Grace and Peace dear friends who are living out their Belovedness and Offering their Belovedness to a World in Crisis!
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” (NIV)
This is a beatitude that builds on the previous three, so if you’re new to the post, I’d encourage you to stop. Go back and read the previous three posts. That’s important.
When we’ve become poor and at the end of our rope; when we mourn and are awakened to some of what we’ve truly lost in these days; and when we live in the new economy of meekness rather than power, prestige and position; then and only then are we really able to say, with reasonable certainty, of what can really satisfy us.
Read moreSoon, we will begin to start using this kind of language to define our lives: Pre-Pandemic and Post-Pandemic. What I mean by this is that the Corona Pandemic will be so life altering that this generation will be marked to speak of life either before the pandemic times or life after the pandemic times.
When you read the Old Testament we can clearly see great moments that divided people's understanding of God, life and a constantly moving "new normal." Think about the Great Flood, the Exodus, the Babylonian Captivity and life before the birth of Christ and life after the death of Christ, these all etched the epochs of time clearly by these definitive and life altering events.
Read moreGreetings dear friends across the world who are the very Beloved of God:
Today, let's look at "Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5.
The Message puts it this way: "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you."
Crisis--this pandemic is bringing us to the new terrain of meekness. We find ourselves in this new terrain by loss. We do not end up here by strength; personality; ego or wealth. We become meek through loss. Loss that brings us into the land of meekness is the loss of what is most important to us. What could that be:
Read moreGood Morning dearly beloved and kindred souls:
We're going to take a look at one Beatitude a day for the next few days. Today, I want to focus on this:
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4).
The Message put it this way for us: "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you."
I am thinking most of us are getting a deeper sense of all there is to mourn, all there is we've lost, and all we can lament. If you take a close look at this,
Read moreGood Morning, dear Kindred Souls:
Turning to the very words of Jesus--even the "red letters" of our New Testaments can offer us hope in these days of storm, trouble and anxiety. While sitting quietly yesterday, I felt an inner nudge inside of me to turn to the Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:1-12. These words have anchored men and women in bad times and good times for 2000 years. I believe, by focusing on these words for the next two weeks, we can find a sense of solidarity in reading the same words of Jesus and by especially sharing how these words stir inside of us. Let me offer some thoughts on the very first beatitude.
Read moreCreating space. This is the beginning of soul care and this is the beginning of our understanding of Christmas.
At Christmas, we create space. We offer the space of a good meal with friends and family. We offer space in our homes to bring a tree in from the outside and the space and time to decorate it--then the space to enjoy it. We want the space to sit and enjoy.
Read moreIt has been said that “the opposite of yes, is not no; it is control.” I am starting to believe that this is true. To say, “Yes!” is the highest mark of thanksgiving. To say, “Yes!” is to submit oneself to a greater story than the small one we each live. To say, “Yes!” is to let go of illusions that the past year may have shattered into the many pieces of dreams that are broken and lives that got smashed by a heavy hammer that life can sometimes bring.
Read moreSoul Care involves more than engaging in ancient practices. More and more people are talking about Sabbath keeping, which is good. More and more people are talking about silence and solitude, which is wonderful. Lots of people are hearing about Lectio Divina and actually doing it, which is marvelous.
But caring for the soul is not just an “add-on” to an already overloaded life.
Read moreRecently, while traveling through the Milwaukee, Wisconsin airport; having gone through the harried experience of the TSA lines and having been “randomly selected” for more screening; I noticed a big sign hanging from the roof of the waiting area which said, “Discombobulation Area.” It was a simple, identified area where you could stand, stuff your shirt back in your pants; put your belt back on and gather your disheveled bag that the TSA screeners had to unpack and begin to look normal again. Everyone needs an area like that, don’t we?
Read moreIt was T.S. Elliot, who captured what we want to tell you in this important newsletter with our big news. Elliot wrote in his Four Quartets,
“We shall not cease from exploration; and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
Read more