A Nurturing God

[As the COVID-19 threat looms, most churches have canceled Sunday services. This is a re-post from two years ago - a happy surprise that I encountered which bears repeating.]

Grace Episcopal Church in Woodlawn (photo from the church's website)

Last Sunday, I made a return visit to Grace Episcopal Church.  It is a parish that is Anglo-Catholic in its liturgy and is committed to its ministry to the needy with a daily soup kitchen, food pantry, and other means of relief for the poor and the marginalized.  On cold winter nights, the church opens its parish hall to provide a warming station, giving the homeless and the needy a safe warm place to sleep.  

We are in the middle of Lent.  Many churches observe the fourth Sunday of Lent as Mothering Sunday.  Mothering Sunday is traditionally a time for people to go back to the parish where they were baptized to honor their mother church.  I wasn’t thinking of Mothering Sunday as I entered that sacred space.  It was simply a time for me to attune myself to Grace in its worship and ministry.

The Sacred Feminine

I found myself unusually moved at the close of the worship service with the post-Communion prayer. It was a prayer that called to mind the feminine aspects of God in a beautifully personal way.

In the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, used in Episcopal Churches across the U.S., there are two basic post-Communion prayers.  In my experience, those two prayers had been used interchangeably at the end of each service, giving thanks to God for feeding us with the sacraments, taking strength for going out into the world.  As in:

“...you have fed us with spiritual food

in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Send us now into the world in peace…”

Or,

“…we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food

of the most precious Body and Blood

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ…”

  

They are both beautiful prayers acknowledging God’s love for us and our role of service to humanity as living witnesses to God's eternal kingdom.* Like so many things that we say repeatedly or by rote, we sometimes fail to fully appreciate the beauty or the astounding impact of the prayers we pray in our sacred space during times of worship.

On this day, however, the post-Communion prayer had a definite impact upon me as I heard the words. It wonderfully reflected a maternal image of God.

Loving God,

as a mother feeds her children at the breast­­­­­

you feed us in this sacrament

with the food and drink of eternal life:

help us who have tasted your goodness

to grow in grace within

the household of faith;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The shift in that prayer got my attention and opened my heart in a new way. Knowing that there are maternal images of God in scripture that are often overlooked, I was thankful to have that loving and nurturing image brought forth in our time of worship.  In fact, I was so moved that I wanted to know where the prayer came from.

A Gift from the Anglican Communion

I asked the rector of Grace Church, Rev. Robyn Arnold, about the source of the post Communion prayer used that day.  She told me that it was from The Book of Common Worship, which is used by The Church of England.  I wondered if I had been blessed by this prayer because I just happened to show up on Mothering Sunday. Rev. Arnold told me, for my further enlightenment, that while it is especially appropriate for Mothering Sunday it works for any time the Church calendar or the scripture readings call to mind the nurturing qualities of God.

It is amazing what a shift toward the feminine can do for one's heart and psyche. I am reminded of such a shift that occurred for me years ago which I have written about before. That “shift” happened the first time I heard Bobby McFerrin,  also an Episcopalian, sing his version of Psalm 23. It was on a telecast with the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra. He used  the feminine pronoun in reference to God, and that one change moved me to tears as I listened. 

At this half-way point in the Lenten season, I am thankful for my Anglican friends who can call to mind the feminine, nurturing aspects of a loving God.

_________________________

* Post-Communion prayers from the 1979 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer:

Eternal God, heavenly Father,

you have graciously accepted us as living members

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,

and you have fed us with spiritual food

in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Send us now into the world in peace,

and grant us strength and courage

to love and serve you

with gladness and singleness of heart;

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

or the following

Almighty and everliving God,

we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food

of the most precious Body and Blood

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;

and for assuring us in these holy mysteries

that we are living members of the Body of your Son,

and heirs of your eternal kingdom.

And now, Father, send us out

to do the work you have given us to do,

to love and serve you

as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.

To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,

be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

-

Opening Our Hearts to the Feminine

This week (August 15) marks the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. Taking advantage of that occasion, I am re-posting a couple of posts in celebration of the feminine archetype which rises within us and among us to bring life, love, and creativity. ~ CK

"She is always and forever rising. When she arises, there is creativity, compassion, and wholeness… We would all do well to take this day to recollect and to recognize all the beauties, delights, rewards and treasures that have come to us in life by way of the feminine principle."

