By Sister Doreen, SSJD
The Anglican Church of Canada quote for July: “And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there; it will become fresh, and everything will live where the river goes.” Ezekiel 47:9.
The Message translation comments, “That the water descends into the sea of stagnant water, and that sea will become fresh. Wherever the river flows, life will flourish – great schools of fish – because the river is turning the salt sea into fresh water. Where the river flows, life abounds.”
The words “everything will live where the river goes” – “where the river flows, life abounds” made me think of Elizabeth Goudge’s book “The Scent of Water” and of course took me to Job 14: 7-9 “For a tree there is always hope. Chop it down and it still has a chance – its roots can put out fresh sprouts. Even if its roots are old and gnarled, its stump long dormant, at the first whiff of water it comes to life, buds and grows like a sapling.”
All of these scriptural images speak of a powerful and profound spiritual truth: hope can survive even in desolate seasons – God in compassionate mercy and love and promise, never lets us go and will revive what seems dead. It is so easy today in the midst of global news and one’s own personal life to feel like that cut down tree! Circumstances may leave one feeling spiritually barren and emotional dry. But that root is still in the ground and wherever there is a root, there is still potential for life! That root retains a quiet endurance. God often works underground in the hidden place of our hearts, slowly in our seasons of silence or stillness. “Those who wait upon God shall renew their strength.”
We are like Job, who continue in chapter 14 “all through these difficult days I keep hoping, waiting for the final change – for resurrection! Homesick with longing for the creature you made, you’ll call – and I’ll answer! You’ll watch over every step I take, but you won’t keep track of my missteps.” Just a scent, a whisper, a drop of grace is enough … God is near, watching over me and slowly opening my heart ‘you call and I’ll answer!’ Yes, yes, with God’s help.
The readiness to go consciously and willingly with the flow of life, knowing that just a scent, a whisper, a drop of grace is enough … in God’s good time. The flow of life has a direction and a goal, we can entrust ourselves to the flow of life much like a swimmer, being carried along with the flow, the tide – not fighting the current. Rivers of living water is an image for all of us – to be purposeful, powerful, flowing, creative, and persevering. We need courage to be part of the wave that will eventually take us to the Ocean of Love and God!
Water is such a powerful and universal symbol for life, for cleanliness, for healing, for a fresh start, for sustaining life and creating new life. Ian Macdonald in the book Living Waters” writes: “Everywhere Jesus goes there is water. Awash in the reality of social outcasts, Jesus tells lepers to bathe, run, and show themselves, cleansed, to their priest. Once, on temple grounds, Jesus uses the water of his own spit to open a blind man’s eyes. Lovingly and humbly, Jesus washes the disciples’ feet to show how to care, how to serve. At the last, when Jesus is dead and on the cross, a final spear thrust reveals water and blood flowing from his side, twin rivers from a broken temple that will nourish the people of God. Even when Jesus breaks the bonds of death, water is present. When Mary, weeping by the side of the tomb, hears herself called by name, it is through her tears that she sees the resurrected Christ.”
Water is a real metaphor for freedom. Some wisdom from a Tibetan teacher Juna Lama Rinpoche “it is essential that we go through our own ongoing inner transformation before setting out to help in the world!” There is a wonderful example in Ian Macdonald’s book “Living Waters” that I found helpful in imagining my own need for ongoing personal transformation. He quotes Peter Timmerman: “Spiritual disciplines, like meditation, is like defrosting your fridge. You have to take everything out, clean it completely of wilted celery and old pizza – the categorical mind. Once ‘empty’ we are free to see how everything is connected, how nothing can be permanently protected from change, and how we may serve simply by being part of the flow.” It is with spiritual discipline, meditation, and prayer that our actions can become effortless, our journey more flowing, carrying us and others to new life and freedom.
We may be tempted to feel that the desiring of God is all on our end. However, the real truth is that our desiring originates in God’s desiring of us. This is so aptly illustrated in the following poem prayer of Mechthild of Magdeburg, a thirteenth century saint who wrote:
The soul speaks:
“God, you are my lover, my longing, my flowing stream, my sun,
And I am your reflection.”God answers:
“It is my nature that makes me love you often, for I am love itself.
It is my longing that makes me love you intensely,
For I yearn to be loved from the heart.
It is my eternity that makes me love you long,
For I have no end.”
The Anglican Church of Canada hymn book Common Praise #578:
O healing river, send down your waters, send down your waters upon this land.
O healing river, send down your waters, and wash the blood from off the sand.This land is parching, this land is burning, no seed is growing in the barren ground.
O healing river, send down your waters, O healing river, send your waters down.Let the seed of freedom awake and flourish, let the deep roots nourish, let the tall stalks rise.
O healing river, send down your waters, o healing river, from out of the skies.
Yes! Yes! “Arise shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1.