By Monk George Lopez

I was initially guided to this topic from something Padre Paul mentioned, just off the cuff when I asked him about leading this tele call and what the subject should be. He often chanels what is needed in the moment, whether he is consciously aware of it or not. He said, “I don’t know, something about presence”. It rolled around in my head for a while.

The first thing I thought was being PRESENTS, like Christmas presents, since it’s December and that time is upon us. I thought, that’s cute, word play. I also love the idea of us being the gift, that part of our work is to unwrap ourselves. To access the layers or valences that we have accumulated over time and slowly discard them because they hide our true light. Yet the more I sat with it, the more I realized that was really what I was being shown.

BEING PRESENCE, being that “God space” is all we are really called to do in this life. We run around trying to do, do, do, especially in this season. The collective holds a long list of accomplishments up as the supposed goal. Success, wealth, fame, degrees, legacy. But the higher truth is that if we are truly connecting to God, Source, Creator and being that space, that is the greatest accomplishment and also the greatest gift we can be to any and every situation.

That BEING PRESENCE space can look different for all of us. For me, it’s when I am sitting at the piano and singing. I also tap into it when creating. It can be accessed in nature, or meditation, prayer, playing sports, being in service, gardening, cooking. The doorways are endless. Yet in all of these examples there is an aspect of being in oneness with all, and communion with God.

Now BEING that space is a tall order! Not easily accomplished. Yet I do believe that was what Jesus was trying to show us. How to be. Not what to do. As Bishop Dana often reminds us, Jesus never came to start the religion of Christianity, but to show us how to be in all situations. Not a list of do’s and don’ts but how do we walk this earthly path and still hold presence. Everywhere he went he was met with dissenting opinions, trap questions and actually hatred. He responded with quiet and deliberate acts of love. People were trying to silence him, discredit him or hijack his platform, yet His response was to “be” love.

The woman at the well, the lepers, the man at the pool of Bethesda, Mary Magdalene. Poor, lepers, outcasts, those on the fringes of society were who He was drawn to. He respected and valued women, children, the poor and downtrodden. He modeled love as a way of being, regardless of what was being thrown his way. Everyone was welcome at the table.

I find myself constantly challenged by this example. How am I being? Not who, but how. How can I let go of my judgement, my intolerance, my all too quick to react self. How can I invite in more compassion, more patience, more kindness, more grace? How can I let go of all my self judgement, all those things I either internalize or project out? How can I surrender? How can I be more of that God Presence?

All I know is that is my goal. That is my heart’s desire. To be that God space, to Be Presence, like Jesus lived, more and more each day.

Blessings,
Monk George