Tag: Imago Dei

Kingdoms and Treasures > Imago Dei
Blog
October 26, 20200

Your Story Matters

Your Story Matters

“From his abundance, we have all received one gracious blessing after another.  For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.”

John 1:16-18 NLT

You matter. John 1:1-18 tells us why. Everything was created through God from the very beginning. And through that creation, God reveals his heart. There is no part of creation he does not see. There is not a single person he does not hear. The light of the world was given to all of us, and that Light knows us. 

I wonder what your heart longs for? We all seem to be searching for the next thing that will make life better. Sometimes it feels like we are searching in vain. The things you desire may seem impossible to obtain, but the want of them consumes you. It reminds me of Thorin Oakenshield in Tolkien’s, The Hobbit. 

Wide-eyed, he frantically searches for his treasure. Nothing else matters. The Arkenstone holds value above anything and anyone. He trips over a jeweled chalice and cusses when his hand is cut on the edge of a diamond. In his frustration, he throws a handful of gold across the treasure chamber, once again scanning for his treasure. It is nowhere to be found. Darkness engulfs him amidst the glittering cavern. Light from numerous torches contagiously reflects throughout the room. Thorin Oakenshield does not see it. His obsession blinds him. 

The one thing you desire has power. It rules your thoughts, your emotions, and your actions. You muddle through the mundane and mindlessly fulfill your obligations. Yet your soul is longing for something that seems impossible to possess. Who has not felt like this at some point or the other? Especially during the pandemic! Suspicion tells me there is something important to notice about these desires. 

The Arkenstone reflected light, and its value was beyond comprehension. In the mind of Thorin, it was the treasure above all treasures. This was the jewel that would crown him King under the Mountain. In this story, I see a longing for worth and belonging. When I read John 1, my heart swells with joy. Perhaps it is because I enjoy poetic language, but I believe it is so much more. 

Jesus, the true light, or dare I say our greatest treasure, came into the world he created so we could share in this light. He brought us near to the Father’s heart and offered us the opportunity to become sons and daughters of Abba, our Lord. Created in his image and invited to share in his glory and riches, He offers us the Kingdom of Heaven. 

What glory? What riches? You may wonder, as you look at your current circumstances. The grief and uncertainty of the current season may be engulfing you. As you ponder the words of John, what may God be inviting you to consider? The invitation to be a child of God might feel exciting for some, but for some, it feels scary. We all need guides when we feel adrift, or as in Thorin’s case, a friendly hobbit. According to the Word, we are all brothers and sisters. The eternal family to which we belong is full of wisdom and compassion. They are often the ones that will be a light in the darkness. These persons could be a friend, pastor, counselor, spiritual director, or mentor. Only you know who you need. 

“You have received one gracious blessing after the other.”

John 1:16 par

God’s gifts surround us. Sometimes circumstances blind us, but as I have worked with people in the darkest places, I see light rise when they practice gratitude. You can be grateful for a roof over your head and food in your belly. You might be grateful for creation and natural beauty. It could be that someone big or small in your circle of influence produces a smile in you today. This morning I was thankful for a warm cup of coffee and the sweet silence of a waking world. These are the treasures that surround us every day, we only need to look a little closer. 

Jesus came not to condemn us through the law, but to offer his unfailing love and faithfulness.

John 1:17 par

As you draw near the light, the light will reflect through your life. You are the beloved daughter or son of the King of Kings. You belong to his Kingdom and his glory can be found in you. Every part of your life matters to God. You are his treasure and his delight. He invites each of you to engage every day with him. What does your invitation say today?

(For a guided meditation of John 1:1-18 please check out our new YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/channel/UCs09ki4BW2fFqEETisuTgwg)

Blog
March 23, 20202

The Calling of a Pilgrim

I developed this blog intending to write about God’s Kingdom and the treasures we see around us. With a trip to France and Spain planned, I imagined sharing those adventures from this platform. Plans change. The coronavirus outbreak is reminding me you cannot rely on plans. All you can count on is today, and even that can change with lightning speed. I still want to write about kingdoms and treasures. You and I have the individual Kingdoms that we rule and within each kingdom are things we treasure. Your kingdom may be experiencing a shakedown right now. Mine is. The material world is rapidly changing, but the Kingdom of Heaven has not been altered by our current chaos.

Two weeks ago, I was preparing for a trip of a lifetime. I was preparing to be a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago. Within twenty-four hours, I was planning to cancel my trip. Out of stubbornness and in the spirit of the Camino, I have decided to embrace the calling of a pilgrim. A wise counselor recently said that my pilgrimage began the moment I made the decision to go. “The Pilgrim is one who ventures into a foreign land, who makes himself an alien, who loses contact with the familiar props of his ordinary life, and who deprives himself of all help other than the charity that people show to those whom they do not know, but who have the indications of being poor”[1] All of us are living in a foreign land today. 

The world is not running on what is ordinary right now. Many of you will need the charity of others to sustain you in the coming weeks and months. Many of you will offer charity to others. I am leaning on the charity of my community to stay connected during a time of isolation. I am asking God to show me how I can offer charity to others. I am exploring my identity as a pilgrim. A true pilgrimage leads us towards God and his Kingdom. 

Victor and Edith Turner wrote, “Pilgrimage may be thought of as an extroverted mysticism, just as mysticism is an introverted pilgrimage.”[2] Confounded or mystified, all of us are living in unchartered territory. How you respond to this extraordinary time will define your experience. A pilgrim is typically on the move. This may be an external movement or an internal one. If you are confined to your home, as many of us are, movement may feel limited. Internal movement is one of the things you can control. Meaningful movement is birthed out of reflection.

Too many of us react to our circumstances. As a therapist, I often teach clients the difference between reacting and responding. Life-giving responses are preceded by moments of reflection. The media are shoveling opinions and directives about COVID-19 at mind swelling speeds. You are being told what to think and how to behave. Fear has become palpable. Yet, as I hiked yesterday, I saw the spirit of the pilgrim lighting the way. Most people smiled, and some offered kind words as we passed each other. Out of respect, everyone moved far enough away to maintain “social distance.” But as I looked at the eyes of these individuals, I saw hope in a time of darkness.

 “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and everything else will follow.”[3]  In the eyes of each person I passed, I saw the essence of the Father’s Kingdom. I saw a treasure. You were created in the image of God. Nothing in this world can change that. All the emotions swirling around your circumstances do not define the essence of who you are. They are a normal reaction to a world of uncertainty. However, I wonder where there may be treasures to be found in your current circumstance? Where can you find hope, consolation, compassion, or courage?  I am finding hope in gratitude. I am finding consolation as I move towards love. I am finding compassion as I listen to other’s heartaches. Courage is rising as I keep my eyes on today. Tomorrow is too heavy a burden to bear. 

To be a pilgrim is to travel light. If you only carry what you need today, you will see the world with different eyes. What I see today is that you are a treasure. Your life and your presence in this world matters. The Kingdom Jesus spoke of in the gospels is our greatest treasure. We are facing a time of uncertainty, and I do not have an answer that will fix anyone’s circumstances. But as you reflect, I hope the Imago Dei in you will rise up. I pray that you will be blessed with kindness and hope. I pray that you will begin to see treasures all around you!

[1] Brian Grogan, Alone and on Foot: Ignatius of Loyola (Dublin, Ireland: Veritas Publications), 58.

[2] Brian O’ Leary, SJ, God Ever Greater: Exploring Ignatian Spirituality (Dublin: Messenger Publications), 38.

[3] Matthew 6:33 (par)