July 31, 2006> 8:23 AM
gethsemani meditation > shame Went to Gethsemani on Saturday morning with Kyle and Jesse. We did a little half-day retreat to quiet ourselves and clear the head. Jesse's also embarking on his medical school career today so he wanted to sort of lift himself up for strength, etc. It was a good time.
We got there around 8:30am, made a pit stop in the guesthouse lobby and then walked down to do the stations of the cross in the retreatants garden. I usually do this meditation when I'm there. It's always somehow fruitful. I suppose even if I didn't notice it being fruitful, meditating on the journey to the cross and the crucifixion of Jesus would always be fruitful in some way.
One of the 14 always seems to stand out every time I walk it. This time it was, well I can't remember the number - 12 maybe, can't remember, anyway the depiction you see there, of Him being disrobed before being crucified. The thought that immediately entered my head was, "shame, You took our shame away." He was shamed because of our shame. Of course it was the collective shame of the whole Human race, but within that is my own particular shame. I need not carry that any more. That would only be me choosing to not let what He did matter for me. For me to choose to carry that would be for me to look at that picture and not let it count for me. To carry your own shame is really pride, thinking that no one should have to do that but you, that you deserve it and you want to deal with it yourself. The thing is, you can't. It only hangs around and gets worse and will eventually eat you alive. We must let His nakedness before men count as our shame and let it be soaked up into eternity.
Then, the gift shop, meeting the longest dwelling monk at Gethsemani (66 years), a walk to the statues, good conversation, lunch and back home. Good stuff.
July 31, 2006
> 8:23 AM
Went to Gethsemani on Saturday morning with Kyle and Jesse. We did a little half-day retreat to quiet ourselves and clear the head. Jesse's also embarking on his medical school career today so he wanted to sort of lift himself up for strength, etc. It was a good time.
One of the 14 always seems to stand out every time I walk it. This time it was, well I can't remember the number - 12 maybe, can't remember, anyway the depiction you see there, of Him being disrobed before being crucified. The thought that immediately entered my head was, "shame, You took our shame away." He was shamed because of our shame. Of course it was the collective shame of the whole Human race, but within that is my own particular shame. I need not carry that any more. That would only be me choosing to not let what He did matter for me. For me to choose to carry that would be for me to look at that picture and not let it count for me. To carry your own shame is really pride, thinking that no one should have to do that but you, that you deserve it and you want to deal with it yourself. The thing is, you can't. It only hangs around and gets worse and will eventually eat you alive. We must let His nakedness before men count as our shame and let it be soaked up into eternity.
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