How many times have I read the Christmas stories in scripture??? How many times have you read or heard them? Beginning my Sabbath Leave I read them again and they ‘popped’ for me! It was absolutely wonderful and set the stage for my Sabbath time.

I felt I wanted to get to know Jesus in a different way during this break so my Spiritual Director suggested the Spiritual Exercises and to begin with the Hidden Years of Jesus, that’s his childhood that we don’t know much about. Although she’d suggested starting in Nazareth, I was drawn to read the whole story in Luke 2. As I did, I found myself drawn behind the scenes. I experienced the mystery of God choosing to enter our world at that time, the prophets being spoken to by the Divine One, the angels being sent into homes with messages, stars being placed and dreams being touched. Our world became a stage and God plus the divine team, were the stage managers, directors, producer. I saw it all happening.

And then I heard my name, felt the touch on my shoulder and a call to come off stage. I was invited into the Producer’s Office. I’m being removed from the divine drama of the world. I’m off stage. I’m to rest in the Producer’s Office while the production continues. I don’t have a role right now. I don’t know when I’ll be sent back on stage, but right now I’m to rest with the Producer.

Please don’t think it is a puppet show with God pulling our strings. It didn’t feel like that at all. It was a freely moving drama with God’s attentive presence. Sometimes all of us need to step off stage, out of the drama of life, maybe for an hour, a week’s holiday or maybe for longer. Have you ever felt that call? Did you say accept or resist it? Right now, I’m enjoying my time off stage. I love the unscheduled days, the extra prayer and reflection times, time to swim or walk and the times to chat with people. Somehow in the midst of this, I trust I’ll get to know Jesus in a different way.

So far – Week 2 feels good!

Love and prayers

Anne

Mystic in Motion.