Braving the Hot Mess
Check out Braving the Hot Mess on Facebook
  • Blog
  • My Story
  • Documentaries and Videos Worth Your Time
  • Books I Love
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Meditations
  • Affirmations
  • Tracy's Upcoming Events
  • Contact
  • Testimonials

What Would Jesus Do If He Was Alive Today?

9/28/2020

2 Comments

 
Picture
Lately in a few different discussions the question has come up...What in these challenging times would Jesus do if he was alive? I'll share some of my thoughts and I've attached an article that does a nice job of also answering this question. 

Jesus' teachings were subversive, actually his whole life was subversive. He was a radical man who disrupted the social and religious norms of his day. He  upended cultural norms, challenged authorities, undermined and threatened the establishment. He challenged them and applied his influence to lead his followers to do the same. Jesus protested what was taking place in his day. Disrupting adverse conditions and going against the norm is what Jesus did. He not only stood up for the little person, but also against the corrupt capitalists of the time and the established religious political system as well. 

He was a trouble-maker, a dissident and a source of irritation to the establishment. As far as the ruling authorities were concerned, Jesus was a huge pain in the ass. 

If Jesus were alive today, I believe he would be in the front lines doing everything that he could to shine a light on injustice, challenge authorities and shake things up so as to lift up the oppressed and the poor. He would not turn a blind eye to it, rather he would be leading the charge. That is what Jesus' life demonstrated to us.

​The article below delves a little deeper into this topic. It resonates with me, so I wanted to share it with you.


What Would Jesus Do Today? Protest
​Tom Rapsas


Imagine for a moment that Jesus was alive and walking the Earth today. Would he be hanging out with Christian churchgoers, attending Bible study and weekday services? Or would he be on the front lines with those seeking justice, marching arm-in-arm with the masses, demanding fair and equitable treatment for all?

Re-reading Sister Joan Chittister’s 2019 book The Time is Now, the 84-year old Benedictine nun and social activist makes it easy to see what Jesus would be doing today: Jesus would be on the front lines supporting those who are oppressed and those who support them.

Jesus met an early death at age 33 (though some scholars say 34 or 35) and let’s not forget the reasons behind his death. While we may read his words for guidance and inspiration today, during his time his words were a threat to those in power. His ideas threatened to disrupt the status quo of both the Roman Empire and the religious leaders at the Temple. Chittister explains it this way:

If people continued to follow Jesus in growing numbers, such new ideas, such dangerous insights could have toppled the tightly held authority of both Temple and Throne. New ideas endanger old systems, old rulers. They cast doubt on their moral integrity because if this new thing is right, then the old thing was wrong, or at least deeply lacking.

Many in our society today live by these old ideas and as a result, Chittister warns that we have become complacent, “a privileged people in a privileged world.” We live in our own bubble, oblivious to the plight of others who don’t share our social standing or skin color, our race or religion. Chittister reminds us that this was not the path of Jesus who reached down to lift up all others:

Jesus healed the outcast and the enemy. He gathered women as well as men to his side. He chastised leaders who overlooked the poor. He stood up and in a clear voice declared wrong any policies, sacred or secular, that burdened the backs of the powerless and crushed the spirits of the poor.

The solution to our current societal ills? Sister Joan challenges us to “live as Jesus lived” and to “follow in the footsteps of Jesus in our own communities and social system.” This is not the sanitized version of Jesus that dwells in many churches and in our popular culture. This is a more radical Jesus, the one who moves amongst all people, regardless of their age, race, sex or standing in life:

Jesus models for all of us what it means to live outside the norms of a society that has forgotten its soul. He did justice for Samaritans, for Romans, for sinners in the very face of injustice. He spoke the language of equality in everything he did.

Chittister believes that Jesus again wants us to follow his lead, to stand up for the poor and the persecuted, to speak out for those who have no voice or whose voice has been ignored for too long. She asks us to take action when we see or hear about acts that are spiritually and morally indefensible—and there may be no acts more morally indefensible as the police brutality we have seen on our TV screens. She states:

We often ignore, resist, reject the idea that, like Jesus, we have a role to play in righting a world whose axle is tilting in the wrong direction….to follow Jesus means that we, too, must each do something to redeem our battered, beaten world from the greed that smothers it. 

She reminds us that the while Jesus could be loving and kind, he had another side. This Jesus challenged religious “authorities” and their antiquated views. This Jesus, when he sensed spiritual laws were being broken, upended the moneychangers’ tables in the Temple. Chittister writes:

There is no room for maintaining the perfect spiritual routine, the antiseptic moral cleanliness… none of that marked the life of Jesus himself, who consorted with sinners, healed foreigners, called women to discipleship, contended with scribes about the nature of faith, and irritated the leaders of both religion and government.

We have to be about something greater than ourselves.

