"Lord, teach us to pray...." Love's Forgetfulness

"Why do you keep talking about my past mistakes?" said the husband. "I thought you had forgiven and forgotten."

"I have indeed, forgiven and forgotten," said the wife. "But I want to make sure you don't forget that I have forgiven and forgotten."

Sinner: "Remember not my sins, O Lord!"

Lord: "What sins? You'll have to prod my memory. I forgot them long ago."

Love keeps no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13).

(Anthony de Mello, The Song of the Bird, page 123)

Love One Another - Brian

Sabbath Rest

Tuesday is the weekly Sabbath for the John 13:34 Blog. Thanks for checking in. Come back tomorrow for more adventures and reflections. In the meantime....

Love One Another - Brian

The Circus Story and the Example to Love One Another

Jesus said: "As the Father has sent me so I send you..... Abide in my love.....Love One Another" The following story, recalled by a young man, has been around for a long time. I thought it went well with the first portion of Sunday's Gospel lesson from John 20.

"Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. Finally, there was only one family between us and the ticket counter. 

"This family made a big impression on me. There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. You could tell they didn’t have a lot of money. Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean.

"The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by- two behind their parents, holding hands. They were excitedly jabbering about the clowns, elephants and other acts they would see that night. One could sense they had never been to the circus before. It promised to be a highlight of their young lives. The father and mother were at the head of the pack standing proud as could be.

"The mother was holding her husband’s hand, looking up at him as if to say, “You’re my knight in shining armor.” He was smiling and basking in pride, looking at her as if to reply, “You got that right.”

"The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He proudly responded, “Please let me buy eight children’s tickets and two adult tickets so I can take my family to the circus.”

"The ticket lady quoted the price. The man’s wife let go of his hand, her head dropped, the man’s lip began to quiver. The father leaned a little closer and asked, “How much did you say?”

"The ticket lady again quoted the price. The man didn’t have enough money. How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids that he didn’t have enough money to take them to the circus?

"Seeing what was going on, my dad put his hand into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground. (We were not wealthy in any sense of the word!) My father reached down, picked up the bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket.”

"The man knew what was going on. He wasn’t begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking, embarrassing situation. He looked straight into my dad’s eyes, took my dad’s hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the $20 bill, and with his lip quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied, “Thank you, thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family.”

"My father and I went back to our car and drove home. We didn’t go to the circus that night, but we didn’t go without."

Jesus said, "All will know that you are my disciples if you love one another."

Brian

The Weekly Round-Up for April 6, 2013

Baseball returned this week and our Cleveland Indians broke from the gate with two convincing wins over the highly favored Toronto Blue Jays. Hope springs eternal but was soon dashed with two losses that probably, more likely, showed the true character, and make-up, of this year's team. Even at .500, it is still great to hear the "crack of the bat", a fast ball "popping" the catcher's glove, and the voice of Tom Hammond calling a game on the radio. Nothing like baseball.

The Weekly Round-Up begins now....

Commentary: "American Winter" Families Struggle to Survive Fall from Middle Class (npr.com)

Commentary: Courting Cowardice on Same-Sex Marriage (New York Times)

Commentary: The Top 8 Ways To Be "Traditionally Married" According to the Bible - Not What You Think (upworthy.com)

Commentary: Freedom Loses One (New York Times)

Commentary: Jimmy Carter vs. the SBC/Driscoll/Victoria’s Secret: A Sea Change? (sojo.net)

Inspirational: Food Is A Sacred Gift, Not A System (TEDtalk)

Inspirational: 9 Power Quotes for Times of Struggle (marcandangel.com)

In Memoriam: Rabbi Herschel Schacter - He Cried to the Jews of Buchenwald "You Are Free" (New York Times)

Technology: Computers and Quantum Mechanics

Literature: Eighteen Words that Should Never Have Gone Out of Style (deathandtaxesmag.com)

