Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
3.15.2011
Start Loving - Thriving on Solitude and Starving for Rest
3.07.2011
"Solitude - Life's Blood to Jesus, Gandhi, Teresa of Calcutta... SL." SL
"Solitude - Life's Blood to Jesus, Gandhi, Teresa of Calcutta... SL." SL
Windows on SL's Skunk-works: Start Loving blog, FB StartLoving1, YT StartLoving4, Twitter StartLoving1
1.31.2011
NYT: How Meditation (correct Prayer) May Change the Brain
well.blogs.nytimes.com
People who meditated 30 minutes a day for eight weeks had changes in parts of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress.
1.16.2011
BEING the Prayer of 'Our Father'
WITHOUT PRAYER
(MEDITATION; RECLAIMING THE 'LOST' MIND/HEART)
(MEDITATION; RECLAIMING THE 'LOST' MIND/HEART)
1. There is no Gandhi.
2. There is no Jesus.
3. There is no Teresa of Calcutta.
4. There is no YOU.
5. THERE IS NO HOPE FOR HUMANITY.
Is there a "God?"
NO MATTER.
Living as though there is
NO MATTER.
Living as though there is
one, loving Father/Mother/Power of us all is
INDISPENSABLE.
This is no more "religious"
than is MATH!
Both are indispensable constructs.
Both are indispensable constructs.
Here's what Saves me;
here's what will Save YOU;
here's what can Save US ALL:
(devour each, each, each, each, each, each, each... of these links. TRUST ME. TRUST ME. TRUST ME. TRUST ME...)
(devour each, each, each, each, each, each, each... of these links. TRUST ME. TRUST ME. TRUST ME. TRUST ME...)
Let's get on with it.
11.01.2010
"The only valid Prayer: 'Father, how can I best serve Our Neediest right now?' and v
"The only valid Prayer:
'Father, how can I best serve Our Neediest right now?' and variations on this." SL
'Father, how can I best serve Our Neediest right now?' and variations on this." SL
10.02.2010
"I feel in Solitary Confinement in America, in DC, in 2010 insanity...." SL
"Largely I feel in Solitary Confinement in America,
in 2010 unreality." SL
Currently my friend Joe, a Jehovah's Witness [of all things!],
is the fellow that speaks enough of my language that I'm not
completely alone day by day.
This morning I shared with him -
"Regarding my notes to you yesterday, and generally -
1. I worry that the unequivocal nature of my comments to you
suggest a sense of condescension, lecturing, whatever to you.
I pray not. What I share and when I share makes no comment
on what you "Know." It is pretty much all I can do is to try
to keep up on what I "Know," what Our Father has "Shown"
me, and to Speak that. It is quite all I am capable of is trying to keep up with,
and to grasp what He shares. And I think I'd dis-serve by being
more tactful, or by qualifying what in fact is crystal clear
Truth to me now. I leave that to the FEW I share with. Which
leads me to the 2nd point -
2. The only language I speak is English. So one can imagine,
if I were ever confined to a prison in a country where no one
spoke English, what an enormous blessing it would be for me if
another English speaker arrived. Well, Joe, currently you are the
person traveling with me who speaks enough of the same language-
of-the-Spirit I'm learning for me to dialog with. And dialoging
on what I'm Learning is profoundly important to my Spiritual
growth and ability to Serve Humanity.
Hmmm. You know, I realize just this moment that
America, earth 2010 IS Solitary Confinement for me, where just 1 in
1,000,000 speak my language, share What I see and Know.
I've always felt in Solitary Confinement, with few breaks.
It is only now that the clarity hits me.
LOL! I'm glad you are in Prison with me.
I'm deeply Served by, and Grateful for our Relationship. Brings
tears to my eyes.
xx
sl"
in 2010 unreality." SL
Currently my friend Joe, a Jehovah's Witness [of all things!],
is the fellow that speaks enough of my language that I'm not
completely alone day by day.
This morning I shared with him -
"Regarding my notes to you yesterday, and generally -
1. I worry that the unequivocal nature of my comments to you
suggest a sense of condescension, lecturing, whatever to you.
I pray not. What I share and when I share makes no comment
on what you "Know." It is pretty much all I can do is to try
to keep up on what I "Know," what Our Father has "Shown"
me, and to Speak that. It is quite all I am capable of is trying to keep up with,
and to grasp what He shares. And I think I'd dis-serve by being
more tactful, or by qualifying what in fact is crystal clear
Truth to me now. I leave that to the FEW I share with. Which
leads me to the 2nd point -
2. The only language I speak is English. So one can imagine,
if I were ever confined to a prison in a country where no one
spoke English, what an enormous blessing it would be for me if
another English speaker arrived. Well, Joe, currently you are the
person traveling with me who speaks enough of the same language-
of-the-Spirit I'm learning for me to dialog with. And dialoging
on what I'm Learning is profoundly important to my Spiritual
growth and ability to Serve Humanity.
Hmmm. You know, I realize just this moment that
America, earth 2010 IS Solitary Confinement for me, where just 1 in
1,000,000 speak my language, share What I see and Know.
I've always felt in Solitary Confinement, with few breaks.
It is only now that the clarity hits me.
LOL! I'm glad you are in Prison with me.
I'm deeply Served by, and Grateful for our Relationship. Brings
tears to my eyes.
xx
sl"
7.31.2010
"It is necessary, but there is enormous danger to maintaining my effectiveness, in my solitude." SL
"It is necessary,
but there is enormous danger to maintaining my effectiveness,
in my solitude." SL
but there is enormous danger to maintaining my effectiveness,
in my solitude." SL
5.19.2010
"We close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss, dream... because God / Heaven is seen not by the eyes, only the Heart." SL educated by SC
"We close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss, dream...
because God / Heaven is seen not by the eyes, only the Heart." SL educated by SC
because God / Heaven is seen not by the eyes, only the Heart." SL educated by SC
4.21.2010
"Being a Prayer - most powerful force in the Universe. All that can Save us now." SL
"Being a Prayer - most powerful force in the Universe.
All that can Save us now." SL
All that can Save us now." SL
3.28.2010
Isaiah of his fellow citizens: "The whole head is sick, the whole heart faint."
Isaiah of his fellow citizens: "The whole head is sick, the whole heart faint."
And so it continues, unchanged, today.
I regularly, daily get asked, "Uh, I see the crosses on your head, are you
a Christian?" Now mind you, the folks that stop by to talk to me are self-selected,
the 1 out of 1000 that have any Life left in them. I reply, "I Love you, and
Jesus, far too much to be a Christian. My "Christian" brothers and sisters
like to talk, pray, preach and sing about being Christian. I WANT TO DO IT!"
