Loading...The evangelist John tells us the story about how the resurrected Jesus materializes inside a locked room and breathes on fearful people. Yes, please. I want that resurrection breath on me: the breath of someone who has been in a tomb for three days without a toothbrush or floss.
Why would I want that stinky breath on me? The breath of the resurrected Christ brings Peace. Then the breath of the resurrected Christ sends fearful people forth in Peace with the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to retain and to forgive sins in the breath of the resurrected Christ.
When I Zoomed Chapel with the St. James Preschool Children today, I asked them what is peace? Can I go to the grocery store and put it into my cart and bring it home and put it into my pantry? One little girl immediately said, ‘ Peace is quiet in your heart.’
Let’s take a moment to make some quiet in our hearts. I have an expert in physical fitness here to lead us through a breathing exercise. I know that when I exercise for swimming the motivation is often to try harder. Today our motivation is to exercise the peace of Christ and to do that try softer. Thank you Angel, our parish administrator, for leading us through this exercise.
Be aware of your ribs over your hips and shoulders over your ribs. A golden thread gently holds your head up to the sky from your crown.
Take your fists and ball them up and squeeze tight. Let go.
Squinch your face into a small pinch around your nose. Let go.
With Right thumb over your left, Hug your hands together tightly. Let go.
With Left thumb over right, Hug your hands together tightly. Let go.
Breathe out as much air from your lungs as you can. Inhale naturally.
Feel the temperature of the air as it enters your nostrils. It is cool.
Feel the temperature of the air as it exits your nostrils. It is warm.
Be aware of your ribs, let them rest and feel full.
See your breath in your mind’s eye as a healing purple light coming from heaven and returning to heaven.
Over the years I have had the great wonder of trying many breathing meditations. I invite you to browse the many traditions of putting quiet in your heart through mindful breathing. One of my favorites comes from the Buddhist tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Even though I am not Buddhist, I appreciate the words he uses. They help put peace in my heart and they help my mind focus so that I don’t have to think about clearing my mind. These are the words that put peace into my mind so I can get peace into my heart. So when I inhale, I say or think the first word and when I exhale I say/think the second word.
In, out
Deep, slow
Calm, ease
Smile, release
Present moment, wonderful moment.
What is more precious than being present fully in the moment, alive and aware — that is how Jesus, in His resurrection, comes to those who are fearful and thinking of many many fearful moments. Jesus comes alive and aware and invites all who are fearful to let go.
Today is the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P Murrah Federal in Oklahoma City. This event tore a hole into a building, into a community, and into the hearts of those I love. All the peace I had stored up in my heart poured out in sorrow, bitterness, confusion and fear.
At first I tried to fill the hole left in my heart with control. I made an amazing scrapbook to chronicle my control needs. My favorite part is my theological conclusion, of course, where I come to terms with God’s almighty power, almighty love, and scandalous freedom.
All those photos and conclusions and memories serve their purpose. The scrapbook is a map I use to explore the hole in my heart. I can point to the place where Peace exited and then there’s the place where I found a mystery that this heart still continues to beat despite its beatings.
What makes a broken heart keep beating? Breath. What makes a dead heart pump again? Breath. What makes a fearful heart quiet and ready to be sent into a broken-hearted world: The breath of the resurrected Christ all fragrant with the scent of the Holy Spirit forgiving sins. Only a person full of holes himself could understand how to manage places that are supposed to be whole but are instead hole-y. When the hole in your heart aches fill it with the words of Jesus, “Peace be with you.” Then let His Peace pour out to others. At St. James we do that by Loving People --- Serving People.
