Life Turns On a Dime

And suddenly all is different.

My husband and I were rejoicing that on Saturday it's our 37 the wedding anniversary.

BUT Tuesday he had a stroke. His legs no longer work. He's dizzy, throwing up. He's in the hospital.

Our future is not what we thought it would be.

Time to pray and regroup. There are new things to do, things we never expected or prepared for. What can I do? St. Francis' thought speaks to me.

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” —St. Francis of Assisi

So I'm about to help my husband do the impossible. Pray for us please.

A Fascinating New Old Book

 I am reading a book written over 100 years ago that is new and exciting to me. Abraham Rihbany wrote The Syrian Christ, Son of the East. He was born and raised near where Jesus was born and raised. He says to understand the Bible, one must understand the life and ways of a culture far different Western culture. It is difficult to understand deeply for those not part of a culture. Most only know a surface snapshot. He goes on to say: 

The combination of our commercial activities and the never-ceasing whirl of the wheels of our industries close up our senses to the intimate whisperings of the divine spirit. We see, but with the outward eye. We hear, but with the outward ear. Our inward senses are in grave danger of dying altogether from lack of exercise.

 I find this sadly true, maybe even more so with all of the developments since he wrote. We are bombarded with the trivial, we are kept busy with things that we have no control over, we are upset and distracted. We often fill our days with the meaningless.

For some people there seems to be no time to be still, to contemplate, to listen, to go inward and upward. Therefore, spiritual senses are dulled, shut down and out of the lives of many people. As he said, "for lack of exercise," spiritual senses may die in us. There then is no richness, no depth, no poetry, no understanding or even awareness of the Mystery. We wander in the dry desert, in the wilderness devoid of greatness of soul.

I urge you to carve out quiet time every day, to be aware when you are busy with the meaningless, to exercise your spiritual senses. Go inward and upward every day.

How Do I Become Anything?

First of all,decide on it and practice, practice, practice. If you want to be a philosopher and wise Epictetus said:

We ought to learn that there is a God and that he provides for all things: also that it is not possible to conceal from him our acts, or even our intentions and thoughts... (We) must with all our power try to be like him. If the divine is faithful, man also must be faithful: if it is free, man also must be free; if beneficent, man also must be beneficent; if magnanimous, man also must be magnanimous; as being then an imitator of God, he must do and say everything consistently with this fact.

 Whatever we wish to be, we must learn the skills of that thing, whether it be music or art or coding and be consistent in our learning and application. 

In addition, it seems to me, we would also do well to seek wisdom and a relationship with God.  There are many writings and teachings about this, of course. Epictetus writes succinctly. His words can add to what we know or seek to know. 

To me, if I say I am something or other, but do not do best  practices of that thing, I am not really what I say I am.. I am a phony, sloppy, an imposter. 

I think that is one of the reasons people have fallen away from religious groups, are disgusted with politics, and don't know what to do or how to find a genuine, congruent teacher. So few practice what they preach, often even do the opposite. 

If we want to turn the world around, we need to embody the qualities that we desire in our leaders, practice them, get more and more consistent, and then, only then, teach others, lead others. As is often said, be the change you want to see happen.

You can do it. God has led you here to these words, in this moment of time. Hear them in your heart and begin.

 

Justice= Truth

 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be well satisfied.”  Justice is another name for truth, and truth is something that stands the test and is durable. Anything less than the truth fades away... Justice is as precious and as necessary as the air that man breathes. When justice is flouted, human equilibrium is thrown out of balance; but when justice reigns in a land, everything functions well.                     -- "The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth" by George Lamsa  

(Lamsa's book on  the Sermon on the Mount  is amazing.  He was an Aramaic language speaker from an area much like it was when Jesus walked the earth.)

It was a new idea to me that justice and truth are the same, at least in the understanding of the Aramaic  language.  

When Truth/Justice are ignored or denied, sad and dreadful things ensue. When they are honored, something good and enduring are honored.

