The Eagle Flies

Forgiveness

By Miesen and Groth

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I ... I'm a roamer in time
I travel alone
Throughout an endless journey
Home ... where is my home?

Fragments of a love life
I won't surrender
When the spirits are calling my name

And I'll go to heaven with you
I'll lay down my head on your pillow
and ask for forgiveness

Once ... I was just a child
Eyes so wide open
You left me broken hearted

Fly ... now I have to fly
Searching for the light
I won't surrender

When the spirits are calling my name
Then I will have passed all the sorrow and pain
And I'll go to heaven with you

I'll lay down my head on your pillow

and ask for forgiveness

Many when hearing the word 'forgiveness' think of error, wrongs against self or others; they don't quickly or easily think of forgiveness in its full sense, love. The Christ reminds his Disciples that of all the things there are, the greatest commandment is to love one another. And to this end forgiveness fulfills a very important mission.

 When he was given up to death the Lord called to God the father, 'forgive them father, for they know not what they do. Luke 23:18-34
So on this day, the Feast of Saint Valentine, do recall the words of the Christ and live.

Finding Meaning in Everyday Work and Love

Rose of All the World
by poet D.H. Lawrence

I am here myself; as though this heave of effort
At starting other life, fulfilled my own;
Rose-leaves that whirl in colour round a core
Of seed-specks kindled lately and softly blown

By all the blood of the rose-bush into being -
Strange, that the urgent will in me, to set
My mouth on hers in kisses, and so softly
To bring together two strange sparks, beget

Another life from our lives, so should send
The innermost fire of my own dim soul out-spinning
And whirling in blossom of flame and being upon me!
That my completion of manhood should be the beginning

Another life from mine! For so it looks.
The seed is purpose, blossom accident.
The seed is all in all, the blossom lent
To crown the triumph of this new descent.

Is that it, woman? Does it strike you so?
The Great Breath blowing a tiny seed of fire
Fans out your petals for excess of flame,
Till all your being smokes with fine desire?

Or are we kindled, you and I, to be
One rose of wonderment upon the tree
Of perfect life, and is our possible seed
But the residuum of the ecstasy?

How will you have it? - the rose is all in all,
Or the ripe rose-fruits of the luscious fall?
The sharp begetting, or the child begot?
Our consummation matters, or does it not?

To me it seems the seed is just left over
From the red rose-flowers' fiery transience;
Just orts and slarts; berries that smoulder in the bush
Which burnt just now with marvellous immanence.

Blossom, my darling, blossom, be a rose
Of roses unchidden and purposeless; a rose
For rosiness only, without an ulterior motive;
For me it is more than enough if the flower unclose.

While the above is poetry by the famed novelist D. H. Lawrence; the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, another important literary figure, also suffered similar questions about the meaning of life.
Both men had strong religious and spiritual experiences in their boyhoods. Tolstoy's novels include War and Peace and Anna Karenina, translated from Russian into English, standing out as some of his best.  A deeply spiritual man, Tolstoy, often wrestled with questions about the meaning of life. A scion of a well to do family, he received an excellent education; he married a beautiful woman, fathered 13 children, possessed considerable inherited wealth, and he suffered from periods of serious depression. At times thought he might kill himself.

Writing in a book he titled,  A Confession, Tolstoy chronicles his long search for the meaning of his life. He writes of a desire to bury himself in writing to avoid these other issues in his life; unsure and sometimes conflicted about his life’s deeper meaning, Tolstoy fell in and out of depression. Life events often were the trigger for his depressive episodes. Living through these times was deeply challenging to him. As he aged, they became more severe and longer lasting.

Pondering what he saw as possible meaning, he contrasted this awareness with the knowledge of sure death, the end of mortal life. He recoiled from the thought that all that he was in the world would be annihilated at the moment of his death. Eventually he stumbled upon the “Sermon on the Mount” and was deeply inspired by it. He came to see that his deepest, truest purpose was to forge a living relationship with a loving, creative god.

