Reflections on the Divine Dance in the New Year!
“The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God!
January 1, 2022
Based on Fr. Richard Rhor’s book The Divine Dance
The Trinity and your Transformation with Mike Morrell
“But when the fullness of time came, God sent out His Son, born of a woman and born under law–to free those under law, so we might receive adoption as sons and daughters. Now because you are sons and daughters, God sent the Ruach of His Son into our hearts, who cries out, “Abba Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son or daughter–an if a son or daughter also an heir through God!” Galatians4:4-7 Tree of Life Version
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As we enter a New Year we need to remind ourselves that “Instead of God being the Eternal Threatener, we have God as the Ultimate Participant–in everything–both good and the painful,”
And in reminding ourselves of God as the “Ultimate Participant,” we hear the words of Rainer Maria Rike “Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.”
Our religious culture has been so permeated with a hierarchal nature of God used to control, and manipulate humanity, that we have lost sight of the God Meister Eckhart proclaimed in the fourteenth century:
“Do you want to know
what goes on in the core of the Trinity?
I will tell you.
In the core of the Trinity
the Father laughs
and gives birth to the Son.
The Son laughs back at the Father
and gives birth to the Spirit.
The whole Trinity laughs
and gives birth to us.”
God has done only one constant thing since the beginning of time: God has forever loved and without hesitation. In the Son, he came into the material world, and even in rejection his love remained steadfast, and through the Holy Spirit God walks with us.
As she lay dying, St. Clare of Assisi is reported to have said, “Thank you God for allowing me to be a human being.”
My one lesson from working with homeless street youth, and adults is that they are always grateful for their lives. And through my own pain, and depression at times, I too like Clare pray: “Thank you God for allowing me to be a human being.”
So as we enter the New Year let us thank God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that we have been allowed to dance, the dance of life this past year, and as we dance into 2022, may we be empowered by the prayer of Fr. Richard Rhor:
God for us, we call you Father.
God alongside us, we call you Jesus.
God within us, we call you Holy Spirit.
You are the eternal mystery that enables, enfolds, and enlivens all things.
Even us and even me.
Every name falls short of your goodness and greatness.
We can only see who you are in what is.
We ask for such perfect seeing–
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.
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Fr. River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.
P.O. Box 64256
San Francisco, CA 94164
415-305-2124
