“We have a choice today about what we put in our hands: do we put clothes on the backs of the naked, the needy, the migrants in our neighborhoods, or do we put weapons of war in our hands to spread fear and terror?” -Fr. Brendan Patrick Busse SJ, Catholic priest & pastor of Dolores Mission Church / Iglesia Misión Dolores
Here is the great temptation of the modern age, this universal infection of fanaticism, this plague of intolerance, prejudice and hate which flows from the crippled nature of man who is afraid of love and does not dare to be a person. It is against this temptation most of all that the Christian must labor with inexhaustible patience and love, in silence, perhaps in repeated failure, seeking tirelessly to restore, wherever he can, and first of all in himself, the capacity of love and which makes man the living image of God. — Disputed Questions, “Christianity and Totalitarianism”
On Pride: This sickness is most dangerous when it succeeds in looking like humility. When a proud man thinks he is humble his case is hopeless. — Seeds of Contemplation, p. 38
Verse of the day
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.
– Psalm 139:14
Voice of the day
It’s okay to distance yourself from spaces that demand a version of you that no longer is true. Belonging shouldn’t depend on an illusion.
– Cole Arthur Riley
Prayer of the day
Creator, help us to embrace the truth that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, giving us courage to step away from places that ask us to be anything less than our authentic selves.
We did a lot of walking/hiking in and around Skagway (10.7 miles). By the time we got back to the ship, I was exhausted. I have also been reading Thomas Merton’s Alaskan Journal (Thomas Merton in Alaska: The Alaskan Conferences, Journals, and Letters). This entry seemed apropos after the long day of hiking.
Last Sunday I climbed a mountain behind the convent, guided by a boy who knew the trail. Very tired after it! (p. 27)
We have barely touched the tip of the iceberg (pun fully intended!) on this cruise when it comes to experiencing the wild beauty of Alaska. Today we are cruising Glacier Bay and have seen a number of glaciers. While we aren’t hiking we are experiencing the amazing beauty of the rugged landscape. We have watched otters floating, terns fishing, and a couple of harbor seals swimming. A reminder to slow down and experience the wonder of God’s creation.
I find it interesting that Merton was so focused on getting to Asia that he at times seemed to be in a hurry to leave Alaska. However, he was able to take time to simply be in the wilderness. This time for me is a time to slow down and simply be still.
In the words of the psalmist, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Verse of the day
Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.
– 1 John 4:11–12
Voice of the day
Love will lead us to the ways that we can show up and love others as we love ourselves.
– Darren Calhoun, “LGBTQ+ Christians Can Build Bridges With Our Non-Affirming Family”
Prayer of the day
God of love, as you abide in us, help us be led by your love so we may show up with compassion, reflecting your presence by loving others as fully as we are loved by you.
Verse of the day
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
– Psalm 42:8
Voice of the day
Hope is a song in a weary throat. / Give me a song of hope / And a world where I can sing it.
– Pauli Murray, “Dark Testament, Verse 8” (1970)
Prayer of the day
God of steadfast love, in a world where many still sing through weariness, let your enduring song of hope rise in every heart longing to be seen, embraced, and free to sing in the fullness of who they are.
“There is no serious chance of a unilateral disarmament. . . . I therefore align myself with those who take most seriously the need and the possibility of a strong, positive, and uncompromising policy of multilateral disarmament.”—Thomas Merton, Peace in the Post-Christian Era
“Action isn’t a burden to be hoisted up and lugged around on our shoulders. It is something we are. The work we have to do can be seen as a kind of coming alive. More than some moral imperative, it’s an awakening to our true nature, a releasing of our gifts.”—Joanna Macy
“Human relationships should not be sacrificed in favour of technology. When technology replaces human conversation the child is at risk of losing the emotional support necessary for confidence and growth in responsibility.”—Martin Brokenleg, “Growing Your Own Kids Today”
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