"That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun."  Ecclesiastes 1:9

Yesterday was one of those days that simply flowed….or flew…from one thing to another. As quickly as one meeting would end, another one would begin. There didn’t seem a moment to catch my breath. Ever have one of those days?

It might not have been pleasant had I not started out the morning at a lecture on Process Theology at the Carondolet Center on the campus of the College of St. Catherine. Simply put Process Theology is a way of giving ‘faith to understanding’ that the movement and presence of God in the world is an unfolding, ever-moving, ever-evolving experience.  It is a way of seeing the world as creative, inter-relational, dynamic and open to the future. The first class I ever took on this subject, I had one of those ‘ah-hah!’ moments when I realized that someone much more intelligent and articulate had defined how I saw the world, God and myself. Those moments are rare and so I remember the class fondly. It was refreshing to reconnect with this school of thought and to be surrounded by some very inspiring people.

The speaker was very forth-coming about the problems of process thought to those who have a more classical theology. Questions like: If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, how can God also be ever-changing?  If God is good, why do bad things happen….why is there evil?  These are, of course, questions that have been around for a very long time. Depending on our life experience, our history, our faith tradition, we answer these questions differently.

The writer of Ecclesiastes was partly correct. There are certain life-stories that get played out over and over. The seasons come and go and come round again. There can be a certain ‘sameness’ to how the world works. But there is also this great possibility, this great potential, that resides at the center of each atom, each breath, each seed, each moment, each new day. How a cell chooses the way of health or the way of illness is beyond my ability to understand. How the Sun rises each morning is a miracle. My breath rising and falling in my lungs, my chest, is a gift. And this day, if lived in a Spirit of love and goodness, could have the potential to change the course of my life. Who knows?

Process thought would say that God does but not in a way that has God already having written the script for this day….already knowing the outcome. In this way of being present to the Holy, this well-lived intention toward goodness is more like a dance, a giving and taking, a leading and following, that propels me…you…us….forward toward a more hopeful future, one in which we co-create with God. This way of understanding faith and the Sacred is one that calls humans to a very high level of responsibility which can be challenging yet exciting.

I invite you to give it some thought. How does it fit for you? Does this help you speak of your faith experience, your way of being in the world? If so, I am thankful. If not, let it go.