So my dear son managed to get himself suspended from school today for "inappropriate/agressive physical contact," third offense. I received the call around 1130am. They would keep him in custodial care (his special education classroom) until the end of the day today then he would be on Out-of-School suspension tomorrow. All of this with Fall Break coming up. Grand, eh?
So I come home early to be here to talk to him when he gets home (Celeste is down with bronchitis). Home he gets, and we have a very nice, calm, 45 minute talk. Just the facts, some alternative behavioral options, a little bit of come-to-Jesus. No tempers, no yelling, no lectures. A nice change of pace. I think I might be on to something here.
+PAX+
Showing posts with label Finding God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Finding God. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Day 3, Lect. 9 - Compassion and Solidarity
Compassion and solidarity
We are all called to contemplatives in action (ones who see then act with thoughtfulness and deliberation) in this world. We are co-creators of the Kingdom, with God, and with each other. We need community, compassion, and solidarity if we are to help this world.
What if we could give without counting the costs? What if we could see our neighbor suffering, and enter into their life with true love and compassion to help them. And sometimes it is not about "fixing" their problems, sometimes it is just about "being there" for them.
It is hard. If you live in a big city like I do, you tend to get overwhelmed by the shear number of homeless and destitute. And some not so much physically destitute as spiritually destitute. I live on the edge of a DMZ. I am in a quite little pocket of a neighborhood, but I am surrounded by... well, by ghetto. Everyday, I drive through "Cracktown", see the girls working the corner (or at least dressed as though they were), and the guys with their britches falling off, buying Swisher Sweets and magnums of Colt 45 malt liquor at 830 in the morning. Everyday, I see these people pulling out of their Section 8 supported apartments in their Cadillac Escalades, and their BMW's. I find it very difficult to not shut it all out. To try to see God at work in this environment. To think to myself, "What can I do to help these people? Do they even really need or want my help?"
We are called to give all of our love to God, Christ, Ourselves, and Our Neighbors. But Lord, it is hard. Sometimes I have to block it all out, lest I become overwhelmed with it. There are times that I would take on all of the pain of a complete stranger, so that they may experience the Love of God. But I know that is not always, or even often possible, so I feel I have to lock it down.
But I am just one man... Do you notice the overwhelming flood of compassion and support that comes to a community after a natural disaster or a tragedy? It is immense! But where is it in the quiet days in between? For the homeless, for the sick, for the mentally ill? No one man can fix it all, but as a community, can we come together in love and compassion, in solidarity, to fix what is broken in our communities, in our cities, in our country, in our world?
One must open oneself up to see the suffering, before one can be available to heal the suffering.
In the eyes of God, no one life is worth more than any other life.
We are all called to contemplatives in action (ones who see then act with thoughtfulness and deliberation) in this world. We are co-creators of the Kingdom, with God, and with each other. We need community, compassion, and solidarity if we are to help this world.
What if we could give without counting the costs? What if we could see our neighbor suffering, and enter into their life with true love and compassion to help them. And sometimes it is not about "fixing" their problems, sometimes it is just about "being there" for them.
It is hard. If you live in a big city like I do, you tend to get overwhelmed by the shear number of homeless and destitute. And some not so much physically destitute as spiritually destitute. I live on the edge of a DMZ. I am in a quite little pocket of a neighborhood, but I am surrounded by... well, by ghetto. Everyday, I drive through "Cracktown", see the girls working the corner (or at least dressed as though they were), and the guys with their britches falling off, buying Swisher Sweets and magnums of Colt 45 malt liquor at 830 in the morning. Everyday, I see these people pulling out of their Section 8 supported apartments in their Cadillac Escalades, and their BMW's. I find it very difficult to not shut it all out. To try to see God at work in this environment. To think to myself, "What can I do to help these people? Do they even really need or want my help?"
We are called to give all of our love to God, Christ, Ourselves, and Our Neighbors. But Lord, it is hard. Sometimes I have to block it all out, lest I become overwhelmed with it. There are times that I would take on all of the pain of a complete stranger, so that they may experience the Love of God. But I know that is not always, or even often possible, so I feel I have to lock it down.
But I am just one man... Do you notice the overwhelming flood of compassion and support that comes to a community after a natural disaster or a tragedy? It is immense! But where is it in the quiet days in between? For the homeless, for the sick, for the mentally ill? No one man can fix it all, but as a community, can we come together in love and compassion, in solidarity, to fix what is broken in our communities, in our cities, in our country, in our world?