This week is a time to celebrate the sacred feminine. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary is coming up on August 15. It is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Roman Catholic liturgical year.  The Assumption of Mary only became dogma in 1950, but Carl Jung called it the most significant religious event since the Reformation. To him, if codified a deep longing for that feminine archetype to take her place alongside the Holy Trinity. He went on to say that “For more than a thousand years it has been taken for granted that the Mother of God dwelt there [in the heavenly court].” (See Answer to Job, by C.G. Jung, pp. 99 - 100)

Interpreting and Honoring

When one looks at the fields of literature, art, music, religion, psychology, and
archaeology, it is quite clear that the feminine principle cannot be suppressed. She is always and forever rising. When she arises, there is creativity, compassion, and wholeness. Many people will disagree on the significance of the feminine that is displayed in so many aspects of life. Some will call her Goddess, some will call her Mediatrix, and some will declare her Queen of Heaven. Some will call her anima while others will exult in the divine muse. Traditional Catholics will have their view, feminists, artists, musicians, psychologists, academics, and “new age-ers” will each have their particular take on the significance of the various manifestations of the feminine archetype. How we interpret the transcendent feminine principle and how we name it is far less important than the fact that the feminine is honored. And on this day, she is honored in a big way. She is recognized as an immanent presence in the highest realm of the universe. We would all do well to take this day to recollect and to recognize all the beauties, delights, rewards and treasures that have come to us in life by way of the feminine principle.     

I think of the feminine as necessary for bringing balance to life and creativity to the spirit. I, of course, am thinking from a male perspective. A woman would naturally have a different understanding of that feminine archetype (and any comments from a woman’s perspective will be welcomed on this post).

Poetic Connection

I mentioned in another blog post that the Catholic view of Mary is a stumbling block to many Protestants, but it was one of my greatest attractions as a convert from Protestantism.  The following poem is my first attempt to write about the profound nature of the feminine archetype. I was still a Baptist at the time, though I borrowed the Catholic title of “Our Lady.”

To Our Lady

My love bore twilight in her breast,
And starlight beauty shone
That bade me gladly leave the rest
To seek out flesh and bone.

My love bore sorrow in her eyes,
And joy within her heart
That made me fully realize
That all-connecting part.

My love bore grief within her bones
And victory in her brow.
Her strength rolled back the massive stones
That held my heart till now.

                                                    ~ CK

 *     *     *     *     *

Other related posts:

• A Jungian Appreciation of Mary
• Ave Maria (Morten Lauridsen)
• Schubert's Ave Maria (Bobby McFerrin)
• Reflecting upon Michelangelo’s Pieta
• To a Local Goddess

_________________________

Photos: The upper photo, judging from the watermark, is by Eddi van W. I found it being used on two websites: Temples of the Moon, and Woo Woo Momma.

The lower photos are details from Michelangelo’s Pieta



(This post first appeared on August 15, 2014, under the title, "Celebrating the Feminine Principle."

-

A Nurturing God

Grace Episcopal Church in Woodlawn (photo from the church's website)

Last Sunday, I made a return visit to Grace Episcopal Church.  It is a parish that is Anglo-Catholic in its liturgy and is committed to its ministry to the needy with a daily soup kitchen, food pantry, and other means of relief for the poor and the marginalized.  On cold winter nights, the church opens its parish hall to provide a warming station, giving the homeless and the needy a safe warm place to sleep.  

We are in the middle of Lent.  Many churches observe the fourth Sunday of Lent as Mothering Sunday.  Mothering Sunday is traditionally a time for people to go back to the parish where they were baptized to honor their mother church.  I wasn’t thinking of Mothering Sunday as I entered that sacred space.  It was simply a time for me to attune myself to Grace in its worship and ministry.

The Sacred Feminine

I found myself unusually moved at the close of the worship service with the post-Communion prayer. It was a prayer that called to mind the feminine aspects of God in a beautifully personal way.

