Monday, September 28, 2009
Mother Teresa daily devotional
September 28, 2009
I can understand the greatness of God but I cannot understand his humility. It becomes so clear in him being in love with each one of us separately and completely. It is as if there is one but me in the world. He loves me so much. Each one of us can say this with great conviction. ~ Mother Teresa, “Thirsting for God” 2000: p. 145.
I can understand the greatness of God but I cannot understand his humility. It becomes so clear in him being in love with each one of us separately and completely. It is as if there is one but me in the world. He loves me so much. Each one of us can say this with great conviction. ~ Mother Teresa, “Thirsting for God” 2000: p. 145.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Turn, turn, turn, there is a time for everthing
one of my favorites sons in 1970 was Turn, Turn, turn by the birds, taken from Ecclesestes and released in October, 1965. The basic message of Ecclesastes is that life sucks, there is real point to anything, the only that matters is to love your companion, and enjoy your work for its on sake, not as a means to an end. Perhaps we can discuss this topic on Sunday and Tuesday ... the skeptics and agnostics will love it, heck, I love and I am only a cynic!
Here is a quote from chapter 1:
Ecclesiastes 1 (The Message)
These are the words of the Quester, David's son and king in Jerusalem 2-11 Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That's what the Quester says.] There's nothing to anything—it's all smoke.
What's there to show for a lifetime of work,
a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone?
One generation goes its way, the next one arrives,
but nothing changes—it's business as usual for old planet earth.
There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
2-8 A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.
9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does?
Here is a quote from chapter 1:
Ecclesiastes 1 (The Message)
These are the words of the Quester, David's son and king in Jerusalem 2-11 Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That's what the Quester says.] There's nothing to anything—it's all smoke.
What's there to show for a lifetime of work,
a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone?
One generation goes its way, the next one arrives,
but nothing changes—it's business as usual for old planet earth.
There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
2-8 A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.
9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does?
Monday, September 7, 2009
Topics for discussion and thoughtful reading
Lectionary Readings from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer
Proverbs 1:20-33
Ps 41, 52 * 44; 1 Kings 13:1-10; Philippians 1:1-11
Mark 15:40-47. ...waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.
Commentary on Anglican lectionary readings
Daily Meditation from Henri Nouwen:
Living in the End-Time
We are living in the end-time! This does not mean that creation will soon come to its end, but it does mean that all the signs of the end of time that Jesus mentions are already with us: wars and revolutions, conflicts between nations and between kingdoms, earthquakes, plagues, famines, and persecutions (see Luke 21:9-12). Jesus describes the events of our world as announcements that this world is not our final dwelling place, but that the Son of Man will come to bring us our full freedom. "When these things begin to take place," Jesus says, "stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand" (Luke 21:28). The terrible events surrounding us must be lived as ways to make us ready for our final liberation.
Proverbs 1:20-33
Ps 41, 52 * 44; 1 Kings 13:1-10; Philippians 1:1-11
Mark 15:40-47. ...waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.
Commentary on Anglican lectionary readings
Daily Meditation from Henri Nouwen:
Living in the End-Time
We are living in the end-time! This does not mean that creation will soon come to its end, but it does mean that all the signs of the end of time that Jesus mentions are already with us: wars and revolutions, conflicts between nations and between kingdoms, earthquakes, plagues, famines, and persecutions (see Luke 21:9-12). Jesus describes the events of our world as announcements that this world is not our final dwelling place, but that the Son of Man will come to bring us our full freedom. "When these things begin to take place," Jesus says, "stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand" (Luke 21:28). The terrible events surrounding us must be lived as ways to make us ready for our final liberation.
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