A few days ago, I was feeling nervous about giving a talk introducing Anthroposophy downtown and I was just about to enter the University of Toronto when I looked down. At my feet, someone had painted the words on the sidewalk: You are loved. This gift was just what I needed. Because it reminded me to do nothing without feeling Christ’s presence. It reminded me that what was most important was that the listeners feel this love…

And perhaps this is all we need; experiencing that Christ is seeing us, loving us all the time…

We could then be like the trees right now and simply let go of all that covers us so that the light of love would fill our branches, clothing us with the sun.

And yet, so often, our dragons won’t allow us to simply let go of them, as if they were leaves. Our dragons confront us, pursue us, cling to us, attack us. They hinder the light of Christ’s love to pour into our hearts. So often something more is needed than simply letting go.

In our gospel this week (Rev. 12), the woman being pursued by the dragon is given eagle wings and flies to the place of nourishment. This is an image for us as well. If we are to be successful with our dragons today, we too must learn to use eagle wings and have the strength to fly to the place that can give us nourishment. But this is not an external place. We are called to practice tearing our attention away from our inner dragons with the power of our eagle selves and to find and focus on the nourishing light. For our wings are meant to wrest us free from the load of sin, and in thinking and willing join with Him so that we can feel His peace.

Contemplation by Rev. Jonah Evans