Be Christ! (How-To)

Father, if you are willing,

take this cup from me;

yet not my will,

but yours be done.

-Luke 22

It is easy being Christ in pleasant situations, when everything is going according to plan and expectations. When all is well as far as we can sense.

But how do you practice being Christ in trying situations? I was given what I think is the beginning of an answer last night when I went for a Chinese foot massage. You know, the kind that makes you wince because of the pressure. The guy who massaged me was incredibly strong (or knew how to position his body to exert the right amount of pressure) and he was hitting the right spots in the soles of my feet. At the time it was happening, I resorted to focusing on my exhales. I consciously relaxed my whole body from my facial muscles and my shoulder muscles, my back muscles, all my joints, and especially the muscles he was working on.

Only now in retrospect did I realize that I surrendered to the pressure he was applying to me. By surrender, I meant, the embodiment of, Into Thy hands, I commit my spirit. I softened my muscles, but that starts from the mind and the heart. The space of receptivity opens up, expands, and welcomes the pressure. Metaphorically, welcoming the stranger, the "least of these," the visitors in Rumi's 'guest house.'

For that is when our Christ-consciousness is tried and manifested. Those are the times when I am asked to grow and mature in my Love, my Faith in the Beloved. Those are graced times, when God truly has her loving hands on me. She is somehow saying, I Am here. Feel me. I Am with you. Do not be afraid.

How about you? Can you visualize the hand of the Divine Massage Therapist working on your 'spiritual muscles' when it feels you are in the valley of death? Can you treat those times detoxifying you, cleansing you, like a deep-tissue massage would?

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And put a new spirit within me.

The sacrifice acceptable to God

is a broken spirit;

A broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.

-Psalm 51

A Cleansing

Create in me a clean heart, O Lord,

And put a new and right spirit within me.

-Psalm 51

He looked like Captain Jean-Luc Picard. I sat down in front of him and he caught my hands into his large warm smooth soft hands. Our knees touching, he leaned forward with that gentle grin. His face is so smooth, so open. He squeezed my hands, leaned a little bit more toward me, inviting me to do the same. So my face was just about an inch from his. I had complete trust in him. And I began... Bless me, Father, for I have sinned...

I spilled it. Mostly it's about thoughts. Thoughts that come without warning, without invitation. I asked Captain Picard what to do when these unsavory characters in my mind come running around in my space, like a home invasion. Like a Buddhist monk with a Christian spin, he said: We can not control our thoughts, when and how and what. But when we become aware of it, and we turn away, we give thanks to our God. You are forgiven. Just you being here took a lot of courage. You are blessed to be here. And he placed his large hands on my head and said his blessing. And, wow, I was tingling from my head to my toes.

You can't know how clean I felt. Like a spring rain in the forest. I felt so brand new, so light. As if it's alright to face the world. I am not hiding anything from anyone because I am forgiven. I heard it. I felt it. 

A new and right spirit is now within me.

A clean heart you created in me.

My soul dances to your song.

Your light lifts me to your Love.

Amen.