Posted on by Michael J. Cunningham

The Sacred Space Within

The Sacred Space Within – Our own Garden 

The words sacred space are used frequently. Often to define a physical location, somewhere where we have a special connection, a mystical relationship that while cannot be articulated, is known and understood. 

Many of these sacred spaces are secret to us as well. They don’t just have to be physical spaces, it could be a photograph an old letter, or something from a loved one who has passed. It’s a big spectrum.

Each one of these places is made sacred by ourselves, or by association. One of the most sacred spaces for many is a cemetery. The cemetery is not just a giant sacred garden, holding the remains of loved ones, and perhaps some unloved ones, under care and safety; it is a place of solace.  Each one of these places it’s not just sacred because it is a cemetery or graveyard, but because it holds something special for us. The remains and memories of a loved one can be revisited, and the relationship with that person renewed in some way or at least remembered. It’s a shrine of sorts.

There are many examples of these sacred spaces in our world, but one of the places which is the most sacred space is often ignored;  or at least misunderstood. That is the sacred space within. Each of us has the divine dwelling vibrantly within us. There are many references both theological and experiential to prove this point. In the short reflection, I’m not going to go there. Let’s just accept that God made us in his image and therefore the divinity of God resides within us. Even if we don’t feel it always. 

For those of us who perhaps don’t accept that, there is still a holy longing driving everyone in the world looking for that inner peace, this holy sanctum within where we are not rocked by every issue in the world; or experience encountered.

In search of this inner peace, we spend a huge amount of time looking outside. Identifying people, methods, techniques, faith paths, advice and counseling to find a way forward. To go deeper. Well, there’s nothing wrong with this outward-looking perspective, but we can miss the whole picture. We can become a jumble of opinions, beliefs, and rituals, that show everyone else who we are, yet not recognizing ourselves.

So, I would like you to think, just for a moment, of yourself not being mobile. I mean your true self. The one that’s within that many don’t really know that well. The one that perhaps we don’t know that well. One way of doing this is to think of ourselves as something static rather than doing all the visiting around the world, where we’re entering their space. Rather they are entering our space. 

For a moment, think of yourself as a garden. A place where people can enter and see all the things and characteristics that are you; by the things that are in the garden. The items that are truly you. This is the place, an interior place, where we can truly explore what’s happening in our lives. What the effect of the rain and the storms, and the sunshine, and the new growth, and the old all reside together. Happily, in this space. This internal sacred space is our soul. 


Visit this space once in a while, explore what’s there and you will not find others’ opinions or handouts. You will find what you have taken from all the others and internalized, is then made yours. This is the place where when you take the photographs, they are not of someone else, they are of you. The person you have become, the person you are becoming with new growth, different seasons. The parts that are under repair and the ones that are blooming. They are all you. Not someone else. This is you; this is your essence. This is the unique and eternal soul that only you have and own. Even if you have never visited your garden. Perhaps just take a gentle stroll now and again. 


So go ahead and enter the mystery that is you alone, and see how many who have visited you, and strolled through your garden picking the fruit from trees you didn’t even know were there. 


In the garden

I am the ground

I am the flowers

I am the petals

I am the perfume

I am

I feel the rain

I feel the wind

I feel the sun

I feel

I cannot run

I cannot hide

I cannot leave

For I am Mother Earth

I am

I am nourished

I am rich

I am beauty

I am one

I am the garden

And invite visitors

And growers

And farmers

And lovers

To walk

And plant

And play

In the garden that is me

So no need to be afraid

Or build walls

Or fences

Or gates

For I am here and I am open

For all to see

And feel

For a garden cannot hide

In the new Eden

And neither can Eve

Poem, reflection and image Copyright 2024 Michael J. Cunningham OFS

Posted on by Michael J. Cunningham

A Quieter Journey

A Quieter Journey 

A few years ago I ran several new events to broaden the appeal of a retreat center to those who have not yet experienced a retreat. I know most of you reading these reflections have attended a retreat, and therefore know all too well the benefits. 

