This morning I was struck by a passage from Psalm 48. The psalmist told listeners walk through Zion, go all around it, count its towers... basically, to consider their surroundings so they might know God as the one who guards them forever and ever.
I never thought about it before, but this is a reminder to reflect, to contemplate, to open ourselves to our environment because God is there with us on our journey. I'd not been aware of the psalmist giving that kind of advice; I'll have to pay more attention.
Many decades ago Bro. David Steindle-Rast, a Benedictine retreatmaster and author, told our retreat group that contemplation was listening to the conversation between our feet and the sidewalk. This spoke volumes to me. It had been a kind of guiding light in my spirituality; it still is. Weeds fighting thru cracks in the sidewalk, the ornamentation of sewer lids, the motley faces that pass by -- these and so much more reflect God. This is a gift. The constant challenge is to increase my awareness of this sacred reality.
a ky monk
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