Record lows along the third coast with low humidity and no storms on the horizon.
Thanks, God. You have a way of making us take notice.
8/25/2009
8/11/2009
Walker Percy and Flannery O'Connor
Two Southern-Catholic writers connected by region and religion, searching for answers to questions that most other people never even ask, or think to ask.
If you have not read both or either, pick up one of their works soon. You too will become a searcher and a seeker and you will gain insights along the backroads and bayous of the place we call home.
If you have not read both or either, pick up one of their works soon. You too will become a searcher and a seeker and you will gain insights along the backroads and bayous of the place we call home.
8/10/2009
Mass and Me
I like going to mass. It is the time when the sacrafice is not of me but for me. Manna becomes man and man becomes food for the body and spirit. My soul is not of my making. My prayers are not of my taking. My heart is connected to the one next to me and my soul joined at another mass has become one in being with her and with the Lord. The sacrafice is not mine, but, it is for me.
8/06/2009
Afternoon Reflection
The economy is causing problems around the world. The decline of expendable income affects the feeding of those that need help. Prayers are still accepted. We rush to work, hurry to complete obligations and hurry home. Traffic creates anxiety. I am often more exhausted from the drive than I am from the day's work. To unwind, I sometimes have to pray.
8/05/2009
Prophets
There ain't no prophets in my home community; except unless you count Gay and Eddie. I always knew them as dirt-scratch farmers and hard working men. They were old when I was young and so it seemed to me that they was just men, like the older men in my family. But they had a wisdom and a way of sharing that wisdom that made a young boy like me listen. Their intonation and vocabulary wasn't anything like what I heard on Sunday mornings. They spoke of a Lord that was "gracious" and "almighty." Scarred and calloused hands waved in the air as the lessons of Job and Elijah hung in the air above our porch.
They are all gone now and days pass without me thinking of those gentle but worn men and their words. I miss them when I do think of them and those days.
Rest in peace my friends,
In the hands of the "almighty and gracious Lawd."
They are all gone now and days pass without me thinking of those gentle but worn men and their words. I miss them when I do think of them and those days.
Rest in peace my friends,
In the hands of the "almighty and gracious Lawd."
8/04/2009
Ignatius Loyola
The beginning of what we now know as education can be traced back to this man and his mission. The corruption of educations began when we began to move away from the Mission.
8/03/2009
Punctuating "Death"
Death adds punctuation to our lives. The difference between a comma's brief pause and a semicolon's separation can make all the difference in the meaning of life, or; death.
“Death, Be Not Proud”
Holy Sonnet Number 10, by John Donne
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so.
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep which but they pictures be,
Much pleasure; then, from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou’rt slave to fate, chance, kings, and desparate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell.
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well,
And easier than they stroke. Why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we live eternally,
And Death shall be no more. Death, thou shalt die.
- OR -
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
“Death, Be Not Proud”
Holy Sonnet Number 10, by John Donne
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so.
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep which but they pictures be,
Much pleasure; then, from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou’rt slave to fate, chance, kings, and desparate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell.
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well,
And easier than they stroke. Why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we live eternally,
And Death shall be no more. Death, thou shalt die.
- OR -
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
7/30/2009
John Donne's For Whom the Bell Tolls/No Man is an Island
John Donne
From Norton
Devotions upon Emergent Occassions
“Meditaion 17”
Nunc lento sonitu dicunt, morieris
Now this bell tolling softly for another, say to me, thou must die.
"Perchance he for whom this bell tools may be so ill as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may thing myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me and see my state may have caused it to toll for me, and I know not that: The church is catholic, universal, so are all her actions; all that she does belong to all. When she baptizes a child, that action concerns me; for that child is thereby connected to that head which is my head too, and ingrafted into that body where of I am a member. And when she buries a man, that action concerns me: all mankind is of one author and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated. God employs several translators; some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice; but God’s hand is in every translation, and his hand shall bind up our scattered leaves again for that library where every book shall lie open to another. As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come, so this bell calls us all; but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness. There was a contention as for a suit (in which piety and dignity, religion and estimation, were mingled) which of the religious orders should ring to prayer first in the morning; and it was determined that they should ring first that rose earliest. If we understand aright the dignity of this bell that tools for our evening prayer, we would be glad to make it ours by rising early, in that application, that it might be ours as well as his whose indeed it is. The bell doth toll for him that thinks it doth; and though it intermit again, yet from that minute that the occasion wrought upon him, he is united to God. Who casts not up his eye to the sun when it rises? But who takes off his eye from a comet when that breaks out? Who bends not an ear to any bell which upon any occasion rings? But who can remove it from the bell which is passing a piece of himself out of this world? No man is an island, entire of itself, everyman is a piece of the continent, and part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were. Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tools for the. Neither can we call this a begging of misery or a borrowing of misery, as though we were not miserable enough of ourselves but must fetch in more from the next house, in taking upon us the misery of our neighbors. Truly it were an excusable covetousness if we did; for affliction is a treasure, and scarce any man hath enough of it. No man hath affliction enough that is not matured and ripened by it, and made fit for God by that affliction. If a man carry treasure in bullion, or in a wedge of gold, and have none coined into current moneys, his treasure will not defray him as he travels. Tribulation is treasure in the nature of it, but it is not current money in the use of it, except we get nearer and nearer our home, heaven, by it. Another man may be sick too, and sick to death, and this affliction may lie in his bowels as gold in a mine and be of no use to him; but his bell that tells me of his affliction digs out and applies that gold to me, if by this consideration of another’s danger I take mine own in contemplation and so secure myself by making my recourse to my God, who is our only security."
