Going even deeper

Cecily McNeill
1 September 2011

Going deeper can be scary, Anne Powell told a gathering in Sacred Heart Cathedral Wellington during the PrayLive day before the Stewardship Institute last month, but, it can also be invigorating.

‘Be aware of the silence of this sacred space so different from the clamour, noise and hurry going on down in Lambton Quay,’ she said as she invited people to quieten themselves and listen to their breathing. Introducing the poem ‘Going deeper’ (right) she said so many stories in the gospels had people meeting Jesus by water.

The Jewish world view at the time of Jesus, understood water and under water as being the place of evil spirits and of chaos. Fishermen were the supreme risk takers. They faced the chaos in their daily lives. Seeing Jesus standing in the water of the Jordan to be baptised was horrific.

Knowing this, she said, ‘we can understand so much more about why people are terrified by the sea in many gospel stories and why Jesus seemed to sanctify it by his presence.’

‘How much longer must we live with this chaos?’ they might have wondered.

But Sr Anne said the beautiful thing about these stories, ‘is that they nearly all end with Jesus saying “don’t be afraid”.’

She then suggested that people spend 10 minutes going deep into themselves and listening to the voice in their hearts, ‘which will perhaps give you something to take into the weekend’s focus on stewardship’.

See also: Praying for burgeoning stewardship