In my last post, I discussed how people of different beliefs can and do work well together on common efforts to attain sobriety and to make peace. I discussed how we can respect each other’s diverse perspectives on our “Higher Power,” and how we can respectfully support each person’s needed spiritual awakening. In response to these thoughts, some Christians questioned my beliefs: Am I Christ-centered enough? Am I a true Christian?

Today, I am sharing a meditation that I wrote to help me on my needed and ongoing spiritual journey. The meditation is based on the Gospel and is based on our common humanity, particularly our gift of love.

The meditation has 10 parts. I like to savor one or two of these parts at a time to help me start my day. I hope you enjoy the meditation, and of course feel free to share with others.

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear
Our Father and our Mother
Our fountain of Mercy and Justice
Gifting Humanity
Through wondrous plants, animals, water, lands, air, and sky
Gifting Humanity
In all places, through all cultures and people, and throughout all times
Gifting Humanity
With wondrous helpers, teachers, humorists, and truthsayers
Gifting Humanity
With wondrous artists, dreamers, thinkers, and story-tellers
Gifting Humanity
With wondrous healers, reconcilers, peacemakers, and prophets
Gifting Humanity
With wondrous children, family, friends, needy ones, and wanderers
Gifting Humanity
With each person

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear
Our Mother and Father
Our fountain of Compassion and Strength
Gifting Humanity
With Jesus
A helper, player, and worker
A learner, teacher, and encourager
A healer, forgiver, and peacemaker
Jesus our Brother who lives for us all
Jesus our Revolutionary who dies for us all
Jesus our Savior who has been raised for us all
Jesus the Child of all Humanity

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

I hear Jesus celebrating people’s goodness
Blessed are you who are poor
Blessed are you who hunger
Blessed are you who mourn
Blessed are you who are merciful
Blessed are you who make peace
Blessed are you who are hated, reviled, and persecuted
You are the salt of the Earth
You are the light of the world
Let your light shine

I see Jesus respecting people
A patient friend
Listening
Playing along
Trusting
Sharing heavy burdens
Accepting people as they are
Welcoming all
Blessing all

I see Jesus turning life around
For the outcasts, the dirty, the disorderly, and the mischief-makers
For the strangers, the lepers, the weird, the addicted ones, and the prostitutes
For the humbled, the abused, the searchers, the conservers, and the broken hearted
For the sick, the hurt, the young, the old, and the dying
For those who have crashed and
For those who have fallen through the cracks
I see Jesus revealing each person’s hope
Supporting and encouraging each person’s joy
I see Jesus
As Child of God
Calling each of us
Even me
As Child of God
Into one Family

Not judging, not condemning, not holding back
I see Jesus showing up and standing up for others
I hear Jesus upholding me
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
And wherever you go
Celebrate, respect, and welcome

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

I see Jesus sharing compassion, wisdom, and encouragement
I hear Jesus building upon humanity’s gifts and
Teaching the Way based on love
As you wish others would do for you
Do so for others
Do not insult or hurt another
If someone strikes you on one cheek
Offer your other cheek as well
Do not return evil for evil
Do not fight or ridicule
Do not even pray
Until you go and seek reconciliation
Be merciful as your Abba is merciful
Love like Abba loves
Generously give to the just and unjust
Love whether people love you in return or not
Love expecting nothing in return
Put away your swords
For those who live by the sword die by the sword
Trust in Abba
Love your enemies

I hear Jesus sharing Abba’s love and
The wonders of nature
Think of the birds
They neither sow nor reap
They have neither storehouses nor barns
Yet Abba feeds them
Think of the lilies
Think of how they grow
They neither toil nor spin
Yet Abba clothes them
More beautifully than royalty
Abba knows your needs
Fear not
Trust
It’s Abba’s joy to give you the Kingdom

I hear Jesus trusting us with stories
Stories of mustard seeds, making bread, hidden treasures, and businesspersons
Stories of fishing nets, lost sheep, banquets, and Good Samaritans
Stories of merciful lenders, weeds and crops, wayward children, and persistent widows
Stories of humble and poor folks, sheep and goats, harvests, and weddings

