Dear All of Us,
I'm one lucky guy
and I know it!!
I have a lovely,
truly good natured wife.
I mean she's
Big Time
Good Natured!!
What a blessing!
What a difference
she makes for me
and so many others!!
For her the glass
is always half full,
and she'll prepare
an exquisite meal
to go with it!
Her nature is
a clear reflection of,
a participation in,
and sharing of,
God's Good Nature.
Our spiritual lives
are a living in
Nature
God's Nature,
our human nature,
that of all created nature.
Surely Sad
is it that
some supposed
spiritual sorts
"Dis"
Puts Down
Trash
Nature
ours and all Creations
as
Sub-par
Suspect
Weak and corruptible
something too earthy
something to escape
in our efforts
to rise above
in our climb
to the divine.
Actually and happily
we can't climb
to the divine.
We awake to it
given and present
right here
in our human
situation and nature
in all created nature.
Just try to sing a hymn
or help the poor
without breathing
and using our brain.
Good the nature of things.
Matter matters.
From the get go
God has been delightfully
GOOD NATURED
Genesis insists
that on all those first
lavish, creative days,
in all ways
on all counts
"...God saw that
it was good"
We want to join in,
see and say it
that way as
Creation
continues and evolves
in our here and now.
By God's will and way
we are not called to be
disembodied spirits.
Right now we are meant
to be right at home
as we experience God in
the gift of our human nature
and that of all Creation,
not to escape them
for some sort of supposed
spiritual superiority
that eschews
things natural.
The Natural
and
The Divine
are not separate
nor opposed.
The Divine
holds in being
- Its Being -
all that is.
The Divine
Suffuses
The Natural
in a wonderous
ONENESS
splendidly
DIFFUSE
Unfortunately
Original Goodness
has taken
more than a few hits
no thanks to
Adam and Eve,
Nero, Genghis Khan,
Crusaders, Adolf Hitler,
and too often and too much
the rest of us
in our times,
in our wrong and wronging
turns and twists
Fortunately
we all are wanted,
counted on,
to be in on
God's
Restorative Justice
as it rights the wronged
across the whole plane
of the
Natural
people place protons
powers and pulsations
We are tight in on
God's
Redeeming Re-creation
and
Restoring
of all
just right
YES!
All
JUST and RIGHT
We are one with God
in how we are
and what we do
God Good Naturedly.
We enjoy robust wine temperately.
We make love freely in fidelity.
We speak in tones true.
We lift the fallen.
We straighten the crocked.
We happily harmonize
with all nature's variants,
respecting and caring.
We work the earth responsibly.
We keep pure water and air.
We use what we need.
We make sure others have
what they need.
We sustain rather than drain dry.
We rejoice to have our nature
rooted in God's nature,
living that real and forth.
We embrace God
in God's embrace
of us in
The Natural
We relish God present
in nature's different
topographies, societies, ethnicities,
climates, cultures, customs,
nourishments of body and soul,
spiritualities, art and construct, music,
life rhythms, toils and tasks.
We read God Revealed,
Writ Large in
Nature
the first and oldest Bible.
We worship in nature's
sacred sanctuaries
of rock, range, wood, water,
crest, plane.
In our particular
time and place and way
we join St. Francis
right at home in the
God Good Natural,
delighted with
Brother Sun
Sister Moon,
birds, animals,
tender and caring
with the damaged,
hugging the deserted
and despised,
at peace, one with all.
We live and thrive in
all forms and sharings of
GOOD NATURED GOD
******
For Those Who Wish
In the days ahead we slowly
Pray Ponder
in the words and wisdom
of
St. Francis.
He shares the joy and way
of living naturally in
GOOD NATURED GOD
Soul Slowed, Soul Savoring
we welcome
The Spirit
sensing more and deeper
the levels of meaning
in the prayer of Francis
as they widen and lighten
our living Love.
The Canticle of Creation
O Most High, all powerful,
good Lord God,
to you belong praise, glory,
honor and all blessing.
Be praised, my Lord,
for all your creation
and especially for
our Brother Sun,
who brings us
the day and the light;
he is strong
and shines magnificently.
O Lord, we think of you
when we look at him.
Be praised, my Lord,
for Sister Moon,
and for the stars
which you have set shinning
and lovely in the heavens.
Be praised, my Lord,
for our brothers Wind and Air
and every kind of weather
by which you, Lord,
uphold life in all your creatures.
Be praised, my Lord,
for Sister Water,
who is very useful to us,
and humble and
precious and pure.
Be praised, my Lord,
for Brother Fire,
through whom
you give us light
in the darkness:
he is bright
and lively and strong.
Be praise, my Lord,
for Sister Earth, our Mother,
who nourishes and sustains us,
brings forth fruits and
vegetables of many kinds
and flowers of many colors.
Be praised, my Lord,
for those who forgive
for love of you;
and for those who bear
sickness and weakness
in peace and patience
- you will grant them a crown.
Be praised, my Lord,
for our Sister Death,
whom we all must face.
I praise and bless you, Lord,
and I give thanks to you,
and I will serve you
in all humility.
Francis of Assisi
******
As we go to work, watch the news, vote,
gather with family and friends, drive,
spend our money, raise our children,
seek a church refreshed, tend the sick,
needy, hurt and hurting, as we forgive,
as we hit life's speed bumps and detours
we pray to live
The Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument
of your peace;
where is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled
as to console;
to be understood
as to understand;
to be loved,
as to love;
for it is giving
that we receive,
it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that
we are born to Eternal Life.
Francis of Assisi
It can be a wondrous help,
over time, unhurriedly, prayerfully,
to ponder each portion of this prayer,
and consider:
- its meaning(s)
- ways and places where we can live it
******
Please consider passing
this posting on to folks
who do not yet know of
frankly speaking
spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
That would be a big help
and much appreciated.
Our spiritual lives are
an invitation to live
"ALL NATURAL"
See you next week.
Love to All
John Frank
******