He now saw his purpose in doing the work of illuminating the Kingdom of Heaven on earth (Both men in fact often write about the kingdom of heaven, using representational symbols). This revelation relieved and changed him; he viewed himself and others in this new light. For the first time, those who had served him and his family, for as long as their lifetimes, were treated with kindness and respect for their efforts. He gave to the poor in his community and dedicated his remaining years to the improvement of the lives of those less fortunate that he. Leo Tolstoy, novelist, wealthy heir, landowner, found peace and a deep, abiding love in the life of service, through following the Christ.

The Challenge

'No one comes to the Father except though me'--John 14:6

Come To the Water

by John Foley, S.J.

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Let all who thirst,

let them come to the water.

And let all who have nothing,

let them come to the Lord...

And let all who seek,

let them come to the water.

And let all who have nothing,

let them come to the Lord...

And let all who toil,

let them come to the water.

And let all who are weary,

let them come to the Lord...

And let all the poor,

let them come to the water,

Bring the ones who are laden,

bring them all to the Lord:

bring the children without might.

Easy the load and light:

come to the Lord.

While initially the bible verse, 'no one comes to the Father except though me' John 14:6; John 35-37 may be perplexing, daunting or even received with open doubt-- it may be also regarded as a stop sign for some; recalling the general commandment of the Lord God 'to love your neighbor as yourself,' then its significance becomes more clear.

The Christ wishes to make it known that the commandment to love isn't talk, it isn't a pretty phrase; instead it is the teaching to all growing in faith; faith is given in measures by the One Lord, by God the Creator of all. The Christ is saying that if you earnestly follow the teachings, follow the commandments, then you too will like me, ascend to paradise.

Even so many with rational, scientific minds will question, will doubt or reject this saying out of hand. Is this the only way? No. Is it the Christian way? Yes.
May the peace and grace of God's love for mankind be with you and yours. Always. Amen.

Deeply Resented and the Beatitudes

"ask and you will receive; knock and the door will open to you; see so that you may believe."

There are phrases that the people of the West have heard so often until they're trite. They have become  caricatures, without specific meaning.
Yet the Bible tells us the Christ did say them, did instruct by them, and the Christ Way consists of them and others. For Jesus, the Christ, they were the new thinking, the way to lead from God, the Father.
So today, instead of sentences, the Simple Mind writes here mostly in phrases, ideas actually. These are some of the most essential of all the Christ's teachings, thoughts for all true disciples to strive towards.

First of all, the Good News tells us that we must ask; we are required to ask. Asking is part of listening and listening is a critical part of the voluntaries often called 'free will.' So we must ask--ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you; see so that you may believe.
The reluctance to heed these commandments for those persons who do not, gives an indication that they may well be some one who wishes to be seen as taking either the socially superior or inferior position.
Thus the person who for example, insists on always giving but not receiving, refusing even, is at the same time someone who will not allow the balance to be restored or maintained by reciprocity. They refuse to balance between giver and receiver.

Only when there are both givers and receivers, often one in the same, can a community be established; without this balance, deep resentment often arises between giver and receiver. The Christ recognizes this; he refuses to be caught on this point. Instead, he commands his disciples to think and to behave in the way of love for one another; so feed the hungry; give them drink; clothe the naked; be kind to the stranger; visit the sick or those in prison; bury the dead. Be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful.

And there is the ongoing spiritual work that the Christ calls his disciples to-- correcting those in error; educating the ignorant; counseling those in doubt or confusion; comfort for those in sorrow; bearing wrongs patiently; forgiving the wrongs done by others; pray for the living and the dead, unceasingly.

And again, numerous times the Christ reminds aspiring disciples, of just this-- if you love me, you will keep my commandments; love one another as I have loved you; the greatest commandment is love.

Leading with Humility Pope Francis

"Smell like your sheep!"

