Midweek Devotion 19 February 2025

Reading

Colossians 3:12-13

Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness,

humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one

another if anyone has a complaint against another.  Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.

Devotion

The full mural

Close up of Kapi'olani

Close up of the children

I have a friend who has been posting pictures of his visit to Hawaii, and it struck a chord of nostalgia for me--especially as it is -12 where I am right now!!!  Today's artwork is a mural that may be found on the campus of BYU-Hawaii.  It is entitled "The Defiance of Pele."  Created by Edward T. Grigware (1889-1960) it depicts Queen Kapi’olani defying the Hawaiian goddess Pele to demonstrate her Christian faith.

This is a work filled with passion--the chaotic flames of the volcano, the strong posture of the Queen framed in light, the anxiety of the children back lit by fire and leaning backward, all portray vibrant and high emotions.  I think the mural does an admirable job drawing the viewer into the emotional, spiritual, and social context portraying faithful defiance.  Many people today are all over my social media sounding alarms about all sorts of things, making clarion calls for faithful defiance. The issue I ponder today is about the pre-work required to develop the sense of freedom to act for something rather than against something.

When I was stationed in Hawaii many years ago, I ran across a spiritual practice called Ho'oponopono.  The word itself means, roughly, 'correction' or 'setting right.' It is a personal and communal practice of realignment and forgiveness.  Here's how it works:

--Visualize an action that has caused you to feel out of alignment with yourself or others. 

--Say the four phrases: "I am sorry", "Please forgive me", "I love you", "Thank you." 

That's it!  Sounds simple, but in my experience, it is extremely difficult, especially when applied to one's adversaries or enemies--see Luke 6:27-28 for Jesus' admonition in such regard.  Pick out the person who is most troubling you and try this out.  The change that happens is mostly in your own spirit, but who knows...change may happen in the other person as well.  There's a beautiful example of this in the late Dr. Hew Len's therapy practice in prisons and mental institutions in Hawaii.

By first developing a spiritual practice that is centered in loving and forgiveness, one then develops a sense of radical freedom that allows one to freely embrace activity that displays a defiant faith.  Of course you can say, "Fr. Jere, I just can't bring myself to do that."  That's fair enough--just know my response will be, "Pray about it!"

Prayer 

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is

hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where

there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where

there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where

there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to

be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is

in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we

are born to eternal life. Amen. (A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis)