| The Invitation It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing. It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love for your dream for the adventure of being alive. It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon... I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain mine or your own without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy mine or your own if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful to be realistic to remember the limitations of being human. It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure yours and mine and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes.” It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children. It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back. It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. |
Saturday, December 27, 2008
New Year's Reflection
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas - all year long!
The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
~by Howard Thurman
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
~by Howard Thurman
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas Message of Jerusalem's Church Leaders
"We must think even more Carefully and deeply about Jesus."
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Greetings from Jerusalem!
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas there seems to be even more, darkness, conflict and despair in the world around us. That means for us, as Christians, we must think even more carefully and deeply about Jesus -- the baby born in Bethlehem's stable.
Many people are afraid of the dark whether it be the absence of light around them or fear of the unknown in their personal lives or the world at large.
Despite all this we need to think and mediate about Jesus:
"A light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower." (John 1:5)
St John's Gospel goes on to remind us of the facts of Jesus' birth:
"That he was born into a world which did not recognize him and a people that did not receive him." (John 1:10-11)
So, as we approach another Christmas we must show the world around us that Jesus is a light in the dark which never goes out, a burning light which takes the terror from the night and moreover, a light on which we should fix our eyes not least when the clouds appear to be
gathering around us.
Just as the baby in the stable is the focal point of our Christmas celebrations, so we must affirm and witness to the fact that Jesus is the light which shines out from our perosnal nad corporate lives at all times.
Again and again we need to ask ourselves "What would Jesus do, what would Jesus say". Then, our thoughts and ideas of his actions and words must be translated into the daily life of our community -- particularly in this Holy Land.
Similarly, we have to convince the world's political leaders that the true peace will only come on earth when we seek God's will for his people...not least through the words and actions of Jesus. Nor must we belittle the fact, affirmed in St. John's Gospel, that to all who accept Jesus, He gives power to become the Children of God.
This means we must stand alongside all who suffer around us -- the hungry, the homeless, the unemployed and the bereaved since Jesus tells us that when we help others we are doing it to Him as thought He were suffering for them.
To stand alongside also involves us in action. We need the lightof Christ to shine on this Land to enable us to work more realistically for a two state solution which would end the burden of restrictions arising out of Occupation.
So we pray for the president-elect of the United States that he and other world leaders may see the urgent need for peace in the Middle East and not least in this Land.
We need also to see the situation in which many are suffering in Gaza in the light of Christ and make a determined effort to bring them urgent relief.
Moreover, we must never forget our duty to point our children and young people to the light of
Christ assuring them that, through Jesus we all have hope for a better world.
Then we would greet our Sisters and Brothers across the world -- not least the thousands who have visited this Holy Land recently. It is important to recall that you are walking in the footsteps of Jesus and when you pause to see the plight of many of your fellow Christians that you respond as you believe He would.
We are conscious of all who suffer across the wolrd but for all we believe the only way forward is to see people and situations in "The light of Christ."
Be assured of our good wishes and prayers for all of you as Christmas approaches and may God's blessing be on your homes and families.
"Walk in the light and the light will illumine your path,
Walk in the truth and the truth will set you free,
Walk in the way of peace and you will have, through Christ,
The peace which passes understanding."
Jerusalem December 2008
Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem
(Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Franciscan Custos of the H0ly Land,
Coptic Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Maronite Church, Greek Melkite, Anglican, Lutheran, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic)
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Greetings from Jerusalem!
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas there seems to be even more, darkness, conflict and despair in the world around us. That means for us, as Christians, we must think even more carefully and deeply about Jesus -- the baby born in Bethlehem's stable.
Many people are afraid of the dark whether it be the absence of light around them or fear of the unknown in their personal lives or the world at large.
Despite all this we need to think and mediate about Jesus:
"A light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower." (John 1:5)
St John's Gospel goes on to remind us of the facts of Jesus' birth:
"That he was born into a world which did not recognize him and a people that did not receive him." (John 1:10-11)
So, as we approach another Christmas we must show the world around us that Jesus is a light in the dark which never goes out, a burning light which takes the terror from the night and moreover, a light on which we should fix our eyes not least when the clouds appear to be
gathering around us.