Pope Francis writes of himself as a young man that he was sometimes hard headed, rash and not always thoughtful about others and their short comings. He could easily anger and alienate others, but he learned by the hard lessons of experience not only about others, but most importantly about himself. He thus worked to mature himself and to correct his natural deficiencies. A deep and abiding faith led him forth.
A mature man emerged with greater kindness, strength, foresight, humility and grace. Lead with Humility, is his story. The book authored by Jeffrey Krames, more often a business management writer, is the result of the impression the Pope leaves him with. Krames writes about the 12 points of this Pontiff that he thinks are most critical:

* Lead with humility-- Never presume that you are better than any one else. We all have our skills and individual talents. They aren't better or worse, just different.

* Smell like your flock-- The good shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep know him; they recognize and care for one another.

* Who am I to Judge? -- Be we nothing more than humble. Judge not, lest you be judged for great is your god in heaven, and great is his kingdom upon earth.

* Don't Change--Reinvent-- As the Spiritual leader of the world's 1.3 billion Roman Catholics, the Pontiff recognizes the slow and lumbering difficulties in turning this great ship of state. Thus he comes to the task with his own complete and full understanding of the complex modern world and the need to freshen up the teachings to address modern concerns today.

* Make inclusion a Priority-- All are One in Creation, all the body of Christ. Don't forget the Church. She is world-wide, both local and universal. All come to the table to be fed whether they look like you or not.

* Avoid insularity -- Remember the Beatitudes, happy are those who... and it is the poor in spirit, who in coming to faith will inherit the earth, this the Bible instructs.

* Choose pragmatism over ideology-- The Pope, as the spiritual leader of the Church, leads and must lead forth into the modern world. His influence both in the universal church and the local church is considerable; communities everywhere take notice those cues coming from Rome.

* Employ the optics of decision making-- With a worldwide organization whose "citizenry" equals or tops nearly all the individual countries of the world, the Pontiff with the advice of his bishops hailing from every nation and his core team at the Vatican State, he must consider and rule in favor of justice to all. A 'one size' policy is not necessarily equitable nor just to the peoples of the world. Consider the many political systems in which the Church operates, plan accordingly.

*Run your organization like a field hospital-- There are those who consider churches the realm of the pious, the intolerant, the hypocrite. Jesus the Christ knew well. He wrote of them in the Bible and warned against them. The Pontiff drives home the message that churches are more like refuges for the 'walking wounded,' those whose daily life is a struggle, field hospitals for the wrong-doers.

* Live on the frontier-- When we become complacent with a feeling of ease, we fall into a slumber in which we fail to observe the simple, everyday needs of others. The Bible exhorts the faithful to always be on guard, to be aware to the needs of others, that we should assist to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the sick and destitute of the world so that they may gain a measure of their god-given dignity.

* Confront adversity head-on-- Remember Jesus the Christ who did not shy away. Faithful to his tasks, the Christ bore up to them, even unto the Cross of his own Crucifixion.

* Pay attention to non-customers-- There are many minds in the world and many who have not known the tender mercies of the Christ, nor the working of the Holy Spirit come upon them. Be gentle with those whose understanding is not your own. Be the Christ for them. Show the unfamiliar, the strangers among us the way. Remember the Christ comes in many disguises. He may not be immediately recognizable to you.

Betrayed and Scourged

"Accept whatever happens to you; in periods of humiliation be patient. For in fire gold is tested' --Sirach 2:4-5

While the modern solution to betrayal might be to get a dog, as some may conclude, in the Christian way one takes time to learn during this most important season of Lent, that by taking a period of 40 days to examine ourselves and to re-examine the Gospel story, the last days of the Christ and his passion is prime.
The Easter season which is the most important event on the Christian calendar is prime for several reasons, and is interestingly determined by the earth herself. Since ancient history astronomers have observed the moon to fix the date for the start of Lent and therefore the advent of Easter which recollects the dying and the rising of the Christ.
So Easter, like Passover is intrinsically tied to the earth and the seasons;  the date for both is fixed on an annual basis by the moon. What could be more organic than that? As the moon rises and falls, the seasons come and go, so too the Easter season. It is an unending story of fail and triumph, despite treachery, despite betrayal.

