The Challenge

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

Come To the Water

by John Foley, S.J.

Listen Here

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.

Talk to Me like You Love Me

Kyrie Eleison

version by Mr. Mister

Listen Here

The Kyrie: "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy; Lord, have mercy."

We talk on the internet; talking-- we do so much. We blog; we write and then write some more. But through all this talk there are some important things for me-- I've been thinking about this, and it's plainly, 'talk to me like I'm someone you care for, talk to me like I'm someone you love.' Everything else is noise.

This experience of talk--talking like we're someone loved, cared for, infuses even the most mean spirited exchange with a greater level of respect, and self-respect. It is centering for both parties. It is deeply loving, deeply healing. Many of us as children had experiences in our families where we did not experience the wonder of this type of talk.

Ordered around and imposed upon, we did not often receive messages from our parents, about our value and self-worth from they, who then loved us most. If it had transpired differently, many of us would have been the recipients of a most wonderful and valuable message: we might have experienced the connection of our self-worth and a connection to our parent. Instead the words were often wounding, often alienating. They were lecturing.

Now as adults we may consciously choose. With our free will intact, simply I ask, "talk to me like I'm someone you care for deeply, like I'm someone you love." In this thing we call a 'relationship,' how are we going to treat each other from this day forward? I have a thought that each one of us deserves to be treated lovingly, despite it all.


"There is no fear in love."
1John 4:18