jwb1410's blog

I found this to be an interesting timeline to consider, especially given our own native american issues that exist.

A friend of mine sent this to me this morning. It seems legitimate and important.

John B.

Have you seen the news about Gaza? I just signed a petition calling on the international community to help end the blockade and reach a ceasefire, take a look and add your name if you agree:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_end_the_siege/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

Fundamentalism is not so much a position as much as it is a psychological state where identity gets wrapped up with ideology and power. Every person or group is vulnerable to fundamentalism. It is not just an ailment of the political right. I raise it as an issue in this blog because the human tendencies that we believe we are immune to are the same tendencies to which we become more susceptible. Also, I have come across some rules of engagement that I find helpful and want to share.

It was just by chance (or was it?) that I came upon another work by Joy Cowley (at http://www.liturgy.co.nz/resources/cowley.html). I thought I would share it.

Glorious are you, Mystery of Life,
essence of all creation.
You are the symphony of stars and planets.
You are the music of the atoms within us.
You are the dawn on mountain peaks,
the moonlight on evening seas.
Forest and farm, the rush of the city,
everything is embraced in your love.

We rejoice as we sing our gratitude.

Glorious are you, O Jesus Christ,
Cosmic love in human flesh.
You graced the smallness of time and place
to teach us to dance to the music.
You walk on our seas and heal in our streets.
You make your home in our lives,
revealing that cross and resurrection
are one on the road to freedom.

We rejoice as we sing our gratitude.

Glorious are you, O Spirit of Truth,
wisdom and breath of our being.
You are the wind that sweeps our senses.
You are the fire that burns in our hearts.
You are the needle of the inner compass,
always pointing to true North,
guiding us on the sacred dance
into the Mystery of Life.

We rejoice as we sing our gratitude.

This Sunday, I just wanted to share a translation of the words of Mary's Song from the birth narrative of the Gospel of Luke written by Joy Cowley, a Roman Catholic Christian from Auckland, New Zealand. That song, called "The Magnificat," can be found in Luke 1:46-55. John Shelby Spong wrote, "Joy understands the essential task of the modern disciple of Jesus to make yesterday's words capable of being understood in the words of the 21st century." I couldn't agree more!

My soul sings in gratitude.
I'm dancing in the mystery of God.
The light of the Holy One is within me
and I am blessed, so truly blessed.

This goes deeper than human thinking.
I am filled with awe
at Love whose only condition
is to be received.

The gift is not for the proud,
for they have no room for it.
The strong and self-sufficient ones
don't have this awareness.

But those who know their emptiness
can rejoice in Love's fullness.

It's the Love that we are made for,
the reason for our being.

It fills our inmost heart space
and brings to birth in us, the Holy One.