THE LORD OF THE DANCE: Taking dancing lessons from the Holy Spirit

I would never have believed that the Holy Spirit would be giving dancing lessons, but that is what happened in my latest Lectio Divina, one which I share with you now. You form your own conclusions.

Here are some dancing steps that have been so enjoyable for me in the world, that the Holy Spirit used to move me to a deeper level (capacitas dei). I offer my short commentary on each one.

WALTZING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

How does one dance with the Holy Spirit (remember the HS is neither male nor female in gender)? Here I am, sitting in my upper room (Matthew 6:5) waiting for whatever the HS wants to share, when I hear the words, “Want to dance the Waltz with me? I will even show you the steps?” To be sure, this dance is not like you see Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly do, but in my mind, I picture myself on the dance floor learning the steps being told to me. I don’t know what the HS looks like as a dance partner, so its like I am dancing alone although I feel a presence as my dance partner.

Of course, I answered, “Yes! But you will have to show me what to do.”

Here are some of the instructions that the HS told me.

• If you don’t know what to do, trust your dance partner to help you.
• Always follow the lead of the HS.
• You can’t make a mistake when dancing with the HS.
• Don’t worry about stepping on the toes of the HS. If you do, just say you are sorry and smile.
• You don’t need to fear about knowing what to do. Trust your partner.
• Feel the joy of the dance, as you become more and more confident and competent. Like life, dancing takes practice.
• Lay Cistercian practices you have adopted and adapted to your life take time to master.
• The purpose of learning the dance is to enjoy being in the presence of Christ with the Holy Spirit, your two advocates.
• Chase all thoughts from your mind other than preferring nothing to the presence of Christ.
• When you dance with the HS, you also dance with Jesus, and through them both, can approach the Father with this gift of love.

THE WALTZ

DANCING WITH THE DEVIL

The Devil loves to dance with us. Genesis shows Satan as a snake wanting Adam and Eve to dance with Satan rather than God. Temptation is when the Devil invites you to dance. This next YouTube choreographed by Bob Fossee, gives a picture of the Dance of Satan.

Here are some of my observations:

• The Devil ALWAYS dances alone but tries to seduce each of us to be dance partners.
• The Devil’s dance always ends in death.
• The three temptations of Christ in the Desert were attempts to get Jesus to be a dance partner.
• When you say you will be a dance partner with the Devil, you feel the wages of sin –death.
• The false promises of dancing with the Devil do not lead humans to move to a deeper level of their humanity.

THE DEVIL

START ALL OVER AGAIN

Living in the omnipresence of mental and physical corruption ( as well as spiritual) means that life is about the constant challenge to PICK YOURSELF UP, DUST YOURSELF OFF, AND START ALL OVER AGAIN. The concept of Mercy, especially for those Baptized in the blood of the Lamb, is an absolute necessity. The fact that Jesus left us Himself in the Eucharist but also in Reconciliation testifies to its critical importance to anyone who dances with Christ. Nothing epitomizes this for me more than the dance of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the lively romp from the movie Swing Time. Here it is in all its sublime presence. I can see the Holy Spirit or rather imagine who it is by the joy HS has for dancing and with me in particular.

DANCING IN THE DARK

This just keeps getting better the more I wait for the agenda of the HS and try to abandon my own poor human needs. Again, Fred Astaire but this time with Cyd Charisse in the ballet steps of Dancing in the Dark. I picture the Holy Spirit dancing in the dark with me in my inner self (Matthew 6:5) in silence, solitude, simplicity, sensuousness, and being fully human to what my nature intended.

HE’S MY FRIEND

One of the most lively dance steps I have ever seen is from Debbie Reynold’s Unsinkable Molly Brown. I imagine myself introducing the HS as my friend, which I do feel is so way down deep in that inner room of my heart (Matthew 6:5). I am so proud to do that. I bring my friends with me to those outside of my inner self to show off and say, “HS and I are mates.” This dance is joyful for both the HS and me. Dance overflows in happiness from the HS through me to those around me.

SEEK GOD WHERE YOU ARE, AS YOU ARE

You didn’t think I forgot “Singing in the Rain,” did you? Two dance routines are memorable for me because they remind me of dancing the the Holy Spirit and how must work there is FOR ME to get the steps correct.

THE LORD OF THE DANCE: Jesus

Words fail; the joy of the dance with Christ is beyond human experience, but there it is for those who know how to wait for the Lord.

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