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