Easter addresses the metaphysical questions of life purpose, of renewal, of succeeding despite adversity and withering odds. Saint John 6:51 tells us that if we believe, we will have life everlasting;

the Christ commands that we give up our worldly cares to follow him. Saint Matthew 19:21-30 .

If we meet in the middle, will we trust, trust just enough…says the song lyrics, Sister Goldenhair, by America. 

With Christ what is there to fear?  Romans 8:31

Who are we as we follow along the path, living in the Spirit?
Lent provides the time to meditate and ponder these among other questions, to answer for our self what it means to be scourged, embarrassed and humiliated, and to rise above to meet the Christ with love and acceptance, the Easter way.

My Joy

My Joy

by Depeche Mode

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My joy, the air that I breathe

My joy, in God I believe

You move me

My joy, the blood in my veins

My joy, flows in your name

You move me

I'm not a mountain, no

You move me

My joy, heavenly bliss

My joy, the pleasure I miss

You move me

I'm not a mountain, no

You move me

The bible instructs and gives many clues as to the nature of joy and love. We are at all times to be  mindful of the 'great commandment,' love one another. Here in the gospel of John is one such instruction:

The bishop-teacher to the chosen Lady and to her children whom I love in truth--and not only I but also all who know the truth-- because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever.
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, in truth and love.

"But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another.
For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the anti-christ.

Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense.
Anyone who is so "progressive" as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever greets him shares in his evil works. Although I have much to write to you, I do not intend to use paper and ink.
Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to face so that our joy may be complete."　　2Ｊohn1
　

Persevering Until Justice Is Done

"The seed is the word of God." Saint Luke 8:11

Follow you, Follow Me

performed by Genesis

Phil Collins et al

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Stay with me,
My love I hope you'll always be
Right here by my side if ever I need you
Oh my love

In your arms,
I feel so safe and so secure
Everyday is such a perfect day to spend
Alone with you

I will follow you, will you follow me?
All the days and nights that we know will be
I will stay with you, will you stay with me?
Just one single tear in each passing year

With the dark,
Oh I see so very clearly now
All my fears are drifting by me so slowly now
Fading away

I can say
The night is long, but you are here
Close at hand, oh I'm better for the smile you give
And while I live

I will follow you, will you follow me?
All the days and nights that we know will be
I will stay with you, will you stay with me?
Just one single tear in each passing year there will be

I will follow you will, you follow me?
All the days and nights that we know will be
I will stay with you, will you stay with me?
Just one single tear in each passing year...

There is a story about a woman and a judge. She represents the common, everyday person, and the judge is an authority. The tale is told in completion in the book of Saint Luke 18:9-14; it concerns itself primarily with struggle, and resistance to injustice.

"The Christ then told them in reply, my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and then act upon it."
Luke 8:21

Resistance is indispensable for those of us leading a life of submission, and lack of dignity as persons. Follow the Christ, a peaceful and loving son.
In this story which Luke tells, the woman prayed that she be granted justice against her opponents.  Luke 18:3 tells us about this. And we are reminded to pay to Caesar [a Roman emperor] what is his, and not more Matthew 22:15-22.

The key to the struggle against social injustice and social evils is perseverance and prayer. Please, find your way there as you work to follow the Christ.

Kingdom Come

"All those dumb, old Christians--when will they figure that he ain't never, never gonna come?"


This week, Holy Week to many Christians around the world, comes on the heels of the election of the new Roman Pontiff, Pope Francis. This is the week in the calendar year set aside to usher into our consciousness, the greatest event of the Christian calendar, the death and resurrection of the Christ.

For those whose belief stops at their intellect, indeed this annual event is unintelligible. How stupid is it to think year after year that some dead guy is coming? Very stupid if one does not see themself in the process. The annual event is a time for reflection, for meditation upon the self and others and the ultimates in life, like what it is to live, to grow in love, to believe what we cannot easily perceive, to friend and befriend others, to commit ourselves to our communities and the common ground they can produce.

