I am visiting friends in Kansas City MO this week. A magazine in the home of my friends is entitled "Shambhala Sun: Buddhism, Culture, Meditation Life." Thich Nhat Hanh is pictured on the cover - and rightfully so. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, scholar, and human rights activist. In 1967, he was nominated by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize. he is author of more than sixty books, including Being Peace, Calming the Fearful Mind, Blooming of a Lotus, Moment of Mindfulness and Touching the Earth. he lives at Plum Village, his meditation center in France, and travels world wide leading retreats on the art of mindful living.
An article in this monthly magazine "Shambhala Sun", begins with these words:
"Waking Up to your world: Throughout your day you can pause, take a break from your usual thoughts, and wake up to the magic and vastness of the world around you. this easy and spacious type of mindfulness practice is the most important thing we can do with our lives."
This reminds of the Center for Exceptional Living where I went for therapy 15 years ago. All was about living consciously, to be conscious every moment of what one is doing and especially why, the reasons behind one's actions. Those two years of therapy were a great gift to me and influenced greatly my Franciscan community living and my preaching. God's truth and love are available for all of us in so many places, cultures, religions, people. Thanks be to God!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
The Word of God Synod in Rome
On October 24, 2008, the c. 245 Bishops issued their final Message of the Word of God Synod.
This was the 12th Synod of Bishops of the World called by the Popes since Vatican II. The Synod is an ongoing way for the Pope to hear the voices of God's people through their Bishops. The Synod is a formal setting in Rome for usually four weeks - the 245 Bishops, 45 experts in the topic to be discussed, other religious leaders of various faiths. During this Synod, the Catholic Bishops heard from a Rabbi from Israel and from Bartholomeo I, Patricarch of the Ortodox Church in Istanbul -truly major breakthroughs on Inter-Faith dialog.
The Topic was The Word of God. In the ten page Final Message of Word of God Synod, we find so beautifully written, a contemporary, challenging and inviting message to read and reflect daily on the Word of God. The Bishops propose a spritual journey consisting of four phases that will carry us from all eternity and the infinite nature of God to our homes and the streets of our cities.
1) The Voice of the Word: The Revelation (Creation, Humanity, History)
2) The Face of the Word: Jesus Christ(The Word was made Flesh-the heart of Chrsitian Faith)
3) The House of the Word: The Church (Preaching, Breading of Bread, Prayer, Christian Love)
4) The Roads of the Word: Mission (Communication in all ways: Internet, Blogs, TV, Movies...)
For more, Google: Word of God Synod or www.zenit.org/article-24043?1=english
This was the 12th Synod of Bishops of the World called by the Popes since Vatican II. The Synod is an ongoing way for the Pope to hear the voices of God's people through their Bishops. The Synod is a formal setting in Rome for usually four weeks - the 245 Bishops, 45 experts in the topic to be discussed, other religious leaders of various faiths. During this Synod, the Catholic Bishops heard from a Rabbi from Israel and from Bartholomeo I, Patricarch of the Ortodox Church in Istanbul -truly major breakthroughs on Inter-Faith dialog.
The Topic was The Word of God. In the ten page Final Message of Word of God Synod, we find so beautifully written, a contemporary, challenging and inviting message to read and reflect daily on the Word of God. The Bishops propose a spritual journey consisting of four phases that will carry us from all eternity and the infinite nature of God to our homes and the streets of our cities.
1) The Voice of the Word: The Revelation (Creation, Humanity, History)
2) The Face of the Word: Jesus Christ(The Word was made Flesh-the heart of Chrsitian Faith)
3) The House of the Word: The Church (Preaching, Breading of Bread, Prayer, Christian Love)
4) The Roads of the Word: Mission (Communication in all ways: Internet, Blogs, TV, Movies...)
For more, Google: Word of God Synod or www.zenit.org/article-24043?1=english
Pilgrimage for the Year of St Paul
On June 28, 2008, Pope Benedict declared this year until June 29, 2009 (Feast of Sts Peter and Paul) to be the Year of St Paul, remembering the year of Paul's birth. Fr. Bill Burton OFM (www.biblicist.net) and I will lead a group of pilgrims in the Footsteps of St Paul, in Turkey and Greece. We will visit Ephesus, Izmir, Pergamum, Canakkale, Kavala, Phillippi, Thessaloniki, Monastery of Meteroa, Kalambaka, Athens, Corinth, Istanbul. Fr. Bill is a renowned Scripture scholar and teacher, a preacher on all things Biblical. His seven years in Rome earned him a high degree in Biblical Studies, not to forget his Irish wit and humor. For further information call
AMI Travel at 773-777-4900.
