Let It Rain

Rain Down
by Jaime Cortez 

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"Looks like it's gonna rain, rain…" go the lyrics. Firmly rooted in the Gospels, tradition tells us that there are seven gifts of the Spirit. The Spirit is presented firstly as the source of all human love, love enduring. It is the source of unity, oneness of all creation; this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Consciously or unconsciously we are moved in, and by the Spirit. For those who do not consciously sense that Spirit, who think it foolish, may they come to know its inexplicable energy, its synchronicity that defies all other explanation-- it's spiritual, some how, some way. Love is present here.

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

A Saint Is Made

"Out of shadows and images into the truth" --Cardinal John Newman

Abba Father

by Landry and Talbot

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Abba, Abba, Father.

You are the potter; we are the clay,

the work of your hands.

Mold us, mold us and fashion us

into the image of Jesus, your Son,

of Jesus, your Son.

Father, may we be One in you.

May we be One in you as he is in you,

and you are in him.

Glory, glory and praise to you.

Glory and praise to you forever, amen,

forever, amen.

While much is made of the beatification of Cardinal John Newman and the religious fore-history of England, there is little to note except that he led a life that some would consider replete with many, many fits and starts. He was not always Catholic, he did not have an ideal family background; some of his siblings were Deists, or non-believers; his personal life,  his deepest feelings and most private thoughts were beyond the norms of his society.

Yet he found his way to the Church, to the Christ and to the pure unity it offered to him. So this Sunday, the Sunday when a Pope, thought to be ultimately conservative, honors this man, recognizes his whole, loving oneness with the Lord, it will be a reminder and a vindication that all who believe are saved, that grace and redemption are real. There is salvation in faith.

While some may gossip about the man's private life; some such as a National Public Radio(NPR)broadcast may wish to titillate with certain details, others will know most clearly that a National Public Radio station is clearly no expert on Church affairs, nor is it even on the mark when explaining dogma to the masses. The beatification of Cardinal John Newman demonstrates their slander for what it is--gossip without foundation, as all gossip necessarily is.

Rejoice and be glad, for the way of the Christ is before us. He, the Bible teaches, did not distinguish one of God's children from another;he loved them all. Peace be with you. Amen.