Not one out of 40 people I say this to doesn't immediately "get" what I'm
saying, and appreciate it, with some measure of thanks; gratitude, agreement.
3.25.2010
St. ArchBishop Oscar Romero - Murdered Yesterday. 'The Violence of Love."
DN! Salvadorans Begin Marking 30th Anniversary of Romero Murder
Archbishop Oscar Romero Quotes
Archbishop Oscar Romero
"We have never preached violence, except the violence of love,which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we musteach do to ourselves, to overcome our selfishness and such cruelinequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violenceof the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love,of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons intosickles for work.
"Those committed to the poor must share the same fate as the poor.
"A church that suffers no persecution but enjoys the privileges and support of the things of the earth - beware! - is not the true church of Jesus Christ. A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good, so that they are secured in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call. (1/22/78).
"When the church hears the cry of the oppressed it cannot but denounce the social structures that give rise to and perpetuate the misery from which the cry arises (8/6/78).
"The church would betray its own love for God and its fidelity to the gospel if it stopped being . . . a defender of the nights of the poor . . . a humanizer of every legitimate struggle to achieve a more just society . . . that prepares the way for the true reign of God in history (8/6/79).
"I do not believe in death without resurrection. If they kill me I will rise again in the people of El Salvador."
"Aspire not to have more but to be more.
"Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world.
"Defence of human rights, equality, and freedom… is a matter of policy… rooted in the gospel.
"The poor have shown the church the true way to go. A church that does not speak out from the side of the poor is not the true church of Jesus.
"The gospel is the great defender and proclaimer of all the great fundamental rights of the person. The fundamental right to…… Food & Water, Shelter; Protection; Medicine; Education; Work; Rest; Freedom; Respect; Dignity; Fullness of Life.
"The violence we preach is not the violence of the sword; ... it is the violence of love.
"Let my blood be a seed of freedom.
"I will not tire of declaring that if we really want an effective
end to violence we must remove the violence that lies at the root
of all violence: structural violence, social injustice, exclusion
of citizens from the management of the country, repression. All
this is what constitutes the primal cause, from which the rest
flows naturally. September 23, 1979.
"I'm deeply impressed by that moment when Christ stands alone
before the world figured in Pilate. The truth is left alone, his
own followers have been afraid. Truth is fearfully daring, and
only heroes can follow the truth. So much so that Peter, who has
said he will die if need be, flees like a coward and Christ
stands alone.
"Let's not be afraid to be left alone if it's for the sake of the
truth. Let's be afraid to be demagogs, coveting the people's sham
flattery. If we don't tell them the truth, we commit the worst
sin: betraying the truth and betraying the people. Christ would
rather be left alone, but able to say before the world figured in
Pilate: Everyone who hears my voice belongs to the truth. Feast
of Christ the King, 1979.
"Would that the many bloodstained hands in our land were lifted
up to the Lord with horror of their stain to pray that he might
cleanse them. But let those who, thanks to God, have clean
hands -- the children, the sick, the suffering -- lift up their
innocent and suffering hands to the Lord like the people of
Israel in Egypt. The Lord will have pity and will say, as he did
to Moses in Egypt, "I have heard my people's cry of wailing. It
is the prayer that God cannot fail to hear. September 18, 1977
"The church is calling to sanity, to understanding, to love. It
does not believe in violent solutions. The church believes in
only one violence, that of Christ, who was nailed to the cross.
That is how today's gospel reading shows him, taking upon himself
all the violence of hatred and misunderstanding, so that we
humans might forgive one another, love one another, feel
ourselves brothers and sisters. November 20, 1977.
"We have never preached violence, except the violence of love,
which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must
each do to ourselves, to overcome our selfishness and such cruel
inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence
of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love,
of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons into
sickles for work. November 27, 1977
"Who knows if the one whose hands are bloodied with Father
Grande's murder, or the one who shot Father Navarro, if those who
have killed, who have tortured, who have done so much evil, are
listening to me? Listen, there in your criminal hideout, perhaps
already repentant, you too are called to forgiveness. December
18, 1977
"A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of
the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good so that they
become entrenched in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's
call. A preaching that does not discomfit sinners but lulls them
in their sin leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death.
"A preaching that awakens, a preaching that enlightens -- as when
a light turned on awakens and of course annoys a sleeper -- that
is the preaching of Christ, calling, "wake up! Be converted!"
this is the church's authentic preaching. Naturally, such
preaching must meet conflict, must spoil what is miscalled
prestige, must disturb, must be persecuted. It cannot get along
with the powers of darkness and sin. January 22, 1978
"And so, brothers and sisters, I repeat again what I have said
here so often, addressing by radio those who perhaps have caused
so many injustices and acts of violence, those who have brought
tears to so many homes, those who have stained themselves with
the blood of so many murders, those who have hands soiled with
tortures, those who have calloused their consciences, who are
unmoved to see under their boots a person abased, suffering,
perhaps ready to die. To all of them I say: no matter your
crimes. They are ugly and horrible, and you have abased the
highest dignity of a human person, but God calls you and forgives
you. And here perhaps arises the aversion of those who feel they
are laborers from the first hour. How can I be in heaven with
those criminals? Brothers and sisters, in heaven there are no
criminals. The greatest criminal, once he has repented of his
sins, is now a child of God. September 24, 1978
"We have never preached violence, except the violence of love,which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we musteach do to ourselves, to overcome our selfishness and such cruelinequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violenceof the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love,of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons intosickles for work.
"Those committed to the poor must share the same fate as the poor.
"A church that suffers no persecution but enjoys the privileges and support of the things of the earth - beware! - is not the true church of Jesus Christ. A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good, so that they are secured in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call. (1/22/78).
"When the church hears the cry of the oppressed it cannot but denounce the social structures that give rise to and perpetuate the misery from which the cry arises (8/6/78).
"The church would betray its own love for God and its fidelity to the gospel if it stopped being . . . a defender of the nights of the poor . . . a humanizer of every legitimate struggle to achieve a more just society . . . that prepares the way for the true reign of God in history (8/6/79).
"I do not believe in death without resurrection. If they kill me I will rise again in the people of El Salvador."
"Aspire not to have more but to be more.
"Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world.
"Defence of human rights, equality, and freedom… is a matter of policy… rooted in the gospel.
"The poor have shown the church the true way to go. A church that does not speak out from the side of the poor is not the true church of Jesus.
"The gospel is the great defender and proclaimer of all the great fundamental rights of the person. The fundamental right to…… Food & Water, Shelter; Protection; Medicine; Education; Work; Rest; Freedom; Respect; Dignity; Fullness of Life.
