Our readings today focus on our Spiritual and emotional death, the normal state of life without a mindful presence of God in our lives. It reveals that with God's Love in our lives, flesh can come to the dry bones and breath of Compassion can be returned. All of us have within us a voice that say to us that we have done past things that make us feel inadequate. This internal judging voice is often named as "the Jackal" in the field of Non-violent Communication.
The Jackal barks and snarls at us giving energy to negative self-judgment. We often want to dismiss the voice or deny it in order to survive. The Jackal though can actually lead us to Giraffe, which symbolizes the Love of God within us. This happens when we recognize our faults, learn from our errors and take our weakness to God in prayer. With the Holy Spirit alive within us, we celebrate Giraffe which has a big heart and a long neck symbolizing that we take risks in Love to allow God into us and re-discover the power of God that resides within us. Like Lazarus, we are given new life through Jesus.
