Pax Magna
Unexpectantly, a smoky-hued cloud
floats swiftly across the upper atmosphere
standing out against
unremarkable white fluff and blue sky.
A diverse angel squad rides this cloud and
looks down at struggling humans dispersing
in all directions
seen in the chaos of the city far below.
From the angel squad I hear kind voices,
“Have no judgment of one another
so you can receive
our Creator’s peace and leave fear behind.”
One may think it strange when hearing my report
but I felt as though I was riding that
speedy cloud with the
angels and they were whispering in my ears.
You see, lately it seems like the roads go
uphill both ways, and it helps to go skyward
and get a new
perspective, then gaze again while climbing.
That very moment I felt peace
and calm as not experienced before
or at least In recent
memory when anxiety thrives.
In this space I turn my heart towards
the divine and my heart gradually fills
with mysterious
Holy Light and Love so finely tuned.
Luke 6: 37-42
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the
plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
It’s Not Ours to Judge . . .
It is magnificent when we refrain from judging and instead look into the heart of another, to see their God-given essence. There are any number of things that may bother us about people. Perhaps there are irritating sounds they make, a twitch or the way they appear at times. Political or social views can get in the way of our relationships, too.
I know that I am guilty and certainly am not proud of any judgments I make.
The likelihood of flying on a cloud with angels is small, but when using our imaginations our minds drift from judgment and lean eventually into forgiveness. It’s good to keep practicing seeing beauty around us, being grateful for it, and letting judgments go so that we can forgive.
Jesus knew the key to forgiveness was first seeing the “plank” in our own eyes, then allowing our hearts to be softened upon realizing our own humanity.
May you hear the voice of the angels and be at peace!
Marta
Rev. Marta Wheeler
To view or download a PDF version of this Devotional, click here: Devotional MW 2022-06-29