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PDRTJS_settings_938668_post_1031={“id”:938668,”unique_id”:”wp-post-1031″,”title”:”Advent Day 7 – The Lesson of the Shadows”
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image © bob traupman 2007. all rights reserved.
Saturday of the First Week of Advent
I have learned to be intrigued by the shadows of my life, Lord.
The stronger the light, the deeper the shadow.
I have come to realize there will always be shadows.
I must accept the shadows of my life as well as the light; they will just always be there.
And so I now pause for a moment when a shadow greets me;
and take in its beauty.
Teach me to stop and be confronted, to be changed, by them.
This day, Lord, help me to realize what the shadows of my life can teach me
about You and Your great love for me.
Bob Traupman
Editors note: This was my very first blog post on December 5, 2007.
I had two priests write me back and say: “Thank you, Bob.”
I wonder what they were saying??
I pay a lot of attention to shadows in my photography.
When there’s interesting light, there’s also interesting shadow. You can’t have one without the other.
I published this one the other day.
It’s “both / and.”
That’s the way life is.
Carl Jung in psychology got us to pay attention to the Shadow side of life.
If we deny it’s there, we’re in trouble.
If we embrace our Shadow, make friends with it,
we become whole.
~ ~ ~ ~
And now on this leisurely Saturday morning take a few moments to look back at a different culture 40 years ago and enjoy a wonderful musical experience Godspell written and composed by Stephen Swart
Click here for one of its most beautiful songs “Where are you going – By my side” The young folks with their love and their energy and their “fros” and “flower power” tell the story of the gospel set in New York City. When you get to You Tube, there are lots of other videos from Godspell to enjoy as well. Some videos are amateur productions; some are from the movie. Be sure to enter full screen. Here are the lyrics for your reflection.
[JEAN PAUL SARTRE]
Where are you going?
Where are you going?
Can you take me with you?
For my hand is cold
And needs warmth
Where are you going?
Far beyond where the horizon lies
[SOCRATES AND JEAN PAUL SARTRE]
Where the horizon lies
And the land sinks into mellow blueness
Oh please, take me with you
Let me skip the road with you
I can dare myself
I can dare myself
I’ll put a pebble in my shoe
And watch me walk (watch me walk)
I can walk
[CHORUS]
I can walk!
[SOCRATES AND JEAN PAUL SARTRE]
I shall call the pebble Dare
I shall call the pebble Dare
We will walk, we will talk together
We will talk
[CHORUS]
About walking Dare shall be carried
[CHORUS]
And when we both have had enough
I will take him from my shoe, singing
[CHORUS]
“Meet your new road!”
[SOCRATES AND JEAN PAUL SARTRE]
Then I’ll take your hand
Finally glad
[CHORUS]
Finally glad
[SOCRATES AND JEAN PAUL SARTRE]
That I am here
By your side (By my side)
[SOCRATES AND JEAN PAUL SARTRE AND CHORUS]
By your side (by my side)
By your side (by my side)
By your side (by my side)
By your side (by my side)
[JUDAS (Matt. 26:14-16)]
[spoken]
Then the man they called Judas Iscariot
Went to the chief priests,
and said “What will you give me to betray
Him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver.
And from that moment,
he began to look out for an opportunity
To betray Him.
Your light will come dear people of God;
the Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty.
You will see his glory within YOU!
The Lord will dawn on you in radiant beauty.
~ the Advent Liturgy.
Father Bob's Reflections 