Inspired by Ecclesiastes,Your Last Year

If this was your last year on earth,how important would it be to:

Get that new car,

Buy a bigger house,

Take that exotic vacation,

Sacrifice for that high paying job?

If this was your last year on earth,would you still:

Worry about every little thing,

Ignore the beauty of God's creation,

Hold that grudge against a certain relative,

Spend more time with your career than with your spouse?

Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one,in an instant it can all be gone.

If you say you would do things differently,

Then why aren't you living, like it's your last year on earth?

A Prayer for Peace

Almighty and merciful God,Father of all,Creator and Ruler of the Universe,Lord of History,whose designs are inscrutable,whose glory is without blemish,whose compassion for the errors of men is inexhaustible,in your will is our peace.

Help us to be masters of the weapons that threaten to master us.

Help us to use our science for peace and plenty,not for war and destruction.

Show us how to use our power to bless our children's children,not to blight them.

Grant us to seek peace where it is truly found!

In your will,O God,is our peace!

(from A Book of Hours by Thomas Merton).

A Blessed Discipline

"Discipline is not effective unless it is systematic,for the lack of a system usually betrays a lack of purpose.Good habits are only developed by repeated acts."

"If we are not strict with ourselves,our own flesh will soon betray us."(from No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton).

A frequent complaint from people who attend a place of worship is that they get "nothing" from their faith.This statement usually means they don't feel anything mentally,emotionally or spiritually from their attending.The logical response to this should be,what have you been doing to nurture your faith?Yet another,do you really think that by simply attending church once or twice a week you will obtain spiritual fulfillment? Attending a place of worship is not enough to nurture and experience a real personal relationship with Jesus.That relationship is what the Christian faith is all about.

Prayer,and the reading of scripture, are the key ingredients to achieving a vibrant faith.God speaks to us through His Word,The Holy Bible.Prayer is our way of communicating with Him on so many levels.The introductory quotes by Thomas Merton offer great insight into what a spiritual seeker needs to do.He says; "a lack of a system or discipline in our spiritual life displays a probable lack of purpose." You could probably replace the word purpose with desire.Scripture repeatedly confirms this thought with statements like(paraphrased),you reap what you sow,you don't receive because you don't ask.

The fact of the matter is,is that you get out of something, what you put into it.

All of us need to set aside a regular appointed time each day for what is often called devotional practice.This should be at least as important to us as the time we spend working,in leisure activities and in being with our family.An interesting thing happens when you make a concerted effort to discipline yourself by setting a specific time for prayer and scripture reading.What at first may seem to be an effort or inconvenience,becomes something that you look forward to.In this practice, you will find that you not only draw closer to Our Lord,but each day you will be given the insight and strength to face an increasingly challenging and chaotic world.

Don't Be Confused

There are two common reasons why people say they "don't believe" or can't accept any type of Christian faith.One, is that they will invariably cite indiscretions committed by clergy such as sexual immorality,greed,arrogance,hypocrisy,exploitation of people,etc.

Another explanation,is that there have been wars and conflicts throughout history that have been initiated in the name of a particular faith. Now no one can deny that terrible things have been done in the name of religion or by religious people.But, there is a flaw in this rationale for rejecting a belief system, and that is,you can't confuse what's been done in the name of religion with having faith.Man,in his sinful,selfish human nature, will from time to time do things in an attempt to get what he desires.

Sadly,this has been done throughout time under the guise of religion.At the heart of the Christian faith is the belief in what Jesus' sacrifice was and what it meant,it also means having a personal relationship with Him.This relationship is given by His grace to those who earnestly desire and seek it. A far too common error occurs when people look to a man or a particular denomination to do it for them.Being a member of a certain church or following some earthly man is not going to guarantee you eternal life.All men and churches are flawed to one degree or another.When you put all your "faith" in them, you may very well end up being led astray and profoundly disillusioned.We must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

The Road to Union With God

"The road to union with God is not a one-way street ending solely with God; on the return journey it leads back to one's neighbor,the stranger,one's enemy,and toward all creation.He who unites himself to God undertakes to consider how he should unite himself to all and takes no rest until that union has been accomplished.This road that leads to God and from Him is found within man."(from The Communion of Love by Matthew the Poor).Engaged Christianity is about the person who proclaims that he has a relationship with Jesus and shows this is so by the way he lives,talks and treats other people.By their fruit you will know them.