"The violence we preach is not the violence of the sword; ... it is the violence of love.
"Let my blood be a seed of freedom.
"I will not tire of declaring that if we really want an effective
end to violence we must remove the violence that lies at the root
of all violence: structural violence, social injustice, exclusion
of citizens from the management of the country, repression. All
this is what constitutes the primal cause, from which the rest
flows naturally. September 23, 1979.
"I'm deeply impressed by that moment when Christ stands alone
before the world figured in Pilate. The truth is left alone, his
own followers have been afraid. Truth is fearfully daring, and
only heroes can follow the truth. So much so that Peter, who has
said he will die if need be, flees like a coward and Christ
stands alone.
"Let's not be afraid to be left alone if it's for the sake of the
truth. Let's be afraid to be demagogs, coveting the people's sham
flattery. If we don't tell them the truth, we commit the worst
sin: betraying the truth and betraying the people. Christ would
rather be left alone, but able to say before the world figured in
Pilate: Everyone who hears my voice belongs to the truth. Feast
of Christ the King, 1979.
"Would that the many bloodstained hands in our land were lifted
up to the Lord with horror of their stain to pray that he might
cleanse them. But let those who, thanks to God, have clean
hands -- the children, the sick, the suffering -- lift up their
innocent and suffering hands to the Lord like the people of
Israel in Egypt. The Lord will have pity and will say, as he did
to Moses in Egypt, "I have heard my people's cry of wailing. It
is the prayer that God cannot fail to hear. September 18, 1977
"The church is calling to sanity, to understanding, to love. It
does not believe in violent solutions. The church believes in
only one violence, that of Christ, who was nailed to the cross.
That is how today's gospel reading shows him, taking upon himself
all the violence of hatred and misunderstanding, so that we
humans might forgive one another, love one another, feel
ourselves brothers and sisters. November 20, 1977.
"We have never preached violence, except the violence of love,
which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must
each do to ourselves, to overcome our selfishness and such cruel
inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence
of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love,
of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons into
sickles for work. November 27, 1977
"Who knows if the one whose hands are bloodied with Father
Grande's murder, or the one who shot Father Navarro, if those who
have killed, who have tortured, who have done so much evil, are
listening to me? Listen, there in your criminal hideout, perhaps
already repentant, you too are called to forgiveness. December
18, 1977
"A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of
the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good so that they
become entrenched in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's
call. A preaching that does not discomfit sinners but lulls them
in their sin leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death.
"A preaching that awakens, a preaching that enlightens -- as when
a light turned on awakens and of course annoys a sleeper -- that
is the preaching of Christ, calling, "wake up! Be converted!"
this is the church's authentic preaching. Naturally, such
preaching must meet conflict, must spoil what is miscalled
prestige, must disturb, must be persecuted. It cannot get along
with the powers of darkness and sin. January 22, 1978
"And so, brothers and sisters, I repeat again what I have said
here so often, addressing by radio those who perhaps have caused
so many injustices and acts of violence, those who have brought
tears to so many homes, those who have stained themselves with
the blood of so many murders, those who have hands soiled with
tortures, those who have calloused their consciences, who are
unmoved to see under their boots a person abased, suffering,
perhaps ready to die. To all of them I say: no matter your
crimes. They are ugly and horrible, and you have abased the
highest dignity of a human person, but God calls you and forgives
you. And here perhaps arises the aversion of those who feel they
are laborers from the first hour. How can I be in heaven with
those criminals? Brothers and sisters, in heaven there are no
criminals. The greatest criminal, once he has repented of his
sins, is now a child of God. September 24, 1978
2.27.2010
"I ship out next week. I'm a Marine. THANKS for what you do," at the Vigil tonight.
"Brother, you keep your butt safe, hear," Start replied?!!!! "The only group
in this country I have any respect for is our men and and women in uniform.
I'm TOTALLY AGAINST killing, but I TOTALLY stand for commitment, putting your life
on the line for what you believe, sacrifice for others... and you guys do that;
and everyone else is on the take. Thank you for your service.
The greatest complement I'm occasionally paid is, 'Start, were you a Marine?"
I pray with all my heart he stays safe.
"Give me a military man to fight alongside, any day.
Don't give me any cowards." Gandhi
"I consider myself a soldier." Gandhi. "Me too." SL
http://www.prop1.org
in this country I have any respect for is our men and and women in uniform.
I'm TOTALLY AGAINST killing, but I TOTALLY stand for commitment, putting your life
on the line for what you believe, sacrifice for others... and you guys do that;
and everyone else is on the take. Thank you for your service.
The greatest complement I'm occasionally paid is, 'Start, were you a Marine?"
I pray with all my heart he stays safe.
"Give me a military man to fight alongside, any day.
Don't give me any cowards." Gandhi
"I consider myself a soldier." Gandhi. "Me too." SL
http://www.prop1.org
2.18.2010
Start's Horror at "Jesus Saved us." Then, what of those 3 Crosses on your head???
[note: I speak centrally of the Church below, because that is the subject
of this piece, and NOT because the Church is negatively or positively part of my life
now - it is not - irrelevant. It could become central again in my opposition
to what it does - if Our Parent ever calls me to that. Think of me as
Dr. S below and you'll understand, if you like.]
Start's Horror at "Jesus Saved us." Then, what of those 3 Crosses on your
head???
Huh? Start, you've got His cross on your forehead. You profess that Jesus,
along with your biological father Saved YOU! So what could possibly
be your "Horror at 'Jesus Saved us!?!?!?!?!?!?!'" Well, if I can help
you see, this is how:
Dr. Albert Schweitzer CERTAINLY is one of the "Christians" that Jesus
will recognize. Well, the following is an imaginary story. Imagine
that Dr. Schweitzer, in the farthest recesses of Africa discovered a
massive outbreak of disease that was due to unclean water. He
determined that boiling the water would end the massive outbreak
of a horrible disease. So he did so - he set up a massive cauldron
of water, and a fire in the center of the village - day in and day out
fired the cauldron, boiled hundreds of gallons of water, provided it
to the townsfolk, and after only days, the horrible outbreak was
ended, and Dr. Schweitzer left saying, "Do this in memory of me."
His tireless efforts there had all but killed him.
Weeks later someone from the village traveled many, many days
to find Dr. Schweitzer and said, "Dr. Schweitzer, it is horrible, as soon
as you left the village, the disease came back just as strong as before!"
"Well, did you continue what I told you to do?" "Yes," the villager
insisted!
