Examen - 02 2025
Transcript
At the center of the Christian tradition is the story of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and glorious resurrection. Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Following from the story, death and new life is a dynamic that, I think, Christians are called to pay attention to to keep watch for, to stay awake to, to be ready to see. I don't know about you, but as I grow in age, as I move deeper into this time of constant access to news from all across the world, TikTok, Instagram, and so on. And as I witnessed, the pain, suffering vulnerability, terror, right here in our country, in Chicago, in Rogers Parks, on the blocks of our neighborhood streets, I can lose my capacity for attention to the resurrection, for the joyful stuff. It gets squashed by the pain and death stuff. Today's examine begins with a reminder about the need to observe both sides of the dynamic, the death and the life. As I've said, it's for sure a Christian approach. We Christians call it the Paschal mystery. And Christians are often reminded that first and foremost, our Christian identity is keyed to Easter Sunday. But just as much as it's a Christian mandate, I also think it's a basic human need. Humans need humor, levity, brightness, smiles, laughter, joy, and spontaneity. So no matter where you are on your spiritual religious trajectory, no matter how much or to what degree you affiliate or orient, please accept my invitation to meditate, to pray with me. This day, this time, on joy and surprise.
One last comment before we make our way in. A favorite feminist theologian commented that we should imagine that no one could have been more surprised by the Resurrection that first Easter Sunday than Jesus himself. I like this vision a lot. The person to whom this religious shaping, world reworking event happened, no matter how close to God or ostensibly how filled in Jesus was on God's plan, he was rocked by surprise and Shirley joy by the events that happened to him.
Let's start just by bringing ourselves to where we actually are here, now, in the place we're in. At our desk, walking along Clark Street, standing in a small patch of sunlight in our apartment's courtyard, waiting for an elevator in Mundeline. It doesn't matter. Still or on the go, pause. Put both of your feet on the ground, plant them there firmly, and take three deep breaths. Try to send your breath all the way down to your toes.
Now that we're planted, we're more ready to walk backwards through the day. Move from now backwards until the moment you awoke, or start from the moment you were pulled out of sleep and head chronologically forward. It doesn't matter if you watch the film of yourself from front to back or back to front. But I want you to sift through the day's events, encounters and experiences, giving a special lookout for or second glance to the moments that had you smile, that drew your whole self into a body shaking laugh when you're walking pace notched up just a tick because you saw a person who drew you to them like a magnet and you couldn't help but meet them with a big wide grin and a high. I've been dying to see you. What terrific small thing happened that you didn't count on? I, for one, love when I fumble something, like a fork or a pen that I'm holding, and then grab it up like an all-star wide receiver. It never fails to make me laugh and cheer to myself in victory. What classmate or colleague said something that made your eyes go wide and head go back as you guffawed? What reminded you of a favorite scene from a hilarious movie? When did joy erupt in you? In these moments, especially of surprise and joy, what do you think was going on there? If you think with God, what do you think God might have wanted of you in that moment? What was God asking of you? Why did God nudge you then? And in that way and with that person? If God isn't directly on the existential table for you, what happened to your overall equilibrium when your joy was tapped? What did you go on to do next? And how was that moment of joy, some engine for your tank?
Let's think about our list again, and meditate on the obstacles or impediments to joy. Were there moments when laughing was just not to be found? Why? Did you see a group of people smiling, giggling together, and turn away from it? What is the feeling in you when you did experience surprise? Life is unpredictable after all. Did you let yourself be taken in surprise? Or did you hammer the moment into the prefigured form you expected of it? The scripted conversation. The plan for turn in the road. Be honest with yourself about what happens when you don't let joy and surprise in. However fleeting, however minuscule.
Now let's come back. Having arrived here, back at where you are, think about what you might want in the bigger picture, not just this day, but tomorrow and the next, and the one after that. What does your life look and feel like, and flow like when joy and surprise are peppered in? What did life look and feel and flow like when joy remains hidden and predictability obliterates surprise? If you think about yourself as a conduit or a communication, a joy, a person who takes it in and gives it out, are there are moments when you wish you'd been a better conductor? Are there people you feel upset with for standing in the way of your joy? Why? Whatever you find out, if you're a Christian, consider asking God to help you be more Christlike in the way of surprise. Like Jesus on Easter: Lord, help me be arrested by the unexpected. Let a smile break free and light shine from me. If you’re not a Christian or you're not religious, meditate on the feeling of aliveness that comes from joy in spontaneous surprise. And ask yourself, how may you become more readily welcome to these gifts?
Let's really come back again to where we are, to be ready to step out and continue on for what's next. Take three more breaths. And as you do, I will offer you a little benediction from the great writer, my favorite, my go to guy, Brian Doyle. Doyle writes, “This is what I know, that the small is huge, the tiny is vast, that pain is part and parcel of the gift of joy, and that this is love. And that then there is everything else. Amen.”
November 02, 2025
Examen: Joy and Awe
SUMMARY: This examen helps us think about the ways we welcome joy into daily life.
