This picture of me was taken at L’Arche Daybreak after I left ministry as a priest in 2006. A bunch of us were having fun. The picture is me in my rolling Stone pj’s, a rocker wig, a London t-shirt and an electric guitar. This was a fresh start and new surroundings. No longer in charge of four churches…I was now living in the basement in a single room having brought nothing more than my clothes, my acoustic guitar and my cd’s. Music has always been a part of my life, I surround myself with it.
Living now among people with developmental disabilities I was learning new music…new rhythms and it was surrounding me. My life had been filled with meetings and workshops and preaching and hospital visits. But here I let go of that to become a member of a community and learn how to do personal care routines with them. I helped the guys with personal hygiene, drove them to their bowling, swimming, yoga and work and various medical appointments. I cooked meals, cleaned the house and attended church services. And in the midst of this new way of living I listened to my heart and the new melodies that God wanted to sing in my life.
I began to breathe differently, to listen differently, to stop and to just be and discover myself and my deepest dreams and desires. New music began to play in my life and a new sense of peace and joy and hope surrounded me.
Life is fast paced and too often we do not stop and breathe in the melody God is playing to us, calling us to a new way of living peace, love, joy, hope, forgiveness etc. And we often forget that the music we let surround us affects us and others. So the challenge is to stop and breathe deeply and listen for God’s melody and embrace that to take with us into the day.
What melody will be play as we head into this day? Will we play the melodies that bring peace and love and forgiveness? Or will we continue to play the melodies of anger, resentment, hatred, indifference. What we chose will dictate how we live this day and how we affect those we encounter.
And so I pray…
O Holy One,
Throughout time you have played melodies to catch our attention,
to call us to let go and to embrace new music.
May we hear your presence calling us to a new day, a new start.
And may we share your music with the world.
We pray this prayer with an open heart and a new melody. Amen!
