We don’t usually associate faith with movement. The word seems to more evoke images of stoic faithfulness, quiet calm, or facing a storm. Yet faith, fear and movement seem to be inter-dependent and synergetically connected. Faith is the contrary position of fear. And whereas fear seems to me to be stuck, frozen, paralyzed, faith seems to be flowing, growing, breaking through….movement. it’s not a constant doing, or consistent busyness or activism. Rather it’s a dynamic, orientation, an ongoing process. Something that’s not moving, is quite often dead. Frequently I’ve heard such discussion veer towards the statement of the letter of James in the Bible “faith without works is dead” – but it seems to me he’s talking more about movement, than an accomplished task or work. Some movements don’t end up with a finished state or work, but rather the movement is what makes the change. Think of a splash on the surface of a body of water when you throw in a rock. You can’t see what the finished state is, but the impact, the change, the movement is undeniable. Wether it’s for good or bad is often hard to actually discern or name. The ripple moves out across the surface, and to the depths, all the while dissipating in force….and yet that one movement causes other movement.
So how does our faith move us past the impasse of fear, to into the orientation of movement? I’m moved by beautiful music, moments with my loved ones, a powerful image in cinema, a transformative story, an existential experience of the natural world and the kisses from my dog. How is it that faith moves me…and us? At the end of your day today, reflect on the events of the day….just do your normal day…but at the conclusion of it be mindful of the movement of your day, or the movements you undertook. You could combine this with the filling and emptying of the glass, if you’re doing that. Where did most of your energy go today? From where did that movement start…..from faith? or fear? Was it movement that engendered other movement, or was it self-serving, or DOA?