Monday, July 30, 2012
Letting Go
We don’t come to God (or truth or love) by insisting on some ideal worldly order or so-called perfection, but in fact we come “to knowledge of salvation by the experience of forgiveness” (Luke 1:77)—of reality, of others, of ourselves. One reason why I am so attracted to Jesus and then to Francis is that they found God in disorder, in imperfection, in the ordinary, and in the real world—not in any idealized concepts. They were more into losing than winning. But the ego does not like that, so we rearranged much of Christianity to fit our egoic pattern of achievement and climbing.
Isn’t it strange that Christians worship a God figure, Jesus, who appears to be clearly losing by every criterion imaginable? And then we spend so much time trying to “win,” succeed, and perform. We even call Jesus’ very “losing” the redemption of the world. I think Christians have yet to take that message seriously. Religion has largely become “holding on” instead of letting go. God, it seems to me, does the holding on (to us!), and we must learn the letting go. - R. Rohr
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Question answered: Why don’t Chicago drivers stop at crosswalks?
Question answered: Why don’t Chicago drivers stop at crosswalks?
Isn't this just about consideration?
God, help us to bend for one another and to slow down to help, to smile, to interact, to laugh even with the stranger. This is what makes life good, rich, sweet.
paz.
Isn't this just about consideration?
God, help us to bend for one another and to slow down to help, to smile, to interact, to laugh even with the stranger. This is what makes life good, rich, sweet.
paz.
The Way of NonViolence
Conspire Magazine and blog here. Very interesting perspectives. I think we need to talk about these things more in our churches. Where do we go from here?
Words for You
these two quotes seem to go along with one another:
"I myself feel that I cannot get along with this society very well. There are so many things that make me want to withdraw, to go back to myself. But my practice helps me remain in society, because I am aware that if I leave society, I will not be able to help it change."
- Thich Nhat Hanh,from Being Peace
"Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification."
- Romans 14:19
Saturday, July 21, 2012
God is Still Speaking
Very Good/ Not Perfect
Genesis 1:31
"God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."
Reflection by Anthony B. Robinson
Did you ever notice what God says when God is all done creating the heavens and earth, the perch and porcupines, the golden retrievers and evening grosbeaks, and after God has blown the breath of life into a clay figure made in God's own image? God says, "Very good." I imagine it was a deep, drawn out, satisfied, and happy (maybe even a little surprised and proud) "Veeerry goood."
"Very good," not "perfect."
For which we can be grateful. "Perfect" would have been like, "don't touch a thing." "It's perfect, don't mess it up." It's complete, finished . . . perfect.
But "very good" is like, "This is cool, this is great, but not all done or finished." Which is a way of saying that there's a place for you and me and something for us to contribute here. "Very good," but not finished.
And another thing, did you notice how a day works in the Bible? A day is not from morning to evening. In the Bible it is from evening to evening, night and day make "a day." The day doesn't start when I get out of bed in the morning (this came as a blow to my ego). The day has been in progress for a long time (without me). While I was dead to the world, God was busy. Morning light invites me to join a work-in-progress.
When I got used to it, this evening to evening day was a big relief. God was in charge. Not me, not you. It doesn't all depend on us. But then, "very good" says, "you do have a part to play, a contribution to make. We need you."
Go easy into this day--it doesn't all depend on you. But go into it with joy--you have a part to play and a contribution to make, and without you it won't be the same.
Prayer
Thanks, God, for being such a wise and good God and creating a very good world with a place for each and every one of us to make a contribution. Amen.
Genesis 1:31
"God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."
Reflection by Anthony B. Robinson
Did you ever notice what God says when God is all done creating the heavens and earth, the perch and porcupines, the golden retrievers and evening grosbeaks, and after God has blown the breath of life into a clay figure made in God's own image? God says, "Very good." I imagine it was a deep, drawn out, satisfied, and happy (maybe even a little surprised and proud) "Veeerry goood."
"Very good," not "perfect."
For which we can be grateful. "Perfect" would have been like, "don't touch a thing." "It's perfect, don't mess it up." It's complete, finished . . . perfect.
But "very good" is like, "This is cool, this is great, but not all done or finished." Which is a way of saying that there's a place for you and me and something for us to contribute here. "Very good," but not finished.
And another thing, did you notice how a day works in the Bible? A day is not from morning to evening. In the Bible it is from evening to evening, night and day make "a day." The day doesn't start when I get out of bed in the morning (this came as a blow to my ego). The day has been in progress for a long time (without me). While I was dead to the world, God was busy. Morning light invites me to join a work-in-progress.
When I got used to it, this evening to evening day was a big relief. God was in charge. Not me, not you. It doesn't all depend on us. But then, "very good" says, "you do have a part to play, a contribution to make. We need you."
Go easy into this day--it doesn't all depend on you. But go into it with joy--you have a part to play and a contribution to make, and without you it won't be the same.
Prayer
Thanks, God, for being such a wise and good God and creating a very good world with a place for each and every one of us to make a contribution. Amen.
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"My hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people, white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A [person] who takes away another [person's] freedom is a prisoner of hatred ... is locked behind bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else's freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity."
- Nelson Mandela