lectio divina: hebrews 13:1-3

continue loving everyone you know

as brothers and sisters

and as for strangers,

they, too, are family

show them kindness

and treat them well

in doing this

you just may find yourself

entertaining angels

and holding sacred space

for a divine encounter

remember those who are suffering

put yourself in their place

recognizing in their faces

something of your own

on the wings of the morning

"...where can i go from your spirit

or where can i flee from your presence

if i ascend to heaven, you are there;

if i make my bed in sheol, you are there

if i take the wings of the morning and

settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me

and your right hand shall hold me fast..."

psalm 139:7-10

via negativa

recently, i have been thinking a lot about what is known in art as "negative space" and the way it can become transformed simply by shifting one's focus. we go from being able to see only the obvious to seeing objects or patterns emerge that previously had been hidden to us. life is like that sometimes...we can and do learn a great deal from what is being said. however, we often learn more when we listen for and pay attention to the "negative space" and hear what is not being said. i'm reminded of a line from my favorite prayer by george appleton that says: "...show me the hidden things..." to be shown the hidden things is to be given a unique gift - namely - the opportunity for our lives (and the lives of others) to be transformed in ways previously thought impossible. a "negative space" can thus become a creative womb of sorts, giving rise to new ways of being, healing and wholeness.