One must open oneself up to see the suffering, before one can be available to heal the suffering.
In the eyes of God, no one life is worth more than any other life.
Day 3, Lect 8 - Passion
Readings: Jn 19:25-27 Mk 15:22-41 Lk 23:44-49 Phil 2:5-11
The conversion experience is a continuing process. It is continual and ever renewing. Each morning when I wake, I have to decide to pick up my cross and carry it, or I can decide to lay it down and walk away. Now, by this, I do not mean to imply that bearing my cross is always a bad thing. It is simply making the conscious decision to try to walk with God that day, to lay down and turn away from my sins, to bear my burdens, and to be continually thankful to God for all of the good things that I have, and thank Him for the lessons to be learned from the bad.
When Jesus was crucified, it was because he was a political and religious dissident. He was showing the people a new way to live, think, and love, and that threatened to turn the Hebrew and well as the Roman establishment on its ear. So they arrested him on more or less trumped up charges, beat him, humiliated him, tortured him, denigrated him, and ultimately executed him. And all the while he maintained his connection to God. All of these things that man could do to him would not, and could not break his connection to God; break his spirit. All of this he suffered without anger. Without thoughts of revenge. To the very end, even as his spirit left him, he showed compassion.
All of this suffering is us. We are the arrested, the tortured, the beaten, the denigrated, and humiliated, the sick, the damaged and broken, and even sometimes the executed. Every one of us experiences some of this in our lifetime. And He experienced it all for us all at once. Why?
So that He could be the very embodiment of compassion. He came here to experience being Human. What does it mean to be these things that I made? What do they do, how do they live, how do they love, laugh, suffer, cry, and even die? How I can I love them if I don't know them, and how can they love me if they don't know me? So He came to us, in the form of a human male, Yeshua bin Yoseph of Nazareth. He walked with us for 33 some odd years. Lived as we live, loved as we love, laughed, cried, suffered, and died, as we laugh, cry, suffer, and die. As we do. And as he did, the sought to show US the nature of God. A God of love, compassion, honesty, and integrity. A God that now understood what it meant to be human, and so that Humans could understand what it meant to be as God.
In the end , he suffered and died on the cross. But even as he did, he suffered and died in solidarity with and with compassion for all of mankind's suffering. And what happened? He overcame it. He rose. He became God again. This is our fate. This is our mission, our journey, our destination, our destiny. If only we will learn the lessons that He taught us, and walk in His footsteps, carry His/Our crosses, whatever they may be.
+BLESSINGS+
The conversion experience is a continuing process. It is continual and ever renewing. Each morning when I wake, I have to decide to pick up my cross and carry it, or I can decide to lay it down and walk away. Now, by this, I do not mean to imply that bearing my cross is always a bad thing. It is simply making the conscious decision to try to walk with God that day, to lay down and turn away from my sins, to bear my burdens, and to be continually thankful to God for all of the good things that I have, and thank Him for the lessons to be learned from the bad.
When Jesus was crucified, it was because he was a political and religious dissident. He was showing the people a new way to live, think, and love, and that threatened to turn the Hebrew and well as the Roman establishment on its ear. So they arrested him on more or less trumped up charges, beat him, humiliated him, tortured him, denigrated him, and ultimately executed him. And all the while he maintained his connection to God. All of these things that man could do to him would not, and could not break his connection to God; break his spirit. All of this he suffered without anger. Without thoughts of revenge. To the very end, even as his spirit left him, he showed compassion.
All of this suffering is us. We are the arrested, the tortured, the beaten, the denigrated, and humiliated, the sick, the damaged and broken, and even sometimes the executed. Every one of us experiences some of this in our lifetime. And He experienced it all for us all at once. Why?
So that He could be the very embodiment of compassion. He came here to experience being Human. What does it mean to be these things that I made? What do they do, how do they live, how do they love, laugh, suffer, cry, and even die? How I can I love them if I don't know them, and how can they love me if they don't know me? So He came to us, in the form of a human male, Yeshua bin Yoseph of Nazareth. He walked with us for 33 some odd years. Lived as we live, loved as we love, laughed, cried, suffered, and died, as we laugh, cry, suffer, and die. As we do. And as he did, the sought to show US the nature of God. A God of love, compassion, honesty, and integrity. A God that now understood what it meant to be human, and so that Humans could understand what it meant to be as God.
