Daily Bread May 22

Between the Now and the Not Yet
By Ron Harmon of Claremont, CA, USA


Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! -Psalm 117 NRSV

The other day I shared with a good friend who was suffering because of the loss of her life companion. Death feels so final in the moments following loss. Even the most eloquent expressions of hope don’t breathe life into the darkest moments of despair.

I wanted nothing more than to move past this space to hope and yet was disturbed with the awareness that this was fertile ground-space where the seeds of resurrection would take root and grow. Neither one of us could just “move on.” We were changed and the not yet could only unfold as we fully claimed the impact of the now on our lives.

There were two distraught disciples traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus. It was Sunday, the third day of the most disruptive and dark weekend of their lives. They were talking about the horrific events that had just taken place. There was no going back to the way things were. They were in the space between now and the not yet. Their emotional turmoil was a necessary part of claiming the impact of the now on their lives.

Then a stranger (Jesus) joined them and inquired about what had happened. He chose to abide with them in the difficult place of their suffering. In the raw and receptive space of the now the living Christ was revealed as they broke bread together.

Where does one look to find the beginnings of resurrection? Does it occur in one glorious flash of divinity after the long hours of suffering? Or is it hidden in our complacency until reality abruptly presses us into raw receptivity?

May we live fully in the now together, cultivating receptive space and open to glimpses of the not yet unfolding in our midst.

Prayer Phrase

Spirit, now live in me.

Spiritual Practice

Breathe deeply and enter a few minutes of silence. Be attentive to where you sense new life emerging in you. Search your memories of the previous day. When did you notice the sacredness of life in surprising places or forms in the world around you?

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.

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