Three Breaths

I hesitate as I begin this writing today because I fear being misinterpreted or misunderstood. Initially, I would wander to another topic because Ascension is hard for me. I even considered just not writing at all because the truth that is welling up in me may be a hard truth to hear. But, as always, God will not let me off that easily.

First, my problem with Ascension is that my logical mind doesn’t get it. There are a lot of mystical ideas and experiences that I can easily get my mind around but not this one. The idea of someone floating up into the clouds out of their sight doesn’t jive with my understanding of God as indwelling.

But as I stayed with it, I realized a very practical truth about the Ascension is being lived out right here and right now in our parish community.

Let’s see if I can make this make sense. Jesus returned to the apostles many times after the resurrection.  He came to them to strengthen them, encourage them, reaffirm His teaching and enable them to put into practice all that He taught them.

In the last several months, there has been some strongly stated discontent around Father Jerry being asked to no longer begin mass with the focusing exercise of taking three cleansing breaths and inviting Jesus into our hearts. Many of us have taken issue with that decision, blamed the Bishop, and voiced our discontent loudly, 

I hope you are beginning to see the parallel I see. Jesus left His disciples so they could begin to take responsibility for His mission.  Jesus left them so they could grow personally, and so their faith was not all wrapped up in following Him, but rather, they came to know God better within themselves.  Their faith could no longer be in following.  Now it had to be in leading.  They had a choice to grumble about Jesus ascending to the Father, or they could take what they learned and be who they were called to be. 

Back to the three centering breaths. For 17 years, Father Jerry has led us with those centering breaths at mass. Father Jerry gave us a gift.  It is ours for always.  He taught us how to do that centering exercise in our own lives.  There is not one of us, if we are honest, that could not lead that centering prayer almost word for word.

When you give a gift, it belongs to the recipient. We have been gifted with the ability to center ourselves, pull away from the distractions of the day, and welcome the Lord into our hearts.  We all can use that gift anytime and anywhere.  It is ours, graciously given to us by Father Jerry. It is ours, and no one has the power to take it away.

We can take a few moments before mass begins, do the three breaths, and welcome Jesus into our hearts before celebrating Eucharist. But more than that, we can do it sitting at a light in traffic, facing a difficult decision, when we find ourselves in a disagreement with someone, or when we sit at home and pray.  We have been given a gift, and it is ours forever.

I suppose that makes us just like the Apostles at the Ascension.  Jesus gave them the tools.  He taught them the Word and will of His Father.  Now it is their turn to use what He taught them.  Their teaching, preaching, and healing are gifts entrusted to them from this point on.  It is up to them to use it.

The gift given is the mission of the giver.  The use of the gift is the responsibility of the recipient.

In God’s Unending Love,

Gwen