Upon returning hurriedly to the village the first thing Dr. Schweitzer
saw was a huge alter with a statue of his figure above it. Next he
saw a tiny cauldron of water on the alter, ringed with rare flowers,
with people singing near by, with a fire underneath.
And then to his horror he saw mothers returning from the fetid pond
with their jars filled with water for the houses.
"What are you doing!?!?!" he asked the townsfolk? "We are doing
everything you said, in memory of you, who "saved us." "Including,"
they said, "we've established a special day, Sunday. On Sunday we
pray about what you did, all that boiling, we drink boiled water during
a one hour gathering on Sunday morning, and we pray about boiling
water other days too, but of course, you are the special one from
God, so we cannot possibly do what you did, boil water every day.
We are sinners, you are pure.... But because you did it to Save
us, and because we profess that, we are Saved!"
They thought that Albert did it FOR them so they would not have to!
They thought that what he told them was "mystical ritual," when
what he taught them was LIFESAVING PRACTICE!!!!!
Dr. S learned that it wasn't quite as benign as that. Turns out that
there was a Holy Man in the village, a truly nice man, the smartest
of them all. As soon as Dr. S left the holy man said to the
people, "Dr. S, Saved us! He is the special one, from God.
We need to build him an altar. We need
to worship him; we need to profess him our Savior, and we will
LIVE! Otherwise we will die. Now, go and get your drinking water
from the pond." "WHAT?" shrieked the townsfolks?! "Have you no
faith in Dr. S" the Holy Man shouted to shame them? "Have faith! If
you believe in him, and profess him as your savior you will be saved!!!"
Turns out that A. The Holy Man never grasped the truth of the fetid
water, so he could only imagine that it was some mysticism. But there
is more. 2. His livelihood depended on the Sacred tax he was paid
on the pond water; 3. The village was part of a Kingdom funded by the
Sacred Tax on the water and all the villagers would be killed if they
stopped drinking the water and paying the tax. And, 4. THE PEOPLE DIDN'T
REALLY WANT TO BELIEVE IN THE NEED TO BOIL WATER BECAUSE THAT
WOULD REQUIRE A MASSIVE CHANGE IN HOW THEY LIVED!!! Nicea. Alexander.
Selfishness - THE GREAT DECEIVER - DENIAL AND DELUSION.
The Holy Man was Truly a nice man. The Holy Man was truly a mass
killer. The Holy Organization was made up of Truly nice folks. They
were responsible for massive carnage. The people were Truly nice
folks. Their clinical Denial murdered their children.
If Dr. S became frantically opposed to their actions, would this be
hate, or harshness on his part? He saw what the rest could
and WOULD NOT SEE!!! HE WAS MORALLY BOUND TO ACT ON HIS VISION,
OUT OF LOVE.
The Jesus that Saves me did so at the point that, after decades of study,
prayer, trial and error, I TOTALLY REJECTED the notion that what Jesus
taught has ANYTHING to do with ritual, codes, professions, Church....
NO, IT DOES NOT, NO MORE THAN DOES BOILING FETID WATER.
Boil, or die. Love the least of these as Immediate Family, or die. Simple.
Jesus showed us how to Live, how to escape Death:
* "Do unto the LEAST (not lesser) of these ALL that you would
have them do unto you."
* "Love as I have Loved."
* "Lay down your life for the least (not lesser) of these."
'Love your enemy, and the stranger, EXACTLY AS YOU LOVE YOUR
IMMEDIATE FAMILY - NO DOUBLE STANDARDS - NO HYPOCRISY.'
* "If you Love me you will do greater works than these."
* 'Pick up your cross and carry it, always - central, committed,
dedication to the needy.' If your life is not carrying your cross,
you are not following me.
Albert Schweitzer, as with EVERY great healer, brother, friend, Family
member, DOES NOT WANT TO BE WORSHIPED, BUT RATHER, WANTS
TO BE JOINED IN HIS PRACTICE, IN HIS WAY OF BEING, HIS WAY OF
LIVING, HIS WAY OF SERVING!!!!
YES, Dr. S SACRIFICED HIS LIFE FOR OTHERS. JESUS TOO! BUT NOT
INSTEAD OF OTHERS DOING THE SAME, BUT RATHER SO THAT OTHERS
WOULD DO THE SAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In recent decades my study included Teresa of Calcutta and Francis
of Assisi. In two books, one on each, written by different authors,
decades apart roughly the same comment was made in the introduction:
"She/he simply took Jesus at His word." Me too.
"The greatest obstacle to someone being a Christian is people that
preach the Gospel but do not practice it." Teresa
"I think that a Christian should resemble Christ." Teresa.
Christian (def): Christlike
"We must preach the Gospel all day long, and occasionally use words
to do so." Francis of Assisi
NONE of these speaks centrally of the "profession" of what Jesus did
for us - BUT RATHER TO THE PRACTICE, TO WHAT WE MUST DO!!!!!!!!
of this piece, and NOT because the Church is negatively or positively part of my life
now - it is not - irrelevant. It could become central again in my opposition
to what it does - if Our Parent ever calls me to that. Think of me as
Dr. S below and you'll understand, if you like.]
Start's Horror at "Jesus Saved us." Then, what of those 3 Crosses on your
head???
Huh? Start, you've got His cross on your forehead. You profess that Jesus,
along with your biological father Saved YOU! So what could possibly
be your "Horror at 'Jesus Saved us!?!?!?!?!?!?!'" Well, if I can help
you see, this is how:
Dr. Albert Schweitzer CERTAINLY is one of the "Christians" that Jesus
will recognize. Well, the following is an imaginary story. Imagine
that Dr. Schweitzer, in the farthest recesses of Africa discovered a
massive outbreak of disease that was due to unclean water. He
determined that boiling the water would end the massive outbreak
of a horrible disease. So he did so - he set up a massive cauldron
of water, and a fire in the center of the village - day in and day out
fired the cauldron, boiled hundreds of gallons of water, provided it
to the townsfolk, and after only days, the horrible outbreak was
ended, and Dr. Schweitzer left saying, "Do this in memory of me."
His tireless efforts there had all but killed him.
Weeks later someone from the village traveled many, many days
to find Dr. Schweitzer and said, "Dr. Schweitzer, it is horrible, as soon
as you left the village, the disease came back just as strong as before!"
"Well, did you continue what I told you to do?" "Yes," the villager
insisted!
Upon returning hurriedly to the village the first thing Dr. Schweitzer
saw was a huge alter with a statue of his figure above it. Next he
saw a tiny cauldron of water on the alter, ringed with rare flowers,
with people singing near by, with a fire underneath.
And then to his horror he saw mothers returning from the fetid pond
with their jars filled with water for the houses.
