Who is my neighbor?

Today’s Gospel from St. Mark is one of my favorites. In it a scribe asks Jesus what is the first of all the commandments. Jesus responds, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, … Read more

Core Values

The recently alleged and reported massacre in Haditha, Iraq has sent the Pentagon scampering to provide “Core Values” training for the United States Military in Iraq. I received Mark Fiore’s most recent flash animation in today’s inbox. “Core Values Training is worth sharing because it highlights the tremendous strain and moral conflicts our troops are … Read more

Taize music

Thanks to Paula at More Light for the link to Taize music. Taizé, in the south of Burgundy, France, is the home of an international, ecumenical community, founded there in 1940 by Brother Roger. The brothers are committed for their whole life to material and spiritual sharing, to celibacy, and to a great simplicity of … Read more

Star Spangled Banner

Some of our politicians have chosen to debate gay marriage and flag burning amendments to the United States Constitution this week. We have two wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thousands of dead and wounded in those conflicts. We have 40 million Americans without health care. We have rampant corruption in Washington and no … Read more

The Tao of Pooh

Last week I wrote about a family of cardinals that had built a nest outside our kitchen window. We spent the next week watching the mother and father dote on their young. They became part of our extended family and so on Saturday when we saw the nest was empty we began to suspect foul … Read more

No man is an island

This came to me in an email today from the Merton Foundation. “Only when we see ourselves in our true human context, as members of a race which is intended to be one organism and ‘one body,’ will we begin to understand the positive importance not only of the successes but of the failures and … Read more

Abbey Cross

This picture was taken tonight at Abbey of the Genesee near Piffard, New York. I found myself at Mt. Irenaeus this morning for Eucharist. After Eucharist and brunch I spent some quiet time in Holy Peace Chapel. I got in my car, got out the map and decided to wander toward Canandaigua Lake. I drove … Read more

Holiness

I came across this quote on the web today and I like it. “When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money.”–Cree Proverb I’m reminded of … Read more

The Wooden Bowl

I received this post from the email of a regular reader of this blog. It really needs no introduction and is one of those timeless stories that are the scripture of everyday life. Thank you to ShipWreckedinSC. A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man’s … Read more