Just as the baby in the stable is the focal point of our Christmas celebrations, so we must affirm and witness to the fact that Jesus is the light which shines out from our perosnal nad corporate lives at all times.
Again and again we need to ask ourselves "What would Jesus do, what would Jesus say". Then, our thoughts and ideas of his actions and words must be translated into the daily life of our community -- particularly in this Holy Land.
Similarly, we have to convince the world's political leaders that the true peace will only come on earth when we seek God's will for his people...not least through the words and actions of Jesus. Nor must we belittle the fact, affirmed in St. John's Gospel, that to all who accept Jesus, He gives power to become the Children of God.
This means we must stand alongside all who suffer around us -- the hungry, the homeless, the unemployed and the bereaved since Jesus tells us that when we help others we are doing it to Him as thought He were suffering for them.
To stand alongside also involves us in action. We need the lightof Christ to shine on this Land to enable us to work more realistically for a two state solution which would end the burden of restrictions arising out of Occupation.
So we pray for the president-elect of the United States that he and other world leaders may see the urgent need for peace in the Middle East and not least in this Land.
We need also to see the situation in which many are suffering in Gaza in the light of Christ and make a determined effort to bring them urgent relief.
Moreover, we must never forget our duty to point our children and young people to the light of
Christ assuring them that, through Jesus we all have hope for a better world.
Then we would greet our Sisters and Brothers across the world -- not least the thousands who have visited this Holy Land recently. It is important to recall that you are walking in the footsteps of Jesus and when you pause to see the plight of many of your fellow Christians that you respond as you believe He would.
We are conscious of all who suffer across the wolrd but for all we believe the only way forward is to see people and situations in "The light of Christ."
Be assured of our good wishes and prayers for all of you as Christmas approaches and may God's blessing be on your homes and families.
"Walk in the light and the light will illumine your path,
Walk in the truth and the truth will set you free,
Walk in the way of peace and you will have, through Christ,
The peace which passes understanding."
Jerusalem December 2008
Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem
(Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Franciscan Custos of the H0ly Land,
Coptic Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Maronite Church, Greek Melkite, Anglican, Lutheran, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic)
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Fragility of Life: My first TIA
Last night at my sister's in Chicago Heights, I felt numbness in my face, arm, and leg - all on the right side. I thought it might be a pinched nerve, so I went to my chiropractor this afternoon. After telling Dr. Zrelak my symptoms, he said that I need to phone my primary Doctor. In ten minutes I was in Dr. J. Kopin's office at 11 South Clark in the Loop. After two hours of tests, questions, EKG, etc., it seems that I may had experienced/suffered a TIA. So tomorrow, Dec. 18, I will have an MRI, MAI, and and Echogram of my heart. Nine tubes of my blood was drawn by the lab today. Results......?
What an awakening to the fragility of my life! I will be 68 years old on January 30. The old grey stallion ain't what he used to be. I am concerned, worried,......grateful, feel so blessed too.
Too blessed to be stressed! And yet..... Prayers, please. How is your health? Seen your doctor lately? Peace and Everything Good!
What an awakening to the fragility of my life! I will be 68 years old on January 30. The old grey stallion ain't what he used to be. I am concerned, worried,......grateful, feel so blessed too.
Too blessed to be stressed! And yet..... Prayers, please. How is your health? Seen your doctor lately? Peace and Everything Good!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Holy Land Pilgrimage: Dec. 1-9 2008
For the last ten days, I have been a pilgrim with thirty-three others, in the Holy Land. This was my twenty-seventh pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine. What a transforming, up-lifting, healing experience each time.
We stayed in two hotels – at En Gev on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee in the north and at the Knights’ Palace in the Old City in Jerusalem – this hotel is owned by the Archdiocese (Patriarchy) of Jerusalem and a short walk from St Savior’s the Franciscan headquarters for the Custody of the Holy Land. Our 12 hour flight from Chicago through Madrid on Iberia Airlines was followed by a two hour bus ride from the coast of the Mediterranean through the Jezreal Valley past Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee.