"What are you doing!?!?!" he asked the townsfolk? "We are doing
everything you said, in memory of you, who "saved us." "Including,"
they said, "we've established a special day, Sunday. On Sunday we
pray about what you did, all that boiling, we drink boiled water during
a one hour gathering on Sunday morning, and we pray about boiling
water other days too, but of course, you are the special one from
God, so we cannot possibly do what you did, boil water every day.
We are sinners, you are pure.... But because you did it to Save
us, and because we profess that, we are Saved!"
They thought that Albert did it FOR them so they would not have to!
They thought that what he told them was "mystical ritual," when
what he taught them was LIFESAVING PRACTICE!!!!!
Dr. S learned that it wasn't quite as benign as that. Turns out that
there was a Holy Man in the village, a truly nice man, the smartest
of them all. As soon as Dr. S left the holy man said to the
people, "Dr. S, Saved us! He is the special one, from God.
We need to build him an altar. We need
to worship him; we need to profess him our Savior, and we will
LIVE! Otherwise we will die. Now, go and get your drinking water
from the pond." "WHAT?" shrieked the townsfolks?! "Have you no
faith in Dr. S" the Holy Man shouted to shame them? "Have faith! If
you believe in him, and profess him as your savior you will be saved!!!"
Turns out that A. The Holy Man never grasped the truth of the fetid
water, so he could only imagine that it was some mysticism. But there
is more. 2. His livelihood depended on the Sacred tax he was paid
on the pond water; 3. The village was part of a Kingdom funded by the
Sacred Tax on the water and all the villagers would be killed if they
stopped drinking the water and paying the tax. And, 4. THE PEOPLE DIDN'T
REALLY WANT TO BELIEVE IN THE NEED TO BOIL WATER BECAUSE THAT
WOULD REQUIRE A MASSIVE CHANGE IN HOW THEY LIVED!!! Nicea. Alexander.
Selfishness - THE GREAT DECEIVER - DENIAL AND DELUSION.
The Holy Man was Truly a nice man. The Holy Man was truly a mass
killer. The Holy Organization was made up of Truly nice folks. They
were responsible for massive carnage. The people were Truly nice
folks. Their clinical Denial murdered their children.
If Dr. S became frantically opposed to their actions, would this be
hate, or harshness on his part? He saw what the rest could
and WOULD NOT SEE!!! HE WAS MORALLY BOUND TO ACT ON HIS VISION,
OUT OF LOVE.
The Jesus that Saves me did so at the point that, after decades of study,
prayer, trial and error, I TOTALLY REJECTED the notion that what Jesus
taught has ANYTHING to do with ritual, codes, professions, Church....
NO, IT DOES NOT, NO MORE THAN DOES BOILING FETID WATER.
Boil, or die. Love the least of these as Immediate Family, or die. Simple.
Jesus showed us how to Live, how to escape Death:
* "Do unto the LEAST (not lesser) of these ALL that you would
have them do unto you."
* "Love as I have Loved."
* "Lay down your life for the least (not lesser) of these."
'Love your enemy, and the stranger, EXACTLY AS YOU LOVE YOUR
IMMEDIATE FAMILY - NO DOUBLE STANDARDS - NO HYPOCRISY.'
* "If you Love me you will do greater works than these."
* 'Pick up your cross and carry it, always - central, committed,
dedication to the needy.' If your life is not carrying your cross,
you are not following me.
Albert Schweitzer, as with EVERY great healer, brother, friend, Family
member, DOES NOT WANT TO BE WORSHIPED, BUT RATHER, WANTS
TO BE JOINED IN HIS PRACTICE, IN HIS WAY OF BEING, HIS WAY OF
LIVING, HIS WAY OF SERVING!!!!
YES, Dr. S SACRIFICED HIS LIFE FOR OTHERS. JESUS TOO! BUT NOT
INSTEAD OF OTHERS DOING THE SAME, BUT RATHER SO THAT OTHERS
WOULD DO THE SAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In recent decades my study included Teresa of Calcutta and Francis
of Assisi. In two books, one on each, written by different authors,
decades apart roughly the same comment was made in the introduction:
"She/he simply took Jesus at His word." Me too.
"The greatest obstacle to someone being a Christian is people that
preach the Gospel but do not practice it." Teresa
"I think that a Christian should resemble Christ." Teresa.
Christian (def): Christlike
"We must preach the Gospel all day long, and occasionally use words
to do so." Francis of Assisi
NONE of these speaks centrally of the "profession" of what Jesus did
for us - BUT RATHER TO THE PRACTICE, TO WHAT WE MUST DO!!!!!!!!
And Jesus -
"Do unto the LEAST (not lesser) of these ALL that you would
have them do unto you."
"Love as I have Loved."
"Lay down your life for the least (not lesser) of these."
'Love your enemy, and the stranger, EXACTLY AS YOU LOVE YOUR
IMMEDIATE FAMILY - NO DOUBLE STANDARDS - NO HYPOCRISY.'
"If you Love me you will do greater works than these."
"Do this in memory of me." This saying I only "got" a few years ago.
Did He mean - do some ceremony? NO, NEVER centrally.
He meant - GIVE YOUR BODY, GIVE YOUR BLOOD FOR THE LEAST OF THESE,
IN MEMORY OF ME. AGAIN. AGAIN. AGAIN. AGAIN....
How did Start live totally away from Jesus for most of his adulthood?
Because the Church, and our "Christian" culture drove him away from
Jesus words - telling him that THEY - Church and Culture - not Jesus
words, words that are sooooooooooo clear, would tell him the
Truth. Well, when Start tried everything under the sun to find Life
AWAY FROM JESUS WORDS, he found only Death, the exact same Death he found
and finds in the Church, part of his Family. And THEY DON'T SEE IT AS DEATH. AND
NEITHER DOES THE ALCOHOLIC, CRACK ADDICT. NO, rather in each of these
cases they insist that what Start sees as Death IS LIFE! Have some
wine, have some crack, have some Church! In the last 10 years he has thrown
off the deadly errors of the Church, for the Truths of Jesus words,
"Love (Live) as I have Loved (Lived)." In doing so Start has found what he can only
describe as TOTAL Joy, Life, Love, Peace-of-Heart that surpasses all understanding,
Truth AND PERSECUTIONS, EXACTLY as Jesus taught.
Start is NOT hung up in semantics. Start IS TOTALLY HUNG UP THAT THERE
IS A TRUTH, A WAY OF LIFE, A WAY OF LIVING THAT CAN SAVE US!!!!