Just For Today

Lord,for tomorrow and its needs,I do not pray;

Keep me,my God,from stain of sin just for today.

Let me both diligently work,and duly pray.

Let me be kind in word and deed,just for today.

Let me be slow to do my will,prompt to obey;

Help me to sacrifice myself just for today.

And if today my tide of life should ebb away,

Give me thy blessings divine,sweet Lord today,

So for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray,

But keep me,guide me,love me,Lord,just for today.

(from the Traditional St Augustine's Prayer Book).

Ecology for the Enviroment and Mind

"Our ecology should be a deep ecology,but universal.There is pollution in our consciousness.Television,films,and newspapers are forms of pollution for us and our children.They sow seeds of violence and anxiety in us and pollute our consciousness,just as we destroy our enviroment by farming with chemicals,clear-cutting the trees,and polluting the water.We need to protect the ecology of the Earth and the ecology of the mind,or this kind of violence and recklessness will spill over into even more areas of life."(from Love in Action by Thich Nhat Hanh).

I find it ironic that there is such an outrcry by the media and others over "global warming," but virtually none from these same people over the explicit sex and violence that is shown on television,in the movies and in print.The level of violence in not only our society, but our schools, is unprecedented.A recent report stated that one in every one hundred Americans is in jail.Never before has a situation like this existed. In addition, sexual promiscuity,rape,teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases are at an all-time high.As human beings, we are profoundly effected by what we see and hear,even more so are our children.There is a great responsibility for us to monitor what our children are exposed to.The fear among some is that this society can't even discern what is appropriate for themselves,much less their children.

A Quiet Place,A Quiet Mind

"There should be at least a room,or some corner where no one will find you and disturb you or notice you.You should be able to untether yourself from the world and set yourself free,loosing all fine strings from the world and set yourself free,loosing all the fine strings and strands of tension that bind you,by sight,by sound,by thought,to the presence of other men."(from New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton).

"Behold,I stand at the door and knock;if anyone hears my voice and opens the door,I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."(from Revelation,chapter three,verse twenty).

"Mary Magdalene.....when she sat weeping at the tomb and thought the Lord standing before her was the gardener,....kept begging him to give her the body of Jesus that she might wrap it in a shroud.He called her by name and immediately she recognized him.How often have we stood weeping looking far away up to heaven where we think the Lord Jesus lives! He is present and standing before us,and all that prevents us from encountering Him is our heart's lack of perception.He never stops calling us by name;nothing prevents us from hearing His voice but our preoccupation with our own daily problems."(by Matthew the Poor from The Communion of Love).

A recurrent theme in many of this site's previous postings has been about the need for those of faith to free themselves of man-made distractions.We must do this daily in order to preserve our mental, as well as spiritual health.How can we commune with Him when our mind is thinking of so many things and where are enviroment is anything but quiet?

Humility and Serving Others

Those who choose to follow the teachings of Jesus recognize the necessity of having humility.Our Lord stressed this repeatedly in what He said and how He lived.In Matthew,chapter twenty we read:"And whosoever will be great among you,let him be your servant." Then we see in Luke, chapter fourteen, where Jesus said: "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." These may seem like strange words for this "Me" generation.I mean,haven't we read and seen in countless articles,books and television programs that we've got to take care of ourselves first,or,we've gotta look out for number one,meaning you and me? Sometimes it's put in a gentler way,like;before you can love others you first have to love yourself.Even schools,beginning at the youngest of ages,stress building self-esteem to what can only be described as an unhealthy extreme.Consequently,it should come as no surprise that we are the most self-absorbed and self-concerned generation this country has seen.You can observe this in the way we live,the way we use our money and by our insatiable desire to be entertained.The fact that over fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce is a dubious testament to the "me first" philosophy.
The sad fact is that man, by nature, is prone to greed and self-interest.People who lack humility tend to be governed by this self-interest and possess a restlessness which is always seeking after this or that in an effort to fill a avoid that exists.Those attempting to follow Jesus' example of humility,not only consider others first, but reach out to be a help to those in need.This is because the fruit of our committment to our faith in Him,are good works.I would quickly add that these good works are something that we freely desire to do.If we look upon them as an obligation,then there is something wrong with our level of faith.
Jesus taught us to do unto others as we would want others to do unto us,and,that it is in giving,that we receive.What we gain here on earth is that peace which passes all understanding,a peace that the world and all it's riches cannot equal.May we humble ourselves and follow His example.

