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There once was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a climbing competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.

A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began. No one in the crowd really believed the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower.

Heard throughout the race were statements such as, “Oh, way too difficult,” “They will never make it to the top,” “Not a chance they will succeed,” and “The tower is too high.”

The tiny frogs began collapsing, one by one—except for those who, in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher. The crowd continued to yell, “It is too difficult! No one will make it!”

More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But ONE continued to climb higher and higher. This one refused to give up!

At the end of the race, all had given up climbing the tower except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!

All of the other tiny frogs wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it. They asked him how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.

It turned out that the winning frog was DEAF!!!!

The lesson is:

There is enormous power in words. Your encouraging words can lift someone up and help him or her make it through the day. Remember that encouraging words can go a long way. Always be aware of the power words have, because everything you hear and read will affect your actions.

Be careful of what you say to others, and never listen to the negative comments or pessimism of others because they could cause you to give up and discontinue pursuing your goal.

Never use destructive, careless words to others, especially to someone who is down. Those words can cause deep wounds; they may be the weapons that destroy someone’s desire to continue trying. Your unkind words can also diminish someone in the eyes of others, destroy their influence, and have a lasting impact on the way others respond to them.

Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. But it is a special individual who will take the time to encourage another. Be special to others. Encourage one another and build each other up.

Always stay positive and focused. Be DEAF when people tell you that you cannot reach your goal or fulfill your dreams! Continually remind yourself, “I can do this.”

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wisdom, positive thinking

When you are in touch with the suffering in the world, it is so easy for despair to overwhelm you. But we do not need to be drowned by despair. Throughout the war in Vietnam young people easily became the victims of despair because the war went on for so long and it seemed it would never end. It is the same with the situation in the Middle East. Young Israelis and Palestinians feel that the heavy atmosphere of war will never end. We have to practice to protect our children and ourselves from despair. Bodhisattvas can stand up and resist despair by their ability to listen deeply, to love, to understand, and to be deeply committed.

–Thich Nhat Hanh, No Death, No Fear (Parallax 2002), 160

Thich Nhat Hanh is one of my favorite writers. He and Thomas Merton knew each other.

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“Do not be too anxious about your advancement in the ways of prayer, because you have left the beaten track and are traveling by paths that cannot be charted and measured. Therefore leave God to take care of your degree of sanctity and of contemplation. If you yourself try to measure your own progress you will waste your time in futile introspection. Seek one thing alone: to purify your love of God more and more, to abandon yourself more and more perfectly to His will and to love Him more exclusively and more completely, but also more simply and more peacefully and with more total and uncompromising trust.”

From What is Contemplation? by Thomas Merton

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merton, contemplation

I went to Mass this morning at Mt. Irenaeus. I wasn’t going to go. I was kind of bummed out. Our daughter went back to college yesterday. Our son has gotten a position in a nearby city and has his own apartment now. This is just a part of life, but it can be painful nonetheless. I have a reasonably high stress job and that’s been wearing me down a bit. Being a creature of habit I made the 30 mile trek to Mt. Irenaeus and half listened to what was being said. I came alive a bit during the sign of peace and then communion. After Mass there is always brunch and today I became engaged in conversation with a man I graduated from high school with. We talked for over an hour and during part of that conversation he told me that he had read a reflection I had written in one of the hermitages at Mt. Irenaeus. Steve Andrews, that’s his name, is a local businessman who has been coming to Mt. Irenaeus for much longer than I regularily donates his time to help the friars. A dozen years ago he donated the timber and the time to build “La Posada”. It is the most rustic hermitage at Mt. Irenaeus and it atop the 2200 foot mountain that is the high point on the land. I’ve stayed a couple of nights at La Posada in the past five years. It’s very peaceful there. Only the sound of rustling leaves or a summer thunderstorm punctuate the silence.

There is a journal in the cabin for reflections by guests. Steve told me he enjoyed what I had written there. I forget the words but not the place. La Posada is in my heart forever. Peace.

Yesterday I left home with no particular destination in mind. On my way to nowhere I visited Dansville, New York and the Finger Lakes Soaring Club. The club sent me a brochure in April or May and yesterday was the day I finally visited their facility. I think I’m going to take a ride in a glider. I’ve been interested in soaring since I was a child and these guys have a really nice facility with certified FAA instructors and good equipment. I’ve talked to another pilot and he told me that soaring is an experience I should have. It occurred to me that soaring is or could be a very contemplative experience. Watching those gliders land and takeoff yesterday reminded me of Michael Joncas’ song “On Eagles Wings”. I love the melody and lyrics of that song. Here are the lyrics.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord, “My Refuge,
My Rock in Whom I trust.”

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

For to His angels He’s given a command,
To guard you in all of your ways,
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

May the Lord give you peace.

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soaring, psalm 91, michael joncas, finger lakes, dansville, new york

Jeff tagged me for a book meme. I had to ask him for assistance. He obliged and here goes.

A Book that changed my life.

