I have been thinking about tools. Like most men, I have accumulated a number of tools over time. I have a well stocked tool box in the garage and some power tools. Although I am lucky to point the right end of a screw driver at a problem, I do get quite a thrill when I actually accomplish something with my tools. I like the electronic tools too, I am an early adopter of technology and looking around my home office I can see some discards, things tried but now outdated, ideas that did not quite work the way I planned. But still, I like my tools. During my Spiritual Walk this last year, I have found some tools along the way that I have used.
Wanting to learn more about our recently elected young Bishop, Andy Doyle, I found that he too is fond of the electronic tools. He posts things that he finds interesting to Twitter (texasbishop). He maintains a web log called The Ninth Bishop of Texas that can be found at http://www.texasbishop.blogspot.com, where he posts his writings, recordings of his sermons, and his teachings – A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Luke.
He shares his statement on the recent election of a Bishop in Los Angeles, and his most recent writings are on the relief work underway by the Episcopal Church in Haiti. I encourage folks to visit his blog site and learn about this Bishop that we may have for the next 30 years.
One of the other tools that I have found useful is a weekday Podcast called Pray as you go. It is a audio download that I listen to during my morning commute. Produced by the British Jesuits, the 10-15 minute show opens with a hymn (ranging from Plain Chant to Taize, to Ladysmith Black Mombasa), followed by a reading from the Communion Lectionary for the day and asks a few questions from the scripture passage for personal reflection. I have found myself quite moved by some of the reflection discussion, and I am generally jotting down the principle thought in a journal as soon as I get to work.
I found the podcast in a link of resources for the Daily Examen, part of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience. I learned about the Examen, from one of Bishop Doyle Twitter entries that gave a link to a Site about the Examen, and said this looks interesting, check it out.
Another tool I have is the Daily Lectionary Readings. For several years now I have been trying to do these readings of Psalm and Scripture per the Anglican Cycle on a daily basis. It does not always get done, but I do find interesting things applicable to the day ahead or a possible answer to an issue from the previous day.
These tools are great, but what I have discerned when reflecting on tools, is the most important thing about tools is what you do with them. They may look neat in the tool box, all organized to size and purpose, but it a hammer is not used to construct something, and then it is just an object taking up room in the garage. The same goes for these spiritual tools. I found that if I only glanced at the readings, I wasn’t getting anything from them. When I started my daily emails to my daughter in college, I decided to open with a passage from the day’s lectionary (usually the Psalm) and find a way to reference it or what I have learned along the way or how it might affect where I am now going.
Spiritual tools, are gifts from God. As this Sunday reading from Corinthians pointed out we all have different gifts from God, tools to equip us to serve. My question is, “What are you doing with your tools?”
It's all good so far 