A Prayer for Easter Morning

Almighty God,who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death,and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech thee,that by thy special grace, anticipating that thou dost put into our minds good desires,so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord,who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost,ever one God,world without end. Amen

(from The Scottish Book of Common Prayer).

On this Friday before Easter

Fully Man,

He suffered greatly for us in body and mind.

Fully Man,

His heart felt the pain of betrayal from those who loved Him.

May we not forget this day,

Before the rejoicing that is to come,

What He did this day,

For us this day,

Fully Man.

Forgiveness

How many times have we heard someone say,"I'll never forgive him for what he did." Perhaps we have even said something like this ourself. As we draw near to the holiest day of the Christian year,we need to remember that forgiveness is one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith.We have no greater example of forgiveness than Our Lord's forgiveness of Peter after he denied Him three times prior to His crucifixion.Jesus not only forgave Peter,but told him to, "feed my sheep," which meant he was to teach and care for those who would later come to be called Christians.Our Lord repeatedly stressed the necessity of forgiveness. In the prayer He gave us called, "The Lord's Prayer," we read;"forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."Shortly after this prayer He again says:"For if you forgive their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." In the sixth chapter of Matthew Jesus says,"forgive and ye shall be forgiven." Jesus told Peter that he was to forgive those who sinned against him seventy times seven times.For those who profess to be Christian but cannot find it in their heart to forgive,should read Our Lord's parable of the ungrateful servant found in the eighteeneth chapter of Matthew.Suffice to say,as Christians,we must forgive others who sincerely seek our forgiveness.

In closing,we must not forget that forgiveness should also extend to ourselves in terms of our relationship with Jesus.Many express that because of what they have said or done,or how they have lived,that God could never forgive them.Nothing could be further from the truth.Scripture tells us over and over again that we can obtain His forgiveness.Anytime someone says that their sins are too great to be forgiven,remind them of the account in the Bible of David and Bathsheba.David,who was a "man after God's own heart," not only committed adultery with another man's wife,but he conspired to have that innocent man killed.David was punished for his sins but he was most certainly forgiven for them by God.

Heavenly Father,may we find it in our heart to forgive others, as you forgive us. Amen

Communicating with Others

"We must be aware that the lack of communication always brings separation and suffering,we are committed to training ourselves in the practice of compassionate listening and loving speech.We will learn to listen deeply without judging or reacting and refrain from uttering words that can create discord or cause the community to break.We will make every effort to keep communications open and to reconcile and resolve all conflicts,however small."(by Thich Nhat Hanh from Interbeing).

Have you ever found yourself thinking about other things when someone is talking to you about a concern or problem? We may not even realize we are doing this, but we must make a conscious effort to avoid doing so.First,out of respect for the person,then,with the understanding that this person is not only in need, but values our advice.In this chaotic world, we often find ourselves moving on to the next thing without getting done with the first.

Consider the Lilies of the Field

"Consider the lilies of the field,how they grow;they toil not,neither do they spin:And yet I say unto you,that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."(the words of Jesus from the sixth chapter of St.Matthew).

The above scripture, although seeming rather simple and straightforward,is actually quite profound when you consider it.First of all,Solomon who was the son of David, was the third and last king of a united Israel.It is written that his wisdom was greater than that of the wise men of the east and Egypt.People came from all over the world to seek his counsel. He was also described as almost inconceivably wealthy in material splendor,learning and experience.The palace Solomon had built for himself took thirteen years to construct.Yet this man, with all the splendor that he created around himself, couldn't make something that compared to the beauty of the lilies of the field.

In this life it is so easy to forget about or ignore the gifts God has made for us.When is the last time you went outside with the purpose of considering, and really looking at the beauty of His creation? When was the last time you considered the miracle of the interdependence and synchronicity of all living things? In taking the time to do so,we can't help but be drawn closer to Him.It is something we must do to keep our faith alive and real.

The Time of Darkness

"When the time comes to enter the dakness in which we are naked and helpless and alone; in which we see the insufficiency of our greatest strength and the hollowness of our strongest virtues;in which we have nothing of our own to rely on,and nothing in our nature to support us,and nothing in the world to guide us or give us light--then we find out whether or not we live by faith."

(by Thomas Merton,from New Seeds of Contemplation).

