Last weekend all nine of us Jesuit Volunteers in Nicaragua joined together in a CreedQuest: a retreat dedicated to creating of our very own creeds. We spent time reflecting together, individually, and in prayer and at the end of the weekend, we had all written a creed of our beliefs, an expression of our ever-evolving spiritualities. The process of searching for words to communicate myself spiritually was both empowering and challenging and upon putting my beliefs into poetic form, I overflowed with a newfound ownership of my faith. As a way of sharing the exploration of the retreat and where I am spiritually these days, I share my creed with you. I would also say that if you have time to contemplate your own spiritual life, embrace the opportunity and try to put your beliefs into words, as it can be an incredibly affirming and beneficial process.
I believe in a God…
Who speaks to us in the wind,
Who weeps when we hurt and rejoices in our alegria,
Whose gentle presence imparts comfort and insight,
Whose call is found in the deepest desires of our hearts.
I believe
That my joy is your joy and your pain is my pain,
That our weaknesses are the sources of our greatest strengths
And that, hand-in-hand, we transform our wounds into wombs of new life.
I believe
That each soul sings a song of
mystery,
intricacy,
complicity,
potential.
Together, our soul’s songs harmonize.
I believe in a world where
We build bridges instead of walls by
Allowing conversation to open our minds
And breaking hatred with the soft touch of a loving hand.
I believe
That there is a time for everything:
That today is our window to tomorrow.
So
Greet the sun,
Seek the inner you,
Wander the streets you’ve always known,
Get lost in thought,
Be found in a new place,
Share what you were given,
Laugh at life’s ironies,
Cry because you’re full of emotion,
Love the routine,
Receive love from a stanger,
Get your hands dirty,
Cleanse yourself in a rainstorm.
Pray.
I believe when I say Amen.
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAMEN!!!