Sunday June 9-Ps 146 is another praise psalm. it’s a way to tell that the book is edited with its penchant for ending its section with praise.This one is more oriented to justice than many praise songs. How do you react to that? when I read this psalm words and deeds of Jesus come to mind. How about you? the ancinet chruch even thought that the psalms soke with the very voice of Christ.
Monday-”Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." The psalm does not pretend that evil and death do not exist. Terrible things happen too, and they happen to good people as well as to bad people. Even the paths of righteousness lead us through the valley of the shadow. Death lies ahead for all of us, saints and sinners alike, and for all the ones we love. The psalmist doesn't try to explain evil. He doesn't try to minimize evil. He simply says he will not fear evil. For all the power that evil has, it doesn't have the power to make him afraid.” F. Buechner
Tuesday-Tolerance has always been a virtue to me. lately, it is under fire, as to many it take son the mantle of defining what is normal and proper , but it does decide to allow differences to exist. It is less than acceptance but barely tolerating something sinister or foul-tasting.
Wednesday-At a recent meeting, i was stunned when a theologian disparage work on the Bible.It alerted me to how much of my energy, spiriutal and mental goes into examining the Bible. for me it is the foundational material of faith and practice, and that applies ot theology too. I don;t read it as a duty for spirutal reading, but in opening hte pages I feel as if I am being discovered and directly addressed by the divine voice. It creates analogies to our time and place all of the time. what are some of your favorite passages?
Thursday-Taoism is an ancient Chinese system. One of its policies is to learn to flow through life as does nature. for instance, water seems weak, as it moves when we step through it. On the other hand, it seeps into rocks, and when it freezes, over time, its force breaks the rock. With minerals a steady drip can make a tower in a cave.Water flows over or around obstacles, and perhaps so should we. When a tree is rigid, it breaks in the wind. So suppleness and flexibility are virtues in this system. Have you learned good points from other faiths?
Friday-Eboo Patel, the author of the books we read at Reformed roundtable was influenced by dorothy Day. In her autobiography, she spoke of the ‘long loneliness.” I am not sure quite waht she means, but it is clearly a longliness for relationship with god and with others. its only cure is living in community in helping others, especially the least of these. otherwise d she did not find peace. Hav eyou been struck by a long loneliness? Have have you coped?
Saturday-A person at our meeting is someone who has been castigated by folks with whom he disagrees. he really tries not to return their feelings. recently, he was just attacked at a presbytery meeting by some dissident folks. When the meeting moved toward Communion, it was he who offered his most vociferous opponents the bread and cup.
No comments:
Post a Comment