"Yea,though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil:for thou art with me."(Psalm 23:4)

Words

"We must be aware that words can create suffering or happiness,we are committed to learning to speak truthfully and constructively,using only words that inspire hope and confidence.We are determined not to say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people,nor to utter words that might cause division or hatred.We will not spread news that we do not know to be certain nor criticize or condemn things of which we are not sure."(by Thich Nhat Hanh from Interbeing).

Nothing exposes whether a person's profession of faith is sincere or not, than by listening to what comes out of his mouth.Jesus said(paraphrasing), it is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him,but what comes out.We read in the third chapter of the Epistle of James:"And the tongue is a fire,the very world of iniquity;the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body." Christians,and those of other faiths, would be wise to follow this advice found in the Epistle of James,first chapter, the nineteenth verse:"But let everyone be quick to hear,slow to speak and slow to anger."

Start the Revolution

"The onlly thing that can save the world from complete moral collapse is a spiritual revolution.Christianity,by it's very nature,demands such a revolution.If Christians would all live up to what they profess to believe,the revolution would happen."

(Thomas Merton,from The Ascent To Truth.)

The key word here is if. If.... Christians,and those who claim to be committed to a faith,would live up to what they profess to believe.Just think...if, if all Christians really heeded Jesus' words in Matthew chapter seven,verse twelve:"Therefore,however you want people to treat you,so treat them....",what a different world this would be. Faith without works,means you have no faith.It seems that in this day and age,in houses of worship,there is far too much emphasis on growth.In addition,activities tend to be centered within the congregation,not towards reaching out.I think of the underpublicized tragedy in this country which is the neglect of those in nursing homes and assisted living centers.What an opporturtunity there is for people of faith. Simple things, like a visit and just talking to someone can bring so much joy and comfort.

As people of faith we must sometimes leave our comfort zones.It's time to start the revolution.

A Kyrie for Saturday

Keep me,above all things,from sin.

Keep me from loving money in which is hatred,

From avarice and ambition that sufficate my life.

Keep me from the deadly works of vanity

and the thankless labor for pride and money

and reputation.

(Thomas Merton, from A Book of Hours).

Count the Cost

"Do not boast about tomorrow,for you do not know what a day may bring forth." (From Proverbs 27:1).

I spoke to my friend John the other day and he told me he had just purchased a house.John and his wife are a very nice couple who have three beautiful young children.While describing his new home, John kept using the term "starter" in referring to it.When I asked him what that meant,he said that this house would only be a temporary one,that in about ten years he would sell it for a profit and buy a bigger and better one.I couldn't help but wonder,why are you thinking about the purchase of another house, when you haven't even moved into the first one? John and his wife are professionals who work full-time,they make alot of money.I see them leaving early in the morning to drop their children off at day-care, and return late in the afternoon from work.Their weekends are a whirlwind of activity filled with many things to do, and get done.John and his wife are like hundreds of thousands of other families living in this country.In thinking about this couple, I sometimes wonder,is this what the American dream is all about?

I read an article in a magazine not too long ago which reported that the divorce rate in this country is now well over fifty percent.It said that the chief cause for divorce among married couples,by far,were over issues pertaining to money.The inevitable question becomes,what lifestyle is worth sacrificing spending time with your children or sabotaging a marriage?It is human nature to take such things as relationships and health, as well as freedom from accidents and death for granted. This sadly is unrealistic because illness and tragedy are a part of everyone's lives.As we read in Proverbs, "you do not know what a day may bring forth."

Perhaps the only thing that could be more unfortunate than an unexpected tragedy,is the realization that you spent far more time in the pursuit of material things than with your family or a loved one.

A Prayer to Live By

Lord,make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred,let me sow love.

Where there is injury,pardon.

Where there is doubt,faith.

Where there is despair,hope.

Where there is darkness,light,

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled,

as to console;

To be understood,as to understand;

To be loved,as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

(by St.Francis of Assisi).

The giving of ourselves to others, puts into action, the faith we profess.

Dare to be Alone

"....we do not know how to relax.We feel a kind of vacuum in ourselves,so we turn on the television. We live in a society where we always feel we are lacking something,and we want to fill it.If we don't turn on the TV, we eat or read or talk on the telephone.We are always trying to fill our void with something."

(by Thich Nhat Hanh from Love in Action).