The Turkey Greece flyer is also online: www.amitravel.com/sitePage.aspx?pageID=336
Any suggestions for what to see and not miss on this pilgrimage?
Have you visited Turkey and/or Greece? Why? What did you bring home from that trip?
AMI Travel at 773-777-4900.
The Turkey Greece flyer is also online: www.amitravel.com/sitePage.aspx?pageID=336
Any suggestions for what to see and not miss on this pilgrimage?
Have you visited Turkey and/or Greece? Why? What did you bring home from that trip?
Going to the Holy Land - Israel and Palestine
On November 30,2008, Fr. Bill Burton OFM (www.biblicist.net) and I are leading a group to the Holy Land. This will be my 27 pilgrimage to the land of Abraham and Sarah, of Jesus, of Mary and Joseph, of Apostles, Saints, Martyrs, and believers in Christ for 2000 years.
Have you ever visited Israel and Palestine, Jordan or Egypt? How has that experience impacted or influenced your life? Join the conversation. Let's hear from you about your experience.
Have you ever visited Israel and Palestine, Jordan or Egypt? How has that experience impacted or influenced your life? Join the conversation. Let's hear from you about your experience.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Word of God: Care for the Alien/Immigrant & Poor
Peace and Everything Good to you and your loved ones!
I am working on my homily for this coming Sunday - October 26. I will be preaching at the Motherhouse of the Franciscans Sisters in Wheaton IL. The first of the three Scripture passages that the Sisters will hear is the same that all Catholics throughout the world will hear - from the Book of Exodus Chapter 22: 20-26. This is one of the major laws, rules, commands of the Lord God to care for the alien, the widow, the orphan, and poor neighbors ("lend money to the poor without demanding interest" and return a poor neighbor's cloak before sunset).
How does this direct, practical, concrete Word of God effect our dealings with immigrants and the poor? God's protection of the poor is the frequent testimony of the psalms. In this Exodus Reading, we read that the administration of God's protection of Israel's resident aliens, widows, orphans, and poor has been entrusted to the people itself. The people - that is us today, of course - must vigilantly protect them and punish whoever harms them. If it would remain faithful to God, Israel cannot tolerate the oppression of its most vulnerable. And the same goes for us - we cannot tolerate the oppression of immigrants and of the poor.
St John Chrysostom writes: "Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs." There's a challenge! There's the rub! There's the invitation to conversion and freedom.
We Franciscans of the Sacred Heart Province sponsor and founded the Franciscan Outreach with its two locations: Franciscan House of Mary and Joseph - a shelter with 250 beds, and Marquard Center - a food kitchen that serves 250 meals each day and offers laundry service and showers to the homeless. Check out this one way to care for the alien and poor: www.franoutreach.org.
What can we do to make God's Word real and visible in our world today?
I am working on my homily for this coming Sunday - October 26. I will be preaching at the Motherhouse of the Franciscans Sisters in Wheaton IL. The first of the three Scripture passages that the Sisters will hear is the same that all Catholics throughout the world will hear - from the Book of Exodus Chapter 22: 20-26. This is one of the major laws, rules, commands of the Lord God to care for the alien, the widow, the orphan, and poor neighbors ("lend money to the poor without demanding interest" and return a poor neighbor's cloak before sunset).
How does this direct, practical, concrete Word of God effect our dealings with immigrants and the poor? God's protection of the poor is the frequent testimony of the psalms. In this Exodus Reading, we read that the administration of God's protection of Israel's resident aliens, widows, orphans, and poor has been entrusted to the people itself. The people - that is us today, of course - must vigilantly protect them and punish whoever harms them. If it would remain faithful to God, Israel cannot tolerate the oppression of its most vulnerable. And the same goes for us - we cannot tolerate the oppression of immigrants and of the poor.
St John Chrysostom writes: "Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs." There's a challenge! There's the rub! There's the invitation to conversion and freedom.
We Franciscans of the Sacred Heart Province sponsor and founded the Franciscan Outreach with its two locations: Franciscan House of Mary and Joseph - a shelter with 250 beds, and Marquard Center - a food kitchen that serves 250 meals each day and offers laundry service and showers to the homeless. Check out this one way to care for the alien and poor: www.franoutreach.org.
What can we do to make God's Word real and visible in our world today?
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