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Wisdom Sayings
Out of the humility of your infinite goodness, O God, you present yourself as though you were our creature that thus you may draw us to you. For you draw us to yourself by every possible means by which a free and rational creature can be drawn.
*Nichola of Cusa (15th Century)
Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action.
*Mahatma Gandhi
Wisdom Story
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After being seated she spotted a friend and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."
When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat. She discovered the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway piano on stage. In horror the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
The great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the boy, and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed an odd situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.
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Comments
The nature of the universe, bearing the Image of Reality, is of participation. Community images cosmic interdependence, which means we do nothing without the influence, in some way, of others. This principle applies at all levels of the cosmos.
To be interdependent is healthly mature. Dependence is lack of personal faith and initiative. Interdependence means wise and humble recognition of our need of others and their need of us.
Ultimately, mutual reliance among us directs us to dependence on Grace. The benefit and sustenance of human togetherness is enriched as we look to the Fount of Inspiration.
Like the little boy in the above story, we find our efforts enhanced by the inspirations of Grace. We have, however, to get on stage and offer the effort. If we do, we will find we can do more and better than we could relying on only our own efforts or upon others.
Then, we discover a great mystery. God is dependent on us, and we are dependent on God. God's dependence is chosen dependence; our dependence is created dependence. Love, Who is God, seeks participation with us, while we are created to find final meaning in dependence on God.
Likewise, our sharing as humans in innate interdependence is our imaging God. God participates in the interdependence of the cosmos at all levels. In my need of you and your need of me, God is.
St. Paul affirms, "I can do all things through him [lit. the one] who strengthens me" (NRSV). This strength is instilled, or inspired, within us. St. Paul writes of this in Ephesians 3.16: "I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit" (NLT). Therefore, through prayerful reliance on God, we are connected to "unlimited resources."
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