The real spiritual journey

A brother went to see Abba Moses in his hermitage and asked him for a word.

The old man said, "Go and sit in your cell, and it will teach you everything." One could wonder how an empty cell could teach a person anything.

As I thought about what Abba Moses had answered, I realized that when I ceased "looking" for God I found what I needed right before me. When I stopped fretting and decided to accept the inevitable, the solution appeared. It's hard to notice, though. What's usually directly in front of me I see least.

I glance at a plant situated in a corner inside the door without realizing the inner processes involved in its presence. The planting of the seed from the death of another specimen, its sprouting resurrection, watering and care were necessary before something so seemingly uncomplicated could exist.

If I became more aware of what was around me, I would sense the inner workings of the world rather that just the superficial outer layer. I would notice the look of pain on someone's face and listen to that person's story, rather than giving a courteous "Hi," asking how they are doing but failing to really hear what they reply.

Since we think we must always be performing an activity or participating in an exciting spectacle, it's difficult to imagine that God can reveal a truth in a cell. This mind-set caused me to remember when I worked in the cotton fields as a child.

Although the work could be repetitive, tiring and dirty, my brother and I managed to benefit from the surroundings. We learned to appreciate a shade-giving tree at the end of the cotton rows. I looked at its shape and attempted to guess its age. I questioned its mystery -- what stories and secrets it held in its branches. I even took pride in swinging my hoe in cadence so the grass would relinquish its hold, without killing the delicate cotton plants.

What an art! God was teaching me endurance, to tolerate discomfort from the hot overhead sun, my tired body and the sweat running down my face. God was also helping me learn to do a job well, even one seemingly effortless and insignificant. I saw God in my family as we worked together holding hope for the future with a sense of humor.

We find God by unmasking what's before us, by asking what's happening to us because of it. How does being a part of a group of people in the room affect you? What is God trying to say? What am I hearing or seeing that will change my perspective? Etty Hillesum, a Jewish prisoner in one of Hitler's concentration camps, was still able to see the good around her through God's eyes.

Everything happens for a reason and each person is brought into our lives for a purpose. Although years may pass, we eventually find out why.

If you're unaware, however, people and events pass you by. After being tapped on the shoulder and begging, you notice what you're being offered.

Many say that people rarely say anything good about them. We often receive compliments without recognizing them because of our failure to genuinely listen. Too often we rush to complete sentences for others, offering quick replies without tuning in to what is being shared.

That's when we can miss an opportunity to hear what God may be telling us through the words of another. Indeed, God is truly everywhere and within everything, and it's only when we find and face the almighty in others and our surroundings that our real spiritual journey begins. What an awesome trip.

Ellen Shuck is director of religious education at St. Mary's Cathedral Parish.