Actually there have been a couple of books that changed the direction of my life. One of them is “Seven Storey Mountain.” I read it at a time when my life was emerging from chaos and it really touched me. It continues to animate my life nearly 28 years later. Thomas Merton taught at St. Bonaventure College (University) which is 20 miles from where I live. I frequently visit many of the places he visited in this county. I feel a closeness to him and his spiritual journey that I don’t get from other writers. Another book I’ve read that changed my life is “Conquest of Fear” by Basil King. King died a long time ago and most of his books are no longer in print. You can read “Conquest of Fear” on line at the Gutenberg Project.

A book that I’ve read more than once.

There are several books that I’ve read more than once. One of them is “The Tao of Pooh”. That book was originally recommended by a nun from Philadelphia and it is well worth your time. I would recommend it to anyone. I’ve read parts of “Seven Storey Mountain,” “Seeds of Contemplation” more than once. I’ve read “Conquest of Fear” many times. I’ve also read Matthew’s Gospel many times through. It is my favorite Gospel.

A book that I’d want on a desert island is “The Spirituality of Imperfection” and nearly anyone of former President Jimmy Carter’s books. I think Jimmy is a great storyteller and a great human being. If I was going to name an authentic Christian it would be Jimmy Carter. I’d also recommend “Father Joe” by Tony Hendra and Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris.

A book that made me laugh.

Anyone of George Carlin’s books are great. I really like “When will Jesus Bring the Porkchops?” I read that last year while convalescing from my embolism. I had to stop reading it several times because I got laughing so hard that I was in pain.

A book that made me cry.

I really connected with “Roots” by Alex Haley. I cried more than once reading that book. I’m not an African-American and my ancestors were not enslaved, but there still a lot of common ground in that book. When Alex Haley died I wrote his family and told them how much he and his work meant to me. I got a reply one day and it touched me very much. I kept the reply letter for a number of years.

A book that I wish had been written.

I wish there had a been a book written that would guarantee that the world would live in peace. I long for the day when all men will live in peace. I long for the day when they will beat their swords into plowshares. I had hoped it would happen in my lifetime and it might yet, but I doubt it.

A book that I wish had never been written.

I suppose there are lots of books for this category and everyone has favorites. I think any books that promote hate and intolerance should not have been written. That list would fill pages.

I’m currently reading “The World is Flat” by Thomas Friedman. I haven’t gotten very far into it, but it is interesting.

Which wars should be prosecuted? “Every war will lead to attacks on civilians,” he said. “Crimes against humanity, destruction beyond the needs of military necessity, rape of civilians, plunder–that always happens in wartime. So my answer personally, after working for 60 years on this problem and [as someone] who hates to see all these young people get killed no matter what their nationality, is that you’ve got to stop using warfare as a means of settling your disputes.”–Benjamin Ferenccz, who secured convictions for 22 Nazi officers at Nurenberg.

Here is a link to the rest of this very timely and thoughtful piece of journalism.

This is compelling testimony from the man who helped nail the lid Herman Goerring and the other Nazi war criminals. Peace.

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war crimes, bush, saddam, nurenberg

I really like Tiger Woods. Does anyone not see the glory of God in the way this young man plays golf. This video comes from Google Video and it’s quite entertaining. How many times does Tiger bouce the ball on his club head before hitting it. St. Irenaeus said that, “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.”

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tiger woods, golf, st. irenaeus

“Don’t let the bastards get you down,” that’s the translation of today’s title. This tidbit was shared by Fr. Lou McCormick, OFM my spiritual adviser and good friend. Today was one of those days where the bastards were winning temporarily and I was letting it get me down. Now, at the close of the day I have some perspective thanks to others who help me to see myself and the situation more clearly. We all need friends and a supportive community. That community must be authentic otherwise we run the risk of either belittlement or aggrandizement.

How often do the forces around us give us false messages that make us think less of ourselves when in fact we need to really focus on our reflection of our creator. St. Francis used to greet the people by saying, “Good morning good people.” How often do we need to be told that we are good? I need to be told that at least once a day because I am too self-critical and I am surrounded by people programmed by the world and many churches to think poorly of themselves. We are however created in the image of the Most High and that means that we’re good, actually beyond good. We are outstanding. One of the implications of Francis’ love and reverence for the Eucharist and the sacraments of the Church is his reverence for the material world. In Francis’ time there was a prevalent heresy of the Albigensians. Like many Christians today the Albigensians believed the spiritual world was created by God and was good, while the material world was created by the devil and was evil.

St. Francis calls us to embrace the lepers in our lives and to glorify and reassure those around us that indeed we are children of the Most High. We are called to be brother and sister to all we come in contact with. Next time you are in the market consider all the people you see and consciously remind yourself that you are brother and sister to each of them. No matter where we are we need to be reminded that we are of the Most High and that all we are surrounded with is therefore an extension of His creation. Peace.

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st. francis, heresy, peace, goodness, theology

“Those who seek to build a better world without God are those who, trusting in money, power, technology and organization, deride the spiritual strength of faith and love and fix all their hopes on a huge monolithic society, having a monopoly over all power, all production, and even over the minds of its members. But to alienate the spirit of man by subjecting him to such monstrous indignity is to make injustice and violence inevitable. By such means we may indeed increase economic production but in doing so we will only make the world worse.”

From Disputed Questions by Thomas Merton

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thomas merton