Our first three days were spent visiting the sights of Galilee and Upper Galilee – beginning with an hour boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (the only fresh water lake in Israel – eight miles by ten miles), to Cana where the married couples renewed their marriage vows, to Nazareth where we celebrated mass at the grotto of the Annunciation, to Mt Tabor where we celebrated Mass
in the Franciscan church of the Transfiguration – from there we could see Nazareth, the Valley of Armageddon/Jezrael from the Jordan to the Mediterranean.
We drove the Golan Heights and Hula Valley in the north, surrounded by Lebanon on the left and Syria on the right to Caeserea Phillippi where in the front of the great shrine to gods of the Canaanites, Greek, Roman, especially the god Pan, Jesus asked the disciples: “Whom do you say I am?” And with Peter we proclaimed our faith that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. At the southern end of the Sea of Galilee/Lake Gennesaret, where the Lake overflows into the Jordan river, we stood in those flowing Jordan waters and renewed our Baptismal Vows – again, as if for the first time.
The next day was spent traveling to Jerusalem – ninety-miles south in the Judean hill country. On the way we drove to the top of Mt Carmel and to the seashore at Caesarea Maritima where St. Peter preached for the first time to a Gentiles in Cornelius’ home – Acts of the Apostles 10. From sea level, we went “up” to Jerusalem, 2400 feet in altitude, singing the Pilgrim Psalms, “I rejoiced when I heard them say, Let us go to the House of the Lord!” The last four days of our pilgrimage was spent visiting and celebrating mass in the Cenacle (Last Supper, Easter, Pentecost), in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the top of Calvary in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, and we celebrated Christmas Mass in Bethlehem. At all of these Franciscan churches, the mass each day is the mass that remembers the particular Gospel event, no matter what feast or season of the church year it actually is. So for the first time in my life, I did not celebrate the Mass of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. Instead, we celebrated mass at Gethsemane where the liturgy is a special mass remembering Jesus in his agony after the last supper. We did end the mass by singing “Immaculate Mary” and praying for the USA.
One day was spent going “down” from Jerusalem to Jericho, from 2400 feet above sea level to 1400 feet below sea level to the lowest spot on the face of the earth – Jericho and the Dead Sea. There we walked through the ruins of the Essenes’ community where the Dead Sea Scrolls where discovered by a shepherd boy in 1947 and a visit to the mountain escape of King Herod, Masada. Whether we were walking down the Mount Olives on the path of Palm Sunday or walking through the streets of Jerusalem carrying a large cross praying the Stations of the Cross, or at the Pater Noster (Our Father) Church or visiting Shepherds Field outside of Bethlehem, we sang and prayed, shared faith and remembered all of our loved ones and those in need around the world. We laughed a lot and enjoyed delicious food and as our guide often said – “Shopping and Bathroom, Shopping and Bathroom.”
We were and will continue to be blessed by our ten days together – thirty-four persons from Chicago area, St Louis, and Kansas City MO who became a caring, life and faith-sharing community of believers. The Word of God has become ever more a living source of faith and healing, of strength and love.
Fr. Bill Burton OFM (www.biblicist.net) with whom I live in Chicago and I lead the pilgrims in prayer and reflection. Fr. Bill is a Biblicist, a friar who has a doctorate in Biblical Studies from the Biblicum in Rome. His teachings throughout the day added greatly to the pilgrimage.
I prayed for you all each day as we celebrated Mass. I would love to lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for SFO’s. There we could reflect on the Rule of Life in the places where Jesus lived, taught, healed, died and rose. Inshallah! God willing! Since c. 1380, we Franciscans have been mandated by the Vatican to care for the Shrines and Churches, for Palestinian Christians and Pilgrims. Over 200 Franciscan Friars from around the world serve in the Custody of the Holy Land.
Happy Advent-ing! As the days become shorter and the nights become longer, let us place our fears and darkness before the Lord of Light.
We stayed in two hotels – at En Gev on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee in the north and at the Knights’ Palace in the Old City in Jerusalem – this hotel is owned by the Archdiocese (Patriarchy) of Jerusalem and a short walk from St Savior’s the Franciscan headquarters for the Custody of the Holy Land. Our 12 hour flight from Chicago through Madrid on Iberia Airlines was followed by a two hour bus ride from the coast of the Mediterranean through the Jezreal Valley past Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee.