In the end , he suffered and died on the cross. But even as he did, he suffered and died in solidarity with and with compassion for all of mankind's suffering. And what happened? He overcame it. He rose. He became God again. This is our fate. This is our mission, our journey, our destination, our destiny. If only we will learn the lessons that He taught us, and walk in His footsteps, carry His/Our crosses, whatever they may be.
+BLESSINGS+
Day 3, Lect. 7 - Announcing the Kingdom
Day 3, Lect. 7 - Announcing the Kingdom
Readings: Mark 10:35-45 Luke 4:14-21 Matthew 25:31-46 Matthew 4:12-17
What is The Kingdom if not Heaven? It is the world of Christ. It is living in Christ. Living IN Christ IS living in the Kingdom.
As a retired military man, +Ignatius spoke of serving under the banner of Christ versus serving under the banner of the World.
Jesus brought us the Kingdom: Peace, love, justice, compassion, all of those things he showed us that we may know God, and may be as God, and be IN and OF the Kingdom of God.
The Messianic Age- When the Messiah comes, so will come peace. But WE have to be that peace! He cannot FORCE it upon us!
The word Shalom means peace in a very holistic way. Peace of mind, body, and soul. Much the same was that Agape means love, but means more than love.
The Kingdom is with in and around you:
Readings: Mark 10:35-45 Luke 4:14-21 Matthew 25:31-46 Matthew 4:12-17
What is The Kingdom if not Heaven? It is the world of Christ. It is living in Christ. Living IN Christ IS living in the Kingdom.
As a retired military man, +Ignatius spoke of serving under the banner of Christ versus serving under the banner of the World.
Jesus brought us the Kingdom: Peace, love, justice, compassion, all of those things he showed us that we may know God, and may be as God, and be IN and OF the Kingdom of God.
The Messianic Age- When the Messiah comes, so will come peace. But WE have to be that peace! He cannot FORCE it upon us!
The word Shalom means peace in a very holistic way. Peace of mind, body, and soul. Much the same was that Agape means love, but means more than love.
The Kingdom is with in and around you:
"The
Kingdom of God is inside you and all around you,
Not in a mansion of wood and stone.
Split a piece of wood and God is there,
Lift a stone and you will find God."
Not in a mansion of wood and stone.
Split a piece of wood and God is there,
Lift a stone and you will find God."
Jesus gave of the gift of the Kingdom. In 2000 years, we have not managed it very well.
It is time we took it back. One person at a time. One interaction at a time. One act of Love at a time.
As Babptized Christians, we are called to:
1. Follow Christ- that is "live in/as Christ"
2. Establish His Kingdom and continue it.
The Kingdom is all around us, and in us, but it begins in our hearts. It begins with Love.
The "Here/Not Yet" paradox: This is something that has never really occurred to me, and is worthy, I think, of some serious consideration. "Here/Not Yet." The Kingdom of God is Here! ...Don't get it? Not Yet. ... Christ gave us the Keys to the Kingdom, right here, right now, in our hearts, in our minds, in our spirits, in our relationships, in our communications, in our interactions with others, in our whole lives. He brought the keys to be given to everyone. But it is up to US to use the keys. To Open the Kingdom, to maintain the Kingdom. The Key is in CHRIST. In the CHRIST consciousness. In the "imitation of CHRIST." If we could all be more CHRIST-like, the world would be a much better place, so we ARE the Kingdom... or at least we should be.
Q: What does it mean to you that The Kingdom is here and now? What does this call you to?
I think these questions are fairly well summed up in the paragraph above.
It is time we took it back. One person at a time. One interaction at a time. One act of Love at a time.
As Babptized Christians, we are called to:
1. Follow Christ- that is "live in/as Christ"
2. Establish His Kingdom and continue it.
The Kingdom is all around us, and in us, but it begins in our hearts. It begins with Love.
