“Most human suffering on this planet comes not from unavoidable tragedies like accidents and natural disasters, but from human beings themselves. Human trafficking and sweatshop labor, political violence and domestic abuse, racial oppression and gender violence, poverty and war . . . all co-arise with our systems, our perceptions, and our narratives. These narratives are born of trauma and give birth to trauma.”—Charles Eisenstein
“As we grow in our capacity to be present to the sacred in the rise and fall of each moment, we discover that God’s deepest quality is mystery and the very nature of mystery fosters an experience of tension.”
— Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, Sacred Time: Embracing an Intentional Way of Life
What mysteries are unfolding in this season of your life?
Verse of the day
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”
– Isaiah 6:8
Voice of the day
The truth of Thanksgiving, indeed, the truth of human history, is found when we listen to the voice of our victims.
– Adam Ericksen, “The Truth about Thanksgiving: Why You Should Celebrate,” sojo.net (2012)
Prayer of the day Send me where you would have me, Lord. May I follow the voices of those who cry out for justice.
“To heal our society, our psyches must heal as well. The military, social, and environmental dangers that threaten us do not come from sources outside the human heart; they are reflections of it, mirroring the fears, greed, and hostility that separate us from ourselves and each other.”—Joanna Macy
Verse of the day
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.
– Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Voice of the day
[I]n nature nothing exists alone.
– Rachel Carson, Silent Spring (1962)
Prayer of the day As you touch us in our pain, we are enabled to be open to each other and to find healing, so that, wounded as we are, your mercy may flow through us to the oppressed and broken of this world.
– Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals
There is so much to be grateful for today… even as we mark the fourth anniversary of my Mom’s passing through the veil.
These words of Thomas Merton from his book Thoughts in Solitude say it all: To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.
Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.
“Our society is so inured to violence that it finds it hard to believe in anything else. And that phrase believe in provides the clue. People trust violence. Violence ‘saves.’ It is ‘redemptive.’ But when we make survival the highest goal and death the greatest evil, we hand ourselves over to the gods of the Domination System. We trust violence because we are afraid. And we will not relinquish our fears until we are able to imagine a better alternative.”—Walter Wink
Verse of the day
God is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day.
– Psalm 7:11
Voice of the day
For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but the thunder … the conscience of the nation must be roused.
– Frederick Douglass, “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?” (1852)
Prayer of the day Be with us in our indignation, Jesus. Help us to carry the torch of justice.
https://www.trinitystores.com/artwork/philip-and-daniel-berrigan
“One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the U.S. around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better.” — Daniel Berrigan
How many times does this need to be said… vlence changes nothing… when will we ever learn… oh Lord, when will we ever learn…
A special thanks to the Rev, Dr Steve Harper (Steve’s Blog) for introducing me to The Berrigan Collective (The Berrigan Collective) where this quote can be found as part of an article.
Some wise words from Thomas Merton. Written during the Cuban Missile Crisis time period and still relevant today.
…the great thing is, or should be, love of truth. I know there is nothing more precious than the bond of charity created by communicating and sharing the truth. This really is my whole life. (Turning Toward the World: The Pivotal Years (The Journals of Thomas Merton, Volume 4: 1960-1963) November 13, 1962)
The bond of charity (Caritas… Love) created by communicating and sharing the truth is something that is sadly lacking in social and political discourse from the halls of Congress to local communities and social media…
