Attention Attention Attention

 In Father Greg Boyle’s new book Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times, he reminds me of a Zen story as follows: A Zen master asked about the highest Teaching wrote the word “Attention” on the board. The student asked is there anything else? Yes, there is…and the master wrote the word “Attention” on the board. The student once again said there must be something more and a third and silent time the Zen master wrote “Attention” on the board. the board now read: Attention Attention Attention. That is all there is…


Attention brings us to the present moment. 


I am thinking now of Mary Oliver’s instruction to “pay attention”: to the iris, the grasshopper, the bear, …the lessons of an ordinary day, which become in that attention quite extraordinary.


Some describe attention as the essence of prayer and hence the essence of relationship.


It certainly connotes kind of respect for the dignity of another or of a situation. 


Attention makes a good witness and in the end that is what we are, grateful witnesses to this sacred creation and to each other.


Attention demands all our senses, not just our eyes but our ears, our noses, our mouths, our hands..


Just before the recitation of the sursum corda to begin the Eucharist I take a deep breath to summon me to as full a presence as I can be and I begin the process of invoking our hearts to be lifted in gratitude that we might know a real presence as never before. I open my hands and heart and stretch toward the attention of God. For one moment attention toward each other is all there is.


Attention transforms us especially when we pay attention to the visibility of holiness. 


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