Sometime while Paul was under house arrest in Rome, he sent a letter to a church in the city of Colossae in what we know as modern-day Turkey. Early in his instructive letter to this highly spiritually-focused community, he shared a poem, a hymn that may have been already known.  It expresses a much more expansive view of Christ than the simple the notation of God’s anointing located on one person (a very narrow understanding of the Messiah-Christ anointed one) but sees it rather as an expression of the expansiveness of God, the presence of God in which all creation thrives. When we move beyond the limiting vision of God “out there” who might break into our lives occasionally and embrace the God who is already present everywhere tying everything together, our notion of reality itself is altered.

     Highly acclaimed Spoken Word poet Amena Brown was definitely awake to this way of seeing as she responded to the rhetorical question, “how do you know when you’re hearing from God? Her response evidences her view that the movement of God is constantly flowing in the grandness of creation and the minutia of daily life.  John Cobb noted that “Christian spirituality is the formation of life in response to the divine Spirit that is known in Jesus Christ. The divine Spirit is God. Hence, what we believe about God determines our spirituality” (Can Christ be Good News Again? 152).  Theology matters.

     If Paul’s vision is onto something – even if highly affected by his personal and historical context as is the case for all scripture and our vision as well – then we have a very expansive way of engaging the world.  Bruce Epperly proclaims such a reality: “Christ is alive! Christ’s spirit can creatively transform us and give us the vision and energy to transform our world.  That is our calling as followers of the Healer from Nazareth” (Praying with Process Theology, 54).  In his daily “devotional”, Praying with Process Theology, Epperly recounts a story about Michelangelo. As he was rolling a boulder to his front porch a neighbor asked him what he was doing. The great artist replied, “There’s an angel inside and I’m trying to let it out.”

     Such a way of seeing and being in the world led Epperly to offer this prayer: “Companion of All Creation, wake me up. Give me greater sensitivity to your hidden presence in all things. Help me to go beyond the surfaces of life to experience the holiness of life and then encounter all things with reverence and care. Amen” (Praying with Process Theology, 60).  The prayer and underlying vision celebrates the idea the “the glory of God is a person fully alive.” 

     When we realize what we are a part of – connected to everyone and everything by the Spirit of God – we cannot sit still.  Love grows within us motivating action, leading us to pray along similar lines expressed by Epperly: “Loving God, your companionship and care are amazing. You know our joys and pain and guide us toward abundant life. You show us what it means to be fully human and guide us to care for your children everywhere. Help us to know that our lives are our gifts to you, and that as we bring beauty to the lives of others, we bring beauty to your life as well” (Praying with Process Theology, 56).  Part of this action is prayer itself, believing that our focused attention makes a difference in the world: in our lives, in the lives of the focus of our prayer, and therefore in creation’s unfolding.  Our hearts are softened, wooing us to utter words like Epperly as he offered this prayer: “Mirror of Beauty and Love, we see you in every face. We experience your love in the outcast and forgotten and move forward to embrace and heal. Let our arms be wide open to welcome others as you welcome us” (Praying with Process Theology, 65).

Benediction: “Spirit of Gentleness, flow through us, enlivening and challenging us to go forward through the wilderness of our time. Give us wisdom and energy to respond to the crises in our midst, caring for the non-human world in our neighborhood and for species across the globe. Spirit descend upon us and ascend in us, give life, and inspire service to this good Earth. Amen.” – Bruce Epperly, Praying with Process Theology, 67

Questions to Consider:

How is this way of thinking about Christ different than what you may have been taught?

How does this way of thinking about Christ affect the way you think about your life, the world you live in, the people sharing life in this world with you?

How does this way of thinking about Christ impact your view of prayer?

September 24 Service Elements:

Announcements & Greeting: Share a time when you had your prayers answered?

Birdtalker: One

Meditation: St. Patrick’s vision of Christ; Christian Namaste

Birdtalker: I Know

Teaching: Entangled Prayer Week 3: Christ is Alive

Amena Brown, Spoken Word Poem: She Said How Do You Know When You’re Hearing from God?

Christ with me
Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me

Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ on my right, Christ on my left
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me
Christ in every eye that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me – St. Patrick