The "Here/Not Yet" paradox: This is something that has never really occurred to me, and is worthy, I think, of some serious consideration. "Here/Not Yet." The Kingdom of God is Here! ...Don't get it? Not Yet. ... Christ gave us the Keys to the Kingdom, right here, right now, in our hearts, in our minds, in our spirits, in our relationships, in our communications, in our interactions with others, in our whole lives. He brought the keys to be given to everyone. But it is up to US to use the keys. To Open the Kingdom, to maintain the Kingdom. The Key is in CHRIST. In the CHRIST consciousness. In the "imitation of CHRIST." If we could all be more CHRIST-like, the world would be a much better place, so we ARE the Kingdom... or at least we should be.
Q: What does it mean to you that The Kingdom is here and now? What does this call you to?
I think these questions are fairly well summed up in the paragraph above.
Day 3 Lect. 6- Jesus: Beloved Brother and Sacrament of God
Here we turn to Jesus. Jesus as the God/Son of God, and Jesus as a Man who could be our friend, our confidant, our mentor, our guide, our brother.
If a sacrament is a sign of God, the Jesus is the sacrament of God. Jesus said "If you have seen me, then you have seen the Father." He tells us that He is the embodiment of God here on Earth, so that we may KNOW who God is.n reading the parables, the miracle stories, the healing stories, we may also know the nature of God. Read them and see who God is. Let yourself feel His love for you. Let yourself fall in love with Him.
We are all called to live in (to imitate is a common way of phrasing it) Christ, but what does that MEAN? Second century christian philosopher/saint St. Irenaeus said "The glory of God is the human being fully alive."
Most Christians profess that Jesus was both fully human (being born of Mary) and fully divine (being begotten of the Holy Spirit). What this means for us is that as God, he came to us to live like us, to experience joy and suffering like us, and to die like us. To be fully human... like us. But in doing so, he came to show us LOVE like Him! To show us that we may live with integrity, honesty, compassion, justice, and with LOVE! In doing so, may we find that it is to be fully alive in God.
This is what it means for us to live like Him. For us to imitate him. For us to be Christ's emissaries in this world. Jesus broke all social, religious, economic conventions to show us God. And that in being Human, we could be as God.
"I wish I could show you the astonishing light of your own being."
When we realize that God is in us, and in everyone else, and everything else, we start to be able to see God in everyone and everything. If we all treated each other as though the other were God, then the world would be a much better place.
On Love
"Nothing has the transformative power, can move even mountains, more than LOVE."
In Luke 7:36-, we are told that Jesus is confronted with a woman who is accused of being a sinner. But she comes to Jesus, even though Jesus is seated for dinner with the Pharisees, she comes with love. With a love so great, despite her sins that she prostrates herself before Jesus and washes His feet with her tears, and drys them with her hair. She recognizes the Grace of Jesus and moves towards Him. He recognizes her repentance, her metanioa, and forgives her, releases her of her sins.
Love is hard. It's hard to do all of the time. We are not God, even as we strive to emulate Him. We are fully human, but we have the spark of the divine within us, and we are called to kindle that spark and "set the world on fire" with it.
Q: How do you relate to Jesus? How does reflecting on His humanity challenge you/comfort you?
I know that this may sound silly, but the comic strip Coffee with Jesus has been very helpful in my relationship with Jesus. Up until a couple of nights ago, I has always had a real issue with trying to reconcile the whole Jesus/God/Son of God thing. The the other night, I was laying in bed praying, and I imagined Jesus sitting on the edge of the bed next to me. It was such a powerful feeling that I actually moved my legs out of the way to give him somewhere to sit. We talked. I confessed to some problems that I was having, he gave me advice. It was really quite remarkable. I wish I had written it all down at the time, but sleep came easier that night. Being able to relate to Jesus in a more human form than ***SON OF GOD*** opens the door to a whole new relationship.
If a sacrament is a sign of God, the Jesus is the sacrament of God. Jesus said "If you have seen me, then you have seen the Father." He tells us that He is the embodiment of God here on Earth, so that we may KNOW who God is.n reading the parables, the miracle stories, the healing stories, we may also know the nature of God. Read them and see who God is. Let yourself feel His love for you. Let yourself fall in love with Him.
We are all called to live in (to imitate is a common way of phrasing it) Christ, but what does that MEAN? Second century christian philosopher/saint St. Irenaeus said "The glory of God is the human being fully alive."
