Like many of you I am sure, I spent a portion of today looking up at the sky, marveling at nature. Even though I could only see a partial eclipse (about 85%), it was still a pretty magical sight. Do you know that eclipses happen on a regular basis, every 1 to 3 years? If that is true, why aren’t we seeing them all the time? Easy- we aren’t in the “path of totality” or even near the place to see it.
It’s such an interesting few minutes, the moon is blocking out the sun, and it get’s dark. It’s the perfect few minutes where the sun and the moon are so intimately connected that you can only see one, not both in the sky. Before you are finished staring in awe, the moment is gone and the sun and the moon are moving in opposite directions.
Have you ever had a divine, almost mystical experience where you were so lost in prayer that you were divinely and uniquely connected to God for a few moments/minutes? I am fascinated by the writings of the mystics like Julian of Norwich or even St. Bernadette and her meetings with Mary. Not your run of the mill day.
For the longest time, I thought those experiences only happened to way more saintly people than myself. I was wrong. In the book Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert describes her prayer experience in India like meeting the divine, a oneness that as soon as you realize it’s happening, it’s over but for those moments it’s glorious. (I paraphrase- It’s been a long while).
Not long after I read that book, I ended up on a week long silent retreat in France. Towards the end of the week, we were together in silent, communal prayer and I had a blissful moment such as the author had described. I was fully aware, but fully one in a different way, my heart was totally full, “eclipsed” if you will, by God’s presence.
The occasions may seem rare, but we have the opportunity each day to cultivate the conditions to have those divine moments with God. Just like today, and the conditions for a solar eclipse, our hearts have to be in the right place for divine meetings. We have to allow the space and time in our hearts and minds to welcome God.
I would like to have an amazing prayer experience more often, and I can create a welcoming environment for them to happen. How cool is it to be one with God, even for a few moments? What if you were completely open to that? Are you? So, the question that I am pondering today is: What I am doing to create a welcome space in my heart for God?
Amen!!!! Love this.