Monday of the Second Week of Easter

April 28, 2003

Last October and again during Lent many parishes participated in Project Renew, which is basically all about being made new like the early Christians we saw in last week’s gospel. As a traveling priest I have opportunity to get around to various parishes as well as the one in which I live.

In every parish I discovered that the October sessions were fairly small but those committed also committed themselves to inviting a friend to at least one session. All but one of those parishes doubled the number of participants in the Lenten sessions.

Why are we so reluctant to bring our personal relationship with God into conversation with other people? Why is it so much easier to talk about external events than about internal feelings?

One very well known therapist said if you really want to escape from the bondage of your feelings and live your own life, first name the feelings, claim them as your own, and ultimately you will tame them. They will no longer hold power over you.

Perhaps we are reluctant to talk about pycho/spiritual experiences because they are too intimate, like the experiences between husband and wife. With all due respect, you don’t share everything with everyone; but some experiences in being shared with the right people are cast in a ne perspective, light, understanding, and appreciation.

Or it perhaps it may be due to a sense of inadequacy or a concern that our God relationship won’t sound good enough because we don’t hear God or get healed miraculously as someone else might. When we are truly honest about the times when we feel empty, questioning, unsure confused, or doubtful about our God relationship; God will often speak to us mercifully and kindly as we listen to the struggles , desires, the hopes, that others share, and we know that we are not alone.

It is these most vulnerable moments that strengthen our bonds with one another and encourage us to draw near to God. Take a risk in talking with someone about your God relationship and be surprised what grace can do for you-

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PM———This morning I spoke on externalizing our most inner secrets, whether intimate or intimidating. As long as they remain wrapped up in us, they over power us. But as we externalize them they are named, claimed and tamed.

If you are not yet able to do this with another person you can begin with a mirror. Set your chair before the mirror and point you accusing finger noting who the figure in the mirror is pointing to.

Another method is to sit at table with pad and pen and write your feelings simply so you can read them. On the paper they have become eternalized.