From Norton
Devotions upon Emergent Occassions
“Meditaion 17”
Nunc lento sonitu dicunt, morieris
Now this bell tolling softly for another, say to me, thou must die.
"Perchance he for whom this bell tools may be so ill as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may thing myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me and see my state may have caused it to toll for me, and I know not that: The church is catholic, universal, so are all her actions; all that she does belong to all. When she baptizes a child, that action concerns me; for that child is thereby connected to that head which is my head too, and ingrafted into that body where of I am a member. And when she buries a man, that action concerns me: all mankind is of one author and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated. God employs several translators; some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice; but God’s hand is in every translation, and his hand shall bind up our scattered leaves again for that library where every book shall lie open to another. As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come, so this bell calls us all; but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness. There was a contention as for a suit (in which piety and dignity, religion and estimation, were mingled) which of the religious orders should ring to prayer first in the morning; and it was determined that they should ring first that rose earliest. If we understand aright the dignity of this bell that tools for our evening prayer, we would be glad to make it ours by rising early, in that application, that it might be ours as well as his whose indeed it is. The bell doth toll for him that thinks it doth; and though it intermit again, yet from that minute that the occasion wrought upon him, he is united to God. Who casts not up his eye to the sun when it rises? But who takes off his eye from a comet when that breaks out? Who bends not an ear to any bell which upon any occasion rings? But who can remove it from the bell which is passing a piece of himself out of this world? No man is an island, entire of itself, everyman is a piece of the continent, and part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were. Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tools for the. Neither can we call this a begging of misery or a borrowing of misery, as though we were not miserable enough of ourselves but must fetch in more from the next house, in taking upon us the misery of our neighbors. Truly it were an excusable covetousness if we did; for affliction is a treasure, and scarce any man hath enough of it. No man hath affliction enough that is not matured and ripened by it, and made fit for God by that affliction. If a man carry treasure in bullion, or in a wedge of gold, and have none coined into current moneys, his treasure will not defray him as he travels. Tribulation is treasure in the nature of it, but it is not current money in the use of it, except we get nearer and nearer our home, heaven, by it. Another man may be sick too, and sick to death, and this affliction may lie in his bowels as gold in a mine and be of no use to him; but his bell that tells me of his affliction digs out and applies that gold to me, if by this consideration of another’s danger I take mine own in contemplation and so secure myself by making my recourse to my God, who is our only security."
7/27/2009
The Pear Tree
It stood a ways up the bayou bank
It gave shade to a resting place
So many times while the water ran
To quinch the cattle and Grandpa's grace
It gave shade to a resting place
So many times while the water ran
To quinch the cattle and Grandpa's grace
7/26/2009
Thoughts on a Sunday Morning
I love Sunday mornings. To wake up early, grab a cup of coffee, go out on the patio and watch the world wake up. The smell of the roasted beans, dew on the fresh mown lawn, sweet olive trees spritzing the thick damp hanging morning air. A prayer across the dawning mist and I am ready for another day.
6/07/2009
The Holy Trinity
It is Trinity Sunday. How does one explain the Trinity? Words have not been written that hold the proper description. Three-in-one, one-in-three. Jesus is described by John as, The Word; therefore we should not look for a word to define the Trinity. The definitions is inside, in the place where we find spiritual love and prayer.
2/26/2009
Lent to Me
How about starting with the reading for this Sunday's Gospel. After reading the gospel, look at the questions and reflect for a moment on the questions. Reply to the reading and the questions or simply add your own thoughts as a reply.
Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent (March 1, 2009) Mk 1:12-15
The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.Repent, and believe in the gospel."
What word or passage had the most impact on you as you read the gospel?
Why?
Can you relate this gospel to any situations or issues in your life today?
If you would like to share your thoughts or reflections please click on the "comment" icon below. Please note that comments will be screened for relevance to this blog, its readers and administrators.
(maybe some music?)
Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent (March 1, 2009) Mk 1:12-15
The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.Repent, and believe in the gospel."
What word or passage had the most impact on you as you read the gospel?
Why?
Can you relate this gospel to any situations or issues in your life today?
If you would like to share your thoughts or reflections please click on the "comment" icon below. Please note that comments will be screened for relevance to this blog, its readers and administrators.
(maybe some music?)
2/03/2009
Looking forward to Lent
I am looking forward to Lent. It is perhaps my favorite time of the year. A time for downloading and clearing out all the unneeded and unused stuff.
It is also the time for rebirth...time to plant a garden or at least prepare the soil for the garden.
I guess you could say that Lent is really the time for preparing the soil. Tilling over the old rubbish and making compost out of the debris. It is the time for cleaning the house, the yard, the barn and the soul.
Can't wait until Mardi Gras followed by Ash Wednesday.
Peace.
It is also the time for rebirth...time to plant a garden or at least prepare the soil for the garden.
I guess you could say that Lent is really the time for preparing the soil. Tilling over the old rubbish and making compost out of the debris. It is the time for cleaning the house, the yard, the barn and the soul.
Can't wait until Mardi Gras followed by Ash Wednesday.
Peace.
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