While these are identifiable Christian values, they are not limited to those persons who identify themselves as Christian. Many, many others will take part in just those same tasks under different names, in different seasons.
What makes the Christian focus on "the dead guy" so identifiable is that the story we learn is that he came at the behest of the Father, Lord Creator, that We, as his children, participate in those very same acts of Creation, and that from this the Holy Spirit guides, influences and maintains certain truths throughout the ages so that we, each one, may grow in love.
The love that was demonstrated on the dying cross by the Christ to "Love one another--love your neighbor as yourself,' and to do so at times is: to 'give up your life for a friend."
Here is the time of year that we are reminded by example that we have a friend in Jesus, no matter what our identified faith community is. The Christ comes for all persons, not just for the Christians.
Rejoice as he rises; for his rising raises us too.

Hitting the Skids

In some places the skids means to be in an unenviable place, as in one step forward, two steps backward. Does it have to be like that? Does that one step back place one on the skids, like a hamster on a wheel? The unenviable turning of the wheel, why?--when just recently there seemed to have come a place of calm, a peaceable and livable state where we might all prosper. Ouch!  People generally don't like what they don't know, what they don't understand or half-understand. Even if there is not direct, immediate conflict between individuals, then there is conflict elsewhere. And where dignity is lacking, respect is absent too.

That brings conflict to you and me. (We're Only Human After All) I've seen this picture before... and suddenly the new made good is punctured by those around who would be the critics. And what the hell am I talking about, you ask? Well, in the short of it, it's about that much used term dignity. Many like that term; they like what it means. The UN likes that term; they use it as part of their human rights doctrine. Do they extend themselves to others?

The Church uses that term too. She really likes that term; matter of fact, she likes it so well, she teaches it every day. Hmm. The dignity of a human person is what primarily distinguishes it from others. All are deserving of their dignity. The sidebar of this blog even has it on there-- affirm the force and value of a person. Each deserves respect...respect them in the place they are... so as to create a more unified and harmonious world. Some of this may require patience. And yes, it works, this more harmonious world. And very well when we all sing the same song. Does that make sense? Can we talk?

Diane Rizzetto writes in her book, Waking Up To What You Do, a story about a Peace Corps worker in the chapter, Taking Only What is  Freely Given:  After pedaling miles and miles with a passenger upon his bicycle in rural Africa on a very hot day, they arrived at her destination. He had gone out of his way to take her. "He was exhausted. I was giddy and in awe of him." It was, she says, an act of dana, giving freely and generously. It is not the simple act of giving help, writes Rizzetto.
Instead practicing dana over time teaches openness; this can be profound in working our way through to a more open heart, a heart that sees past anger, jealousy, fear or rejection.

 The woman on the bike recounts that looking back to that day, moments before the man offered her a ride on his bike, she felt stranded. But still a part of her was calm because she knew where she was in that place, and then the stranger came and offered her his help. She accepted in the spirit of dana. We can learn.
John, the disciple of the Christ writes:

See what love the Father has bestowed on us

that we may be called the children of God.

Yet so we are.

The reason the world does not know us

is that it did not know him.

1John3:1-2

Faithful in the Company of Angels and Children

Sadeness part 1

by Enigma
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Let us go forth in peace
In the name of Christ, So be it

We shall find the faithful in the
company of angels and children

Lift up your heads and your glorious gates,
and be lifted up your everlasting doors,
and the king of glory shall come in.
Who is the king of glory?

Sade, dis-moi,
(Sade tell me)

Sade, donne-moi 

(Sade give me)

We proceed in peace
In the name of Christ, 

I believe.

Sade tell me
what are you going to seek?
The rightness through wrong?
The virtue through  vice?
Sade tell me 

why the Gospel of Evil ?
What is your religion? Where are your faithful?
If you are against God, you are against man

Sade tell me, why blood for pleasure?
Pleasure without love?
Is there no more feeling in the worship of man?
 

