What touches me about this song is the idea that sometimes the things that we perceive as "not working" or challenges in our lives are exactly what seems to help us grow and experience God's blessings and presence in a more profound way.
I like the lyric about how God loves us too much to give us lesser things...something to think about. Sometimes we think we really want something...but we’re really wanting something that's of way lesser quality than we deserve. We can't see the bigger picture. Have you heard of that story of the guy who went on a cruise and only ate the cheese and crackers he brought along with him (to save money) only to find out at the end of the cruise that the buffets and all-day snack bars that were open 24-7....were free with his ticket??
The Lord has so much to give us, we just have to be open to receive it...and that means opening our mind and not thinking that we've got it all figured out (like the cheese and cracker guy) and worse, limiting God and His possibilities (ex: God already did this and this for me...surely He's done). Perhaps we need to allow Him to change us so that His grace can affect us even more and so we can live, move and have our being in closer union with Him.
I read a quote today from "Cistercian Monastic Life/Vows: A Vision" by Jean-Marie Howe.
"Our being, our substance, must be porous in order for the Mystery to enter, to penetrate. That is the crux of the matter. It is not enough simply to be immersed in life. We must let ourselves be plowed so that the furrows of our person become deeper and deeper, so that our earth becomes softer and softer. This is something that our being craves, but this plowing is kenosis (emptying, the death which must precede new life, rebirth) and kenosis is not easy. In the measure that our being becomes porous, open, grace can penetrate us. Depth is possible. Transformation is possible. Thus an ever deepening penetration by the Mystery can fill us with spiritual being" (p.367)
Death leads to New Life, definitely something we've been celebrating a lot during this Easter season. When have you experienced or seen kenosis in your life? Perhaps this was a time when your "blessings were like raindrops, mercies in disguise".
Peace!
Whoa,Great song! is this a set list leak? I hope so!.... heh heh, this is a great post!
ReplyDeleteA kind of purging and shaping through suffering. ultimately letting Jesus fill that empty space once all that dirt out is taken out and once that pain is quenched enough to not be crippling.For me God has been doing this kenosis at a slower pace, probably because i am stubborn and thick haha. But its very real! and i have experienced it very strongly many times and continue to, its a kind of pain that hurts in places you didn't know could hurt when its bad, and a feeling like God is not listening, like he has left.Faith is all you can go by. No revelation, no consolation, a feeling of a dry and barren wasteland, in a way its a test really. If you trust and keep praying you WILL come out of it (by Gods grace) with greater understanding and Jesus dwells in your heart and the holy spirit teaches and brings it all together more and more as it keeps happening at different periods through the years. A growth, death and rebirth cycle kind of. I see it as rising levels of closeness to God.Reading and watching a lot about the saints lately I have heard a good amount about "the darkness of the soul" as its often called, so this all fresh in my head and the reason why I am writing a novel here.
Kenosis at its greatest intensity. Theresa of Avilla and Mother Teresa are two that I know as good examples of just what happens, its INTENSE, but thats God molding and bringing them to their ultimate purpose, and its something we all must go through to be the saints we are all called to be!
Confession VERY often, Adoration VERY often.Two important keys in this process. Its where to get that cleansing grace,to get the peace and light in the darkness, even if I dont always feel it as a feeling, i know enough now that Jesus is their and very real.Its at these times we must open up, let him speak, let him do the work, persistence, patience and trust are key. That's what i am being taught, these are the gifts God gave us to be able to recieve him fully physically in the most blessed sacrament and that's where he enters into us to complete this rebirth. To have true life in us, we all know the line!
The lyric in this song "1000 sleepness nights" boy I can relate to that line and it directly reminds of a member in my family who experienced a kenosis.
The most touching personal example of kenosis that I have seen happened to one of my brothers.He suffered through a lot to get where he is today,God changed him, did a 360 miracle on him, literally. He had a dramatic conversion, all kinds of things happened to him! went though vocational dicernment along with his now wife. Now I see him and he is new man,reborn,its still shocking to me(in a good way) even though this happened like 10 years ago. He has a beautifal wife 4 kids and another on the way and I am in awe of what God has done with the pruning of this vine haha, truly a miracle. That example,changed my life forever! On his wedding day the only address he gave to the guest was this "so many sleepless nights, now i am ok... thanks" or something very close to that.. no joke!- sorry for writing a novel Chelsea, i just kinda spilled out...haha PEACE OUT BLOGGLAND!