Sunday, October 31, 2010

IMPACT AND 
INFLUENCE ON 
EACH OTHER.




Quote for the Day - October 31, 2010


"People come into our lives
and then they go again.

The extropy law,
as applied to human relations.

Sometimes in their passing,
though,
they register an unimagined
and far reaching influence....

There is no scientific way
to discern such effects,
but memory believes
before knowing remembers.

And the past lives
coiled within the present,
beyond sight,
beyond revocation,
lifting us up
or weighing us down,
sealed away almost completely -
behind walls of pearl."


David Quammen, "Chambers of Mercy," Words from the Land, 1986

Picture on top - On an island near Stockholm, Sweden, 2009

Saturday, October 30, 2010

TO BE HEARD
YELL!




Quote of the Day - October 30, 2010

"Moral: In saying what is obvious, never choose cunning. Yelling works better."

Cynthia Ozick, "We Are the Crazy Lady and Other Feisty Feminist Fables," in Francine Klagsbrun, ed. The First Ms. Reader, 1972

Friday, October 29, 2010

UNREST






Quote of the Day October 29, 2010



"Unrest of spirit is a mark of life."



Karl Menninger, This Week, October 16, 1958

Thursday, October 28, 2010



EGO 
IMPORTANCE




Quote for the Day October 28, 2010



"Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important."



T.S. Eliot [1888-1965]

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

THREE THEORIES 
OF POWER 




Quote for the Day - October 27, 2010



"There are three theories of power and therefore of authority, to wit: the robber theory that all power is for mastery; the hireling theory that all power is for wealth; the good shepherd theory that all power is for service."



Vincent McNabb [1868-1943]

Painting on top by Daniel Bonnell

Tuesday, October 26, 2010


THE  KINGDOM: 
START  CLIMBING 
LIKE  A  LITTLE  CHILD



Quote for the Day   October 26,  2010


"If you want to work for the kingdom of God, and to bring it, and to enter into it, there is just one condition to be first accepted. You must enter it as children, or not at all."


John Ruskin [1819-1900]


Photo of a mom and a kid in Budapest, Hungary, 2010

MUSTARD AND BREAD


The title of my homily for this 30th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Mustard And Bread”.

Even if we’ve never made bread – even if we’ve never planted anything in a garden – we all know what bread and mustard look like. Hot dog! We do.


Jesus begins today’s gospel with a great question: “What is the kingdom of God like?” [Cf. Luke 13: 18-21]


A personal wondering and question: “At what age did Jesus dream up his idea of the kingdom?”

Was it at 7, 14, 21, 28?

What was he thinking about before he started his new life of preaching and healing around 30 years of age?

As he worked with wood in the carpenter shop – as he went with Joseph to seal a deal – or to do some home construction work – did he sit on a wagon or cart – letting Joseph drive – while he watched the birds of the sky with a smile in his eye – and then see them flock down – hundreds of them in perfect jet plane formation - onto mustard bushes in a garden? Or were the mustard plants he saw ones that Mary had planted with tiny mustard seeds in their own garden? Did he see Mary make bread or was it a baker in town, in Nazareth – and he sat there and watched the leaven do its surprise – its rise – leaven, flour, key ingredients of the dough ready for the oven - to become great tasty loaves of bread?

When did Jesus outline in his mind the key ingredients of the kingdom?

Every time he broke bread with Mary and Joseph – sitting there on steady chairs at a sturdy table that he and Joseph made – with bread and wine on that table – along with some mustard to add spice to a meal – did he say, “Isn’t this wonderful? Isn’t this everyone’s dream – a family sitting together in joy and peace enjoying the spice of life – enjoying a slice of life – a family meal? Every father a king. Every mother a queen. Every child a prince or princess."


Did he bake or break words into prayer in the depths of his heart thanking God, our Father, for the gift of life – family – daily bread – all of us forgiving each other for trespasses – dreaming that everyone have their daily bread? Is that when he first said, “Thy Kingdom Come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?”

When did he form and formulate his parables and stories and sayings about this great dream of the kingdom of God.

If we reflect upon the gospels and let each story – each saying – each image – be a seed planted in the soil of our soul – all will grow – and the kingdom of God will be like a bush or small tree growing inside us. Or we will be like bread – leavened bread - being baked in the oven of our heart - ready for Eucharist, for Communion, with each other.

The gospels are filled with rich, simple yet subtle images.

Jesus was a poet - who grew in wisdom, age and grace. Jesus was always the one with a child’s eye – with a child’s imagination - playing and praying on the surface of the earth. [Cf. Proverbs 8:22-31]

Jesus the poet and the preacher invites all to enter into his imaginary kingdom – each day – and to see it become real, realized. It’s his dream. It’s his hope for all of us – to live both here and hereafter – in his kingdom – a kingdom of justice and peace – loving kindness – forgiveness – compassion – gracefulness. He spent time in communion with his Father - and discovered this was the Father's will - on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.