“Every one of us is a mystic. We may or may not realize it, we may not even like it. But whether we know it or not, whether we accept it or not, mystical experience is always there, inviting us on a journey of ultimate discovery. We have been given the gift of life in this perplexing world to become who we ultimately are: creatures of boundless love, caring compassion, and wisdom. Existence is a summons to the eternal journey of the sage – the sage we all are, if only we could see.”
—Brother Wayne Teasdale, The Mystic Heart
Blessed is the man
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers. Continue reading “Blessed is the man”
The quiet place
One of the regular readers of this blog is a lovely and thoughtful writer whom I met through my old blog Continue reading “The quiet place”
Eloquence
True words aren’t eloquent;
eloquent words aren’t true.
Wise men don’t need to prove their point;
men who need to prove their point aren’t wise.
Yesterday as I was in one of the bookstores I visited I read this from the Tao te Ching. I’m always impressed by the wisdom of the Tao. One of the best books I read in the last five years is the Tao of Pooh. I recommend reading it.
A Separate Reality
Thirty-five years ago I read a book, Separate Reality by Carlos Castaneda. It was part of a freshman anthropology course I was taking at Oswego State College. Continue reading “A Separate Reality”
Praying
This came by way of Sojo Mail.
Prayer leads you to see new paths and to hear new melodies in the air. Prayer is the breath of your life which gives you freedom to go and stay where you wish and to find the many signs which point out the way to a new land,. Praying is not simply some necessary compartment in the daily schedule of a Christian or a source of support in time of need, nor is it restricted to Sunday morning or a as a frame to surround mealtimes. Praying is living.
– Henri J.M. Nouwen–from “With Open Hands”
Did not our hearts burn within us?
I spent my evening tonight as the guest of the Friars at Mt. Irenaeus. I was invited there along with nearly two dozen other folks. The group was decidedly Franciscan. Continue reading “Did not our hearts burn within us?”
Chance Encounter
Today I took delivery on a new car. It’s Marian blue. Chrysler calls it Marine Blue. They have their description and I have mine. New cars are scary. Continue reading “Chance Encounter”
Who would you include?
Last night one of the postulants, Br. Antonio Cornier, of Holy Name Province was called on to recite the Litany of the Saints at our Easter Vigil service. What followed was both ordinary and extraordinary. Interspersed among the normal names of the saints were the names of Dorothy Day, Dr. Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi. I thought it was a fitting addition and was grateful to be reminded of their place in our service. Whose names would you include in the Litany of the Saints?
Holy Fire
Last night I drove to Mt. Irenaeus in the dark and cold of a spring snowstorm. I didn’t really know what to expect. How would the friars celebrate the Vigil tonight amidst all the snow and cold. Continue reading “Holy Fire”