“As the holy weeks of Judaism and Christianity
come to an end, we ask: How do you picture God? How do you pray? How does your
belief in God connect to your daily life? Karen Armstrong, Krista Tippett, Mark
Epstein and the Rev. James Martin join us for this special family meeting.”
This was the
introduction to The Brian Lehrer Show, God
and You, Monday, April 21, 2014.
I caught only
some of Lehrer’s remarkable show. I was heading for the store and, turning the
ignition key of my car, the radio immediately caught my attention as I
recognized the well-spoken, English voice of theologian, Karen Armstrong. So
intent was I on what she was saying that I almost drove past the entrance to
Stop and Shop. The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC (93.9) can do that to you.
Once having parked, I sat in my car to listen
further and heard Armstrong tell us that---I am paraphrasing here—only the
modern world separates religious beliefs from culture. In the ancient world all
cultures were imbued with religious beliefs. To be a politician was considered a
sacred act, Armstrong said. Imagine! Politics as a sacred activity?
I was loath to
leave my car but . . . time to go!
On the way
home, Fr. James Martin, Jesuit teacher and writer, was discussing various forms
of prayer: centering prayer—a Catholic, God-centered form of meditation---and “imaginative”
prayer—a form of Ignatian contemplation in which one uses all four senses to
place oneself inside a gospel scene. I’ve done this practice; it can be very
moving.
Along with Lehrer, Fr. Martin responded to
people who called to share what prayer means to them. It seemed every point of
view was expressed: from “I don’t believe in a personal God, so I never ask God
for anything”—Fr. Martin disagreed---to expressed belief in God’s fatherly and
personal presence.
One caller said
something I thought wonderful. (Again, I am paraphrasing.) The man said that he
knew that life was full of bumps in the road. He knew also that if he focused
on each possible bump he would surely hit it. Therefore he prayed daily that
God would guide his vision in order that he might always be able to see past the bumps to the clear path ahead.
Every spiritual
teacher I have encountered, from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, (The Power Of Positive Thinking) to more
recent teachers, Fr. Richard Rohr, for example, (Everything Belongs) agree that remaining as positive as we can—even
in the face of adversity---and not focusing too intently on the bumps in the
road, helps us to get through the difficulties of life more easily.
Let’s face it. Not one of us wants to be seriously tested.
But, simply put, a positive attitude can make life more enjoyable in every way.
Let’s look where we want to go. Let’s
look past the bumps toward the clear path ahead and pray in gratitude each day that
that path is revealed to us.
***
For the Karen
Armstrong interview, click on Social History of God: and/or for the whole show,
God and You: A Two Hour Special at http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/
