From Creation Spirituality Communities:

What was said to the rose that made it open was said

to me here in my chest.

What was told the cypress that made it strong

and straight, what was

whispered the jasmine so it is what it is, whatever made

sugarcane sweet, whatever

was said to the inhabitants of the town of Chigil in

Turkestan that makes them

so handsome, whatever lets the pomegranate flower blush

like a human face, that is
 

being said to me now. I blush. Whatever put eloquence in

language, that's happening here.

The great warehouse doors open; I fill with gratitude,

chewing a piece of sugarcane,

By Sylvia Oliva

     "Anyone unwilling to work should not eat."  So reads a well-known line from the 2nd Epistle to the Thessalonians (3:6-13)! The context is the early Christians who lived together in communities and shared their resources and work for the common good.  Maybe a few of them weren't quite pulling their weight. 
     Digging deeper, we acknowledge there is not only outer work but inner work that we're called to do.  For me, it's the inner work that tends to be slack. But with a willingness to dig ever deeper in our spiritual life and take stock of where we are (have a look at our spiritual health) we open ourselves to doing the work to be more present to the Divine. This may mean we need to empty ourselves, let go of our ego, seek a little silence in our life, etc.: the stuff of "Via Negativa."
     It's also good to take stock of what we need that is provided by our spiritual community.  Maybe it is to be quiet and meditate in the Divine Presence, or it could be body prayer, or to sing and listen and celebrate Communion, to work for justice, to be with a spiritual friend, to find support in looking for a job, for pastoral care, or for something we don't even know yet. 
     We do know that it's spiritual practice that gets us there on the path of depth; this is the great inner work that is ours till the end of our journey. And I know that Evolve Chesapeake provides me with an abundance of what I need in our Sacred Gatherings and whenever Companions get together.
     When we fill out our commitment/pledge cards for 2014, we might ask ourselves, "How do I want to invest in my soul-work for next year?"

November Covenant Dates

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