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In the press
The paradox of 'solitude in community' reminds me of the two healing stories at the end of the fifth chapter of Mark's gospel.
Having been approached by Jairus, a leader in the synagogue, Jesus responded to his request by going with Jairus to heal his daughter. On their way, "a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him...She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak...Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’”...
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”
Throughout the story, Jesus seems fully aware of himself and his connection to others (we might also say the same of the woman.) Jairus, the hemorrhagic woman and probably many in the crowd knew Jesus had some kind of power. Knowing something of his own 'power,' Jesus could have isolated himself or reserved it for his own benefit. Instead, he put himself in the midst of the crowds, because he knew of their deep need and his deep connection to them.
Solitude makes us aware of the power within us. Community makes us aware of the deep needs of the world. When we are able to hold the two together, God can use us to heal and transform the world.
May you find the courage to know yourself, and the grace to be touched by a community in need.
A 40 day journey with Parker Palmer (& Pastor Kelly)
Oh the places you'll go
40 Days with Parker Palmer
Just so you don't get confused, I am not Parker Palmer. In fact, I've never officially met Parker Palmer. I did attend one of his lectures once. Parker is a Quaker, an educator, a writer and a social reformer. Aside from the several weekly and monthly writing "assigments," I am not like Parker in any of those ways, but several of his books have helped me through some wilderness periods of my life in the past couple of years. When someone brought me this book, (the same someone who suggested this blog,) I knew it was destiny.
Lent has never been the "feel good" season of the church. On Ash Wednesday, we're reminded of our mortality, as we're marked with ashes for our penitential journey. Depending on the which gospel we're reading, on the first Sunday, we always watch Jesus get "driven" or "led" into the widlerness to be tempted. Unlike Christmas and Easter, the church will never have to worry about the retailers taking this season over. It's not easy to sell simplicity, solitude and self-reflection, unless you're talking about self-help books.
As wilderness journey's go, Lent can be a pretty lonely one. That's just how it is with self-reflection. Still, as we step into this stark spiritual wilderness to face God, it might be meaningful to know there are others wandering around in the wilderness too.
I hope your journey is blessed by this blog, the comments shared by other travelers and by the reflections of Parker Palmer.
Lent has never been the "feel good" season of the church. On Ash Wednesday, we're reminded of our mortality, as we're marked with ashes for our penitential journey. Depending on the which gospel we're reading, on the first Sunday, we always watch Jesus get "driven" or "led" into the widlerness to be tempted. Unlike Christmas and Easter, the church will never have to worry about the retailers taking this season over. It's not easy to sell simplicity, solitude and self-reflection, unless you're talking about self-help books.
As wilderness journey's go, Lent can be a pretty lonely one. That's just how it is with self-reflection. Still, as we step into this stark spiritual wilderness to face God, it might be meaningful to know there are others wandering around in the wilderness too.
I hope your journey is blessed by this blog, the comments shared by other travelers and by the reflections of Parker Palmer.
About Me
- Kelly Dahlman-Oeth
- Kirkland, Washington
- I don't know when it happened. It was so subtle, I didn't even notice it, but sometime in the last three or four years, I became one of "them." You know who I'm talking about -"those people" who say things like: "they call that music?" "we never would have been able to wear that," and "What's blogging?" I'm proud to announce, that's all history now. A few thougthful thirty somethings at church dragged me onto facebook, where I immediately became addicted to status updates. Two weeks ago, a wise 50 something person, suggested that "maybe someone should do a blog during Lent," and here I am. At 43 years old, I'm married to the smartest woman I ever met (I still can't figure out how I tricked her into marrying me.) Our four children keep us laughing (and doing laundry.) I'm also part of this great church in Kirkland. The people here keep teaching me how to be a better Christian, which is helpful, since I have to preach to them almost every Sunday.
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