As a soldier you can be compassionate. You can be loving and your gun can be helpful. There are times you may not have to use your gun. It is like that knife that is used to cut vegetables. You can be a bodhisattva as a soldier or the commander of an army. The question is whether you have understanding and compassion in your heart. That is the question.
–Calming the Fearful Mind: A Zen Response to Terrorism–Thich Nhat Hanh
Memorial Day
The following came in an email from Jim Hein, SFO (Secular Franciscan Order)
The son-in-law of Anne Kramar, SFO, St. Clare Fraternity in Omaha has recently returned home from Iraq. His name is Jim; he is married to Anne’s daughter, Mary Jane. Jim and Mary Jane have three children, the oldest (boy) is graduating from High School this year. Jim was serving his third tour of duty in Iraq. Upon completion of his second tour he was called up for a third tour – it was the time period that the Federal Government put into effect the “stop loss” policy. Continue reading “Memorial Day”
Random acts of senseless kindness
Today is the Feast of Pentecost. One of the stories from Fr. Bob’s homily today was taken from a real life event that occurred at Bakersfield College in California. Fr. Bob used the story to illustrate the powerful effect we have when we bless others. Continue reading “Random acts of senseless kindness”
Satyagraha
Satyagraha is a relentless search for truth and a determination to search truth.–Mahatma Gandhi
As I sit here this morning on the edge of the hundred acre wood that borders our property I am surrounded by peace and yet I know that in much of the world there is violence and killing some of it sponsored by my own government. It pains me deeply to know that my countrymen are being hurt, killed and in some cases doing the killing of others. We are all brothers and sisters in this world. Continue reading “Satyagraha”
Wisdom to know the difference
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.–Reinhold Neibuhr
Where do I get the wisdom to know the difference? Where does that come from? This has been a tough week for me. I’ve given up on American democracy. It doesn’t exist anymore. Continue reading “Wisdom to know the difference”
Death of Democracy
I noted in tonight’s paper a headline that proclaimed “Democrats have to sell their new strategy to liberals.” In other words they’ve caved in to the “Decider in Chief.” Continue reading “Death of Democracy”
Epitaph
Tony Hendra, the author of Father Joe: the Man who Saved My Soul that I mentioned in my three book meme yesterday has a lovely pieced on Huffington Post this morning. Continue reading “Epitaph”
Putting your money where your mouth is..
Believe it or not the White House opposes pay raises for our troops. Yeah, these are the same clowns who equate supporting the President with supporting the troops. The White House has supported tax breaks for the wealthy, Continue reading “Putting your money where your mouth is..”
Baloney
Actually I’ve got a better word for it, but that is what comes to mind when I hear the main stream media justifying what we’re paying at the pump in the United States. In a segment on the one of the big media outlets yesterday prices paid by consumers were offered. In Saudi Arabia gasoline is selling for 91 cents a gallon Continue reading “Baloney”
Soldiers
Today I picked up the wrong lunch on my way out the door. I was on the road for my day job and I picked up a brown sack with what I thought contained two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Continue reading “Soldiers”