My thoughts wander back to Chaco and the ruins that adorn the remote valley floor. It is the largest concentration of ancient pueblos in our country. Exploring the various sites within this National Historical Park, which also happens to be designated by the UN to be a World Heritage site, is a real treat. You can walk among the ruins and in many places even enter the now roof-less rooms.
One of the complexes that you can visit is Pueblo Bonito, which has six hundred and fifty rooms and occupies two acres of area. Over a thousand years ago, indigenous masons stacked the stones into place by hand to create these dwellings. Today, the structures continue to bear witness to the certain quality of their work. It is incredible that some of the rooms rise to the level of four stories. To go as high as they did, the walls of Chaco are thick. At points, they are three-feet deep.
With the walls as thick as they are, when you pass from room to room, the thresholds are also extra wide. At times, it feels like you are crawling through a tunnel to get from one space to another. It is an adventure, to be sure. Until you clear the threshold, you can’t be sure what or who is on the other side.
During this second week of our spiritual journey, we will take time to look at and reflect upon the space of the threshold itself. What do we feel as we are in transition? Moving across a threshold can fill us with a sense of adventure. It can also be a scary experience. When the threshold is thick, we can find ourselves disoriented. Can we find the courage within to continue? What should we do when our courage fails?
To enter the thresholds of Chaco, I needed to crouch down low, a sort of functional bow. Bent over, I moved slowly ahead. The posture was both humble and cautious. Is it also prayerful? In this manner, we travel into the second week of Advent.
Silent Prayer:
Find a comfortable place to sit. Set your phone or watch for eight minutes. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. As thoughts come to your mind – push them aside. Now is not the time. Trust in God to hold your life without needing to control it with our thoughts or actions. At the end of your time – say a simple “thank you” or “Amen.” Tomorrow, we will build on this spiritual practice by adding more time. Consider the time spent in silent prayer as an Advent gift – an opportunity to enter into God’s shalom/peace.
Today’s Silent Prayer Goal – EIGHT minutes
Please note: If this is beginning to seem like too much silence, then you are reaching a boundary or limit. Ask yourself, why is it so hard to be silent for this long? Remember to focus on clearing your mind – the length of time is going to make this more difficult. Do as much as you can. Take this opportunity, however, to stretch beyond what you think is possible. You might surprise yourself.
Scripture:
2 Corinthians 4:6-10
It is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.
Thank you for reading the eighth blog of this Advent series. If it was meaningful to you, please feel free to like it below or share it with your friends. You may also leave a comment. Blessings on the journey as we head through this season of Advent together. In Christ, Walt.