Journal of Sacred Work

3 responses to “Open Forum on Loving Care”

1. 

   Karen York

   November 30, 2007

   If God is love and my work is then godly, it helps me see my whole existence as more sacred. I’m not just working out of a moral or ethical framework for doing good. I am part of a covenant between spirits, who inhabit an earthly body, who happen to meet in this time and space. This paradigm helps to close the gap between me as sinner/human and God the great judge. I am an extension of holiness and a bearer of the light of love.
   Thank you for this question.

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2. 

   liz Wessel

   November 30, 2007

   Karen, you have expressed yourself so eloquently. Thank you.
   Yesterday a relatively new caregiver mentioned to me that she joined our organization because it is faith–based. She contrasted her positive work experience at St. Joseph Home Health with a negative work experience. She said disheartened, “I had to miss my daughter’s junior high school graduation because my previous boss would not allow me time off, even though I was willing to flex my hours and make up the time!” Our conversation led to spirituality in the workplace and yesterday’s meditation, “God is Love.” I shared with Gina, my joy at being able to acknowledge God’s presence in all. I feel as though our work culture is slowly evolving as we recognize how our spirits thrive when we find a deeper meaning in our work. I feel sense of integration and wholeness, and less compartmentalizing of self. As many of the greats have told us, “Work is Love,” Ray Bradbury; “Work is Love Made Visible,” Kahlil Gibran; “We Must do Small Things for One Another with Great Love,.” Mother Teresa; “There is a Golden Thread Connecting Us All,” Erie Chapman.
   It seems to me it is all about Love, Love is all that matters.

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3. 

   liz Wessel

   December 2, 2007

   Some additional thoughts for a Sunday morning…
   As I reflect on my own faith tradition it occurs to me how powerful words are (insight also, shared in prior Journal meditations.) Since a child, religious images of a male God and humans as sinners penetrated my being and left me unaware that on a deep subconscious level I believed I was unworthy of love. I think for a good portion of my life I have trembled in fear of being judged should others discover this truth about me, that I was unlovable. I realize now how I pushed away and blocked others attempts to love me because I did not believe I deserved their love.
   As my image of God is evolving and I recognize the spark of divinity within, my heart is opening to Love’s possibilities. To know myself as lovable and to begin to love myself, I can begin also to Love others. These days, I find some of the religious language difficult to embrace. In mass when we recite, “Lord I am not worthy to receive you…” I follow it by saying within “Lord I am worthy to receive you…” When I recite the Hail Mary, I now say, “Pray for us humans…” versus, “pray for us sinners…” A transformation is occurring in me as I experience my relationship with a God of unconditional Love, who is compassionate and forgiving of my mistakes, a process of transformation that will continue throughout my life. This truly is good news! I am Loved, you are Loved, we are Love!
   Here is an Aramaic translation of the Our Father prayer that I recently learned that I want to share.
   O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos, focus your light within us—make it useful. Create your
   reign of unity now; Your one desire acts with ours, as in all light, so in all forms. Grant what we need
   each day in bread and insight. Loose the cords of mistakes binding us, as we release the strand we
   hold of others’ guilt. Don’t let surface things delude us, but free us from what holds us back. From
   you is born all ruling will, the power and the life to do, the song that beautifies all; from age to age it
   renews. Amen. ~From Rosaries of Divine Union by Father Michael Adams

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