I see Jesus meeting us where we’re at
Inviting us along our path of renewal
Come to me
All you who are weary
And heavily burdened
And I will give you rest
For I am gentle and lowly of heart
And my work and my burdens
are easy and light
Live in me and I in you
Abba, like a Good Samaritan
Loves and cares for you
Go and do likewise

I feel Jesus stirring me up
I hear Jesus
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
And wherever you go
Share love, understanding, and joy

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

I hear Jesus engaging us
Be good and trustworthy servants
Give food to the hungry
Give clothes to those in need
Visit the imprisoned
Welcome and celebrate strangers
Live and work
So that everyone
Neighbors near and far
Can have and share a good life

I hear Jesus engaging us
Be good and trustworthy family members
Give each one the nourishment to grow
Give each one the love they need
Comfort the sorrowful
Welcome and celebrate each new member
Live and work
So that everyone
Sisters and brothers near and far
Can have and share a good life

I see the goodness
Of light, water, land, air, and fire
Of Earth, moon, planets, sun, and stars
Of rain, food, sunshine, and seasons
Of plants, fungi, animals, and all living creatures
I see Jesus engaging us with the goodness of all things
Be good and trustworthy servants
Preserve nature
Restore all that has been despoiled and wasted
Protect the endangered
Welcome and celebrate all creation
Live and work
So that everyone
Creatures near and far
Can have and share a good life

In my life’s efforts
I see Jesus
Inviting me into an out-of-the-way wilderness
Leading me up a mountain
Stilling the storm within me
Opening me to life’s mysteries
Strengthening me for the journey ahead and
In each step accompanying me
Ask and it will be given to you
Seek and you will find
Knock and the door will be opened to you
Consider life’s mysteries deeply in your heart
Pray that Abba’s Yearning will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven
Give thanks
Give praise
Bless all
Be one

I see Jesus
A stranger, neighbor, spouse, sister, brother, and needy one
Ardently seeking to do Abba’s Yearning
On this Earth as it is done in Heaven
I hear Jesus engaging us
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
Love, love, love
Wherever you are
Wherever is home
And wherever you go

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

Humbled and coming to our senses
For what we have done and not done
We see Jesus
Coming in mercy and compassion
Coming to set us free from all our undoings
We too come to Jesus

I hear Jesus
Rise from your failings
I love you
I know you love me too
Your sins are forgiven
Leave them behind
Forgive yourself
Be happy
Let us put a ring on your finger
And celebrate our togetherness
You are forgiven
Go in peace
Share the joy of your restoration
And live free of sin

Likewise forgive
Whoever has wronged you
Seventy times seventy
Again and again
Forgive, forgive, forgive
Always renewing the Earth with love

I see Jesus our Liberator
I hear Jesus
Peace be with you
As Abba has sent me
I send you
Receive the Holy Spirit
Whenever you forgive anyone
They are forgiven
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
As I have forgiven you
Set others completely free of their sins
Forgive and be forgiven
Wherever you go

I wade into the river of forgiveness
Forgiving others
And I find that I am being forgiven too

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

Jesus comes to heal
I hear Jesus
What do you want?
Trust In Abba
Let me see your sickness, your infirmity, your possession
Feel my hands upon you
My hands upon your needs
Trust
Love
Rise and be healed
Go your way and live afresh
Your faith has made you well
Your faith has saved you

I see Jesus with the sick, suffering, and healed
I hear Jesus
In the same way
With me
Guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit
Heal sickness, infirmities, and possessions
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
Being healed and healing wherever you go

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

I hear Jesus call us to renew the Earth
With all our talents
And with all our efforts
With love and justice
Without harm to anyone
To fulfill our duties
Doing what is needed
To Sustain and give life
For all creation and for all people
To take charge and transform our world
So that our world will benefit all
I have come to set the world on fire
And how I wish it were already blazing

Let us rid and purify our lives
Of all callousness and injustice
Of all exploitation and corruption
Get these things out of here
Stop turning my Father’s house
Into a marketplace and
Into a den of thieves
As the Scriptures proclaim
My house shall be a house of prayer
For all peoples
Throughout the Earth
Just as it is in Heaven

I see and hear Jesus
Let your light shine
Stir up the people
Carry our revolution
Rise up for all humanity
And wherever you go
Renew the Earth with the fire of your love