Education: A Teacher's Open Letter About His Retirement and the State of Education in America (syrcause.com)

Maps: What Your State Is Good At and What It Is Lame At (upworthy.com)

Music: Orchestra Musician: It's Not A Cush Job (brianlauritzen.com)

Music: 11 Facts About Music Education (dosomething.org)

Music: Opera and Elitism (thebitingpoint.com)

Music: The Case for Active Practicing (ovationpress.com)

Parenting: The Camp Counselor vs. The Intern (New York Times)

Sports: We Need More Courageous Voices Like Dean Smith (Winston Salem Journal)

Pope Francis: "I'll Stay at the Guesthouse" (sojo.net)

Pope Francis: Foot Washing Final Straw for Traditionalists (yahoo.com)

Religion: All Is Quiet on the God Front (sojo.net)

Religion: This Week in God (Rachel Maddow)

Religion: Resurrection as Metaphor (huffingtonpost.com)

Religion: The Communal Resurrection of Jesus (huffingtonpost.com)

Religion: Easter is Coming (youtube.com)

Religion: A Relentless Faith (sojo.net)

Love One Another - Brian

Bracketology 2013 (Second Week)

Well.... who would have thought that going into the final weekend of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament the Final Four would consist of Louisville, Michigan, Syracuse and Witchita State!

Holy Upset....Batman!

I do not know about your Brackets, but mine are "toast". So I guess I will cheer for Syracuse (just can't root for Michigan) and Louisville. This way on Monday night I am delighted whoever wins the game.

But "Bracket-mania" is alive and well in the Community of Saint John tournament. Here is a complete list of participants and the points they have collected up until this point. It is still anybody's Tournament to win because eight folks have selected Louisville to win it all and one person went so far as to choose Witchita State!

Kathy S. 174 pts
Tyler S. 172 pts
Michelle O. (2) 170 pts
Barb. D. (2) 158 pts
Alex N. 152 pts
Dan C. 146 pts
Barb D. (4) 146 pts
Brian S. 144 pts
Cam O. (2) 142 pts
Lund Family 140 pts
Clark W. 138 pts
Cam O. (1) 138 pts
Tg N. 134 pts
Melinda N. 134 pts
Barb D. (1) 128 pts
Barb D. (3) 124 pts
Michelle O. (1) 122 pts
GailMarie F. 120 pts
Susie S. 114 pts
John H. 112 pts
Brian M. 106 pts

Remember..... all monies go to local charities. The Winner decides the beneficiary. A great weekend of Basketball ahead of us and AWESOME worship at the Community of Saint John this Sunday at 10:00 am.

Love One Another - Brian

Forty-Five Years Ago....Martin Luther King, Jr.

Forty-five years ago today, Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered by an assassin’s bullet on a hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee. It was King’s dream to counter

violence with nonviolence and that there should be dignity offered to all men, women and children regardless of the color of their skin.

On this anniversary, in a nation that is consumed by gun violence and seemingly oblivious to the growing percentage of poor persons, including 16 million children, I hope you will take a moment and read again, King’s vision. While the dream lives on, there is still much work to be done.

“I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.

But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of

great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom rng from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Love One Another - Brian

Sabbath Rest

Tuesday is the weekly Sabbath for the John 13:34 Blog. Thanks for checking in. Back at it again tomorrow. Meantime, I will be taking in some Opening Day Baseball with the Tribe!

Monday of Easter Week

There are 50 days in the Easter Season - Live Like IT!

Love One Another - Brian

Holy Saturday 2013

A moving service last night at the Community of Saint John as the members, and a few guests, gathered in worship. The liturgy used a portion of the Stations of the Cross, written by the Reverend John Peterson, former Dean of the Saint George’s College in Jerusalem. Larry Richmond fashioned a cross to carry made from two tress that had fallen in the woods behind his home. Seven members led the readings and reflections, capturing the emotions and nuance of the story. Both older and younger members assisted one another in carrying the cross through the park behind the Barlow Center and into the building. This liturgy never fails to move one as we remembered our Lord’s passion and death.

