The Oil or the Wick?
Christian Spirituality or New Mission Practices? Those are two of the new choices of M Div concentrations I could take if I choose to go to a particular seminary. I had a long-distance interview with an admissions person from this school recently, and I mentioned liking the sound of the Christian Spirituality concentration in particular. She said "really? I would have expected you to go for the Mission one. Well, you could do both!"
The reason why she thought I'd gravitate toward New Mission Practices probably has to do with how much I've talked about wanting to work with the poor and engage communities the way my own church has done with our feeding ministry. But the thing is, I think the Spirituality component is just as important. The two things go hand in hand, active and contemplative. Maybe some people tend to gravitate more towards one than the other, but I feel you need to have both. They feed into each other.
I'm seeing the need for the contemplative side more and more as I've been involved in youth ministry. Teenagers these days are expected to do SO much. School, homework, sports, band, college preparation, part-time jobs, other extracurriculars... and these things don't take any days off. There's no Sabbath from sports, not even on Sunday mornings. When I attended a formation leaders meeting in the diocese recently, one youth leader shared this: "I asked the kids what their favorite part of Christmas break was. Most of them said 'sleep'."
Judging by how many people gravitate towards "spiritual" things these days (even if it's in an à la carte fashion), I'd say we are living in a world that is starving for quiet contemplation and spiritual experience. While I definitely believe it's important to BE the church in the world, to be active in bringing the light of Christ to others, I'm also seeing how tiring it can be if we don't take some time periodically to rest and refresh. If we run out of fuel, how can we continue to bring the light?
The Bible has plenty of passages, in the writings of the prophets especially, that find the people of God being reprimanded for their adherence to piety while simultaneously ignoring the poor and needy around them (too contemplative, not active enough). There's also several passages that advise us to "find a lonely place to pray" and to "go into our room and shut the door"(too active, not contemplative enough). I think the reason why we have both of these seemingly opposite ideas in one scripture is that we are meant to live in that tension. We need to find the balance between the two, not choose one over the other.
When it comes to figuring out what kind of ministry I'll have after seminary, or what kind of priest I'll end up being (God willing), I'm still looking at a blank canvas for the most part. I have some ideas, but I'm open to being led and seeing how my particular personality and gifts fit in with the many options that are out there. Although there have been times that I've wished I were more extroverted or charismatic, I end up finding out time and time again that my own quiet way of doing things makes some kind of difference. Many of the nuns I work with tell me that they feel calm in my presence, and they enjoy my company. One of my youth group kids said I was "the best youth leader (they) ever had", which was really touching to me. Bringing the light of Christ to the world is obviously important to me, but will I be the one to refuel the lamps, or to set them alight? Maybe both. Each component is essential.
Indeed, you are my lamp, O LORD, the LORD lightens my darkness. ~ 2 Samuel 22:29
The reason why she thought I'd gravitate toward New Mission Practices probably has to do with how much I've talked about wanting to work with the poor and engage communities the way my own church has done with our feeding ministry. But the thing is, I think the Spirituality component is just as important. The two things go hand in hand, active and contemplative. Maybe some people tend to gravitate more towards one than the other, but I feel you need to have both. They feed into each other.
I'm seeing the need for the contemplative side more and more as I've been involved in youth ministry. Teenagers these days are expected to do SO much. School, homework, sports, band, college preparation, part-time jobs, other extracurriculars... and these things don't take any days off. There's no Sabbath from sports, not even on Sunday mornings. When I attended a formation leaders meeting in the diocese recently, one youth leader shared this: "I asked the kids what their favorite part of Christmas break was. Most of them said 'sleep'."
Judging by how many people gravitate towards "spiritual" things these days (even if it's in an à la carte fashion), I'd say we are living in a world that is starving for quiet contemplation and spiritual experience. While I definitely believe it's important to BE the church in the world, to be active in bringing the light of Christ to others, I'm also seeing how tiring it can be if we don't take some time periodically to rest and refresh. If we run out of fuel, how can we continue to bring the light?
The Bible has plenty of passages, in the writings of the prophets especially, that find the people of God being reprimanded for their adherence to piety while simultaneously ignoring the poor and needy around them (too contemplative, not active enough). There's also several passages that advise us to "find a lonely place to pray" and to "go into our room and shut the door"(too active, not contemplative enough). I think the reason why we have both of these seemingly opposite ideas in one scripture is that we are meant to live in that tension. We need to find the balance between the two, not choose one over the other.
When it comes to figuring out what kind of ministry I'll have after seminary, or what kind of priest I'll end up being (God willing), I'm still looking at a blank canvas for the most part. I have some ideas, but I'm open to being led and seeing how my particular personality and gifts fit in with the many options that are out there. Although there have been times that I've wished I were more extroverted or charismatic, I end up finding out time and time again that my own quiet way of doing things makes some kind of difference. Many of the nuns I work with tell me that they feel calm in my presence, and they enjoy my company. One of my youth group kids said I was "the best youth leader (they) ever had", which was really touching to me. Bringing the light of Christ to the world is obviously important to me, but will I be the one to refuel the lamps, or to set them alight? Maybe both. Each component is essential.
Indeed, you are my lamp, O LORD, the LORD lightens my darkness. ~ 2 Samuel 22:29
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