Sprin
g has Sprung! Minister's Letter for April 2023
Spring has Sprung! With all the variable weather it might be hard to fathom; but it’s true. Yesterday the skies were a bright blue and temp in the high fifties! At the moment it’s a cool damp 37 degrees with dark cloudy skies. When I went out to feed the ferals a few moments ago, the tulips in full bloom said “Brrr, when is that crazy Mother Nature going to make up her mind! I don’t know whether to keep blooming or to close up and go away.” I remember a day last week it was 85 degrees, the next was 70 and the next was 40. What the heck is it with all the ups and downs.
Yes, Spring has Sprung. Well, at least we have had enough moisture to encourage the wild things to bloom and grow. The flowers in my garden have had a steady progression of beautiful colors: crocuses, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, the fire bush, and that beautiful purple phlox! Unfortunately, we have some very beautiful tag along weeds that are ferocious. When they get in your garden, they take it over and grow out of control! There’s that beautiful purple henbit: when I looked up how to spell it there was the phrase “Oklahoma Weed Control!” Then there is that other beautiful purple weed that takes over yards and fields and causes me to think “oh how beautiful, but…”
Yes, Spring has Sprung, which is also a symbol of ever renewing life. As we step out of the darkness and cold of winter into variable weather of spring with more light, and warmth, Nature steps out of it cover and begins to bloom and sparkle and we are given the opportunity to experience true life and all of it wonder. The challenge is whether we get struck in the darkness and gloom mesmerized by all the weeds of life seeking to take over our garden. The Easter Story and all the “stuff” that happens before the Resurrection are examples of how the darkness and weeds cause us to get stuck in our stuff. Do we focus on the Crucifixion or the Resurrection? When we focus on the darkness and the weeds, we get stuck in the tombs of our mind!
Yes, Spring has Sprung and the weeds are running rampant and the darkness seems overwhelming, so, what do we do? Well, we need to pause and take a deep breath in to feel the Live Energy flowing through us! Then we might follow the metaphysical answer Jesus shared with us in Ephraim! Yes Ephraim, Ephraim metaphysically represents a place in our awareness that succeeds in bringing all twelve of our spiritual faculties together in harmony. Then an idea just seems to merge into our being. We are one with the idea. We can feel It’s Presence and It’s Light and are in harmony with it. When this happens, our creative energy increases exponentially, rippling out into our being and we find the Light and Life Force we have been in search of. Now I might say we find this state of consciousness through the unfolding processes of prayer and meditation, but what we really have to do is seek to develop our awareness of our twelve spiritual faculties. Spiritual Discernment is the spiritual faculty we focus on in April, and of course as you might realize that when stuck in darkness pulling weeds of adversity, spiritual discernment is the first faculty to engage.
Spiritual Discernment, our inner wisdom knows we need to draw our creative energy from a new source, or should say a different source, the Christ Field, the Living energy that we live move and have our being immersed in. When we do we become charged spiritually. When you find yourself in the state of Ephraim, you find yourself in creative vortex, so seize the opportunity. Focus your mind and direct this energy to your divine purpose, living in Oneness with the Life Force. Immerse yourself into the idea, and allow the vision to come forth. When Jesus emerged from his prayer time in Ephraim the tenor of his Ministry changed. There was a greater intensity, a greater urgency in His message. He carried a new awareness of his divine purpose and how to achieve it. And you can to! Stop focusing on the weeds and the darkness and look for the beauty and all the wondrous possibilities. Namaste, I see the Divine Light in you. RevDoc Patrick