A Letter About Practice
Today’s Scripture Reading
Dear Friend,
This morning, I walked into the kitchen and found my 15-year-old son with a look of pain on his face. He was favoring both legs and groaning.
“Track practice?”
“My shiiiinnnss!!”
He started track practice this week. He has never played a team sport before, but he has been lifting weights and running a couple of times a week for about 6 months, still, track practice was, well, beating his body up.
I showed him how to use the backs of his thumbs to rub out the lactic acid build-up so he can heal a bit faster and explained that over time his body will grow stronger and each practice will hurt less.
I was proud of him though. He decided it would be good to only go to Envirothon practice today so his body would have a chance to heal and then back to track practice on Thursday. I was a little fearful the pain would make him want to quit, but it didn’t. Instead, he made a plan and is moving forward with it appropriately.
Anything new that we learn in life takes practice.
Learning a new instrument, art form, or even training for a sport - all take practice.
Today’s scripture lesson really only includes verses 41-44 - where we hear that Jesus wept over the city. I found it important for this reflection to include the full story back to verse 28 so you have some context. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and the disciples bring him a colt to ride into the city - the city where he knows he is going to be crucified.
The people sing praises to his name and the Pharisees tell him to send them away. We usually hear this text on Palm Sunday in the liturgical church.
But the text for today starts by telling us that Jesus wept over the city. Then, immediately we hear that the Pharisees didn’t recognize the things that make for peace, and now that has been hidden from them.
I have heard this scripture used to rebuke church people and nonchurch people alike for not “believing in Jesus” or “recognizing” him - damning them to hell for not being faithful. This makes me sad. I have heard it used to say that if you don’t recognize Jesus in your midst, you will certainly not be able to see him when you are in hell for all eternity. It hurts me to even type those words.
That manipulation that conjures up fear of hell as a motivator of faith breaks my heart.
See friends, the very reason Jesus even needs to ride into town is to be crucified because we are broken humans unable to recognize God in all of God’s majesty and presence in our lives, every second, of every day.
Jesus rides in for us.
Jesus reveals God to us. Jesus is coming to claim us on the cross because we are broken and unable to see and recognize him. God never expects us to get it right. Instead, God comes to us and then gives us tools and gifts for practicing our ability to recognize God in, with, and among us.
Just like my son is teaching his body to run track, Jesus is teaching us how to recognize him. We can all use practice. There are places in our lives where recognizing God can indeed make for peace. Knowing that we are beloved children of God can bring peace. But we can’t just do that and then it forever be the reality. Every God experience is not Jesus riding into town obvious. Instead, recognizing God is something we can practice. And to be clear, we don’t practice to master it or as a means of a sticker chart to heaven. We don’t practice to “make” God come to us - God is ALREADY here!
We practice because God has already given us God’s self. God has come to us, abides with us. God is ever-present. Our ability to pause, breathe, and prayerfully listen will help us recognize the Spirit in our midst.
I invite you to practice this listening.
Read the prayer below, then read the scripture lesson. Then read the prayer below. Then pause. Close your eyes. Sit quietly and listen. If there are noises around you, focus your internal visual attention on something that helps you see Jesus, something that helps you visualize him. Repeat the process a couple of times as you are able and engaged. Then, in a journal or on a sheet of paper, write down what comes into your heart and mind. You might see a doodle or a single word or a flood of words. Write until you feel like you have it all down. Then read the prayer again.
I would love to hear how this goes for you. You may share in the comments below or send me a note by email. I will hold it in confidence, but either way, just know that you aren’t looking for magic or grand gestures. Instead, you are listening for a feeling.
God is present. God always shows up. God actually never leaves.
Grace and peace,
Mitzie
Today’s Centering Prayer
God, I come to you now in gratitude knowing that you were here before I arrived.
Inhale: Speak to me. Exhale: Remove the distractions.
Inhale: Speak to me. Exhale: Calm my heart.
Inhale: Speak to me. Exhale: Relax my breathing.
Inhale: Speak to me. Exhale: Release my shoulders.
Inhale: Speak to me.