SOS

15 September 2015

Zubiri

SOS

I left Roncesvalles and the Pyrenees behind bound for the descent to Zubiri.  The first 10 km were a        deeee light! It was through a level graded path through a dense and almost magical beech forest. It had a nice canopy of cover and a collage of green leaves, heavy moss-covered trees, a variety of wild mushrooms with intriguing colors in patterns, sizes, and shapes.  Being in a dense forest always brings me a sense of peace, especially after the nightmare of the Pyrenees walk, this was so welcome.

Along that comfortable 10k walk, I easily fell into my prayer dialogue.  “So what would you like to tell me today, Lord? What would you like my attention to be?”  Just 1km later, call it a Godcident or a quick answer to prayer, there was a sign, a huge sign.  Mysteriously and inexplicably placed on the sheer side of a mountain side were three huge white letters cast amongst the green trees, SOS.  Why the Spaniards would place them facing long miles and miles of countryside is dumfounding. Here was my connection.

During a few Camino presentations prior to my departure, the theme I used were captured in the same three letters- SOS.  They served as the organization of my talk.  That is, this.  The spirituality I gained while walking the Camino pilgrimage, praying, reflecting, contemplating God’s life and love with me resulted in what I called a Spirituality of Subtraction, coincidentally the title of a book by Richard Rohr.  I have not read Rohr’s book yet, but the title always resonated as firm truth on how God reformed my spiritual insights.  That is, to gain spiritual growth is available by surrendering “stuff” from a cluttered life, cluttered heart, cluttered mind.  My experience taught me the path toward this new spirituality is coincidentally ordered by the same three letters-SOS. 

It begins by being silent before God in prayer.  So often my prayer time launched off on my timetable with a wonderfully pious monologue of what I thought I needed to tell and ask God.  Whether spoken aloud or a rambling speech to Him it was, in truth, me dominating the conversation.  This first step in ‘Subtraction’ required me to, well, shut up and just listen.  I may begin with a few words of praise and expression of sorrow for offenses.  After that introduction I learned to just be silent. I often wonder how God put up with me monopolizing our conversational prayer time.  I rarely gave Him the opportunity to speak to my heart.  This I have learned to be true: God speaks in whispers and the Holy Spirit is a gentleman in His messages.  I needed to subtract my old habit of talking too much and just be SILENT.

How amazing God has rewarded that effort.  How more amazing of what I hear in the silence.  His voice is never audible to me, but He does speak into the heart to encourage more love and forgiveness to be lived.  I also learned that I can not just sense His message, I need to be OPEN to it for spirituality to grow.  Sometimes the message is a call to be more for Him than I ever have been before in my daily life. Those are not easy assignments or callings.  Praying with my palms in an open posture helps me to remain open to whatever new blessing, insight, or challenge He may have.

SURRENDER is not an easy calling to accept. It does not even seem very American. Giving up the comfortable me, the “way I’ve always done it,” and the “I’m not comfortable with that now” are tough, tough self-imposed obstacles toward this kind of spirituality.  After all, adding more is more attractive than subtracting more in life.

Enough with the inspired teaching.  Emblazoned today on the side of this mountainside were those three letters- SOS- just at the time I was offering my attention to Him for a new message. Godcident at its best.  But it engaged me in an entire day of contemplating and listening to Him. They’re simple questions with huge, God-sized answers. 

What do you want to tell me today, Lord?  I will give you all my prayer time to just listening. (Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.)

What do I hold so tight to in my life? Of what aspect of my life am I trying to be God/Creator/Judge? (Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.)

What new baby step in faith can I take toward greater surrender? (LESS of me IS MORE of Jesus.)

This is the prayer routine that rattled along in my prayer time today.  I left the forest by afternoon and led into an intensely steep climb of 200m only followed by a 4 km and 20 degree grade of descent into Zubiri. It was over a rocky covered trail that was devilishly rain covered and slippery.  Praise God for answering my SOS emergency call for safety.

Subtraction is a good and healthy calling. Consider its benefits, friends.

Fondly,

Deacon Willie, DW