Sisterhood Shabbat was wonderful. Much to celebrate. And yes I learned from my friends, my sisters. I was reminded how much I like Ruth Brin’s poetry. How she captures my spirituality.
One poem that was read:
A Woman’s Meditation:
When men were children, they thought of G-d as a father;
When men were slaves, they thought of G-d as a master;
When men were subjects, they thought of G-d as king.
But I am a woman, not slave, not a subject,
not a child who longs for G-d as father or mother.
I might imagine G-d as teacher or friend, but those images
like king, master, father or mother, are too small for me now.
G-d is the force of motion and light in the universe;
G-d is the strength of life on our planet;
G-d is the power moving us to do good;
G-d is the source of love springing up in us.
G-d is far beyond what we can comprehend.
I am not sure that Ruth Brin always captures my understanding of G-d. Maybe I am too small and still need G-d as a mother or a father. But I agree that G-d is far beyond what we can comprehend. I need a big G-d. One that can handle all of my moods. One that can be strong, the Rock of Israel, or nurturing, El Shaddai. One that can be comforting or can share my anger. One that can be my Partner or my Friend. One that can inspire me or heal me. One that just is. G-d is all of what Ruth Brin says and more. I am grateful for her articulation. Maimonides said that you cannot discuss G-d because to discuss G-d is to limit G-d and G-d is limitless. I think Ruth’s approach better.
I was particularly moved by another poem by Ruth,
No one ever told me the coming of the Messiah
Could be an inward thing.
No one ever told me a change of heart
Might be as quiet as new-fallen snow.
No one ever told me that redemption
Was as simple as springtime and as wonderful
As birds returning after a long winter,
Rose-breasted grosbeaks singing in the swaying branches
Of a newly budded tree.
No one ever told me that salvation
Might be like a fresh spring wind
Blowing away the dried, withered leaves of another year,
Carrying the scent of flowers, the promise of fruition.
What I found for myself I try to tell you:
Redemption and salvation are very near,
And the taste of them is in the world
That God created and laid before us.
Ruth Brin
Finding the Messiah in an inward moment, salvation and redemption in the beauty of the world around us. Today….if only we would listen to that inward voice, as the Psalms teach. It was a WOW moment and I thank Maureen for it.
It leads me to wonder. Is there a difference between men’s spirituality and women’s? I am not sure. Perhaps that is the beauty of Sisterhood Shabbat. We get to explore these concepts together, as sisters.