That could explain the current situation in the world. Truth is not being spoken by our leaders in any area - not in politics, not in government, not in science, not in media, not in religion - not in any area. Therefore there is no enduring Justice in our world.

Let us begin a new movement, speak only the Truth. It is a sacred duty in order to honestly be able to say "I follow Christ."

 

Ways to Read the Bible

 There are many ways to read the Bible, many eyes through which to view it.

There are the eyes of an archeologist. These eyes look for clues in the Bible as to where to search and dig. For example, The Armstrong Institute has found verification for a number of things by finding what the people left. I get their fascinating magazine, Let the Stones Speak. Another magazine I get and recommend is  Biblical Archeology Review.

There are the eyes of an historian. These eyes seek to find what actually happened, what was it like back in the day, what were the laws and customs and diet and on and on. What was the Roman Empire like?  One example, they never had a census where people had to go their home town to be counted. Can you imagine the chaos  of that in the huge Roman Empire? They did have a few censuses, but the people just went to an official in the town where they lived.

There are the eyes of a linguist, of experts in ancient languages, experts in idioms, experts in how languages change over time and meanings of words change.

There are eyes of apologists who seek to make it fit their theology. They want it to be all true and literal and do all sorts of contortions in an effort to force it and to stop all thinking otherwise.

There are eyes that skim the surface and give little thought or care.

There are eyes that seek the Truth, that delve deeply, that meditate and contemplate and find deep meanings. They know that some things are myths, allegories, or parables, and they contain great truths. 

This morning in meditation, I heard "No room at the Inn," is there room in your heart to nurture the Light of Christ?" The story might not be historically true, but is loaded with profound meaning. 

I challenge you today to look at the Bible, or any sacred text, with new eyes. Open your eyes, your heart, and your mind to  enter the Great Mystery of God.

What Is a Human?

 Epictetus answers - A rational and mortal being. He also tells us he/she can act like a wild beast and lose the promise of rationality and lose oneself, lose our humanity. When does one become as a wild animal? We act gluttonously, lewdly, rashly, filthly, inconsiderately .. When we act contentiously and harmfully and passionately and violently, to what have we declined? To wild beasts.

Therefore, it is upon our shoulders to get in control of ourselves and to be the person God had in mind when He created us. It is essential we become aware when the beastly rears its ugly head in us, and to send it away and refuse to sink into that dark place 

I think of Jesus extending the commandments. Not only should we not murder, but we also must avoid anger.  Not only should we not commit adultery, we should not lust. Etc. And if we even have something in our heart against someone, we need to stop what we are doing, even worshipping, and go clear it up. 

In so many ways Jesus would have agreed with Epictetus. How about you?

Great Spirit

This morning in my meditation I was asking what am I now to do in my remaining years? I heard guidance to write this down and share it.

There is a Great Spirit that speaks in the depths of souls and has done so from the very beginning of humanity. It calls out the very best of us. It calls out to love, to be joyous, to be kind, to be generous, to be curious, to be creative, to celebrate this Great Spirit in everyone and everything, and to endeavor to be like It.

But It also made it so that we have to work to go beyond appearances. Much like an athlete in training, we have to stretch and flex and develop our spiritual strength. 

The Great Spirit is urging us vigorously to awaken to this NOW. 

It is time to realize the many religions are various attempts to awaken us to the spiritual truths in somewhat similar ways. The details vary as do cultures, but there is Truth to be found everywhere.

It is time to stop making slight differences the stuff of  prejudice, hatred and violence. It is time to stop dividing people into groups and judging them as a group, aka prejudice. 

We are all humans. We all are kin to God, The Great Spirit. We all have greatness of soul. Teach this to one another. Awaken this Truth in as many as you can.

So said The Great Spirit of God to me this morning and asked me to share it with you. I pray you contemplate these words and implement them in your life. God Loves you and so do I.