Most Christians profess that Jesus was both fully human (being born of Mary) and fully divine (being begotten of the Holy Spirit). What this means for us is that as God, he came to us to live like us, to experience joy and suffering like us, and to die like us. To be fully human... like us. But in doing so, he came to show us LOVE like Him! To show us that we may live with integrity, honesty, compassion, justice, and with LOVE! In doing so, may we find that it is to be fully alive in God.
This is what it means for us to live like Him. For us to imitate him. For us to be Christ's emissaries in this world. Jesus broke all social, religious, economic conventions to show us God. And that in being Human, we could be as God.
"I wish I could show you the astonishing light of your own being."
When we realize that God is in us, and in everyone else, and everything else, we start to be able to see God in everyone and everything. If we all treated each other as though the other were God, then the world would be a much better place.
On Love
"Nothing has the transformative power, can move even mountains, more than LOVE."
In Luke 7:36-, we are told that Jesus is confronted with a woman who is accused of being a sinner. But she comes to Jesus, even though Jesus is seated for dinner with the Pharisees, she comes with love. With a love so great, despite her sins that she prostrates herself before Jesus and washes His feet with her tears, and drys them with her hair. She recognizes the Grace of Jesus and moves towards Him. He recognizes her repentance, her metanioa, and forgives her, releases her of her sins.
Love is hard. It's hard to do all of the time. We are not God, even as we strive to emulate Him. We are fully human, but we have the spark of the divine within us, and we are called to kindle that spark and "set the world on fire" with it.
Q: How do you relate to Jesus? How does reflecting on His humanity challenge you/comfort you?
I know that this may sound silly, but the comic strip Coffee with Jesus has been very helpful in my relationship with Jesus. Up until a couple of nights ago, I has always had a real issue with trying to reconcile the whole Jesus/God/Son of God thing. The the other night, I was laying in bed praying, and I imagined Jesus sitting on the edge of the bed next to me. It was such a powerful feeling that I actually moved my legs out of the way to give him somewhere to sit. We talked. I confessed to some problems that I was having, he gave me advice. It was really quite remarkable. I wish I had written it all down at the time, but sleep came easier that night. Being able to relate to Jesus in a more human form than ***SON OF GOD*** opens the door to a whole new relationship.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Session with a Spiritual Director
with Fr. Edward, S.J.
Talked about my family history, my relationship with my mom and with Dave. We talked about mine and mom's mental and emotional issues, and the hardships that we went through.
We talked extensively about my temper, and the things I might do to manage it including; working with the kids. Finding ways that they can help me. Working with Celeste. Making her the referee. If she calls a HOLD then it's a HOLD. Talked a little bit about prayer. To my children I am to be Father, Priest, and King.
We spoke of +RAPHAEL+ and my experiences with Him. That was difficult for me, and Edward chided me a bit for my concern over confiding to a priest. He recommended me to read Ezk 1-2.
We talked a bit about vocation and my call towards priesthood. Obviously the Jesuits are out of the question. He advised me to follow the idea that man was created to Praise, Reverence, and Serve the Lord. That is first. The consider what work will help me on towards that.
All in all it was a very helpful meeting, and I am thankful to God for it.
+PAX+
Talked about my family history, my relationship with my mom and with Dave. We talked about mine and mom's mental and emotional issues, and the hardships that we went through.
We talked extensively about my temper, and the things I might do to manage it including; working with the kids. Finding ways that they can help me. Working with Celeste. Making her the referee. If she calls a HOLD then it's a HOLD. Talked a little bit about prayer. To my children I am to be Father, Priest, and King.
We spoke of +RAPHAEL+ and my experiences with Him. That was difficult for me, and Edward chided me a bit for my concern over confiding to a priest. He recommended me to read Ezk 1-2.
We talked a bit about vocation and my call towards priesthood. Obviously the Jesuits are out of the question. He advised me to follow the idea that man was created to Praise, Reverence, and Serve the Lord. That is first. The consider what work will help me on towards that.
All in all it was a very helpful meeting, and I am thankful to God for it.
+PAX+
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Wherever you find Him
Every day, a boy went wandering in the woods near his home. After a while, his father grew concerned about whether it was safe for him to be out there so much. One day, the father asked; "What are you doing out in those woods, son?" And his son replied, "That's where I go to look for God." The father thought for a moment and said "Why in those woods, son? God is the same wherever you find him." But the boy looked at his father and said, "I know dad... but I'm not."
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