No images? Click here Saturday, December 31, 2022 Richard Rohr's Daily MeditationFrom the Center for Action and Contemplation Week Fifty-Two Summary and Practice Nothing Stands AloneDecember 25 - December 30, 2022 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Week Fifty-Two Practice Come to ContemplationWe draw this year to a close with a poetic reminder that nothing stands alone. The poem “I Am” is by poet Dedan Gills (1945–2015), and read by his wife Belvie Rooks on CAC’s The Cosmic We podcast: I Am I am old and wise as the night. I am as beautiful as a bird in flight. I am the moon and the sea. I am the robin and the bee. I am the soil and I am the tree. I’m the lion and the gazelle. I am heaven and I am hell. I am the ring and I am the bell. I am the joy and I am the tear. I am the brave and I am the fear. I am the blistering desert. I’m the freezing snow. I’m the cringing coward and the gentle hero. I’m the aged and I am the young. I am the weak and I am the strong. I am the smile and I am the frown. I am the pauper and I am the crown. I am the wrong and I am the right. I am the day and I am the night. I am now and I am never. I am yesterday and I am forever. I am the bitter and I am the sweet. I live on the hill and I live on the street. I am the top and I am the bottom. I am Martin, Hitler, Gandhi, and Saddam. I am red, black, yellow, brown, and white. I love, hate, laugh, cry, and fight. All the universe is reflected in me. I am all that ever was and ever will be. When I lose, it’s the lesson that I win. Judging others is my sin. Dedan Gills, “I Am,” in I Give You the Springtime of My Blushing Heart: A Poetic Love Song, Dedan Gills and Belvie Rooks (Redlands, CA: 2019). Used with permission. Image credit: Benjamin Yazza, Untitled 05 (detail), United States, photograph, used with permission. Benjamin Yazza, Untitled 12 (detail), United States, photograph, used with permission. NASA, Galaxy NGC 4013 (detail), 2020, United States, photograph, public domain. Jenna Keiper & Leslye Colvin, 2022, triptych art, United States. Click here to enlarge image. Image inspiration: Infinitesimal. Massive. Incomprehensibly expansive. It is all connected: everything is a part of the whole, seen or unseen. Nothing stands alone. Explore Further. . .
Prayer For Our CommunityGod, Lord of all creation, lover of life and of everything, please help us to love in our very small way what You love infinitely and everywhere. We thank You that we can offer just this one prayer and that will be more than enough, because in reality every thing and every one is connected, and nothing stands alone. To pray for one part is really to pray for the whole, and so we do. Help us each day to stand for love, for healing, for the good, for the diverse unity of the Body of Christ and all creation, because we know this is what You desire: as Jesus prayed, that all may be one. We offer our prayer together with all the holy names of God, we offer our prayer together with Christ, our Lord. Amen. Was this email forwarded to you? Explore Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations archive at cac.org. Sign-up for the monthly newsletter from the Center for Action and Contemplation for the latest news about our programs, including new books, podcasts, events, and online learning opportunities. The work of the Center for Action and Contemplation is possible only because of people like you! Learn more about how you can help support this work. If you would like to change how you receive these emails you can update your preferences or unsubscribe from our list. |