Three were rising

As I returned from walking our little dog, I looked up between the palm trees and saw the vertical line of three stars that announce the coming of winter. They are called the belt of Orion. This group of stars have been my favorite since childhood. I miss seeing them each evening during late spring, summer and fall, only visible in the very early hours of pre-dawn mornings. They are part of Orion the hunter, not the killer or murderer or dominating male, but the symbol of the man who hunts for food and the lively-hood of his family. This mythological figure is fierce, active, energy filled, radiant, fur covered and rich with nutrients for the male identity. He is part of a vast dialogue that reaches back through human history in stories told around the evening fires, to teach children the lessons of adult responsibilities for family and communities. Stories we have forgotten to tell to our children, so that our nation is filled with adolescent/adults who have not been brought through a healthy initiation into maturity. The fierce male, like Orion, is not aggressive, but intensely motivated by an internalized moral compass and a genuine love of people. So with the onset of winter and the birth of the Christ-child, let us remember the fierce, radiant power that comes from being more fully human. Thank you Orion for rising again this year and reminding me of living out my identity with vigor and sensitivity.

advent of hope

This morning we met in the "Place of Prayer" and read some scripture, sat in silence, listened to the noise around us and the quiet whisperings of God. A story was shared in rememberence of hope found in the love of God for us and during one of the times of silence, I realized how fast the pace I have been living at. It was good to stop and listen and feel the cool breeze on my face, the rough stone beneath me and the renewed sense of anticipation that the Christ will be born. Peace and justice and restoration and hope come with the birth of the messiah, the one who sets us free from our schedules, the unending lists of activities that fill our time. The "to do's" can rob us of the joy of immersing ourselves in this season, this time of celebration, this period of preparation for winter, for gifts given and received, for evenings with family, for taking care of those less fortunate than ourselves. Let us begin this advent season listening to the quiet murmurings of a loving God amidst the noise that often surrounds us.