One part of attending a retreat, particularly a silent one, is quieting down to listen. It is a fact we take information when we are listening more than when we are talking. The incessant chatter which fills up many of our days makes us desire for something softer, gentler, and less noisy in our lives. A retreat offers just such an opportunity. 

Now that we are back from the retreat, how do we bring ourselves back to this quieter time? Sometimes, as we observe others talking, even jabbering, we find it irritating, others have to fill the silence with sounds that have no meaning, or at least to us. 

While some of this might be put down to our own intolerance, there is another aspect to this. The Holy Longing for meaningful interactions with others, particularly when a sculpted message has been prepared for us. 

Where are these sculpted messages in your week? The Pastor’s homily perhaps, in a prayer encounter during the week, something profound someone said to you? Our ability to listen carefully is not just a skill, but a prayer form in itself. 

I use the example reflection of The Sound Man which follows. The importance of ensuring the message is clear, unencumbered by irrelevant sounds and broadcast so we can hear it without being distracted. Let us listen this coming week for those moments where our senses were heightened as if on retreat. And listen for that small, still voice which is God calling us. 

The Sound Man

Listening with intent is the only way he knows how,

Not able to tune out the mismatches or imbalances,

Continuously adjusting the “hearing” for others,

Based on the message being broadcast.

Showing care, empathy and understanding beyond his role. 

If only I could listen and hear in this way. 

Posted on by Michael J. Cunningham

“Hell and Damnation”

“Hell, and Damnation” 

Last week I was at one of the local Bay Area Catholic Churches (Northern region of California) and received quite the surprise. The local Deacon was delivering the Gospel and associated homily. It was based on the importance of the Eucharist, which no one in the Catholic tradition would likely deny. Certainly, the sanctuary which was filled with worshipers would not push back on this observation. But then he started to get really into it. Within a short period, we were transported to a place of Hell and damnation theology where the importance of the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist were determined to be our only clear admittance to heaven. 

After noting that only 17 percent of Catholics in the USA attend Mass weekly (the actual stat is 23 percent according to a recent Gallup poll), the Deacon then declared that only those receiving the Eucharist were going to gain admittance to heaven. (Not a great outcome for non-Catholics BTW). The implication was that only this small percentage was heading upwards, the rest elsewhere. I could feel the mood changing in the Church as he was speaking, even amongst these dedicated worshippers. After all, he was talking to the 17% he mentioned in the homily. I digress. 

I felt like I had been transported back to my elementary school catechists (Irish nuns) of the 1960s, even those wonderful nuns were not spouting as rigorous or rigid a message as the one coming forthwith. This is the sort of message that causes others to consider whether they should be attending at all. The Deacon continued to mention the grave sin of missing Mass at all, and its consequences of leaving a soul in a state of serious sin, with dire consequences. The Deacon, then by now unceasing, was not just emphasizing the consequences of not receiving the Eucharist, but also then encouraged the congregation to communicate this message to encourage their family and friends who were not attending the service tonight. Fear and retribution are rarely a good method of evangelization; however, this was not just being proposed … but actively promoted. 

Now, while you could say there were certain elements of Catholic teaching embedded in the content of this scary homily, it certainly could not be considered invitational to those who were either planning a return to the Catholic Church or those first visiting. This sounded like some of those outside the Church see the Catholic faith; that is judgmental, inflexible, and downright scary. This is not the Church that I know, not even the Church I grew up with. Those nuns from Ireland professed God’s love in their teaching, although sometimes sprinkled with corporal punishment for bad classroom behavior. 😉 

Do we get to heaven by avoiding going to hell? Keeping us out of hell may be the good intentions of the Deacon, but I am not sure he is going to convince many in this process. 
Perhaps it wasn’t just the Deacon I felt for after the Mass was concluded that day. (BTW he did interject after the blessing and make a clarification he was only talking about people who could make it to Church, and not those who were ill or unable to travel). So perhaps he realized himself that he had gone too far. 

Those I felt sorry for were those who were to take his message home. How were they feeling? Should they recite it perfectly to their family, friends, and neighbors and perhaps risk further estrangement? 