The line above from Chittister is a reminder that we must sometimes fight our own complacency and our belief there is nothing we can do. In her words, “The work of God is in our hands. To ignore that is to ignore the very fullness of life.” It is up to us to “speak up and speak out.” She tells us that:

Those who risk nothing, risk much more. While we keep our heads down, our mouths closed, our public reputations unblotted, thanks to the silence we keep in the face of great public issues of the day, the pillars of society erode around us. The Constitution flounders against the political ambitions of the very people pledged to protect it.

In the words of Barack Obama, we are the change we seek. We are the ones who must lead, influence, participate, teach those in need of teaching, discuss and push for legislative solutions to our current problems. In the absence of a return of Jesus, we must be the ones to do the work of God here on Earth.
2 Comments

Season Of Change

9/21/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Today marks the change in season from summer to fall. Autumn draws our attention to the crisp fall air, the beautiful fall colors, to pumpkins and apples. It's an invitation to let these changes stir us to pay attention to our spiritual season as well. 

This is a season for doing deep inner work. A time to understand that love is more than a feeling, love is what you do. What you do for yourself and to the collective whole. We are all being called to go inward. What work is there for you to do?

The fall or autumn equinox is a time of balance between the day and night before the night takes over. This duality between light and dark exists within our human spirituality as well. Just like with nature as it prepares for the winter months, all things must die before they can be born again in the spring.

Spiritual growth requires facing our own inner darkness and overcoming it. Spiritually, the autumn equinox symbolizes inner preparation and work. It's about connecting and harmonizing your soul and spirit in sacred ceremony with nature. 


The fall equinox is a time of shedding, a time of letting go, a time of release. Following the cue of nature...just as the leaves are falling from the trees, so too shall we release, let go, and shed things in our lives that no longer serve us. Letting things fall away that are no longer in our highest and best good, that are no longer serving us in our lives.

​What are those items for you? What things are no longer serving you? Maybe it's a story you have been telling yourself, maybe it's a habit, maybe it's someone in your life. I invite you to spend some time in reflection contemplating what is working in your life and what isn't. What might need shedding in order to make room for something that better serves you?
 

I invite you to slow down a little bit, to appreciate moments out in nature before the cold sets in, and to spend time being still in reflection while you watch the season change. Take time to sit back and reflect on the fruits of your own labor. Where were you a year ago today? How far have come over the course of the past year or even since the spring? Now is a good time to see how far you’ve come and to set goals to carry you through the winter months. The intentions you set this fall will stay with you throughout the winter and carry you into the spring.

Traditionally, the autumn equinox is also a time of harvest and for expressing gratitude for its abundance. As you reflect, take time to express gratitude for the fruits of your own labor. For your own accomplishments and growth. Give yourself a pat on the back for all of your strides forward, no matter the size, big and small. Celebrate the abundance.

As you are reflecting and setting your intentions, remind yourself that you are enough. As a matter of fact, you are amazing! Just the way you are right at this very moment in time. You are doing exactly what you are meant to do. Sure, we can all grow and improve and stretch and learn and do more, but this is not the woulda, coulda, shoulda game. You are enough right here and right now. You are perfectly imperfect!
0 Comments

Before You Speak...

9/15/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
We've all heard the phrase, "Think before you speak" right? I've heard it and I've worked on practicing it, but boy sometimes it's easy to quickly respond and say something, or to remain in old patterns. Sometimes I speak and then wish I hadn't. I wish I would have made a better choice, I wish I could pull the words back into my mouth. Ever had a time (or two) like that?

Our words have power, they are impactful to ourselves and to others. Some words of wisdom, some rules to live by, that I have found helpful are from the poet Rumi, “Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate, ask yourself, ‘Is it true?’ At the second ask, ‘Is it necessary?’ At the third gate ask, ‘Is it kind?”

You take one gate at a time and move through the process to determine what, if, when and how this communication should take place. 

Gate #1:  Is it true?
Is what you are about to say true? Is it factual? This not only addresses whether the communication is hearsay, but also whether it's based on perception. Use this gate to determine if this is perception or fact. If it's truth, you can move on to Gate #2.


Gate #2: Is it necessary?
There is an old yogic wisdom that goes something like, “If your words aren’t benefiting the universe don’t say them.” The idea is don’t allow your ego to do the speaking.

Another way to look at this one is to ask yourself, "Does it add value?" and/or "Does it improve the silence?" 

This also brings up the concept of being right. Sometimes we feel a strong need to be right at all costs. You may want to ask yourself, "Do you want peace or do you want to be right?"

If it's true and it's necessary, you can move on to Gate #3. 

Gate #3: Is it kind?
Is what you are about to say kind and compassionate? Is the timing of it being said kind and compassionate? Are the words and the phrasing that you are choosing kind and loving or frustrated and harsh? 

