Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community,
Sunday’s gospel reading in Mark (10:46-52), the Healing of Bartimaeus, is a further demonstration of Jesus’ character and love for others. What struck me more than the actual healing of Bartimaeus was the fact that Jesus stopped to pay attention to this man in the first place. Jesus was nearing the end of his earthly ministry and there were large crowds around him. Things were reaching a fevered pitch as Jesus moved toward Jerusalem. A lone, blind beggar began to call out to Jesus for mercy. The crowds kept moving and sternly told the beggar to keep still. Busyness of our life and our causes has an inertia that revolts against our attention to the present moment and the needs each one presents to us.
The lone figure took a leap of hope against the moving crowd. The crowd said “Keep still,” but Christ said, “Come. You count.” The art of stopping for a lone individual in need of help is a high art. “Come. You count.”
Profit or people? What really counts? Perhaps there is a lesson for today’s social issues and our brothers and sisters around the world. Famine, economic parity, health care reform…
Your often too busy Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Thoughts on the Jesus Prayer
Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community,
I pray that this note finds you all well!
The Jesus Prayer has been used for centuries to help unite people with their creator. It is very old, and may go back to the early centuries of Christianity: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Although today it is perhaps used more in the Eastern Church than the Western, it’s gaining in popularity here, too, as people look for ways to reconnect with God.
I have to admit I don’t use it much, and until this morning I really wasn’t sure why.
My meditations on this day included some writings of Nicholas Herman, otherwise known as Brother Lawrence of the 17th century. He, too, was very interested in reconnecting with God, and focused on practicing the Presence of God. One of the suggestions in his Spiritual Maxims included a series of short prayers that could be offered up to God frequently during the course of a day, similar to the Jesus Prayer. Some suggestions he had to offer:
“Lord, make my heart just like Yours.”
“O God of Love, I love You with all my heart.”
“My God, I am wholly yours.”
As I read these prayers, it struck me that the intent was the same, but the approach was quite different. Br. Lawrence’s approach works better for me as it focuses on the good side of me and not the bad. Yes, there are parts of me that are sinful, but there are also parts of me that are holy – the image of God in me, for example. So, which part is stronger? Does the sinful part totally taint the entire being, or does the holy part overcome the sinful? Thinking of myself as a sinner may be helpful to a point, but it can go too far. How about thinking of myself as a child of God that screws up once in a while? The goal is the same – union with God; but the positive approach works better for me. How about you?
This week try writing your own Jesus Prayer. See what you come up with.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, may all our hearts become one.”
Your Part Holy-Part Sinful Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
I pray that this note finds you all well!
The Jesus Prayer has been used for centuries to help unite people with their creator. It is very old, and may go back to the early centuries of Christianity: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Although today it is perhaps used more in the Eastern Church than the Western, it’s gaining in popularity here, too, as people look for ways to reconnect with God.
I have to admit I don’t use it much, and until this morning I really wasn’t sure why.
My meditations on this day included some writings of Nicholas Herman, otherwise known as Brother Lawrence of the 17th century. He, too, was very interested in reconnecting with God, and focused on practicing the Presence of God. One of the suggestions in his Spiritual Maxims included a series of short prayers that could be offered up to God frequently during the course of a day, similar to the Jesus Prayer. Some suggestions he had to offer:
“Lord, make my heart just like Yours.”
“O God of Love, I love You with all my heart.”
“My God, I am wholly yours.”
As I read these prayers, it struck me that the intent was the same, but the approach was quite different. Br. Lawrence’s approach works better for me as it focuses on the good side of me and not the bad. Yes, there are parts of me that are sinful, but there are also parts of me that are holy – the image of God in me, for example. So, which part is stronger? Does the sinful part totally taint the entire being, or does the holy part overcome the sinful? Thinking of myself as a sinner may be helpful to a point, but it can go too far. How about thinking of myself as a child of God that screws up once in a while? The goal is the same – union with God; but the positive approach works better for me. How about you?
This week try writing your own Jesus Prayer. See what you come up with.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, may all our hearts become one.”
Your Part Holy-Part Sinful Brother,
Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
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