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see Jesus
I ask Jesus
When, Jesus, when?
When will we be healed?
When will we be victorious?
Unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground
And dies
It remains just a grain of wheat
But if it dies
It produces much fruit
Here’s the way to find the life that you seek
Deny yourself
Lose your life
Take up your cross
Bear another’s burden
And follow me
Serving and caring

Jesus keeps speaking
And I keep listening
To find life
Pass through the narrow gate
Bring others with you too
Distribute your possessions for the needy
Keep only what you need
Speak simply and truly
Do not judge
Do not compare
Do not focus on the speck in your neighbor’s eye
When you do not see the log in your own eye
Do not parade your alms, deeds, or prayers
But in secret without credit to yourself
Do not let one hand know
The good that your other hand is doing
Seek first the Kingdom
Doing whatever is needed
Washing another’s feet with your tears
Standing by another’s cross
Taking the least important place
Being like this child in my arms

I see the child
The child is held by Jesus
Hugged
I hear Jesus
Be gentle and humble
Be cheerful and grateful
Enter into life’s deep waters
Be born afresh
Everyone who loves is born of God
Be born of the Spirit
Becoming a Child of God
For God is Love
Experience all that Abba, your Father, wants for you
Be led by the Spirit
Let the wind blow where it will

We are becoming the child in Jesus’ arms
I am resting in Jesus’ arms
We hear Jesus
Come with me
I have chosen you
Dear brothers and sisters
I have appointed you
To go forth and bear lasting and life-giving fruit
Ask Abba with me for whatever is serviceable
And receive it in love
Remember always that
Abba sends and gives the Counselor, the Spirit
To all those who ask

I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring
I die
I am born
I am raised
My time has come
I am alive
The Child of all Humanity lives in me
I see Jesus
I hear Jesus
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
And wherever you go
Bring childlike grace, good news, and life

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear Jesus
Jesus is preparing us for his journey to Abba
Come with me
Even in this difficult time
Let’s celebrate and give thanks
Let’s wash each other’s feet
Let’s break bread together
Let’s pray together
Let’s stay awake together

I see Jesus deeply troubled
I hear Jesus
Abba loves the world so much
But this world is full of hurt and hate
Do not be of this world
The time is coming
When you will weep
And the world will rejoice
When those who kill you
Believe that they are doing God a service
But do not let sorrow fill your hearts
Forgive them
They do not understand what they are doing

We wash feet and break bread together
We hear Jesus pray
Abba may all these your children be one
Just as you and I are one
And through their love for one another
May many others find and experience your love

I see Jesus’ life offered
Placed before me
I hear Jesus
Love one another
As I have loved you
I lay down my life for you
You are my friends
Live in my love
That your joy and your life will be complete

In all this
I am greatly troubled too
I try to stay awake and hopeful
But I find great difficulties in doing this
Still I hear Jesus
I am not leaving you deserted
The Counselor, the Spirit, will come to you
And will always be with you
Rely on our Counselor
Guiding you
And anointing you with all virtue
Keep coming together and I too will be with you
Keep showing up for others and I too will show up for you
Keep standing for all and I too will stand for you
Keep upholding one another and I too will uphold you
Keep awake and I too will be awake at your side
You will fail sometimes
But do not fear
Be bold and courageous
Our present sorrows will turn
To joy
To forgiveness
To healing
And to thanksgiving
My peace I give to you

My hopes are growing stronger
I hear Jesus
Keep letting your light shine
Keep rising up
And keep carrying our revolution
Wherever you go
Yes, Jesus, I am joining your journey
I am dying to myself
I am becoming a friend of all
I am becoming family for all
I am becoming in you a living member
Of the Child of all Humanity
Our renewed Humanity whose members are
Striving always to love as you and Abba love
This Humanity being renewed and coming on the clouds of Heaven
To renew the Earth

Peace be with you
As Abba has sent me
I send you
Serve
Care
Be a friend
Share wisdom
Forgive
Heal
Work
Renew
Be a child
Be a light
Uphold others
Love
And Smile
I see and hear
The Heavens are glad
The Earth rejoices
The deserts blossom
The seas roar
The forests and the hills dance
All that has life shouts with joy
Thank you Abba
Thank you Jesus
Thank you all who love

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~