Thanks Canon Dana for Julian of Norwich Retreat

 The Rev. Canon Dana Corsello was our retreat presenter on Nov. 17 and 18. She spoke on the Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich. In all Julian’s ‘shewings’ as she gazed on the crucifix, she was shown God as Love. The retreat was attended by about 60 women from around the Diocese. Some were in person, and some attended via Zoom. We thank Canon Dana for her insights and sharing of time and her own loving heart.

Her Revelations on the Trinity proclaim that “the Trinity is our maker, the trinity is our keeper [protector], the trinity is our everlasting lover, the trinity is our endless joy and our bliss, by our Lord Jesus Christ.” Not only that, we “are conceived and created by the love of God our Father. Then the mercy of Christ our Mother grants us rebirth and the forgiveness of our sins.” Julian says “Our Father wills, our Mother werks (sic), our good lord the Holy Ghost strengthens. And therefore it belongs to us to love our God…” Canon Dana noted that Julian’s vision of Christ as Mother is not a metaphor but her actual experience of Christ.

Retreat participants were encouraged to take time to use lexio divino to consider the Trinity quotes and discern what they might be saying to each heart.

Canon Dana shared passion quotes from Julian and reminded us that Julian had her revelations while observing the crucifix. The impact of seeing in her vision Christ dying, and indeed decaying, fulfilled one of Julian’s deepest desires which was to be present at the Crucifixion and experience what Mary and the other women felt at that time.

Participants had been encouraged to bring a crucifix or an image of one. We spent time meditating on these. For Episcopalians this was an uncomfortable experience for some as we are less likely to encounter the crucified Christ in worship. Most churches have an empty cross or a Christ depicted as risen in glory or as Christus Rex (Christ the King). The exercise was impactful for many at the retreat.

In the afternoon, Canon Dana helped us look at the famous Julian “all will be well” quote. This is a consolation about sin and not just a pretty statement that everything will work out OK. Julian heard Jesus say “Sin is behovely (necessary, advantageous), but all shall be well (happiness, well-being), and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” In other words, Dana noted, all is ultimately well despite sin and sin’s impact now.

Julian saw no shame or blame in all her visions. Instead she saw “the ghostly thirst of Christ: the love-longing that lasts and ever shall till we see that sight at doomsday…a love-longing to have us all together, whole in him to his endless bliss…for we are not now as fully whole in him as we shall be then.”

Canon Dana concluded the afternoon by summarizing who Love is the total of all Julian’s reflections. Julian states, “Know it well, Love was his meaning. Who showed it to thee? Love. What showed he to thee? Love. Wherefore showed it to thee? For love…Love is our Lord’s meaning.” In another revelation Julian says, “before God made us he loved us, which love was never satiated, nor ever shall be. And in this love he has done all his works, and in this love he has made all things profitable for us. And in this love our life is everlasting…”

The handouts for the retreat are attached. Revelations and Poems and Worship. 

Worship in Movement: September 25

 Coming soon!

The Rev. Sylvia Miller-Mutia (St. Mark's, ABQ) will lead us in prayer, reflection, and entering the presence of the Holy with our entire souls and bodies through Gentle Movement Meditation on 33 Names of God. Wear clothes you can move in and have Anglican prayer beads handy (optional). You will be refreshed and renewed by this time of joyful worship and fellowship on Sept. 25 at 10AM on Zoom. Think about who you can share this event with in a small group in your home or parish hall.  

Contact Cindy for the Zoom link. If you have participated in the past, you'll get the link, automatically. 

Lent IV: March 11: God's Heart Loves (Elaine Wilson)

Since Advent, the Sunday scriptures, heard by Episcopalians and many other denominations, are grouped into Lectionary Year B. The focus is on Mark, the earliest of the gospels and the account closest in time to the life of Jesus. Those encountering Jesus carried the stories, passed them on verbally over and over, and finally compiled them into the first of the written gospels. By the time Mark was organizing his work, Christians were determined to have hearing recipients recognize that the man known as Jesus was to be known as The Christ, the true Son of God, who totally shared human life.

In the earliest stage of organizing thoughts about the activities of Jesus, Mark or his scribe probably etched Greek words into wax coating of a wooden slab, the first century notepad. To give them permanence, Mark’s thoughts were transferred to papyrus, the paper of the ancient world. By the time the theology of the early Christians had evolved into the trinitarian understanding that Jesus was not just a human son emanating from a separate supreme being, but was actually truly one with God, Mark’s text became incorporated into a collection of pages bound together. The earliest form of our books today was visually differentiated from the long strips of joined papyrus that formed rolled Hebrew scrolls. From this beginning, Christian scriptures we call the New Testament were obviously different from Hebrew texts. With this change, God’s good news gained new life and was ready to reach out and gather in a whole world. 

In reflecting on how Mark’s message came to us, we must not miss the reason for our four Bible gospels: Gospels are good news telling us of the love of God for all of us. And God’s love is the basis of the unity all of us have in prayerfully living in the Diocese of the Rio Grande today.

In our Come Follow Me Study this week, you will find the meaning of God’s love in the words of Mark 14:6-9 by reading the New Revised Standard Version aloud twice. By making a gender change, you will be challenged to think about how we become conditioned to understanding Bible language that may limit the undergirding meaning of biblical texts.

#1

But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’

From this passage where Jesus interacts with a woman, let us consider how our thoughts may change, if we have Jesus speaking to a man.

#2

But Jesus said, ‘Let him alone; why do you trouble him? He has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. He has done what he could; he has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what he has done will be told in remembrance of him.’

From the first century onward, Mark’s writing was meant to provoke Christians to understand that Jesus, who we as Trinitarians believe was truly God living among us, was the pivotal change agent for all of human history. Shifting past Old Testament expectations to a clear, new vision, Mark’s Jesus tells us to see the unlimited good possibilities for us in listening to and following Jesus. We serve God by joining Jesus and continuing the work of bringing the good news to our human world. And the good news about Jesus is all-inclusive. 

Mark’s message is a guide we should heed. At this moment in the life of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, all of us, female and male, named and unnamed, are called to leave the past behind and to welcome the new opportunities that are to come. Now, by each of our actions in the body of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, our service following the example of Jesus will be remembered. We will honor God together, as we thank Bishop Vono and welcome our new leader to guide us in proclaiming the good news to the whole world.

Activities and Prayer for this Week

But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’ (Mark 14:6-9)

Jesus reminds us that sometimes what we think unimportant is the most important of all.

Discuss the points of interest to you, and your group.
There are many needs across the Diocese of the Rio Grande. As an individual, or group, identify some of these. Are their ways in which those with what we consider needs or problems can minister to us? 
Make a collage of the things that the ‘needy’ can offer to the world. 

Prayer: Blessed God, we know that you care for each person. Help us to have our eyes open to their needs, their gifts, their hopes, so that we can see all people with your eyes of love. Let us be open to what each person offers. Amen.
Share: Comment on this post or Facebook to share one or 2 of the ways the diocese is ministered to which you, or your group, identified. You could also post a photo of your collage.