PRESENTER: Mara Brecht, PhD, Associate Professor, Chair, Department of Theology
Transcript
At the center of the Christian tradition is the story of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and glorious resurrection. Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Following from the story, death and new life is a dynamic that, I think, Christians are called to pay attention to to keep watch for, to stay awake to, to be ready to see. I don't know about you, but as I grow in age, as I move deeper into this time of constant access to news from all across the world, TikTok, Instagram, and so on. And as I witnessed, the pain, suffering vulnerability, terror, right here in our country, in Chicago, in Rogers Parks, on the blocks of our neighborhood streets, I can lose my capacity for attention to the resurrection, for the joyful stuff. It gets squashed by the pain and death stuff. Today's examine begins with a reminder about the need to observe both sides of the dynamic, the death and the life. As I've said, it's for sure a Christian approach. We Christians call it the Paschal mystery. And Christians are often reminded that first and foremost, our Christian identity is keyed to Easter Sunday. But just as much as it's a Christian mandate, I also think it's a basic human need. Humans need humor, levity, brightness, smiles, laughter, joy, and spontaneity. So no matter where you are on your spiritual religious trajectory, no matter how much or to what degree you affiliate or orient, please accept my invitation to meditate, to pray with me. This day, this time, on joy and surprise.
One last comment before we make our way in. A favorite feminist theologian commented that we should imagine that no one could have been more surprised by the Resurrection that first Easter Sunday than Jesus himself. I like this vision a lot. The person to whom this religious shaping, world reworking event happened, no matter how close to God or ostensibly how filled in Jesus was on God's plan, he was rocked by surprise and Shirley joy by the events that happened to him.
Let's start just by bringing ourselves to where we actually are here, now, in the place we're in. At our desk, walking along Clark Street, standing in a small patch of sunlight in our apartment's courtyard, waiting for an elevator in Mundeline. It doesn't matter. Still or on the go, pause. Put both of your feet on the ground, plant them there firmly, and take three deep breaths. Try to send your breath all the way down to your toes.
Now that we're planted, we're more ready to walk backwards through the day. Move from now backwards until the moment you awoke, or start from the moment you were pulled out of sleep and head chronologically forward. It doesn't matter if you watch the film of yourself from front to back or back to front. But I want you to sift through the day's events, encounters and experiences, giving a special lookout for or second glance to the moments that had you smile, that drew your whole self into a body shaking laugh when you're walking pace notched up just a tick because you saw a person who drew you to them like a magnet and you couldn't help but meet them with a big wide grin and a high. I've been dying to see you. What terrific small thing happened that you didn't count on? I, for one, love when I fumble something, like a fork or a pen that I'm holding, and then grab it up like an all-star wide receiver. It never fails to make me laugh and cheer to myself in victory. What classmate or colleague said something that made your eyes go wide and head go back as you guffawed? What reminded you of a favorite scene from a hilarious movie? When did joy erupt in you? In these moments, especially of surprise and joy, what do you think was going on there? If you think with God, what do you think God might have wanted of you in that moment? What was God asking of you? Why did God nudge you then? And in that way and with that person? If God isn't directly on the existential table for you, what happened to your overall equilibrium when your joy was tapped? What did you go on to do next? And how was that moment of joy, some engine for your tank?
Let's think about our list again, and meditate on the obstacles or impediments to joy. Were there moments when laughing was just not to be found? Why? Did you see a group of people smiling, giggling together, and turn away from it? What is the feeling in you when you did experience surprise? Life is unpredictable after all. Did you let yourself be taken in surprise? Or did you hammer the moment into the prefigured form you expected of it? The scripted conversation. The plan for turn in the road. Be honest with yourself about what happens when you don't let joy and surprise in. However fleeting, however minuscule.
Now let's come back. Having arrived here, back at where you are, think about what you might want in the bigger picture, not just this day, but tomorrow and the next, and the one after that. What does your life look and feel like, and flow like when joy and surprise are peppered in? What did life look and feel and flow like when joy remains hidden and predictability obliterates surprise? If you think about yourself as a conduit or a communication, a joy, a person who takes it in and gives it out, are there are moments when you wish you'd been a better conductor? Are there people you feel upset with for standing in the way of your joy? Why? Whatever you find out, if you're a Christian, consider asking God to help you be more Christlike in the way of surprise. Like Jesus on Easter: Lord, help me be arrested by the unexpected. Let a smile break free and light shine from me. If you’re not a Christian or you're not religious, meditate on the feeling of aliveness that comes from joy in spontaneous surprise. And ask yourself, how may you become more readily welcome to these gifts?
Let's really come back again to where we are, to be ready to step out and continue on for what's next. Take three more breaths. And as you do, I will offer you a little benediction from the great writer, my favorite, my go to guy, Brian Doyle. Doyle writes, “This is what I know, that the small is huge, the tiny is vast, that pain is part and parcel of the gift of joy, and that this is love. And that then there is everything else. Amen.”