Ipods,cellphones,computers,satellite radios,televisions with one hundred and fifty channels,these are some of the technological advancements we now have access to.In, and of themselves,they are not bad things.However,few would deny that these devices carry with them the potential for abuse and overuse.Many people say they couldn't imagine living without them.It seems clear from a statement such as this,that these devices carry with them the potential for addiction.Yet there is something more serious going on here than the possibilty of becoming addicted.The writer quoted above has it right when he says:"We are always trying to fill our void with something." That something is too often the Ipod,the cellphone or time spent in front of a computer or television.Have we as a people lost the ability to simply sit and think,or to watch and listen? When was the last time you went for a walk or sat in the park or woods?If this is something you haven't done,then you must do so for your mental,physical and spiritual well-being.Those who have children need to include them also. Initial thoughts or complaints of boredom are signs you have been corrupted by man-made devices and distractions.These complaints will dissipate as you make this a daily practice.As time passes,this activity is something that you will look forward to,it will bring peace and give you rest.More importantly,it will draw you closer to God.

Accountability and Simplicity in Understanding the Bible

The sale of books and materials pertaining to understanding scripture has become a multi-million dollar industry.In addition,countless television and radio "ministries" generate millions of dollars in income proclaiming their particular interpretation of the Christian faith.Writers,teachers and theologians make careers out of telling us what the Bible says and means.Consider, that a United Nations census found that there are twenty thousand plus Protestant denominations and sects existing in the world today.The majority of these groups have a variety of different beliefs and doctrines.The logical question that arises after reading the above is,is understanding the Bible so difficult that we need someone to explain it to us? The answer is,of course not.I would add that I'm not condemning every study aid ever written.A Bible commentary and dictionary are valuable tools in understanding the social,political and religious situation of the times.What we must not forget,is that what has become the Bible,was originally written for people who had considerably less education than any of us.Differences in doctrine between the major Christian faiths were once minimal,now they are considerable.Is this progress?Is this what comes from giving credence to those who say they know what we don't know,or that they know what we cannot discern?

You wouldn't ask a stranger to investigate and arrange for the purchase of your new home,so why would you entrust what is ultimately your relationship with Jesus to someone else? A sincere prayer that He will open your heart and mind,as well as patience and persistance are all that is needed to understand the Bible.

Words to Live By

"Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as you ever can."

(by John Wesley,Anglican priest,founder of Methodism).

A professed faith, is validated by a changed life and works.

Kyrie for a Sunday Morning

Keep me,above all things,from sin.

But give me the strength that waits upon you in silence and peace.

Give me humility in which alone is rest,

and deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens.

And possess my whole heart with the simplicity of love.

Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one

desire of love,

that I may love for you alone.

(from A Book of Hours by Thomas Merton).

People,Politics and the Presidency

"You may think that the way to change the world is to elect a new President,but a government is only a reflection of society,which is a reflection of our own consciousness.To create fundamental change,we,the members of society,have to transform ourselves."

(From Love in Action by Thich Nhat Hanh).

A few things come to mind when I read the above.We all recognize that there is a tendency for human beings to be selfish.Knowing this,it should not be surprising that candidates make promises,no matter how impractical they may be, in the hope of getting elected.We see this happening in this year's presidential primaries.Then,despite decades of legislation to prevent discrimination against those who differ racially or culturally,prejudice still exists.Greed and hatred can never be legislated out of existence.What has to change, is the heart of each person.Those who are truly followers of Jesus have experienced a change in heart and mind,prejudice no longer exists in that individual.Other religions speak of a similar transformation of those who come to faith.To be true and real,our faith must be what guides each and everything that we do.If all christians were to live like this, our country would be transformed for the better in a way which we never would have imagined.

Jesus,Your Faith and Worldliness

Not too many years ago while there were several controversies relating to Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ,an interesting comment was made about Gibson by Danny Glover who had co-starred with him in four previous movies.Glover basically said,that he was surprised to hear that Gibson had a deep faith as reported in the media during the filming of "The Passion." This is probably the last thing that anyone who adheres to a particular faith system would want to have said about him.The inescapable conclusion you would draw from such a comment like the one Glover made, is that the way you live,act and talk are no different than those who hold no religious convictions.Jesus taught that we are to be in the world but not of this world.We are to be living examples of His words and life.This message is beautifully expressed in the first epistle of John,second chapter:"Do not love the world or the things in the world.If anyone loves the world,the love of the Father is not in him." Sadly,it only takes about fifteen minutes with a remote control in front of a television to see how corrupt,immoral and violent this world has become.The question for all of us is,are we not of this world? Are we engaging in behaviour and speech that in no way represents a person of faith? Do acquaintances,friends and co-workers even know that you hold to any religious beliefs? Last summer I was in a restaurant where I noticed a young man at a nearby table was wearing Buddhist beads around his wrist.I happened to see also that he was drinking and smoking,my reaction was to think,some Buddhist!Then something interesting occurred,a girl walked into the dining area with about two-thirds of her breasts exposed wearing a cross.I then thought,why would you dress like that and wear a cross? At that moment,I recalled my driving to the restaurant an hour earlier.Of how I was anything but Christian in my reaction to someone who was travelling too slow in front of me.The reality is,is that we are all flawed human beings but we must strive each day to live our faith each moment of that day. The way to achieve that is written near the end of yesterday's message on detachment.A complete committment to our faith is the only way to experience true peace while here on earth.May we never forget that we are living epistles of our faith.

