Welcome

Welcome to All. This blog is a discussion site, looking at our lives through our experiences, our spiritual, and, not so spiritual lens, ....what our lives look like at The Front. We are and some would argue, always have been, in interesting times. Servants, past and present have been at constant struggle with whatever the issues of the day have been. Where do we even begin to name them: poverty, hunger, education, shelter, .... and did I mention poverty? Fifty-one years ago, President Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty, a war by the way, we're still fighting. Then again, we've always been at war with poverty, and yet poverty has remained steadfast. Jesus apparently got it right: "The poor will always be with you." But Jesus was a smart man. Did he mean what we think? Does poverty always have to be with us. Let's talk about this, and whatever else, in real and truthful ways. Let's view our lives from The Front.
If you have come to help me, then you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is linked to mine, then we will work together.
----(Anonymous) Australian Aborigine Activist
--mailto:--neilpitts@aol.com

Contemplative Action

The Rite of Initiation: You are going to die


A shocking statement. Perhaps. But the Franciscan Priest, Richard Rohr,,who has studied the Rite of Initiation has said the following::

"Every initiation rite I've studied had some ritual, dramatic, or theatrical way to experience crossing the threshold from life to death in symbolic form. Some ritual of death and resurrection was the centerpiece of all male initiation. It is probably why Jesus sought out and submitted to John the Baptist's offbeat death and rebirth ritual down by the riverside, when his own temple had become more concerned with purity codes than with transformation. It is probably why Jesus kept talking to his disciples, three times in Mark's Gospel, about the necessity of this death journey, and why three times they changed the subject (8:31-10:45). It is undoubtedly why Jesus finally stopped talking about it, and just did it, not ritually but actually. Death and resurrection, the paschal mystery, is the theme of every single Eucharist no matter what the feast or season. It takes us many seasons and even years to overcome our resistance to death.

"The transformational journey of death and resurrection is the only real message. It makes you indestructible. The real life, God's life, is running through you and in you already. But allowing it to flow freely doesn't come easily. When you do, the spiritual journey really begins. Up to that moment it is just religion. Everything up to then is creating the container, but you have not yet found the contents; you are creating the wineskins, as Jesus says, but you are not yet drinking the intoxicating wine."

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Graduation Day,....the embrace of God

Graduation day,  a day to rejoice,.  a day of celebration,  USciences,... 2016.

Look closely at the picture, to the left and in your mind's eye. She has her arm's out stretched,...wide open. It was noticeable, perhaps shocking, but appropriate.  They had all reach the goal,  Doctors of Pharmacy, at last. And others, not all pharmacists,... they were all health sciences graduates.  Not more than 5' tall, she was litererally bouncing on the balls of her feet. It seemed as though she almost couldn't contain her joy.  I couldn't see her face, but imagined it to frame a glowing and eager smile..  Arms were outstretched as she reached for the graduates headed her way. Their names were called, diplomas in hand from the Provost then picture taking with the College President, greeted by the Dean and finally the Department Chair. When they reached her, the embrace was warm, tight and familiar. She must have known each of them by name. The embrace said so. One after the other she reached for them, hugged them, held and released them. This 5'  USciences department chair.  It was,.. infectious, energetic... and lovely.

I imagine God to be that way: reaching for us, yearning for us, arms wide open, drawing us near, embracing us with a familiar and warm embrace,... infectious and lovely.  He surely knows us all by name. I have no clue as to her faith journey or even if she has one. But I watched and couldn't help but long for God's tender embrace, His loving embrace.  Wondering if we all could take a lesson from the USciences Department Chair?  What if we greeted each other with that kind of longing? What if we wanted to be in each other's arms? Greeting each other as God would greet us.  Loving each other as God loves us. Afterall, He did say to Israel,.."I have loved you with an everlasting love; (therefore) I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."  Oh yeah,.. and Jesus says something about Love one another (just) as I have loved you. Hmmm!

When we erase the barriers that divide us, all we have left is the warm embrace God intends for his creation. Today is the USciences graduation, and the 5' Department Chair is a living example of that embrace. Let's read her notebook.
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