I know the Deacon’s heart is a good one, but how can we expect others to flock toward us when a message relies on scaring someone? The message of Christ’s love for us is prevalent in all Catholic teaching. Why not lead with this, and those who find the love, beauty, and grace that the Eucharist encapsulates, may be joined by many more than the current 23% of those who participate. 

For those of you reading this who are not of the Catholic faith, I can assure you this message is not the onramp that most of us use as an introduction to Christianity, particularly the Catholic variety. 

As John Duns Scotus, a great Franciscan theologian once declared. “God is love, and Love is God”. 

Reflection and photograph Copyright 2024 Michael J. Cunningham OFS

Posted on by Michael J. Cunningham

Engage, Enrage and Divide … Repeat … Living in a judgmental world

Engage, Enrage then divide … Repeat … Living in a judgmental world 


Do you ever wake in the morning and then just think the way I handled that was just too judgmental? Yes, I probably could have heard that person’s perspective a little longer, instead of reacting straight away. Why is it that some people just seem to set me off and then cause me to put them into a category that I am just waiting for others to join? Until, one day, there are just too many people in this category and maybe it’s me not them. 

Today, when we are bombarded with messages from politicians, the media, and others try to get us engaged, enraged, and then divided neatly into activated piles of pre-judged characters or characteristics; this is how the world seems to operate. It’s an exhausting scene, where we are continually bombarded with the need to judge, or even worse, pre-judge others. Engage, enrage and divide! 

Soon, we become walking zombies looking for like-minded groups who will join our clan of opinions; carefully wearing the same outfits so we can be easily identified by those we want to attract, and those we don’t. So, they don’t come near us. Threatening us with dialog, conversation or God forbid, understanding and compassion. No, I would rather engage, enrage, and divide! 

OK, so I am exaggerating a little, but not by much. Many have come to understand our personal judgmentalism (yes, that’s a real word) as both a weapon and a part of our identity. But it’s not as simple as that. This exhaustion can cause, in extreme cases, us to reflect that we are being too judgmental, and the problem is me and not all the others. This self-reflection is, of course, a healthy practice. If we think we are being too judgmental about many things, our mind and thoughts will continue to reinforce our desire to “reject” others and our thinking about a particular group instantly leaps to “keep them out of my life” and my thoughts are overwhelmed by my dislikes. Dwelling on dislikes tends to create a personal wake (like a wave) for those around you. They become washed over by these predispositions and dislikes to the point that the forward water in our lives, (that is the part ahead of the wake), is going to be driven by the same thought process. While this strategy can cause us to find like-minded individuals who agree with us almost instantly, it reinforces behavior that is not helpful. We become divided quickly and semi-permanently from others. It is not where we want to be. 

Our personal wake or spiritual footprint is left all over the place, rather like a muddy pair of boots after walking the farmyard. We are spreading our message about where we are coming from, but not in a good way. 

So, what is the alternative? Well, the first point is to change the first word in the process here, engagement. As soon as we become engaged we can become activated, and then once activated we start moving along a process of engagement and a disposition of agreement with ourselves or others. This leads us to enragement, the second step. So, some interference is required during the engagement process. Instead of activation, we need to begin to listen, to reflect, to discern BEFORE we move to that rapid conclusion that this is a problem. Moving to dialog could even become a possibility. Humor intended. 

Our current, and past of course, world affairs discourses are a perfect example of how this process works. Bringing others into the relevant tribe is the goal, but the method is often very unappealing and lacks any intention of dialog, listening or understanding before a conclusion is reached. The goal is to reach a conclusion as rapidly as possible with as few stops along the way. Then reinforce it to as many others as possible. It is not a pretty sight. 

Perhaps the most important benefit from this reflection is the recognition that this is a situation that has become more prevalent because we are being encouraged to sidestep the peace-filling gifts of empathy, compassion and understanding before we get to use them. Engagement, in social media in particular, is designed to get to the next click, the next movement, the next step and keep the “eyeballs” and attention on the prize, whatever that prize is. A new product, an opinion, weight loss, better health. You name the prize. 

