As she continues with this 'body' from "Let the Bones Dance" - Marcia W. Mount Shoop - there are a few image I will address. Living into these embodied gifts of God takes practice. Like a creek bed slowly changing course, practice is the trickling current that creates transformation in time. Practice is the wind, the push in the current. Practice nourishes our embodied competency for redemption. The body can become more and more available for redemption by nurturing itself in what I a calling "dispositions of redemption." Because of God's unique power and our divine spark, dispositions of redemption are both gifts of grace and fruits of spiritual practices. When nourished and nurtured, our imago Dei revives as the fuel of who we are, instead of just surviving as a flicker of who we were supposed to be. We can function as partners in the transformational promise of Jesus Christ in our lives. I was liking what I was reading and then she threw in a 'trigger' term - divine spark. Historically, that language had to do with some of the great heresies of the past. The way it goes is that there is this 'divine spark' that enters humanity - but never really becomes a part of it all - that earthiness - that physical reality - that mortality. If this is where she was going, I was going to dump the reflections. If she was going there, all the "word made flesh" stuff from John's gospel could be thrown out - and that is not going to happen. Then I realized she is very committed to embodiment - very drawn to the body of Christ as real and present. This 'spark' now sounds more like the 'word' that settles us and abides with us and becomes us. That - is something that makes sure that we never let our adventure with Jesus become a whirlwind without substance - everyday stuff - all of it. Connection: We are called to settle in and live as people fully human and fully available to the world - all of it - no buffers - no limits - Fully Human. That is where our story begins this day and this is right where it will end - as one of God's beloved living as though that is the truth. Gather us as one, O God. Direct us and nurture us along the way of your Son. Let you Spirit of life take us and move us and hand us the day as one full of your presence. Amen. |
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