Skip to main content

'If the door shuts, do not go away'


Reflective material for personal use


‘After immense activity one passes into a phase where passivity is the only way. I pray that you may be finding this passivity as the way in which the soul serves God, not by doing this or that but by passively receiving the great stream of His love and compassion.’
                           Michael Ramsey

Butcher and Sheep
Rumi

Do not despair when the beloved sends you away.
Today’s rejection may turn
tomorrow to an invitation.

If the door shuts, do not go away.
Be patient, even if every possibility seems closed.
The friend has secret ways known to no one else.

Is it not the case
that when a butcher kills a sheep,
he does not leave the carcass?

Rather, he bends down and works more closely.
The sheep’s life becomes the butcher’s life.

The meaning with this is: There is
a great generosity in being killed by the beloved.
Solomon’s kingdom goes into a single ant.

Both worlds combine in one heart.
I have traveled everywhere
and found no likeness for the friend
Have you found one?

This silence gives a taste.
Whatever wine the friend serves
comes when language ends.

Trans by Coleman Barks, ‘Rumi, Bridge to the Soul, Journeys into the music and silence of the heart’ 2007.

Read the poem and spend some time in silence



Reflective Questions
In what ways does the Christian faith talk about death in relation to the spiritual life?
How do you respond to the ideas in this poem?
What stands out most for you?
How has rejection or a definite ‘no’ to something you wanted, eventually brought new life to you?
How do you feel about things dying, about closing doors, about saying ‘no’?

You may like to spend some time in prayer with this verse:

‘I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who lives; but it is Christ who lives in me’.     Gal 2:19-20


Activity – go outside and find something rough, hold it in your hand. What do the rough things of the world teach us?






Comments

Post a Comment

Please be respectful when posting comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rugby

It has been just over three weeks now since we have arrived in Rugby and it feels like a world away from South London. If I was used to being in what is generally thought of and written about as a post-Christian secular world then Rugby looks and feels very different. There are a proliferation of churches across Rugby which are very active in working together for the good of the town. There seems to be a genuine Spirit of God's love working across Rugby in impressive ways that I'm not sure what century I am in! It is surprising to find a town that works so hard in regenerating and reinvigorating all that it is and it feels like an enormous privilege to be here.  Not that South London was any kind of spiritual desert! It was also a great privilege to work there and see how God can still be so central to people's lives in the 21st century. If the image we get from the newspapers and national media is that God is redundant in the modern age it seems that the reality is very ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Identity, belonging and holiness

Sermon for 2nd July Doubting Thomas - Ephesians 2:19-end, John 20:24-29 In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians we see classic Pauline theology in action – Paul is explaining to the Ephesians (Gentiles) that they are fully accepted into the household of God and full members of it. The implication is that they are unsure about their place. Paul is clear that their tradition and history is rooted now not only in the Patriarchs, but also in the Apostles and with Jesus Christ as the corner stone. It is the Apostles in Jesus who invite them to full membership. No longer is holiness and worship centred on the Temple in Jerusalem but, rather, the individual believers are spiritual temples and the group of believers an ‘habitation of God’. Paul, as we know, had been fully committed to his identity as a God-fearing Jew; his life and ritual practice confirmed his sense of superior identity before God. He was saved because of his birth right and due to his strict adherence to the Law. Th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Women as Priests - Why the Big Deal??

Vocation as Participation Women priests at Coventry Cathedral celebrating each year of ordinations since 1994.  They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-end The church of England has been celebrating and marking 20 years of women’s priestly ministry. Today I went to a service of celebration at Coventry Cathedral.  When I was in the cathedral I thought again about why women’s priesth...
Post a Comment
Read more