Diocesan Council, Holy Family, and Quantum Entanglement!
On Friday and Saturday of this past week, a contingent from Holy Family journeyed to Holy Innocents’ parish for our annual Diocesan Council. I am grateful to Jeanine Krenson, Andy Edwards, Terry Nicholson, Jim Braley, and Loran Davis for their willingness to join me and in so doing, representing our beloved parish. The opening worship was lively, engaging, and deeply moving, and it was a joy for each of us to join with others from around the Diocese as we engaged in the collective, good work of being the church.
I was especially interested in the 2023 Vitality Parochial Report overview, citing trends across the Diocese. Among the “markers of vitality” were 1. Identity of Purpose (a clear sense of who you are as a parish, the gifts you have been given to share with the world, your calling); 2. Transformational Experience (spiritual maturity developed at church through worship, formation, and fellowship); 3. Shared Leadership (lay and clergy leaders collaborate and make decisions together 4. Discernment Practices (Intentional practices for listening, experimentation, adaptation) and 5. Neighborliness and Witness (serving and being in relationship with neighbors, sharing the story of the Good News beyond the walls of the church in ways that invite people in).
In each of these areas, I believe we are making good strides at Holy Family, and I am grateful to everyone for the many ways each of you contribute to our congregational vitality. Our Parish Life Committee is working to coordinate the above categories into a synthesis of mindful efforts and to shepherd those activities. Each of our committees is thriving in outward and visible ways, and we are seeing more newcomers each week! Thank you all.
Lately I have been reading more about the idea of “Quantum Entanglement.” Quantum physics, at its core, ventures deep into the enigmatic realms of the universe’s smallest elements. It presents a world that defies logic – particles can not only occupy one position but can exist multiple places simultaneously. The phenomenon of “entanglement,” described by Einstein as “spooky action at a distance,” illustrates the profound interconnection that can exist between particles, regardless of the vastness of space separating them. This interconnectedness challenges our conventional understanding of space and time, hinting at a more profound, unified underpinning of reality. Pioneering work in quantum gravity and cosmology underscores this inherent interconnectedness. What is known as the “holographic principle” suggests that every minute part of the universe embodies the information of the entirety of the cosmos. This perspective not only aligns with spiritual understandings of unity but accentuates them. The infinitesimal and the immense become reflections of one another, intertwining our very existence with the expansive cosmos.
As I run the trails in this season of transition—both at Holy Family, and from late autumn to winter, I am reminded that we are indeed all connected, and science and spirituality are not unrelated to one another.
Authors such as Greg Braden, renowned for his synthesis of ancient spiritual wisdom and modern scientific insight, introduce the concept of a divine energy matrix pervading the cosmos. This matrix isn’t just a passive tapestry; it’s interactive and dynamic. Braden’s research underscores the potent electromagnetic field of the human heart, which significantly eclipses that of the brain. This field can act as an interface between our inner states and the surrounding environment, implying that our emotional and spiritual states can tangibly shape our external world.
Just yesterday a patient asked me if I thought prayer really makes any difference. I thought for a moment, and then borrowing a theme from “quantum entanglement” I said that anything we put out into the universe contributes to the common good. Often this happens in ways unseen. As Mary Oliver said of prayer:
Praying
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thank, and a silence in which another voice may speak.
The co-creation of sacred space through our prayers is itself a form of “quantum entanglement” with the Holy Spirit. Here, paying attention, praying, and providing space through our prayers isn’t a passive act; it’s a participatory one, with the prayerful presence determining and co-participating in the observed outcome. As such, in life, our deepest intentions, desires, and beliefs play a similar role, sculpting our experiences and realities in everyday life.
Central to this intersection of science and religion in liminal space is the revelation of our inherent divinity. We aren’t just bystanders in the cosmic play but active participants, channeling the Divine to experience, explore, and express the myriad facets of existence. This divine play, when examined through the lens of quantum understanding, becomes a harmonious resonance, with our individual and collective energy fields vibrating in sync with the cosmos’s vast orchestration. To me, this emphasizes a universe that is alive, conscious, and ever responsive. Every emotion, intent, and action we undertake sends ripples across this universal fabric – influencing, shaping, and co-creating the reality we experience. Do our prayers make a difference? Of course they do, and we can be open to the mystery of how this happens even as we seek to join in this cosmic dance.
As we move from the long, green season of Pentecost into Advent, a season of watchful anticipation, let’s covenant to remember that the Incarnation is to literally “embody in flesh,” and as such we believe that Jesus took on human form and that we too, by participating in Holy Eucharist and as one among many in the Body of Christ that is the church, we too can as Augustine said so well, “become what we receive.”
As leaders—and we are each in our own way a leader—how might we embody the markers of vitality above? How might we participate in the life of Holy Family recognizing that the choices we make, including even the prayers we pray, contribute to the Whole? A deepened awareness of the roles each of us plays can indeed contribute to the common good, and to the vitality of our parish. Now, that’s a quantum entanglement I can understand, and believe in!
Keep in mind the Men’s Retreat this coming Saturday, and all the opportunities for fellowship, leadership, and service in our shared life together at Holy Family. And thank you, one and all for giving of time, talent, and resources of all kinds!
Just this morning as I ran the neighborhood trails, I saw this flock of geese gathered in a remote section of the lake. The early Celtic Christians used the Wild Goose in their legendary descriptions and beautiful art to best describe the presence of The Holy Spirit.
As Gerard Manly Hopkins said, “The world is charged with the grandeur of God…it goes out like the shining from shook foil.” Indeed, the Holy is all around us, and we, too, can co-participate in that unfolding of Creation!
I’m glad to be on the journey with you all, and I hope to see you in church! I’ll catch you later on down the trail. Bill+
