The LIGHT Half of the YEAR is HERE!
It’s hard to come up with something inspiring to say when there is so much to be sad about. I will not list the atrocities that are unfolding in our world, as I am sure you have a newspaper, a news feed, a radio or a TV. If you don’t have those things, memo: we are blowing ourselves up. The human race keeps trafficking in offense, hate, racism, oppression, fear-mongering, injustice–there’s no end to it.
But wait! Aren’t there just as many of us fighting against the above laundry list of crimes? Aren’t there just as many of us emulating love, joy, good deeds? Working to mitigate the mind-numbing circus of bottom feeders, who are actually at the “top”?
Can both things be true?
I’ll let you think about that, and I’ll offer something that is coming to me of late. I have not been to church in a long time, but lines of scripture sometimes appear in my mind. I’m having one of those moments.
The line coming to me is: “…and the meek shall inherit the Earth.”
Wouldn’t that be great if the meek took over?! I’d be pretty excited about that. I also wonder about what the original Hebrew word is for ‘meek,’ and find that the original Greek for meek is the word, praus, meaning, gentle, meek, or humble. Could it also have been translated as ‘unassuming’? My quick Google search also mentions that praus is how Jesus himself was often described as being by those who knew him.
The passage comes from Matthew 5:5, from the sermon on the mount, and is considered part of the Beatitudes. The general gist, I think, is that those who are not interested in the power grab, in pushing others aside for their own means, will end up being seen in a beneficial light to God, and for their reward from God, they will be given full reign on Earth–apparently the best reward one could have.
The actual quote from Matthew is “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.” Now, I am sure I am not the only person out there wondering what all of the folks who adhere to Christian doctrine are thinking about the U.S. president’s most recent derangement: a meme depicting himself as…Jesus? Light emanating from his outstretched hand, to…heal? Even if you aren’t a believer or follower in the Christian faith, it’s offensive!
For those keeping score at home: This molestation of thought, this sickening image, is the OPPOSITE OF MEEK. No one in a seat of power, or in their right mind, would purport to do what Jesus does, make a meme out of it, blast it into thousands, if not millions, of minds on social media, if they are a practicing, devoted Christian. Am I off, here? Only megalomaniacs and uber-narcissists would do something like that, suggesting that they are special, chosen, supernatural in their abilities, and superior in every way to everyone.
And did I also miss something when they explained how this depiction of our U.S. president squares with bombing another country in an attempt to ‘wipe out’ a civilization, costing the American people who are paying $9.00 for a box of All Bran, A BILLION DOLLARS A DAY?
I was raised in the Baptist and Presbyterian church, in rural North Carolina, in the 1970’s. That ain’t the type of Christian that Jesus painted a picture of, y’all.
There is also a part of me who will always follow the ways of Jesus, as I believe he represents the highest quality in faith, right action, respect, and service for anyone wondering about what kind of human they’d like to be. I can get behind that.
Upon further review of the word praus, and how Jesus himself radiated this essence, I found a very interesting connection: praus, in ancient Greek, also referred to a wild horse who became tamed for purposes of warfare. Further reading revealed that praus then became associated with ‘one who could act wildly but chose not to, demonstrating constraint.’
Something that could be destructive but chooses not to. Sounds like human consciousness, to me. Sounds like the defining factor in civilized society v. anarchy.
Back to my inquiry about finding something inspiring to write about, I don’t know what the exact ratios are, in the woe-is-the-world-and-we-are-all-doomed precinct v. the many-are-waking-up-and-the-meek-shall-inherit-the-Earth precinct. But I do believe–strongly–that what you feed, grows. You’ve read these words many, many times before from me: where you CHOOSE to place your energy, you will increase that thing.
So, choose wisely. Being conscious in your choice will bring us the world we all want, even those who might be mind-sick right now.
They want peace, too.
SHINE ON friends,
Mary Katherine
UPCOMING EVENTS AT AVALON
ANGER CEREMONY with Juliette Sutherland Sat 05/02, 2 pm- 5 pm, Avalon Acres
WISE WOMEN TALKING Sun, 05/17, 11 AM “Bloomin’ Brunch” potluck, Avalon Acres
Harmonizing with Nature with Michele Lowry, Sat, 06/06, 11 am- 4 pm, Avalon Acres
JOURNEY DANCE with Amylia Jayne, Sun, 06/14, 1 pm–4 pm, Avalon Acres
SUMMER SOLSTICE MINI-RETREAT with Śri Devi, Sat, 06/20, 10 am–4 pm, Avalon Acres
FEATHER WAND WORKSHOP with Rebecca O’Brien, Sat, 07/11, time 12 noon- 4 pm
Embodying the Divine Feminine 