In the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, used in Episcopal Churches across the U.S., there are two basic post-Communion prayers.  In my experience, those two prayers had been used interchangeably at the end of each service, giving thanks to God for feeding us with the sacraments, taking strength for going out into the world.  As in:

“...you have fed us with spiritual food

in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Send us now into the world in peace…”

Or,

“…we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food

of the most precious Body and Blood

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ…”

  

They are both beautiful prayers acknowledging God’s love for us and our role of service to humanity as living witnesses to God's eternal kingdom.* Like so many things that we say repeatedly or by rote, we sometimes fail to fully appreciate the beauty  or the astounding impact of the prayers we pray in our sacred space during times of worship.

On this day, however, the post-Communion prayer had a definite impact upon me as I heard the words. It wonderfully reflected a maternal image of God.

Loving God,

as a mother feeds her children at the breast­­­­­

you feed us in this sacrament

with the food and drink of eternal life:

help us who have tasted your goodness

to grow in grace within

the household of faith;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The shift in that prayer got my attention and opened my heart in a new way. Knowing that there are maternal images of God in scripture that are often overlooked, I was thankful to have that loving and nurturing image brought forth in our time of worship.  In fact, I was so moved that I wanted to know where the prayer came from.

A Gift from the Anglican Communion

I asked the rector of Grace Church, Rev. Robyn Arnold, about the source of the post Communion prayer used that day.  She told me that it was from The Book of Common Worship, which is used by The Church of England.  I wondered if I had been blessed by this prayer because I just happened to show up on Mothering Sunday. Rev. Arnold told me, for my further enlightenment, that while it is especially appropriate for Mothering Sunday it works for any time the Church calendar or the scripture readings call to mind the nurturing qualities of God.

It is amazing what a shift toward the feminine can do for one's heart and psyche. I am reminded of such a shift that occurred for me years ago which I have written about before. That “shift” happened the first time I heard Bobby McFerrin,  also an Episcopalian, sing his version of Psalm 23. It was on a telecast with the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra. He used  the feminine pronoun in reference to God, and that one change moved me to tears as I listened. 

At this half-way point in the Lenten season, I am thankful for my Anglican friends who can call to mind the feminine, nurturing aspects of a loving God.

_________________________

* Post-Communion prayers from the 1979 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer:

Eternal God, heavenly Father,

you have graciously accepted us as living members

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,

and you have fed us with spiritual food

in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Send us now into the world in peace,

and grant us strength and courage

to love and serve you

with gladness and singleness of heart;

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

or the following

Almighty and everliving God,

we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food

of the most precious Body and Blood

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;

and for assuring us in these holy mysteries

that we are living members of the Body of your Son,

and heirs of your eternal kingdom.

And now, Father, send us out

to do the work you have given us to do,

to love and serve you

as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.

To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,

be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

-

Celebrating the Feminine Principle

"She is always and forever rising. When she arises, there is creativity, compassion, and wholeness… We would all do well to take this day to recollect and to recognize all the beauties, delights, rewards and treasures that have come to us in life by way of the feminine principle."

Today, August 15, is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. It is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Roman Catholic liturgical year.  The Assumption of Mary only became dogma in 1950, but Carl Jung called it the most significant religious event since the Reformation. To him, if codified a deep longing for that feminine archetype to take her place alongside the Holy Trinity. He went on to say that “For more than a thousand years it has been taken for granted that the Mother of God dwelt there [in the heavenly court].” (See Answer to Job, by C.G. Jung, pp. 99 - 100)

Interpreting and Honoring

When one looks at the fields of literature, art, music, religion, psychology, and
archaeology, it is quite clear that the feminine principle cannot be suppressed. She is always and forever rising. When she arises, there is creativity, compassion, and wholeness. Many people will disagree on the significance of the feminine that is displayed in so many aspects of life. Some will call her Goddess, some will call her Mediatrix, and some will declare her Queen of Heaven. Some will call her anima while others will exult in the divine muse. Traditional Catholics will have their view, feminists, artists, musicians, psychologists, academics, and “new age-ers” will each have their particular take on the significance of the various manifestations of the feminine archetype. How we interpret the transcendent feminine principle and how we name it is far less important than the fact that the feminine is honored. And on this day, she is honored in a big way. She is recognized as an immanent presence in the highest realm of the universe. We would all do well to take this day to recollect and to recognize all the beauties, delights, rewards and treasures that have come to us in life by way of the feminine principle.     