These wonderful gifts are being deliberately removed from the table and replaced with simple, sometimes vilifying options for us to choose from. So, we move from the concept of research and discernment from a variety of viewpoints, to a deliberate and firm position which many others have already reached. You are now a part of that “club”. Without even realizing that a “club” has been used on you to get you to this place. 

AI is yet another tool that can either help or hinder the engage, enrage and divide world we live in. It can be used for good, where AI will distill the results of a question, we may have into useful cliff notes to help us decide the next steps. Or it can be used to inform us of yet another conspiracy theory, depending on the information sources used to inform that Mr. or Ms. AI are distilling opinions and results for your consumption. 

The antidote to all this madness is the principles of mindfulness and contemplation. Both practices rely on us collating and gathering information calmly and neutrally. A world where conclusions are far away from the starting gate. Then, as the information flows towards us, we become guided by this flow, picking the pathways through reflection and discernment, unrushed and unhurried by the need to be at the destination in a few microseconds.

Such is the practice in Centering Prayer, where our agendas and predefined expectations are left in the parking lot, and perhaps even, we have happily forgotten where we parked the car. 

Here, we are left alone with God to guide us. To reach that place within where those noises are not heard or felt. Where we and the most beloved are just engaged with each other. Where we rest in each other without expectations. 

Copyright Reflection, Poem and Image 2024 Michael J. Cunningham OFS 

I can see you

I can see you

Hiding that thing you want from me

That desire to tell me what to think

What to say

What to do 

I can see you

A member of the clan that’s not me

I can see you

But an enemy in disguise

Pretending to know me by kind words

Hiding in sheep’s clothing

I can see you

I can see you

Your message is clear to me

You have taken God and painted him in your own colors

Without asking me first

What colors I like

I can see you

I can see you

The mask and show of yourself

The projection to the world

Of what you are trying to do

Of who you are trying to influence 

I can see you

I can see you

But now you are infecting me

With your desire to control

So my desire is to reject

You and all your wares

I can see you,

But I can’t see me clearly anymore 

Because I see you 

Posted on by Michael J. Cunningham

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

The Sound of Silence (from God) 

We frequently hear that silence is the language of God. This silence we speak of, of course, is often related to contemplative prayer, the silent variety in particular. Scripture tells us of the importance of this, and even the times when Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray. We can only assume this was also in silence. 

Can you imagine just wandering off into the desert, leaving the broken vegetation and walking through the untended natural garden which it creates? There is something beautiful about us leaving our everyday worries and cares and heading out towards some sublime time with God. When this happens with deliberation, such as the time we spend on a retreat, we can enter into the relationship with all the creature comforts, hoping for a connection, some reassurance that God has not left or abandoned me. 

Or course, our needy spirit is talking here. Or rather, our needy ego. Here we go again, demanding God’s presence, or some evidence that God loves me. Rather like the inner child who still speaks to us. 

Today, I received a telephone call on “Whatsapp” it was a random call from my 3-year-old granddaughter in Singapore who just decided (over breakfast there) that she needed to speak to her “papa.” Phone at the ready, mom obliged, and I was able to take the call and watch her eat breakfast, show me her 3-day old birthday cake and get the “fix” she needed to reassure her I was well and hadn’t forgotten about her. 

I certainly can relate this episode to my relationship with God. For sure, I want to hear from Him, telling me I am on the right track, some indication that He is present and ideally, a sign that He loves me. 

Maybe the desire herein is really just the Holy Longing, which so many of our spiritual leaders over the years have spoken. The hunger and desire to belong to Him and Him to us. Perhaps that hunger, the presence of the desire for reassurance, should be enough. 

However, the reality is when God is silent, then the chances are, things are well from a spiritual perspective. For when he is silent, He is with us. 

He is with us always. Let us remember this “silent presence” which dwells deep within us this week; as we take a mental walk in the desert, just to be with Him in the silence. 

Reflection and image Copyright 2024 Michael J. Cunningham OFS