Tuesday, August 9, 2011

And All Shall Be Well

Bl. Julian of Norwich and Her Beloved Cat


To Think About...
Bl. Julian of Norwich was a 14th century English mystic and anchoress who, in 1373, voluntarily confined herself to a cell — or "anchorhold" — attached to a Norwich (England) parish. In that cell, in the sole company of her beloved cat with whom she is most often depicted, she devoted herself to prayer and contemplation for the needs of the Church, the citizens of Norwich, and for the whole world. 

In or around the year 1393, Bl. Julian of Norwich wrote a text called "Revelations of Divine Love," which elaborated on her understanding of the sixteen mystical visions ("showings") of Christ's Passion revealed to her in the throes of her own near-fatal illness twenty years earlier. This body of work captures Bl. Julian's meditations on God's inexhaustible love and mercy, the complexities of human suffering, and our Creator's trustworthy loving care. It represents the aggregate of her intense life of prayer, which was lived in union with God in the most intimate and mysterious ways. 

We can well imagine, however, the occasional loneliness that may have arisen from her vow never to leave her anchorhold. While she acted as a spiritual advisor to many people from behind the curtained window of her cell, we may surmise that it was her own dear animal companion that provided the blessings of tangible love and tactile comfort throughout the years spent in prayer and contemplation.

Perhaps her nameless yet famous cat was also her daily partner in prayer, one whose God-given nature was, likewise, both mystical and earthly. It may also have been this human-animal bond that helped to "anchor" Bl. Julian, the mystic, in the goodness and joy of the natural world.

One of the most often quoted revelations given to us by Bl. Julian of Norwich, which she received from the LORD as she anchored the Light during one of the darkest periods in world history, is this:

All things shall be well.
You shall see for yourself that all manner 
of things shall be well. 
 --L.T. Chapter 27 
 
Do you believe in God's ultimate Goodness? Do you believe that all manner of things shall be well?


For Further Reflection...
In many ways, Bl Julian was the Eternal Optimist…are you prone to paralyzing bouts of doubt and discouragement? Or are you able to move forward amid the darkness, “anchoring” the Light of Christ in your soul and in the world? To do so requires sacred trust in God’s unfailing love for you. Whatever the desire of your heart, if you believe it – you can receive it!
We may speculate that Bl. Julian’s beloved cat was attracted to the peace and confidence that radiated from her human companion. When you quiet yourself and your busy schedule to pray, is it any wonder that’s also the time when your animal companions tend to gather around you…to lie at your feet or to stretch out beside you, or to watch your lips move in prayer with a sense of quiet fascination?  They instinctively seem to know that you are somehow “different” or “transformed;” your peace in times of trouble is their refuge and delight.

More Words of Encouragement from Bl. Julian of Norwich... 

These words:
You will not be overcome
were said very insistently
and strongly [by Jesus],
for certainty and strength
against every tribulation
which may come.
He did not say:
You will not be troubled,
You will not be belaboured,
You will not be disquieted;
But he said:
You will not be overcome.
S.T. Chapter 22
(From Divine Revelation of Love)
 



Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Dog Whispering 101

(originally published March 2010)

"You talkin' to me?"

The title of
“Whisperer” was in use long before the advent of the popular dog training program that has captured the fancy of today’s American pet owners looking for a quick fix for their dog’s problem behaviors. While the 1998 movie starring Robert Redford as The Horse Whisperer brought widespread attention to the idea that some people were blessed with mystical abilities to communicate with one or more animal species, the notion of “whispering” goes back to the early nineteenth century, when an Irish horseman, Daniel Sullivan, gained a reputation in England for rehabilitating horses that had become ill-tempered and untrainable as a result of abuse or accidental trauma. Since then, people have been quick to capitalize on the idea of being able to master both animate beings and inanimate objects. A brief internet search reveals such areas of expertise as:

Ghost Whisperer
Computer Whisperer
Turtle Whisperer
Car Whisperer
Elk Whisperer
Baby Whisperer
Cat Whisperer
Geek Whisperer
Crow Whisperer
Pet Whisperer
Boat Whisperer
 
The biggest pitfall of this self-proclaimed title is that Whispering is touted as a highly specialized gift that only certain people have to tame the wayward or the disobedient. However, the word “Obedience” itself is rooted in the latin word for “listening:: oboedire "obey, pay attention to, give ear," lit. "listen to," from ob "to" + audire "listen, hear.

In today’s obedience circles, it is the sound we make: a verbal command, a clicker, a whistle in the field, that conditions an animal to respond in a particular way. Failure by the animal to do so would be considered a “fault”.

But whose fault is it when an animal fails to respond? 

Perhaps it is the LISTENING that is most vital on both sides of the relationship. That means taking the quiet time to discern the motives, needs, fears, and desires of our animal companions before asking them to blindly obey. To do so, we need to learn to be still and listen to the interior whispers of the animals. Once we have realized our potential to do this (a proficiency, not a mystical power), we are in a better position to whisper back the words of love, understanding, and freedom that allow our animal companions to be as we ourselves are: creatures of free will who choose to love and obey, knowing that the One who whispers to us is all-loving, absolutely trustworthy, and always good.

For Further Reflection…
Whether in humans or in animals, changing behaviors takes time, repetition and consistency. Have you become enslaved by certain patterns of thinking or behavior that are harmful to yourself, your image of yourself, or your ability to live each day in the joy of the Lord? Be still and listen to the gentle whisper of God…Is there something He is asking you to do or to change? What keeps you from being obedient to His will and instructions for your life? Can you make one small change today that will set you on the path to freedom in Christ?

There is an expression: “might makes right” that often prevails in both the secular world as well as in certain schools of dog obedience training. Have you ever found yourself, perhaps out of sheer frustration, resorting to harsh corrections, physical punishment, or force-based training devices or techniques? Stop, be still, and take some time to listen to what your dog is expressing to you through his eyes, body language, and behavior. Does your dog respect you – or fear you? Consistent, firm corrections and instruction, offered in the Spirit of love, will gradually elicit a consistently positive and respectful response. In what Spirit do you communicate with your dog?

Every day, catch your animal companion doing something RIGHT! Praise her and encourage her to repeat this positive behavior…time, consistency, patience, and praise will win her heart and her willful ways. In the meantime, why not pray for your pets and the wisdom to know and understand their needs? When we pray, we open ourselves to the wisdom of GOD, the heavenly Whisperer, who knows the hearts of his creatures better than any “whisperer” on earth!

The Word of the Lord:
1 Kings 19: 9-18
The LORD Appears to Elijah

And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." 

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.