​You are the gatekeeper of your words. Sometimes we need to take a moment to stop and to think before we speak. It helps me to stop and take a deep belly breath in and then push it all out a couple of times. This helps me to interrupt my normal pattern, my normal response, my normal mode of operation and consider a different approach...which may include silence. I don't always get it right, I'm definitely a work in progress :)

Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? I invite you to answer these 3 questions before you speak.
0 Comments

Centering Morning Prayer

9/8/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
I've shared in previous posts about my morning prayer ritual and how it has served as a powerful and intentional way for me to begin my day. Part of this practice includes a centering morning prayer that I really love and want to also share with you. It's a morning prayer that I learned from author Shauna Niequist. 

Here is Shauna's centering morning prayer. Start by envisioning a symbol that represents God. Picture a word or an image of God. It can be anything. It can be the word love. It can be a heart. Whatever for you is a symbol that represents or reminds you of God. Focus the full attention of your spirit, mind, heart and body on this symbol for several minutes. Shauna recommends at least 3 minutes.

As you are focusing on this symbol, recognize that there is nothing you need to do to get more of God's love because you can't get more love than you already have. There is also nothing that you can do to relinquish this love because it's always there no matter what. You are already worthy.

​Have a sense of freedom to go off and journey through and experience your day with the knowingness that you always carry this love with you. Don't be afraid to take risks, to fail, to experience, to rest and relax because your worth is not on the line every day. You can't do anything that will take away this love. 

Isn't that a relief? You don't have to be perfect, in fact you don't have to do anything to receive God's love. You can experiment and possibly even make mistakes and still be loved. 


I wanted to share this prayer with you because it not only reminds us that we are unconditionally loved, but it helps to take that intellectual concept and allow it to settle into our bones, into our heart, our soul and our spirit. It reminds us that we are deeply loved and created on purpose. That we are all perfectly and beautifully imperfect. Every single one of us.

As Shauna states, "It's a reminder that there is nothing that you can do in the course of a day that will ruin, or squander, or break, or fracture his love for you. There's no mistake too great. And, there's nothing that you can do to get more of his love...to earn more, to prove more, to get more. It's already all there." 

I also wanted to share it because with this prayer comes a sense of freedom. Freedom to not have to prove your worthiness. Freedom to not be perfect. Freedom to experience life and make mistakes. Freedom to afford yourself some slack to explore. Freedom to offer yourself compassion and forgiveness. 

I invite you to give it a try. Start your day off with this centering morning prayer. And while you're at it, consider adding the rest of my morning prayer ritual to it as well :) Here it is:


Good morning Soul. Good morning God. Who am I? Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say and to whom? 

Pausing after each question to listen for an answer and to intentionally answer the question...who am I? Each and every day affirming who I am. I am love, I am peace, I am a child of God, etc.

My morning prayer continues with expressions of gratitude and of a willingness to serve, and includes other personal items that I may have on my mind that day. I've mentioned in previous blog posts how very important I believe gratitude to be. I start and end my day with gratitude and spend time several moments throughout my day offering up expressions of gratitude. 
0 Comments

What Role Will You Play?

9/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
I like the analogy that is sometimes used about life being a stage upon which we are all acting out our lives. I believe that God created the theatre and set the stage for us here on earth. We're here playing out our role within the scene. All of our individual roles, which include our individual choices, intentions, thoughts and feelings, actions, behaviors and beliefs, weave together and culminate into and form the collective. 

I believe that the chaos that is currently playing out on the stage of life is indicative of how we have lost our way. We have gone off script and forgotten the role we are playing and our part. 
So, the question becomes...What role and part are you playing? Are you on script or are you lost on stage?

Here's the thing...when you change your individual role or part everyone around you is prompted to change there's too. This can be for the betterment (back on script) or detriment (off script). If you change your role or the part you are playing, everyone is forced to make a choice in how they react. It would be a struggle to continue to follow the same script when you've made an adjustment within your role or part.

I invite each of us to go inward and examine the role and part that you are playing, to examine your heart. Ask yourself whether you are playing out your role and your part with intention. What is that intention? Is it in alignment with God, with your purpose and your script?

An easy way to gauge whether you are on script, on purpose, is whether your intention and related choices come from a place of love or a place of fear. Fear offers up a lot of excuses and "buts". It's often disguised as love...love for self, or for a certain group of individuals, or as a way that will somehow eventually lead to love. Ultimately though it's fear and only leads to more fear. 


Have you been asking yourself what's up with the year 2020? I know I have. The pandemic, racism, sexism, protests, uncertainty, the election, just to name a few key topics. People are hurting, change and healing is needed. Change and healing can begin by an inward examination and outward expression of our true script. A script that is on purpose and in alignment with God, with love and with our soul. 
0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Archive 

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Picture

      Please sign up to receive weekly new blog posts. 

    Submit
Proudly powered by Weebly