Sade are you diabolical or divine?
Sade, tell me.
Pray for us.

Sade, give me.
Pray for us

Sade give me
Hosanna

Sade tell me
Pray for us.
Sade give me
Pray for us.

In the name of Christ.

I believe.

The very popular song Sadeness, written in Europe in the early 1990's was a phenomenon for several reasons. First it is due to its lyric, then its content, and then inclusion of overtly secular and sacred song into a single composition. Apparently intended to co-exist, ' the two-as-one' sounds of chant and modern beats, serve to reinforce the simple thought that the world is one. There is not one world for Sade, and another for the angels. 

Angels, for that matter, tradition teaches have no physical bodies, therefore are limitless. And just as importantly they have a will which does not always incline to the good. As the song concludes: Hosanna, Pray for us! Amen, I believe.

I Will Follow You; My Fears Drift Away

Follow You, Follow Me
by Collins, Banks, Rutherford, Genesis

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Stay with me,

My love I hope you'll always be

Right here by my side if ever I need you

Oh my love

In your arms,

I feel so safe and so secure

Everyday is such a perfect day to spend

Alone with you

I will follow you will you follow me

All the days and nights that we know will be

I will stay with you will you stay with me

Just one single tear in each passing year

With the dawn,

Oh I see so very clearly now

All my fears are drifting by me so slowly now

Fading away

I can say

The night is long but you are here

Close at hand, oh I'm better for the smile you give

And while I live

I will follow you will you follow me

All the days and nights that we know will be

I will stay with you will you stay with me

Just one single tear in each passing year there will be...

The world of today is much like the ancient world in terms of believers and non-believers. There are so many who doubt others, who doubt themselves. As in the time of the Christ, many challenge with the historical facts, the seen, but do not know the ultimate dimension, the unseen. Believe and you will be free. Oh, love, follow me! I see so very clearly now; close, right at hand. Follow me; I'll follow you. Walk in love; walk in the light. The bible tells us this story about following the one we love, who loves us:

" But when they continued asking him [the Christ], he straightened up and said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him.
 Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more."
 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
 So the Pharisees said to him, "You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified."
 Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.
And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. 
I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me." So they said to him, "Where is your father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
 He said to them again, "I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come." So the Jews said, "He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?"
 He said to them, "You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM,  you will die in your sins."
So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "What I told you from the beginning.
 I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world..."
Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  --The Bible, the book of Saint John 8:4-23

Pride, Stronger than Love?

Love Stronger Than Pride

by Sade Adu, 1988

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I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride

I still really love you

`Sitting here wasting my time

would be like

waiting for the sun to rise

It's all too clear

things come and go

Sitting here waiting for you

would be like waiting for winter

It's gonna be cold

There may even

be snow
 
I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride...

For those who choose to remain in the way of faith, conventional wisdom in the light appears foolish; the opposite may, however, also be true: in the glare of conventional wisdom, the love story that is the Christ becomes foolishness. Most people live conventional lives. They do not see a role as artists, seers or poets; they do not heed a call as co-Creators. Accepting this as our role, we, as it is said, 'take up our cross', living a life that is quite often counter cultural. It is a life that values creation and all things made, natural to the world; a life of love and spirit. The disciple John writes, "Do not work for the food that perishes." (John 6:27)

So like the words written above by the artist Sade, where we find our heart, there is where our treasures lie. Intimately, the words direct us perhaps to another place, one not originally intended, but still we arrive-- and it is the right place-- even if we had not known it before. Sometimes, we're just obstinate, until faith intervenes. We are reminded that in love we do, we really do live in a community. There is someone nearby to ask, to call, to rely upon.

Yet to receive, we need to ask and to ask exposes us as part of a community. If we seek only to receive and not to give, "sitting here waiting for you... wasting my time..." because you will not, or perhaps refuse to, ever return the gift, then the words of the Christ would have a very different meaning. A gift would not be a gift. Who would there be to receive it? Who would have gifts at all? Only when givers are also willing to be receivers does the community come alive; only then does the community animate with faith, with love, with trust. I still really love you. Love is stronger than pride.

