The first reading from Tuesday was taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. One verse stood out for me: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the Blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:13) … and in a reflection two days ago I asked “this is “the good news?” In that reflection I pointed out how often the New Testament refers to the Blood of Christ as central to the entire plan of salvation – and provided a sampling of verses from across the entire New Testament. It raised the question of why the “blood of the Cross” was the path by which we are redeemed. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Life
Wrong Question
Hamlet, Act III, Scene I offers us the famous line: “To be or not to be, that is the question…” Moses tells us in today’s first reading from Deuteronomy, that the right question is a lot more important than mere existence. God’s admonition to us is that we are to always choose life. The right question is whether we understand what it means to chose life and will we do it? Continue reading
An abundant life
“I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” So, what do you make of the verse? What generally stands out in the hearing and imagination is “the abundant life.” What does it look like? If we don’t have an idea of what it looks like, how will we know when we have it? Continue reading
Principles for life
THY WILL BE DONE – Are we completely giving ourselves over to God’s will? And embracing the high adventure of His plan, over our plan, wherever that may lead?
LOVE OUR PEOPLE – Are we loving our people above all else and as if they are Jesus in disguise? Are we detached from things, money, power, honor and comfort, so we are free to love people most fully? Are we helping each person take one step closer to reaching their own dreams in this world and becoming a saint in the next?
DELIGHT and SURPRISE – Are we doing everything that is expected of us…plus more? And delivering joyful, radical service that delights and surprises?
KEEP IT SIMPLE – Do we relentlessly simplify our processes and solutions, so our product and organization stays “lean and mean,” rather than cluttered or slowed by the unimportant? Are we continually asking, “What would this look like if it were simple?”
RADICAL FOCUS – Do we know who we are? Are we focused on the mission? Are we willing to give up everything non-essential? Are we able to cut through the distractions, noise, and busy-ness and just do the hard work that really matters?
GIVE MY BEST – Am I being a good steward of God’s gifts, working hard, taking initiative, and always giving my best?
CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT – Is this making us better versions of ourselves? Are we committed to excellence, personal accountability, understanding the why, and getting better at our craft every single day? Are we more disciplined, smart, virtuous, prayerful, faithful, and effective today than we were yesterday?
BE GENEROUS – Are we generous with our gratitude, time, patience, mercy, forgiveness, optimism, and kindness? When in doubt, be generous.
GREATER THAN THE SUM – “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things.” — Saint (Mother) Teresa
LEAVE ROOM – Work is a means to an end, not an end itself, and should not be all-consuming. Is our work sanctifying us and benefiting others? Is it nourishing our families, rather than competing with them? Is it enabling and supporting leisure and a rich contemplative life, with plenty of room for silence, prayer, worship and life’s higher things?
Mwangi’s Light
For the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children – Jan 22, 2015
Written: October, 1997 – Nairobi, Kenya
Mwangi is a young man in the neighborhood. 20 some years of age in body yet in child or less in development. I have seen him sit for hours on the edge of the lane leading from the slum to the main road. Most people pay him no mind as he will write no great books, he will not lead a nation and may never do more than be this silent sentinel who watches the lane and all the wayfarers who pass along its way Continue reading