The Importance of Detachment by Thomas Merton

"The importance of detachment from things,the importance of poverty,is that we are supposed to be free from things that we might prefer to people.Wherever things have become more important than people,we are in trouble. That is the crux of the whole matter."(Thomas Merton).
Is there anything you are striving to achieve or obtain that may be keeping you from your husband ,wife or family?Is there anything that can equal spending as much time as possible with your child or a loved one?Too many,even those who say they are people of faith,are sacrificing precious time with family in order to obtain "things." Sadly,at the heart of this is our selfish human nature which must be subdued on a daily basis.Through prayer and daily scripture reading,as well as meditating on this,you can keep what really matters where it should be.

His Creation

"What greater or more wonderful spectacle is there,or where can human reason better enter into a dialogue with the nature of things,than when seeds have been planted,shoots laid out,shrubs transplanted,grafts inserted.It is as though one were questioning each root and seed,asking it what it can do and what it cannot do; whence it provides the power to do it,or why it cannot do it; what help it receives from it's own interior power,and what from exterior help and diligence.And in this dialogue we come to understand how neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything,but God who giveth the increase.For that work which is applied exteriorly is fruitful only by the action of Him who created and ruled and ordered all from within."(by St.Augustine.)
What better way to heighten our reality of God and the wonder of His creation than by planting a garden from seed.It doesn't matter if it's a window garden or a small one planted in your backyard.In these modern times,it's easy to forget about the miracle of new life being borne from a seed placed in the soil and nutured by the sun and water.There is a peace and satisfaction that comes from tending to your garden daily.

On Simplicity

"People who accumulate a house,a car,a position,and so forth,identify themselves with what they own,and they think if they lose their house,their car,or their position,they would not be themselves.To me, they are already lost.By accumulating and saving,they have a constructed a false self,and in the process they have forgotten their truest and deepest self."(From Love in Action by Thich Nhat Hanh).
The above is a continuation of yesterday's Treasures in Heaven post.Surely we all have known people who believe their self-worth is measured by their possessions or by what they do or by who they are.Perhaps this describes one of you.There is a better way,future posts will show you the path where true joy and fulfillment can be found.

Treasures in Heaven

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is,there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19,20,21.

"Assuredly I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew:19:23.

The above passages are always challenges for preachers,teachers and so-called bible scholars.Most often these people will say that Jesus is not condemning being rich, but that he is criticizing having a preoccupation with money and possessions.When Jesus spoke the above words it was believed by the Jews of that time, that riches were a sign of God's approval and blessing upon an individual.The more money a person had, the more alms they could give and the more sacrifices they could offer.With this, the Jews thought(as recorded in the Talmud), that they could purchase redemption.It sort of makes one think of the papal indulgences that came later.Of course,Jesus totally rejected this type of thinking.I find it interesting that some of the most successful "christian" ministries today promote the belief that the Word of God promises wealth and success to believers.A perversion of scripture if there ever was one.

So does Jesus want us to live in poverty? Of course not.He knew, what anyone who asks Our Lord to open his mind as he reads and studies these passages in the Bible should know; that considering our carnal human nature, riches will preoccupy our lives and lead us away from a real relationship with Him.

A prayer by Thomas Merton

The following prayer by Thomas Merton is from his book Thoughts in Solitude.I am sure there will be times in our lives when this prayer will put into words the feelings we ourselves cannot express.

My Lord God,I have no idea where I am going.I do not see the road ahead of me.I cannot know for certain where it will end.Nor do I really know myself,and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean I am actually doing so.But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.I will not fear,for you are ever with me,and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.Amen