When the young people played according to the spirit of the Gospel, it was an effective means of achieving salvation. He was teaching them to find God present in every aspect of their lives.
Art. 2 This is why these amusements must take care never to offend God in any way, but even more they must aim to give themselves to the utmost joy, to the greatest exhilaration with a view to pleasing God, conforming themselves to the precept of the Apostle that whether we eat, or drink, or are doing whatever other thing, we do it in the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Statuts, Chapitre IX – Des jeux et divertissements
What a wonderfully alive place the house and cloister of Aix en Provence must have been every time that these several hundred young people came together. The Carmelite sisters had founded the place to live their relationship with God through their style of prayer. Now the youth of Aix were continuing that tradition according to their particular youthful style — and enriching the community of Oblates.
Joy is not in things; it is in us. Richard Wagner
Richard Rohr says that “we are Christ coming ….”. More than an ‘aha’ this moment is soft and wild, quiet and deafening. It causes me to sit in stillness and silence as my soul leaps and dances in abandoned joy. This is where I am with you this day. Advent has begun and I have to admit that I do love this period, this time. I liken it to Mary and the growing of new life. Her time of waiting and simply receiving. What joy is that – to simply receive.
In this world of doing, and giving back and rushing and trying to “make things happen” we are called to simply “be” and to receive. It is not about being “worthy”. There is no worthiness here – I am not worthy. And yet by the very nature of your love I become, worthy – you lift me up. Jesus Incarnate – a part of who we are, that divinity that is hidden deep within and which is the deepest and most living part of us. I cannot explain it, I can not even touch it – when it is given, when it is revealed I can only be, I can only bask in it and give thanks.
And so how do I receive this awesome gift that is you? Let me not deny, not make excuses as to why you would not come to the likes of myself. Let me not deny you in saying that you would not give such to me, for who am I but one of the most unworthy. Let not those old wounds build walls (even little ones) for you are my hearts desire. Let me simply be open and receive you.
Today be with me, walk with me. Together let us go out, for my joy is in you. Let us go and listen to the voices at the concert, for the beauty of the voices of others is your gift. Let us sing together.
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit exalts in God my Saviour!” This is my song for today, this joy that you have filled me with. Indeed it is not in things, but rather in you.