"Love as I have Loved," is that Truth. THAT TRUTH IS NOT -
* I Loved as I did SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO; or,
* I AM THE SON OF GOD, SO YOU CAN TRY BUY YOU WILL FAIL AT
LOVING AS I HAVE LOVED. NO. THAT IS NOT
WHAT HE SAID, AND HE DIDN'T DECEIVE US - HE DIDN'T TELL US TO DO
WHAT WE WERE INCAPABLE OF. "If you Love me, you will do greater
works than these." WE ARE CAPABLE OF, AND CALLED BY HIM TO
GO BEYOND WHAT HE GAVE US - NOT SIT IN SELF DEPRECATING "WORSHIP!"
"Whoever claims to abide in Jesus AUGHT TO LIVE JUST LIKE JESUS LIVED."
2 John, Ch. 2
'You said Lord Lord, but I don't know you.' This is the church
today - He does not know it, or know today's Christians. They
do NOT Live as though the Poor WERE THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY. AND THEY
DEMAND THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT JESUS DEMANDED OF THEM, and they they are
but poor sinners, incapable of doing so!!!!!!!!!!! B*ll Sh*t.
Do I care that folks talk of Jesus dying for their sins? No, I care that they
speak of it centrally, as though that is EVEN SLIGHTLY CENTRAL. Does Jesus have
some ego problem? Did Albert Schwetzer? Schweitzer didn't care if they
knew that he was the one that saved them. HE JUST WANTED THEM SAVED!
SAME WITH JESUS, ONLY MORE SO! AND BOTH KNEW THAT THEY COULD NOT,
COULD NOT, COULD NOT, COULD NOT... SAVE THEM. THEY COULD ONLY
SHOW THEM (US) HOW TO SAVE THEMSELVES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Although it doesn't prove the point, I am sure it is about the point - the
parable of the two sons - one of whom "says" all the right words - 'yes
father I will do what you want!' But he does NOT LIVE THE PRACTICE.
And the other son who says "NO!" But he DOES the Life's practice.
Jesus teachings are FULL of examples of the Saved -
Peace Makers...
Poor...
Meek...
Those who have done the works of Love...
NOT JESUS BUT THE CHURCH is the one that MAKES FIRST AND FOREMOST
PROFESSION OF JESUS AS SAVIOR, AND THE LIKE.
NO, I stand with Jesus.
If with the above I am unclear, I have little hope of explaining. Sorry.
Your brother,
Start
ps: I'm described as Harsh. IS A FIREFIGHTER HARSH WHEN HE SCREAMS AT
FOLKS TO GET OUT OF A BURNING BUILDING? IF HE FORCEFULLY GRABS THEM
AND YANKS THEM TO SAFETY? Wouldn't he be living "Dead" if he did not?
"Do unto the LEAST (not lesser) of these ALL that you would
have them do unto you."
"Love as I have Loved."
"Lay down your life for the least (not lesser) of these."
'Love your enemy, and the stranger, EXACTLY AS YOU LOVE YOUR
IMMEDIATE FAMILY - NO DOUBLE STANDARDS - NO HYPOCRISY.'
"If you Love me you will do greater works than these."
"Do this in memory of me." This saying I only "got" a few years ago.
Did He mean - do some ceremony? NO, NEVER centrally.
He meant - GIVE YOUR BODY, GIVE YOUR BLOOD FOR THE LEAST OF THESE,
IN MEMORY OF ME. AGAIN. AGAIN. AGAIN. AGAIN....
How did Start live totally away from Jesus for most of his adulthood?
Because the Church, and our "Christian" culture drove him away from
Jesus words - telling him that THEY - Church and Culture - not Jesus
words, words that are sooooooooooo clear, would tell him the
Truth. Well, when Start tried everything under the sun to find Life
AWAY FROM JESUS WORDS, he found only Death, the exact same Death he found
and finds in the Church, part of his Family. And THEY DON'T SEE IT AS DEATH. AND
NEITHER DOES THE ALCOHOLIC, CRACK ADDICT. NO, rather in each of these
cases they insist that what Start sees as Death IS LIFE! Have some
wine, have some crack, have some Church! In the last 10 years he has thrown
off the deadly errors of the Church, for the Truths of Jesus words,
"Love (Live) as I have Loved (Lived)." In doing so Start has found what he can only
describe as TOTAL Joy, Life, Love, Peace-of-Heart that surpasses all understanding,
Truth AND PERSECUTIONS, EXACTLY as Jesus taught.
Start is NOT hung up in semantics. Start IS TOTALLY HUNG UP THAT THERE
IS A TRUTH, A WAY OF LIFE, A WAY OF LIVING THAT CAN SAVE US!!!!
"Love as I have Loved," is that Truth. THAT TRUTH IS NOT -
* I Loved as I did SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO; or,
* I AM THE SON OF GOD, SO YOU CAN TRY BUY YOU WILL FAIL AT
LOVING AS I HAVE LOVED. NO. THAT IS NOT
WHAT HE SAID, AND HE DIDN'T DECEIVE US - HE DIDN'T TELL US TO DO
WHAT WE WERE INCAPABLE OF. "If you Love me, you will do greater
works than these." WE ARE CAPABLE OF, AND CALLED BY HIM TO
GO BEYOND WHAT HE GAVE US - NOT SIT IN SELF DEPRECATING "WORSHIP!"
"Whoever claims to abide in Jesus AUGHT TO LIVE JUST LIKE JESUS LIVED."
2 John, Ch. 2
'You said Lord Lord, but I don't know you.' This is the church
today - He does not know it, or know today's Christians. They
do NOT Live as though the Poor WERE THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY. AND THEY
DEMAND THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT JESUS DEMANDED OF THEM, and they they are
but poor sinners, incapable of doing so!!!!!!!!!!! B*ll Sh*t.
Do I care that folks talk of Jesus dying for their sins? No, I care that they
speak of it centrally, as though that is EVEN SLIGHTLY CENTRAL. Does Jesus have
some ego problem? Did Albert Schwetzer? Schweitzer didn't care if they
knew that he was the one that saved them. HE JUST WANTED THEM SAVED!
SAME WITH JESUS, ONLY MORE SO! AND BOTH KNEW THAT THEY COULD NOT,
COULD NOT, COULD NOT, COULD NOT... SAVE THEM. THEY COULD ONLY
SHOW THEM (US) HOW TO SAVE THEMSELVES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Although it doesn't prove the point, I am sure it is about the point - the
parable of the two sons - one of whom "says" all the right words - 'yes
father I will do what you want!' But he does NOT LIVE THE PRACTICE.
And the other son who says "NO!" But he DOES the Life's practice.
