Category: Spiritual

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Rigid people

This week I encountered once again a chap at work who is very narrow minded and rigid. He’s inflexible and I must have some of that nature in me. I know I do and that’s what burns me about him. This morning after rising I looked outside my window and there on the ground was a little bird, laying on his back, feet pointing toward heaven. He was stiff as a board. I wondered if he had flown into our window and died. I’ll bury him later, but then I mourned briefly his passing. I’m connected to all that is. There is nothing that is that is not connected to me. When I become rigid I forget that. I love the Tao te Ching and the wisdom of Lao Tzu. He was a holy man, a saint who lived before Christ.

When alive, the body is supple, yielding.
In death, the body becomes hard, unyielding.

Living plants are flexible,
In death, they become dry and brittle.

Therefore, stubborn people are disciples of death, but
Flexible people are disciples of life.

In the same way,
Inflexible soldiers cannot win (a victory).
And the hardest trees are readiest for an axe to chop them down
Tough guys sink to the bottom, while
Flexible people rise to the top.

Christ was flexible and when Christians become inflexible they do not imitate Christ

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Stand Strong

Brother Joe sent me some mail today. I invite you to join me in standing strong against hate. I hope you’ll consider taking a stand with us. Hate and hate crimes are more prevalent recently as we face a new wave of xenophobic activity in our country.

Every hour
someone commits a hate crime.
Every day
at least eight blacks, three whites, three gays, three Jews and one Latino become hate crime victims.

Every week
a cross is burned.

Hate in America is a dreadful, daily constant. The dragging death of a black man in Jasper, Texas; the crucifixion of a gay man in Laramie, Wyo.; and post-9.11 hate crimes against hundreds of Arab Americans, Muslim Americans and Sikhs are not “isolated incidents.” They are eruptions of a nation’s intolerance.
Bias is a human condition, and American history is rife with prejudice against groups and individuals because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or other differences. The 20th century saw major progress in outlawing discrimination, and most Americans today support integrated schools and neighborhoods. But stereotypes and unequal treatment persist, an atmosphere often exploited by hate groups.–Southern Poverty Law Center

Stand Strong Against Hate.

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Alumni tournament

Both our children are home this weekend. It’s the Alumni Basketball Tournament at Franklinville Central School. This tradition which began perhaps twenty years ago draws alumni from all across the country back to our small town nestled in the foothills of the Allegany Mountains. Last night we went to watch the opening round as teams from this decade competed against teams made up of men who range in age from twenty-one to nearly sixty. Our son Devin’s team took the floor last night and it was good to see these young men reunited. Although I always love to watch Devin play, I was especially glad to see one of his teammates, Dustin Owen, recently returned from the U.S. Army and Iraq.   Dustin finally got out after being stop-lossed. He joined in 2002 for what was supposed to be a four year hitch and finally got out just a couple of months ago. The young men triumphed last night. Today will bring more competition and camaraderie.

Franklinville is usually a sleepy little town, but on this weekend once a year it comes to life a bit as former school boy players and their families converge to reunite on the hardwood, the homes and restaurants of our village.

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Gerry Straub

Gerry Straub stopped by today and left a comment. I’m flattered. Gerry’s got a blog, that I’ve added to my blogroll. You might enjoy looking at. I own one of Gerry’s films, “No Room at the Inn.” I purchased it at St. Francis Inn where I spent some time last summer. I hope to return again this year. You might enjoy visiting Gerry’s other site, The San Damiano Foundation, where his work is displayed.

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Presence

Holy Thursday is one of my favorite days and nights in the church year. It always has been. It’s kind of celebration at the end of Lent. In the last eight years it’s become tradition for me to be at Mt. Irenaeus for supper with friends and then the Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper in the chapel. Because of my schedule this week I didn’t think I was going to make it but it all worked out. I had to drive 150 miles round trip to meet with representatives of Dell Computer and then climb into my own car to drive the thirty or so miles to the Mountain. Continue reading “Presence”

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Giving it away

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

“It is better to give than to receive..,” but that’s not how most of us live. We live as though it were better to get than to give. I know I’m guilty of it myself. It’s a proven fact though that giving actually results in better health for the giver. Among other things I’m a technology consultant. I recommend solutions for people and businesses. I try to give a lot of what I do to others. I believe that it will come back to me in blessings and it does.

There is an old adage that in order to keep what you have, you have to give it away. It has to do with powerful forces in the universe. Some call it karma. Call it what you will but it works and if you want happiness, then give it away. If you want wealth, give it away. If you want peace, give it. May God, Allah, Yahweh, the Great Spirit, Buddha, Krishna or whomever or whatever you hold sacred move you to give what you have. We need that more than ever right now.

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Prelude

This morning I drove toward Mt. Irenaeus in with a hint of snow in the air and a pall of overcast. It didn’t look like an idyllic Palm Sunday. Our liturgy began in the library under Holy Peace Chapel. Fr. Dan Riley, OFM blessed the palms and invited us to process outside, along the path and up the steps to the chapel. As we walked we sang, “oh Sacred Head surrounded by crown of piercing thorns, oh bleeding head so wounded, reviled and put to scorn…” It’s a song I remember well from my youth. The words of the song are ascribed to Bernard of Clairvaux. That information was new to me but the symbolism was not lost as I am a frequent visitor to Trappist Abbeys. Continue reading “Prelude”

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St. Drogo

St. Drogo

Last week in Tempe, AZ I learned that St. Drogo is the patron saint of coffee and coffee houses. I’m indebted to Fr. John and the parishioners of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Tempe for this information. I took a cell phone picture of St. Drogo which is posted on the wall of one of the meeting rooms at Holy Spirit. Parishioners gather nearly everyday after daily Mass for coffee and fellowship.

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Third Jesus

A couple of days ago I spied a title at Changing Hands bookstore that invited me to pick it up. On the bookshelf was a book written by Deepak Chopra. It’s title, “The Third Jesus,” really captivated me. I read a few paragraphs and put it down. Yesterday, while visiting the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale I saw the book again. This time it was in the center’s bookstore. After I got back to my sisters home, I mentioned to my hosts that wanted to return to Changing Hands and get the book.   Little did I know that later in the afternoon, my Mom would drive over to the store and pick it up for me. Continue reading “Third Jesus”

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Bucket list

A couple of weeks ago I saw the movie Bucket List with my wife and daughter. It’s a great theme and it got me to thinking of some things I’d like to do before I can’t do them anymore.  In April I’m planning a trip to Albany, Ga. and Plains, Ga.  I was stationed in Albany, Ga. at the Naval Air Station in 1973 and early 1974. I worked at the base dispensary as a US Navy Corpsman.  I haven’t been back in 30 years. The last time I was at the dispensary was in May of 1977 when I was on reserve duty.  Albany was a lovely place. It was hotter than hell in the summer with high humidity. I lived in air conditioned quarters and the dispensary had air conditioning,  but in between it was very muggy.  I worked in labor and delivery and the newborn nursery. I’ve often thought over the years of the children and mothers I cared for.  I’ve thought too of the doctors, corpsmen and nurses I worked with. I wish it were possible to see them once again.

I also want to visit Plains, Ga. and the Maranatha Baptist Church where President Jimmy Carter worships.  I was in Plains once and that was in 1977 when Mr. Carter was President. I remember there was big peanut in the middle of the road, at least that is my memory of it. I’ve read most of President Carters books and even contributed to his foundation occasionally. He’s my favorite President. Jimmy Carter doesn’t just talk about Christianity, he lives it.