Many Ways One

Beautiful

by Christina Aguilera

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Everyday is so wonderful, then suddenly, its hard to breath

Now and then I get insecure, 

from all the pain I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say

Words can't bring me down

I am beautiful in every single way

Yes words can't bring me down 

So don't you bring me down today 

To all your friends you're delirious

So consumed in all your doom.... 

Trying hard to fill that emptiness,

The pieces gone,left the puzzle undone, 

Ain't that the way it is?

You are beautiful no matter what they say

Words can't bring you down 

you are beautiful in every single way

Yes words can't bring you down 

So don't you bring me down today

No matter what we do (No matter what we do)

No matter what we say (No matter what we say)

We're the song inside the tune 

Full of beautiful mistakes

And everywhere we go 

the sun will always shine 

And tomorrow we might awake 

on the other side

'Cause we are beautiful no matter what they say

Yes words won't bring us down 

we are beautiful in every single way

Yes words can't bring us down 

So don't you bring me down today

There are many ways to understand the One who is all, the one who is the Beloved, the Creator, the Oneness, the Christ, the Lord of All. And these names are just a few of the descriptions used to understand the Gospel story told about He who came into the world, the son of man, the redeemer.

Music for many, including this simple mind, helps find a way into that same understanding. This song has always led me to that place with its passion, its conviction and its heartfelt meaning-- words can't bring us down. We are beautiful in every single way--we, the Beloved, the Lord's own. Celebrate today.

Follow Me

Follow You, Follow Me

by Collins, Banks, Rutherford, Genesis

Listen Here

Stay with me,

My love I hope you'll always be

Right here by my side if ever I need you

Oh my love

In your arms,

I feel so safe and so secure

Everyday is such a perfect day to spend

Alone with you

I will follow you will you follow me

All the days and nights that we know will be

I will stay with you will you stay with me

Just one single tear in each passing year

With the dawn,

Oh I see so very clearly now

All my fears are drifting by me so slowly now

Fading away

I can say

The night is long but you are here

Close at hand, oh I'm better for the smile you give

And while I live

I will follow you will you follow me

All the days and nights that we know will be

I will stay with you will you stay with me

Just one single tear in each passing year there will be...

" But when they continued asking him [the Christ], he straightened up and said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him.
 Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more."
 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
 So the Pharisees said to him, "You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified."
 Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.
And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. 
I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me." So they said to him, "Where is your father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
 He said to them again, "I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come." So the Jews said, "He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?"
 He said to them, "You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM,  you will die in your sins."
So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "What I told you from the beginning.
 I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world..."
Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  --The Bible, the book of Saint John 8:4-23

The world of today is much like the ancient world in terms of believers and non-believers. There are so many who doubt others, who doubt themselves. As in the time of the Christ, many challenge with the historical facts, the seen, but do not know the ultimate dimension, the unseen. Believe and you will be free.

Taking Refuge

One Bread, One Body

by John Foley

Listen Here 

Refrain: 

One bread, one body, one Lord of all
One cup of blessing which we bless
And we though many, throughout the earth
We are one body in this one Lord.
 Verses:

Gentile or Jew, servant or free
Woman or man no more.

Many the gifts, many the works
One in the Lord of all.

 Grain for the fields, scattered and grown
Gathered to one, for all.

For some, the words of the song are new; for others it's a favorite. For all, it expresses the idea of taking refuge in the Christ, the one begot by God for all of mankind to share in salvation, or holiness. The three jewels, if you will, for Christians are faith, hope and charity. The greatest of these however is charity, or caritas in Latin. It translates most simply to mean love.

The food upon which the faithful feast is love, divine love. The water they drink ends their thirst for all time. Their growing awareness of reality as expressed in the Psalm is light and clarity. Kindness and compassion guide the believer to paths which are gentle and unperturbed by pride, angst or wickedness. The song they sing is many; it is one. One bread for all, one body existing in this one Lord.