I have a new Google Account, "desconbluz54".  I'm trying to figure out a way to move this blog over there but it may be a while.  Thank you for your support and I'll post back as soon as the blog has been moved.

Best,

BEN

Daily Meditation: The Peaceable Kingdom

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Monday December 10, 2012    The Peaceable Kingdom All of creation belongs together in the arms of its Creator.  The final vision is that not only will all men and women recognise that they are brothers and sisters called to live in unity but all members of God's creation will come together in complete harmony.  Jesus the Christ came to realise that vision.  Long before he was born, the prophet Isaiah saw it: The wolf will live with the lamb, the panther lie down with the kid, calf, lion and fat-stock beast together, with a little boy to lead them. The cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like the ox. The infant will play over the den of the adder; the baby will put his hand into the viper's lair. No hurt, no harm will be done on all my holy mountain, for the country will be full of knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9) We must keep this vision alive.     Comment on this Daily Meditation. Click here to join our online discussion of Creative Ministry Nov. 21st to Dec. 29th.   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson.

The Turning!

It's a steamy 102F in sunny Sacramento today, and for the 6th straight day I am thanking G_D my landlady installed Central A/C. I miss my bike and my VW Van but it's too damned HOT!

I've been working on my financial statement, my bills and getting things ready for my next meeting with the retirement folks at work. It's real. My current life is ending, and as of right now all will be new. The enormity of that fact is hitting me. Yet I am more excited and alive than I've been in the last several years. It's not often when something occurs in your life which upsets the apple cart and rolls you down an entirely different hill! I will remember July 2012 as that time!

I look around my house, and see my comfortable life around me. I see my books, my sound system, my "man-cave" recliner and big ol' SONY TV. It's easy to forget what just happened but then I snap back to now and start looking for boxes and bag's. Dr.Ben is going to RULE Freecycle these next few weeks!

I've got 40 weeks, give or take to my planned departure for New England. Less than a year! As Hunter S. Thompson is reputed to have said:

"Wow! What a ride!"

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Daily Meditation: Being Blessed

This morning, after my 40th High School reunion in CT, I feel so blessed.  Funny this turned up in my in-box!  High School was long ago and it's good to get a reality check!

BEN

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Saturday July 14, 2012  Being Blessed Jesus is the Blessed One.  When Jesus was baptised in the Jordan river a voice came from heaven saying:  "You are my Son, the Beloved;  my favour rests on you" (Mark 1:11).  This was the blessing that sustained Jesus during his life.  Whatever happened to him - praise or blame - he clung to his blessing; he always remembered that he was the favourite child of God. Jesus came into the world to share that blessing with us.  He came to open our ears to the voice that also says to us, "You are my beloved son, you are my beloved daughter, my favour rests on you ."  When we can hear that voice, trust in it, and always remember it, especially during dark times, we can live our lives as God's blessed children and find the strength to share that blessing with others.   Comment on this Daily Meditation.  Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson.

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Daily Meditation: The Wounded Healer - By Henri Nouwen

This, then is the passage which brought me to Henri Nouwen over 15 years ago.  I was sitting through m first round of chemo at Dana Farber and wondering what life held.  A Jesuit from work at BC brought me this little book. This was my first glimpse of a true goal for my living. 

BEN

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Sunday July 8, 2012      The Wounded Healer   Nobody escapes being wounded.  We all are wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.   The main question is not "How can we hide our wounds?" so we don't have to be embarrassed, but "How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?"  When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers.   Jesus is God's wounded healer: through his wounds we are healed.  Jesus' suffering and death brought joy and life.  His humiliation brought glory; his rejection brought a community of love.  As followers of Jesus we can also allow our wounds to bring healing to others.     Comment on this Daily Meditation.   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson.

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Daily Meditation: Making Our Lives Available to Others

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Sunday April 29, 2012      Making Our Lives Available to Others   One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this:   "I have nothing original to say.  Whatever I might say, someone else has already said it, and better than I will ever be able to."  This, however, is not a good argument for not writing.  Each human person is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived.  Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves but for others as well.  Writing can be a very creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to ourselves and to others.   We have to trust that our stories deserve to be told.  We may discover that the better we tell our stories the better we will want to live them.     Comment on this Daily Meditation. Discussion on The Wounded Healer begins May 30th. Please join us!   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson.

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"The Catholic Dictionary"

"The Catholic / Episcopal Dictionary"

AMEN: The only part of a prayer that everyone
knows.

BULLETIN: 1. Parish information, read only during
the homily.  2. Church air conditioning. 3. Your
receipt for attending Mass.

CHOIR: A group of people whose singing allows
the rest of the congregation to lip-sync.

HOLY WATER: A liquid whose chemical formula is
H2OLY.

HYMN: A song of praise, usually sung in a key three
octaves  higher than that of the congregation's
range.

RECESSIONAL HYMN: The last song at Mass, often
sung a little more quietly, since most of the people
have already left.

INCENSE: Holy Smoke!

JESUITS: An order of priests known for their ability
to found colleges with good basketball teams.

JONAH: The original "Jaws" story.

JUSTICE: When kids have kids of their own.

KYRIE ELIEISON: The only Greek words that most
Catholics can recognize besides gyros and
baklava.

MAGI: The most famous trio to attend a baby
shower.

MANGER: 1. Where Mary gave birth to Jesus
because Joseph wasn't covered by an HMO. .
2. The Bible's way of showing us that holiday
travel has always been rough.

PEW: A medieval torture device still found in
Catholic Churches.

PROCESSION: The ceremonial formation at the
beginning of Mass, consisting of altar servers,
the celebrant, and late parishioners looking for
seats.

RECESSIONAL: The ceremonial procession at
the conclusion of Mass led by parishioners trying
to beat the crowd to the parking lot.

RELICS: People who have been going to Mass
for so long, they actually know when to sit,
kneel, and stand.

TEN COMMANDMENTS: The most important Top
Ten list not given by David Letterman.

USHERS: The only people in the parish who don't
know the seating capacity of a pew.

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