November 11, 2022

Reflection 

WHEN  YOU  CAUGHT  ME

I have to watch the movie,  "As Good As It Gets" again - so I can here, remember and then memorize the lines of one scene - or maybe it was two scenes.

Holly Hunter says something like, "You caught me when ...."

Jack Nicholson then puts his foot in his mouth in his response to what she says and loses Holly.

She said something like, "You should have stopped there."

That reminded me of the times I found myself saying about someone else,  “You lost me when ….”

 

I remember a church service, when a visiting deacon had the crowd sit down for the gospel reading.

So I sat down as he read the gospel. 

Then something off to my left caught my eye. A father and a son remained standing.  His wife and daughters were sitting.

I didn't know what was going on. Sometimes when there is a long gospel reading, folks are told they can sit during the reading. 

Is that what was going on?  Was it a rule's keeping situation?

 

Did that couple have a fight in their car on the way home because of this?  

I don't know.

 

The man didn’t look happy.  I've rarely seen him smile.  He has smiled. I’ve seen it.  But most of the time he does not seem happy.

 

He lost me when he remained standing.

 

Could he catch me if he gave me a different take  on why he was doing what he was doing?

In the meanwhile was I sitting there with my juridical robes on? 

I have memorized the words from the Talmud: "Teach thy tongue to say, 'I do not know.'"

I know those words, but I don't always practice them.

 

When people are dating, do they spend the time judging each other?  Would they know this if they were asked this - if they did this?

 

In the movie, Jack Nicholson recovers - or Holly Hunter gets to understands him.

Is this something we all do?  Do we do this to ourselves - giving outsiders a judgement?  Does God do this?  Do we do this with God?

 November 11, 2022

Thought for Today

"What I tend to say at the beginning of the term to my students in poetry workshops is this: I am going to be involved with your capacities as writers, but your destinies as writers are your own business."

Seamus Heany 

Poetry Ireland Review  

Winter-Spring 1991

 November 10, 2022

Reflection

DIAGNOSIS - PROGNOSIS - GNOSIS

"Gnosis" is a Greek word that needs to be noticed.

It simply means "knowledge".

And there it is rooted in and part of the word: knowledge

You can hear it as you say the word, knowledge.

Sometimes when someone tells us something like that, we say sort of automatically, "I didn't know that."

Anyone who as read the book, The Da Vinci Code, has run into the word, "Gnostic" or "Gnosticism".

Gnostics was the label given to groups of people who were off shoots of Christianity - or similar groups.

The label comes from the perception that they had a secret knowledge. They would add or think, "We know and you don't know." Or "You have it wrong!"

Christianity gives knowledge.  There are truths. There are teachings. Learn. Here's a catechism. Attend classes. Go to meetings. Know the text. 

I haven't done a thorough diagnosis of Gnosticism.

Where to start: the key idea is teachings. Knowledge.

In fact, it's the secret knowledge that counts.

This knowledge brings salvation.

If I understand Christianity and Catholicism - it's all put out there. It's on the table. There is nothing secret.

And salvation - the ultimate gift - the lifting up after death by Christ - is done by Christ - not by us - not by us getting a special degree - in a list of truths.

The main teaching is that it's all done by Christ.

Then the teaching is based on love - service - caring - building the kingdom - moving the body - growing - forgiving - reaching out to others - all in the name of Jesus.

We are in a paradox here.

It's about knowledge - gnosis - but the gnosis is this: we know each other like Christ knows us - and if we enter into this love - the prognosis is good - and we will be part of the all who rise in Christ.

 November 10, 2022

Thought for Today

"One  of the things about which poetry can nudge people is matters of ecological consciousness and conscience.  Because poetry has traditional dealt with 'Nature' anyway (especially in English), it is well placed to do so."

Denise Levertov, 

Meaning and Memory 2001

 November  9,  2022

Reflection

SELECTIVE  CHRISTIANITY

AND

GRADUAL  CHRISTIANITY

There is a difference between Selective Christianity and Gradual Christianity.

Selective Christianity is accepting an awareness of various teachings and practices of Christianity - but choosing to deliberately not practice certain teachings - at least not yet.

Gradual Christianity is getting on the path - slowly discovering Christians truths and teachings - and slowly putting them into one's life - and not rejecting any of them out right.

Wait a minute.

That needs clarification.

There are the so called, "Hard teachings of Jesus."

Here's one: "If a person wants to come after me, he or she must deny their very self, take up their cross, and follow in my footsteps." [Matthew 16:14; Mark 8:34]

Do we add: 

• "Go the extra mile."
• 
  
• "Give the shirt off your back."
• 
  
• "Visit Christ in prison."
• 
  
• "Decrease - so Christ can increase in you."
• 
  
• "Trust in providence.
• 
  
• "Give what you have to the poor."
• 
  
• "Come follow me."
• 
  
• "No judging."
• 
  
• "No stone throwing."
• 
  
• "Realize the other person is not an object to make me feel better."
• 
  
• "Every person has an inner room. Visit Christ there."
• 
  
• "Make sure every person gets our respect - our love -care, health, and honor."

Did Martin Buber get his I-Thou versus I-It - from Christ - or from the Hebrew Scriptures - or from somewhere else?

Do I agree that "Life is difficult" - as M. Scott Peck puts it?

Do I agree with Dietric Bonhoeffer when he talks about The Cost of Discipleship?

Life takes time: both Chronos and Kairos.

November 9,  2022

Quote for the Day

"When they say 'there are no words for' - that's what poetry is for."

Marvin Bell

Poet's Market, 2004 

 November 8,  2022

Reflection

OPEN  AND  CLOSED  MINDS

I have read an article or two on open and closed minds.

What about my mind - if I sit back - and read myself?

Uh oh!

I would assume that  I have an open mind and anyone I don't like has a closed mind.

I would assume that fundamentalists and literalists have closed minds.

I would assume I'm neither.

Uh oh!

I would assume that having an open mind is better - than having a closed mind - but who is the judge and jury?

I would assume there is a lot of, "It all depends" - when it comes to open and closed minds.

I would assume that I have my mind made up on some things. I prefer meat to fish - hot dogs to spinach - spring and autumn to hot summer and cold snowy winter.

I think the Jewish and Christian scriptures are better than the Koran.   I think they are wrong with their teachings that push burning others offensive and dangerous.  I've seen beheadings on YouTube.

Yet I read the Koran and don't remember seeing texts like that - but I have seen texts about God wiping out others in the Bible.

I assume that some members in my congregation are off the charts.  The demons that they are fighting are in them and I don't have to go there.

I assume that I have to open up my mind to what others are saying - and where they are coming from.

I assume that I need to listen to others and try to understand them - and maybe discover more about them and myself.

I assume that I have to discover when and where I have been closed minded.

I assume that I have to learn how to laugh and to cry about myself.

Uh oh!