by Joe Uveges

God and I have become like too giant fat people living in a tiny boat.
We keep bumping into each other and laughing.
—Hafiz (Daniel Ladinsky, trans.)

I love this poem for its playfulness which is often something we forget about God: that He’s wild about us and has an awesome (otherworldly) sense of humor.

When we begin to create space for God, we find Him/Her everywhere and it is so often delightful. God can literally shrink to the size of my life (this tiny boat). From this place, this idea of constantly bumping into him and laughing is a lovely visual of how our relationship with God could be. There is, in fact, no separation between us so the “tiny boat” analogy is quite valid.

It is much easier to have this type of relationship with God when I am living out of my eternal soul and THAT is easier said than done.  I tend not to do this. Instead, I tend to live out of ego or this idea of who I am. That idea is generally causing me to suffer, to tell myself stories of separation, to become rigid in my ideas, to foster addictions, to create ideas of grandiosity, to force purposefullness (yes I made that word up and yes, it is as admonition), to fill me with fear of the future and regrets about the past, etc.

You get the idea. This is not our eternal aspect, but we tend to get stuck here. The idea is not to fight this aspect of us, but, in the words of Jesus, “smile tenderly at it”. * This part of us is really a giant nothing.  Joe Uveges is just an idea of separation: from God and from you as well. As I “smile tenderly” at him, the part of me that does the smiling is my eternal aspect: my soul, if you will. This is also the part that can “constantly bump into God” and laugh.

* You won’t find this quote in the New Testament. Joe explains: “Those were Jesus’ words to me in a journaling session. This is a way that he has taught me to help me to let go of being too attached to an idea of being “right” (rigidity, separation, etc).”

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If you missed Joe’s visit to Unity of Albany in June, 2024, you can still check out his full Friday concert and his moving Sunday morning message!

A consummate veteran of coffeehouses and concerts of every type, Joe weaves a performer’s magic in numerous settings with grace and humor. “Singing, playing, telling stories and making the crowd feel alive with emotion and delighted with humor.  Not many performers capture it all, but this guy does every time.” –Annie DeGeorge Classic Homes Concert Promotions.  Joe also has performed in numerous churches from a wide variety of denominations. “Joe Uveges is not only a warm, wise and witty musician, but also a gifted, gritty and grace-filled storyteller and theologian!  Truly uplifting, engaging, inspiring .. . . worship music at its best! –The Rev. Dr. Mary E. Westfall, Pastor  The Community Church of Durham, New Hampshire.   “Joe Uveges’ song “Receive Who You Are,” expresses a profound understanding of what the Eucharist means which goes back to the New Testament and, indeed, to St. Augustine. We use this song as a communion song regularly.” –Fr. Peter Chepaitis, OFM (Albany, NY)