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Humanness: a contemplative companion to Chapter 4 of Growing up to be a child

This contemplation, based on chapter 4 of Growing up to be a child, explores what it means to be a human being.

 

Esther 2002006In his gospel, Luke recounts how the child Jesus ‘grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and with the people.’  Luke’s description suggests four domains or areas in which children grow and develop into adults: mental development (‘wisdom’), physical development (‘stature’), spiritual development (‘favour with God’) and social development (‘favour with the people’)…

 

 

 

 

One of the most powerful aspects of Judaism and Christianity is that all these elements of our humanity are combined in our relationship to God. We are not just spiritual beings temporarily housed in physical bodies. We are human beings: physical, mental, social, and spiritual.

This is reflected in the great Shema prayer in Deuteronomy: ‘Shema Yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai ehad’[4] (‘Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one’).[5] The prayer affirms the unity of God and his relationship to his people. It goes on to focus on our response to God: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.’[6] This response comes from the totality of our humanness.

Pause for a while; reflect; celebrate who you are – a wonderful person, body, mind, heart and soul.

Click here to go to the contemplative companion to Chapter 4 of Growing up to be a child.

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Love: a contemplative companion to chapter 3 of Growing up to be a child

Our world is fragmented:

creatures disconnected from creation,

nations torn by powerful interests,

families broken by arrogance and addiction,

children crushed by violence and abuse,

nature spoiled by thoughtless consumption.

 

sieger koder clown

 

In this contemplation, while receiving God’s love for ourselves, we cry out to God – Earth Maker, Pain Bearer, Life Giver – for all those who do not or cannot feel that love.

 

Click here to go to the contemplative companion to chapter 3 of Growing up to be a child

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Vulnerability: a contemplative companion to chapter 2 of Growing up to be a child

In a wonderful verse in Isaiah, the prophet uses the illustration of a nursing mother: ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?’ Impossible as that may seem, Isaiah contrasts that with God’s steadfast love: ‘Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.’[1]

 

Cassatt young mother nursing

This image of God as a nursing mother is so, so powerful. It cuts through all our stereotypes of a vengeful, stern judge or an omnipotent, unapproachable creator. Instead we see a different side of God’s character – tender, passionate, caring, vulnerable. It invites us to come to God in such a different way. We come, not so much as miserable sinners cowering beneath ‘his’ judgement and in need of repentance and atonement, but as beloved children invited to nestle into ‘her’ bosom, to be cradled in her arms, to be enfolded in her love. A nursing mother does not place demands on her baby; she takes her up in her arms to love her and cherish her.

This is challenging; it challenges our preconceptions of who God is and what God is like. It also challenges our approach to the Holy One. Can we come to God as vulnerable, newborn babies, willing to put aside our pride and be accepted into her loving embrace? If we can, this move to become like a little child carries with it a wonderful promise of God’s tender, embracing, steadfast love for us.

 

Click here to go to the contemplative companion to Chapter 2 of Growing up to be a child.

 

[1] Isaiah 49:15,16.

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Verletzlichkeit

 

 Kann denn eine Frau ihr Kindlein vergessen, eine Mutter ihren eigenen Sohn?

(Jesaja 49;15)

 

mother-rose

Es gibt kaum etwas Verletzlicheres als ein Neugeborenes. Als soeben geborener Säugling warst du völlig abhängig von deiner Mutter (und in einem sehr geringen Ausmass auch von mir) Du brauchtest uns für deine Nahrung, um warm und sauber zu sein und um sicher zu schlafen. Die ersten Tage hast du hauptsächlich geschlafen, getrunken und bekamst die Windeln gewechselt. Continue reading “Verletzlichkeit”

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Maslow’s Fallacy and a Community Right to Beauty

I have a bit of a problem with Maslow’s famous Hierarchy of Need. It’s not that I disagree with his classification of different types of human need, nor his emphasis on the importance of ensuring that all people, everywhere, have a right for their basic physical needs of nutrition, water and safety to be met. But I do wonder whether presenting these, along with other, ‘higher level’ needs as a hierarchy risks condoning inequalities, fragmenting our view of ourselves as human beings, and demeaning those who are less privileged?

Continue reading “Maslow’s Fallacy and a Community Right to Beauty”

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Der Ursprung

 

Du hast mich gewoben in meiner Mutter Schoss.

Psalm 139;13

 

 

Geboren werden ist ein unglaublich traumatisches Erlebnis. Das bedauernswerte Baby, nach neun Monaten Geborgenheit in einem feuchtwarmen, ruhigen und dunklen Nest, wird nun plötzlich durch eine enge Öffnung gequetscht. Der Kopf wird zusammengedrückt wie ein Tuch in der Mangel, um dann in einer kalten, lauten und furchteinflössenden Umgebung aufzutauchen. Da wundert es wenig, dass die meisten Babies als erstes einmal weinen. Continue reading “Der Ursprung”

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Growing up to be a child: a contemplative companion

In Growing up to be a child I have explored what Jesus might have meant when he invited each of us to become like a little child.  This is a radical and challenging invitation, one that calls us to a whole new process of development, one in which our heart and soul, and perhaps ultimately our body and mind too, will become all that our Creator intended them to be.

If we are going to take this challenge seriously, it surely cannot mean just reading about it, thinking how good and inspiring Jesus’ teaching is.  Jesus himself challenged us not just to hear his words, but also to put them into practice (Luke 6: 46-49).

But any authentic response to Jesus’ words has to stem from an encounter with the living God, the one who loves us as a child.

one candle 3

 

With that in mind, I am developing a contemplative companion to the book.  Continue reading “Growing up to be a child: a contemplative companion”

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Growing up to be a child – A book review in Triple Helix

This is a ‘must’ for all parents!  Whereas many Christian authors emphasise the need to engage in thoughtful reading and interpretation of Scripture, Jesus said that ‘Unless you change and become like little children, you will never entre the kingdom of heaven’.  Whatever did he mean?

Peter Sidebotham, a widely respected paediatrician with expertise in child development, provides rich insight into the stages of early childhood that all parents will have experienced and probably been puzzled or exasperated by.  Continue reading “Growing up to be a child – A book review in Triple Helix”