Placing a call

Richmond Hill is a special place where a lot of folks pass through for lots of different reasons. Some come for quiet reflection, some for wonderful worship. Some come thirsty for knowledge. Others come simply to be fed, either at the altar or in the refectory, and maybe enjoy some fellowship. Whatever your particular need, this place holds us all.

Richmond Hill holds many special places. The chapel is one such special place here. In addition to praying there for the City three times a day, the community comes together there for a Eucharist every Monday evening. During his sermon Monday night not long ago, Bob Hetherington commented on the particular importance of maintaining balance among one’s spiritual practices: personal, corporate, and, your work in the larger world.

Making oneself available to listen to what God might be saying to you is important work. There are many ways to do this work, but I think it really is a question of how engaged are you in hospitality of the heart? Open eyes and ears help open the heart to receive the Lord when he calls on us.

The open heart allows our mind to open — open up to possibilities of engaging our selves in our surroundings. So far, so good. As long as we are open and receptive to the prompts and nudges the Spirit provides, we’re all done here, right? Not exactly. Openness and receptivity is great. But if that’s all we do, it’s a little like Roger Federer swinging at a tennis ball, then coming to a screeching halt just as the ball touches the strings of his racquet. Of course he doesn’t do that. He follows through his stroke, usually with stunning results.

Whatever we see, hear, or feel as a spiritual prompt, we need to follow through. And our follow-through ought to be grounded. This requires solid footwork and a place to stand. You want to understand your calling, your vocation? Look at where your feet are pointing.

Location is a huge part of vocation. Does location inform vocation? Yes. How? Responding to the call involves posture. Where are you? What are you doing? Sitting? Standing? Attentive? Are you running to it? Or, running away?

As you begin to heed your call, pay attention to where you are. You might be strategically placed to build a little bit of God’s kingdom right here, right now.

Are you willing? That’s a good place to be.

Richard Rumble

April 2015