READINGS
Epiphany Strategies: A light unto my path.
Strategy Four: Flexibility
The Yew Rune tree is truly an amazing tree. The trunk is highly flexible even as its roots hold firmly to the ground beneath it. It can bend without losing tension, that is to say, it has the capacity to return to its upright shape as soon as pressure is released. The memory of its linear form is never erased by its conformity to being bent. There is a saying that goes “Blessed are the hearts that can bend, they shall never be broken.” Life is full of ups and downs, and that is what makes detours an essential part of it. The Magi got stuck on the road; the star that was leading them to Bethlehem disappeared. They did not give up; rather they detoured to the king’s palace and inquired about their way forward. The ability to adapt, to be flexible, to be open-minded, and to seek alternatives, is the wiggle room needed to get through the maze of life’s unpredictability. While we must stay committed to our goals, we must be flexible in our approach. The knowledge of yesterday must find ways to marry the wisdom of today so as to develop insights for tomorrow. A friend once told me that only those who are willing to bend and to learn will eventually inherit the earth, and that those who already know it all will find themselves beautifully equipped to inherit a world that no longer exists. One thing I admire about the behavior of water is that no obstacle stops it. It will go through it, go around it, or flow over it. Like the Yew Rune tree, we always need to know how to bend without losing tension.
Strategy Five: Prayer/Adoration
Scripture says, “Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker” (Psalm 95:6). The reason why the Magi travelled such a long distance to Bethlehem was to do one thing: To behold the Child Jesus face to face, and to adore Him in worship. We are told that this was the first thing they did as they entered that manger full of animals. How lucky we are that we don’t have to travel days and weeks to behold Jesus face to face. Christ has made it easy for us to behold Him face to face in the gift of the Holy Eucharist. When Christ took bread and wine and said: “This is my Body” and “This is my Blood,” He meant exactly that. He is 100% real in the Eucharist as He was real when the Magi visited Him. The evidence of the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist abounds all over the world. On bended knees, we can visit and worship Christ in Eucharistic Adoration. Prayer is an important part in the accomplishment of dreams and goals. Scripture says, “Bring your work unto the Lord and your plans shall be established” (Proverbs 16:3). Praying over your dreams and aspirations; bringing them to the Lord for His guidance and blessings is a very wise thing to do. Miracles happen when we pray as though everything depends on God and work hard as though everything depends on us. Scripture tells us that blessed is the man whose hope is in the Lord; who puts his trust in the God our savior; for he shall be like a tree planted near running water that stays green all seasons, and even in the time of drought still bears fruit.
To be continued next week (Part 4)...