Jesus teachings are FULL of examples of the Saved -
Peace Makers...
Poor...
Meek...
Those who have done the works of Love...
NOT JESUS BUT THE CHURCH is the one that MAKES FIRST AND FOREMOST
PROFESSION OF JESUS AS SAVIOR, AND THE LIKE.
NO, I stand with Jesus.
If with the above I am unclear, I have little hope of explaining. Sorry.
Your brother,
Start
ps: I'm described as Harsh. IS A FIREFIGHTER HARSH WHEN HE SCREAMS AT
FOLKS TO GET OUT OF A BURNING BUILDING? IF HE FORCEFULLY GRABS THEM
AND YANKS THEM TO SAFETY? Wouldn't he be living "Dead" if he did not?
1.31.2010
"The ONLY essentials for the Peace Maker: Solitude, Space, Rest." SL
"The ONLY essentials for the Peace Maker:
Solitude, "Space," and Rest.
A mark of the Peace Maker -
They will pay any personal price for
Solitude ("space") and Rest,
the only essentials of their Work.
It is widely known that Prison time,
Solitude, Space, Rest -
was ESSENTIAL
to the Development of Powers of
Mandela, Gandhi, ML King Jr, Dellinger,
Wilson, Fr. Louis, Dan Berrigan, Phil Berrigan ...." SL
Solitude, "Space," and Rest.
A mark of the Peace Maker -
They will pay any personal price for
Solitude ("space") and Rest,
the only essentials of their Work.
It is widely known that Prison time,
Solitude, Space, Rest -
was ESSENTIAL
to the Development of Powers of
Mandela, Gandhi, ML King Jr, Dellinger,
Wilson, Fr. Louis, Dan Berrigan, Phil Berrigan ...." SL
1.24.2010
"For ourselves we act.; for others we pray. Reverse that, or we're toast." SL
"For ourselves we act.; for others we pray.
Reverse that, or we're toast." SL
1.19.2010
The Wise built on Rock, NOT SAND. The LEFT is Sand. The RIGHT's the Devil. Hmmm.
I, Start, remain a fool, but, hmmm, I'm learning, sooooooo slowly.
Einstein was a man. Jesus was a man. Einstein was our guru to date of macro physics.
Jesus is our Einstein to date of how to Live, individually, and collectively. His teaching?
"Love as I have loved... laying down my life for the least of these Our Family."
Jesus said, "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be
like a wise man who built his house on rock.. the rains fell, the flood came, the
wind blew... But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone
who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who
built his house on sand." Matthew
This scripture is RINGING through my head this morning after the agony of last night's
clarity: "SL here. Friends, I am quite shattered"
http://jesusgodgoodetcnjay.blogspot.com/2010/01/sl-here-friends-i-am-quite-shattered.html
The Wise built on Rock, NOT SAND. The Left is Sand. The Right's the Devil. Hmmm.
ROCK: Pr. Obama is rock. Much of the Dem. Senate and House Leadership is rock. Much of
BarackObama.com, the roots associated with that is rock. Rock is the good, simple folk
that do what is right, no matter what. THEY ARE DOERS, GIVERS, NOT TALKERS, TAKERS.
SAND: The Left. THE LEFT ARE TALKERS, and Takers.
RAIN, FLOOD, WINDS: The Right. THE RIGHT ARE TAKERS.
I just don't know what hope there is for the mass of Humanity. I've been trying to leave
that in Our Father's hands (the Unseen Wisdom we can feel, but not control), but I haven't
helped myself from focusing on Saving EVERYONE, NOW!
It is time to refine my focus. Screw the Left - they are worse than worthless - they waste
our time, they KILL our time. I must respect the DEADLINESS of the Right. I must Focus A. on being
Good, Incarnating Good, Inspiring Good; B. WORK WITH THE GOOD - COME WHAT MAY.
I stand with Pr. Obama - come what may. I stand with BarackObama.com as long as they
remain Faithful. I pray that Good people and I find each other and unite as an ever growing
force for Good - come what may. I will fight on, hopefully, a tiny bit wiser, smarter.
Where will this lead? How far? How fast? God, the great unseen wisdom, knows.
Screw the Left.
Start
Einstein was a man. Jesus was a man. Einstein was our guru to date of macro physics.
Jesus is our Einstein to date of how to Live, individually, and collectively. His teaching?
"Love as I have loved... laying down my life for the least of these Our Family."
Jesus said, "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be
like a wise man who built his house on rock.. the rains fell, the flood came, the
wind blew... But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone
who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who
built his house on sand." Matthew
This scripture is RINGING through my head this morning after the agony of last night's
clarity: "SL here. Friends, I am quite shattered"
http://jesusgodgoodetcnjay.blogspot.com/2010/01/sl-here-friends-i-am-quite-shattered.html
The Wise built on Rock, NOT SAND. The Left is Sand. The Right's the Devil. Hmmm.
ROCK: Pr. Obama is rock. Much of the Dem. Senate and House Leadership is rock. Much of
BarackObama.com, the roots associated with that is rock. Rock is the good, simple folk
that do what is right, no matter what. THEY ARE DOERS, GIVERS, NOT TALKERS, TAKERS.
SAND: The Left. THE LEFT ARE TALKERS, and Takers.
RAIN, FLOOD, WINDS: The Right. THE RIGHT ARE TAKERS.
I just don't know what hope there is for the mass of Humanity. I've been trying to leave
that in Our Father's hands (the Unseen Wisdom we can feel, but not control), but I haven't
helped myself from focusing on Saving EVERYONE, NOW!
It is time to refine my focus. Screw the Left - they are worse than worthless - they waste
our time, they KILL our time. I must respect the DEADLINESS of the Right. I must Focus A. on being
Good, Incarnating Good, Inspiring Good; B. WORK WITH THE GOOD - COME WHAT MAY.
I stand with Pr. Obama - come what may. I stand with BarackObama.com as long as they
remain Faithful. I pray that Good people and I find each other and unite as an ever growing
force for Good - come what may. I will fight on, hopefully, a tiny bit wiser, smarter.
Where will this lead? How far? How fast? God, the great unseen wisdom, knows.
Screw the Left.
Start
11.15.2009
The right purpose of prayer is to inspire and guide ACTION
The right purpose of prayer is to inspire and guide ACTION.
9.08.2009
This remind me that ALL of us were put here to TEACH and of course to LE...
From: Nancemerrill
To: Nancemerrill
Sent: 9/8/2009 8:46:59 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: This remind me that ALL of us were put here to TEACH and of course to LEARN...Excerpt from: The Heart of a Teacher,
by Paula FoxHe was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in Morris, Minnesota. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million. Very neat in appearance, he had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.