I think of the feminine as necessary for bringing balance to life and creativity to the spirit. I, of course, am thinking from a male perspective. A woman would naturally have a different understanding of that feminine archetype (and any comments from a woman’s perspective will be welcomed on this post).

Poetic Connection

I mentioned in another blog post that the Catholic view of Mary is a stumbling block to many Protestants, but it was one of my greatest attractions as a convert from Protestantism.  The following poem is my first attempt to write about the profound nature of the feminine archetype. I was still a Baptist at the time, though I borrowed the Catholic title of “Our Lady.”

To Our Lady

My love bore twilight in her breast,
And starlight beauty shone
That bade me gladly leave the rest
To seek out flesh and bone.

My love bore sorrow in her eyes,
And joy within her heart
That made me fully realize
That all-connecting part.

My love bore grief within her bones
And victory in her brow.
Her strength rolled back the massive stones
That held my heart till now.

                                                    ~ CK

 *     *     *     *     *

Other related posts:

• A Jungian Appreciation of Mary
• Ave Maria (Morten Lauridsen)
• Schubert's Ave Maria (Bobby McFerrin)
• Reflecting upon Michelangelo’s Pieta
• To a Local Goddess

_________________________

Photos: The upper photo, judging from the water mark, is by Eddi van W. I found it being used on two websites: Temples of the Moon, and Woo Woo Momma.

The lower photos are details from Michelangelo’s Pieta

-

Psalm 23 ~ Bobby McFerrin

Bobby McFerrin does something remarkable with Psalm 23. The music is lovely, but the most significant thing he does here is to use the feminine pronoun in reference to God. It is amazing what this shift does for the effect of the psalm. The first time my wife and I heard it was on a PBS telecast several years ago – I think it was with the Boston Pops concert series. We were both moved to tears as we listened. The song also appears on McFerrin's CD, Medicine Music. Here's a You Tube version, scroll down to read the lyrics. 

The 23^rd Psalm

By Bobby McFerrin

The Lord is my Shepard, I have all I need,
She makes me lie down in green meadows,
Beside the still waters, She will lead.

She restores my soul, She rights my wrongs,
She leads me in a path of good things,
And fills my heart with songs.

Even though I walk, through a dark & dreary land,
There is nothing that can shake me,
She has said She won't forsake me,
I'm in her hand.

She sets a table before me, in the presence of my foes,
She anoints my head with oil,
And my cup overflows.

Surely, surely goodness & kindness will follow me,
All the days of my life,
And I will live in her house,
Forever, forever & ever.

Glory be to our Mother, & Daughter,
And to the Holy of Holies,
As it was in the beginning, is now & ever shall be,
World, without end. Amen.



                            *    *    *    *    *

You might be interested in:

A Jungian Appreciation of Mary



*

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception

I stated last August in my blog post, A Jungian Appreciation of Mary, that I saw no need for the idea of the Immaculate Conception (whereby Mary was born free from original sin). As a practicing Catholic, however, today I will attend the Mass of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The primary reason for my participation will be that I see the importance of honoring the feminine within our sacred spaces.

This week, Richard Rohr has been offering a series of meditations on “Mary, the Prepared One.” A couple of days ago he said something I had never thought about.  When the angel Gabriel appeared to her to inform her that she had found favor with God to bring the savior into the world, Mary “refuses to play the ‘Lord, I am not worthy’ card that had become normative in most biblical theophanies. She simply states, ‘Let it be done unto me.’  She lets God do all the giving. Her job is to receive such perfect giving.”

Mary refuses to play the “Lord I am not worthy” card!  I like that image of Mary on this day set aside in her honor. I am not one who thinks we need to wallow in all of this rigmarole of Original Sin.  The blessings of Life are around us for us to take part in as we will.

Rohr also states in his meditation on Mary that “The word favor doesn’t say anything about the recipient. Favor says something about the one who is doing the favoring.” And that “God does not love you because you are good; God loves you because God is good. God does not love you because you are good; you are good because God loves you.” 

May you be blessed on this day that honors the divine feminine among us and looks toward the proclamation of "God with us." May we see it as a day to welcome the divine, and not to cower in fear of not being worthy.

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