Look Alive

03 October 2011

The Be(a)st in Us

Yesterday, I happened upon the dedication service of a meditation garden. Really. My mind was full and a drive seemed like good medicine. The random drive became a desire to go to church. The random church entry culminated in a beautiful garden feast. In light of the recent passing in my family and the overseas interrment I can not attend, it did my heart glad to witness the Earth in her new life and growth incarnation during this time. Shaking foundations and claiming bodies has its own moments in the continuum.

As the presiding minister explained the plants and intentions gracing each of the garden's seven stations, he made special mention of St. Francis, a small statue of whom stood just behind us near station 6.
Mental note aside to learn what this Francis was the patron of, I enjoyed Autumn's almost-too-crisp-for-my-dressness with the congregation and even met a friend I hadn't expected to see while there.  

It seems St. Francis (of Assisi, whose feast day in the Catholic tradition is reportedly held tomorrow) is said to be the patron saint of animals, environmentalists and, naturally, the ecology of the Earth we all share. This and that another, slightly lesser-known St. Francis (de Sales) is the patron of writers and a Doctor of the Church was so befitting! There I had been -- indulging in my mind but for a few days this funky swirl of mortality, medicine and musical content that was at times indecent, fearfully defeatist to considerations of cancer and simply not conducive to the inner Life of blessed freedom that the Lord provides as an option -- when a mere stone and the stories we've attached to its likeness through the years appeared as a gentle reminder that we honor our Master by mastering beasts; beats too, for all you producers and sound engineers out there ;)

A featured dictionary word and a few other online mentions today seemed to converge with Sunday's inspiration to highlight the importance of not letting any inhuman(e) being wear away at the fortitude of our joy and peace. With this, I am reminded that each day may carry with it a host of coincidences as well as choices that shape our lives into things of beauty or otherwise. I'll use this moment to make a terrible rhyme regarding the law of Murphy in hopes that it scurry and remind us that the Living Word is what prevails: all things work together for the good of God through His own. So, since they're both there to some extent, will you feed the best or the beast in you? I've asked myself the same question more than enough times. As often and truly as I can, I will always rise above base nature and choose Life for the best possible results. No toucan you, you can too. (Yeah, I know... drum beat, crash!)