Monday, March 30, 2009

get out of the basement!

In today's Leaflet, Rev. Tilden reminds us that "our soul's home has many stories." How deeply true that is. Unfortunately I often feel either locked in the basement, or stuck in an elevator that is rocketing from floor to floor and not opening its doors. Any yet, the briefest glances into "the upper room" are enough to keep me "making the preparations."

THE UPPER ROOM (Scripture Readings)

"THEN came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.
And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go, and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.
And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare'?
And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he eniereth in.
And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples ?
And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.
And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

Luke xxll.
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THE UPPER ROOM (Tilden's Meditations)

"UPPER Room! Our soul's home has many stories; it rests on the earth, but rises to heaven. Man must not live in his basement. He must go up and look out of the windows of his intellectual chamber and put that in order; higher still, where he sees his relations to God and eternal life; yet higher, where the Divine voice is heard in the soul. Here our best thoughts come ; here we make preparations for the best things we ever do in life. This Upper Room of the soul should be large, with windows all around, that the clear breezes of thought may blow through; and it must be furnished. As we sit here at the open windows of Hope we can see the bow of promise, telling us that the floods of evil will be at last stayed, and the new heaven and new earth will appear, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Here we are touched as by the finger of God; and when our eyes are shaded from the glare of earthly lights by some great sorrow, from this height we see our sorrow as only cloud-shadow, that will be followed by golden sunshine.
Life is crowned and glorified ! Here make ready.
Blessings

1 comment:

PeaceBang said...

C.G. Jung says a lot about basements in his works -- and elevators, too! Not bad places to be -- ;-)