the back alleyways of despair, that we may bear witness to your love and mercy.
Comments