Mark talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving. "Thank you for correcting me, Sister!" I didn't know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.
One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, and then I made a novice teacher's mistake. I looked at Mark and said, "If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!" It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, "Mark is talking again." I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it. I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my desk, very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape. Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room. As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That did it! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark's desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister."
At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math. The years flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again. He was more handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to my instruction in the "new math," he did not talk as much in ninth grade as he had in third. One Friday, things just didn't feel right. We had worked hard on a new concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, frustrated with themselves and edgy with one another. I had to stop this crankiness before it got out of hand. So I asked them to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. Mark said, "Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend." That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual.
On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" I heard whispered. "I never knew that meant anything to anyone! I didn't know others liked me so much." No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again.
That group of students moved on. Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual questions about the trip, the weather, my experiences in general. There was a lull in the conversation. Mother gave Dad a sideways glance and simply said, "Dad?" My father cleared his throat as he usually did before something important. "The Eklunds called last night," he began. "Really?" I said. "I haven't heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is." Dad responded quietly. "Mark was killed in Vietnam," he said. "The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend." To this day I can still point to the exact spot on I-494 where Dad told me about Mark.
I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, "Mark, I would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me." The church was packed with Mark's friends. Chuck's sister sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? It was difficult enough at the graveside. The pastor said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps. One by one those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water. I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to me. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. "Mark talked about you a lot," he said.
After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed to Chuck's farmhouse for lunch. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting for me. "We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it." Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. "Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it." Mark's classmates started to gather around us. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. I keep it in the top drawer of my desk at home." Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album." "I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said without batting an eyelash. "I think we all saved our lists." That's when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.
The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.
7.22.2009
Universal Love - the Ultimate Intelligence AND the Ultimate Stupidity (it knows NOT how NOT to Love). [Think Forest Gump.]
My dad was the smartest guy I've ever known. I cringe every time I think of what a TOTAL ZERO I was as a child.
Not kidding. I just realized, my dad could not, ever, never figure out how not to Love me; yet virtually everything I
did was a TOTAL REASON to NOT Love me!!!! Not exaggerating - ENTIRELY selfish, lazy, self centered, greedy, deceitful....
OMG, he could be so tough! But I just realized that he simply did not have the intelligence to see how
not to Love me. SC just reminded me of this, cuz she is sooooo like this. So are most of you, pretty much.
Hmmmm. I'm crying now. :-) Oh, I pray you have had someone like my dad in your life. It Saved me (with Jesus help).
We must ALL become so stupid; PERFECTLY Stupid in this way, TOWARD EVERYONE, OUR ENEMIES,
THE STRANGER, THE LEAST OF THESE. And thereby teach others to do the same.
We MUST be someone like my dad in the lives of others. Hurry. HURRY!
HURRY. We humans are out of luck, and time.
did was a TOTAL REASON to NOT Love me!!!! Not exaggerating - ENTIRELY selfish, lazy, self centered, greedy, deceitful....
OMG, he could be so tough! But I just realized that he simply did not have the intelligence to see how
not to Love me. SC just reminded me of this, cuz she is sooooo like this. So are most of you, pretty much.
Hmmmm. I'm crying now. :-) Oh, I pray you have had someone like my dad in your life. It Saved me (with Jesus help).
We must ALL become so stupid; PERFECTLY Stupid in this way, TOWARD EVERYONE, OUR ENEMIES,
THE STRANGER, THE LEAST OF THESE. And thereby teach others to do the same.
We MUST be someone like my dad in the lives of others. Hurry. HURRY!
HURRY. We humans are out of luck, and time.
4.07.2009
Jesus, King, Gandhi, Romero, Teresa, Eleanor... accepted Start in their Foxhole tonight
My prayer life has been practically nil for months now. Why? The final battle for Humanity is so pitched, on so many fronts - Climate Disaster, Democracy, 28 Yr Vigil (dual shifts like Thomas endured all those years), Washington Peace House Integrity, War-De-funding, Connie, Nuclear Arms Reduction, Gaza/Palestine... there has not been time to Pray; just to be a Prayer. Secondarily, Prayer is NEVER the end, but the means, the means to become the "change we need to be" (Gandhi), to become the "pencil in the hand of God," (Teresa) and my sense is that I've been good enough on these fronts these last months that it was wrong for me to indulge in further Prayer at the expense of using every moment to Wage all out Love at thise most crucial of all years in the History of the world.
But tonight I couldn't sleep, my body is not yet adjusted to my morning and evening shifts at the 28 Year Vigil, so I had some time for one of my few Prayer techniques - to put myself, to Imagine myself, in the company of Jesus, King, Gandhi, Romero, Teresa, Eleanor, Dellinger, Joan... and to examine their reaction to my being there, for whatever guidance, positive or negative, that this will yield me regarding "how am I doing?"
Well, tonight as I came to them there was no applause, no high-fives, no warm cheers, no warm "Family" embrace... and I want this from them, very much. But I'm not worthy of this. Yet.
But they were in the midst of this desperate, to the death, final battle for Humanity. And they were entirely accepting of me joining them in the fight. I take this as acceptance enough, for now; affirmation enough, for now.
Remember the final battle of the Lord of the Rings trilogy? All our (s)heroes are encircled by a totally overwhelming hoard of Evil, remember? That is the circumstance in which tonight I found Jesus, King, Gandhi, Romero, Teresa, Eleanor.... And their reaction told me that they felt that I belonged along side them in this fight. I was sufficiently worthy for that.
This is good.
But tonight I couldn't sleep, my body is not yet adjusted to my morning and evening shifts at the 28 Year Vigil, so I had some time for one of my few Prayer techniques - to put myself, to Imagine myself, in the company of Jesus, King, Gandhi, Romero, Teresa, Eleanor, Dellinger, Joan... and to examine their reaction to my being there, for whatever guidance, positive or negative, that this will yield me regarding "how am I doing?"
Well, tonight as I came to them there was no applause, no high-fives, no warm cheers, no warm "Family" embrace... and I want this from them, very much. But I'm not worthy of this. Yet.
But they were in the midst of this desperate, to the death, final battle for Humanity. And they were entirely accepting of me joining them in the fight. I take this as acceptance enough, for now; affirmation enough, for now.
Remember the final battle of the Lord of the Rings trilogy? All our (s)heroes are encircled by a totally overwhelming hoard of Evil, remember? That is the circumstance in which tonight I found Jesus, King, Gandhi, Romero, Teresa, Eleanor.... And their reaction told me that they felt that I belonged along side them in this fight. I was sufficiently worthy for that.
This is good.
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