Our first three days were spent visiting the sights of Galilee and Upper Galilee – beginning with an hour boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (the only fresh water lake in Israel – eight miles by ten miles), to Cana where the married couples renewed their marriage vows, to Nazareth where we celebrated mass at the grotto of the Annunciation, to Mt Tabor where we celebrated Mass
in the Franciscan church of the Transfiguration – from there we could see Nazareth, the Valley of Armageddon/Jezrael from the Jordan to the Mediterranean.
We drove the Golan Heights and Hula Valley in the north, surrounded by Lebanon on the left and Syria on the right to Caeserea Phillippi where in the front of the great shrine to gods of the Canaanites, Greek, Roman, especially the god Pan, Jesus asked the disciples: “Whom do you say I am?” And with Peter we proclaimed our faith that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. At the southern end of the Sea of Galilee/Lake Gennesaret, where the Lake overflows into the Jordan river, we stood in those flowing Jordan waters and renewed our Baptismal Vows – again, as if for the first time.
The next day was spent traveling to Jerusalem – ninety-miles south in the Judean hill country. On the way we drove to the top of Mt Carmel and to the seashore at Caesarea Maritima where St. Peter preached for the first time to a Gentiles in Cornelius’ home – Acts of the Apostles 10. From sea level, we went “up” to Jerusalem, 2400 feet in altitude, singing the Pilgrim Psalms, “I rejoiced when I heard them say, Let us go to the House of the Lord!” The last four days of our pilgrimage was spent visiting and celebrating mass in the Cenacle (Last Supper, Easter, Pentecost), in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the top of Calvary in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, and we celebrated Christmas Mass in Bethlehem. At all of these Franciscan churches, the mass each day is the mass that remembers the particular Gospel event, no matter what feast or season of the church year it actually is. So for the first time in my life, I did not celebrate the Mass of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. Instead, we celebrated mass at Gethsemane where the liturgy is a special mass remembering Jesus in his agony after the last supper. We did end the mass by singing “Immaculate Mary” and praying for the USA.
One day was spent going “down” from Jerusalem to Jericho, from 2400 feet above sea level to 1400 feet below sea level to the lowest spot on the face of the earth – Jericho and the Dead Sea. There we walked through the ruins of the Essenes’ community where the Dead Sea Scrolls where discovered by a shepherd boy in 1947 and a visit to the mountain escape of King Herod, Masada. Whether we were walking down the Mount Olives on the path of Palm Sunday or walking through the streets of Jerusalem carrying a large cross praying the Stations of the Cross, or at the Pater Noster (Our Father) Church or visiting Shepherds Field outside of Bethlehem, we sang and prayed, shared faith and remembered all of our loved ones and those in need around the world. We laughed a lot and enjoyed delicious food and as our guide often said – “Shopping and Bathroom, Shopping and Bathroom.”
We were and will continue to be blessed by our ten days together – thirty-four persons from Chicago area, St Louis, and Kansas City MO who became a caring, life and faith-sharing community of believers. The Word of God has become ever more a living source of faith and healing, of strength and love.
Fr. Bill Burton OFM (www.biblicist.net) with whom I live in Chicago and I lead the pilgrims in prayer and reflection. Fr. Bill is a Biblicist, a friar who has a doctorate in Biblical Studies from the Biblicum in Rome. His teachings throughout the day added greatly to the pilgrimage.
I prayed for you all each day as we celebrated Mass. I would love to lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for SFO’s. There we could reflect on the Rule of Life in the places where Jesus lived, taught, healed, died and rose. Inshallah! God willing! Since c. 1380, we Franciscans have been mandated by the Vatican to care for the Shrines and Churches, for Palestinian Christians and Pilgrims. Over 200 Franciscan Friars from around the world serve in the Custody of the Holy Land.
Happy Advent-ing! As the days become shorter and the nights become longer, let us place our fears and darkness before the Lord of Light.
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