Contemplating 'in'

I’m contemplating ‘in’. Dwelling in, abiding in… Christ’s love, Christ’s sacrifice… Christ, and my mind turns to the pool as I consider a tangible object lesson to reinforce my thoughts. Perhaps today would be the day for a swim. No one is at the pool. It’s peaceful, bright and beautiful. I set my two books, Bible and journal down and head up to my room to change. I hastily prepare and scold myself for not putting on sunscreen and I hear the Lord speak to my mind ‘you will not need it’. A pitter-patter is bouncing against my window unit. I head to the main stairwell only to realize the sky outside has ripped open and rain is violently assaulting everything unsheltered. A Jesuit seems transfixed in the stairwell looking out the window as if in an instant he has seen nature itself change without transition. And then I realize… my books! I bolt down the remaining three flights of stairs and sprint through the torrents to the pool spreading my towel as I come as if to cover my books before I get to them. In one movement I scoop them into my arms and fling the door to the pool's restroom open. As I gawk at them wide-eyed I can't help but laugh outloud as I futilely attempt to dry them off, their pages each one forever altered by the impact of the rain.

The object lesson echoes into me. Each time I read this Bible, I know I will not easily forget. I put my sopping wet books aside and dive into the pool. As I come to the surface the deluge turns to sprinkle and dissipates completely. No more than ten minutes had I been gone, the storm possibly only half of that time, and now a distilled quietness as the rain that watered the earth waters my soul.

To dive deeply into abiding in Christ is not solely an action of human will. In His omnipresence and power there is nothing that He does not cover, nothing that He does not wash that we might also think to dwell within. He rejoices in our choice of Him and pours Himself out not only where we seek Him and anticipate He might be contained but over everything we could possibly know and do. This is my uncontainable God.


Recorded on a Silent Retreat at a Jesuit facilitated Spirituality Center in May 2010.

Photo from the very peaceful island of Kauai last summer.