On this Holy Saturday, I leave you with some quotes to ponder from last night’s worship as the Christian Church remembers our Lord's lifeless body lying in a dark cold tomb.

THE FIRST STATION: JESUS TAKES UP HIS CROSS

The Cross of Christ should become the very substance of our life.  No doubt this is what Christ meant when he advised his friends to bear their cross each day, and not, as people seem to think nowadays, simply that one should be resigned of one’s little daily troubles – which, by almost sacrilegious abuse of language, people sometimes refer to as crosses.  Simone Weil – France (1909-1943)

THE SECOND STATION: SIMON OF CYRENE HELPS JESUS TO CARRY HIS CROSS

Involvement in any action takes an effort, and there is always a price to pay. The question is, am I ready to pay the price, to share the suffering of others? Suffering for me is bearable, if it is for the cause of liberation, if it helps us to find a new community with each other and with God. Jean Zaru – Occupied West Bank (Ramallah)

THE THIRD STATION: JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS

But if we must begin faith by affirming life’s tragic character and, in fact, find God in the tragic, such a faith will scarcely sell in America.  Americans are into self-fulfillment, success, the necessity of self-esteem, and the uses of power.  We admire mastery.  We applaud people who have “got themselves together.”  In a land where denominations compete for the American soul, a religion that admits that life is inevitably tragic and “then we die” will lose out … to step from Palm Sunday immediately to Easter Day retains the note of triumph we crave.  The truth is that we are embarrassed by the crucified Christ.  For if Jesus on the cross is the revealing of God, then the Church may be called to a very different social role, namely, to suffer and to die for the world. David Buttrick – United States

THE FOURTH STATION: JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS

Nails could not have held God-made man fastened to a tree, had not love held him there. Catherine of Siena (1347 – 1380)

THE FIFTH STATION: JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS

Imagine Christ our Lord present before you upon the cross, and begin to speak with him, asking how it is that though He is the Creator, He has stooped to become man, and to pass from eternal life to death here in time, for thus He might die for our sins.  I shall also reflect upon myself and ask: “What have I done for Christ?”  As I behold Christ in this plight, nailed to the cross, I shall ponder upon what presents itself to my mind. Ignatius of Loyola (1491 – 1556)

THE SIXTH STATION: JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS

Do not look forward to what might happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today, will take care of you tomorrow and every day.  Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it.  Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings. Francis de Sales (1567 – 1622)

THE SEVENTH STATION: JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB

The edges of God are tragedy; the depths of God are joy, beauty, resurrection, life.  Resurrection answers crucifixion; life answers death. Majorie Hewitt Suchocki – United States

Do you wish to understand your Lord’s meaning?

Understand truly: Love was his meaning.

Who revealed it to you?  Love.

What did he show you?  Love.

Why did he show it?  For love.

Hold firmly to this and you will learn and know more of this.

But you will never know or learn anything other than this, ever.

Julian of Norwich – English mystic (1342-1416)

On Good Friday and Holy Saturday the principalities and authorities of this world had their say. The institutions and power brokers believed that they had taken care of the problem. But Sunday is coming….

Love One Another - Brian

Easter Service Information at The Community of Saint John can been viewed by clicking here.

Pope Francis and the Ministry of Servanthood

There has been much comment made of the selection of the new Pope: the first Jesuit, and the first Latin American, in Church history to occupy the See of St Peter. I am not sure that I can add anything to the discussion that either has not already been said or will add any merit to the conversation. However, I do wish that all of us would simply take a step back and give the man a chance to make whatever necessary change he deems fit on moving the Church in a new direction.

I am impressed by Pope Francis' example of humility: his

asking for prayer for himself from the faithful before offering his first blessing. His actions at the inaugural mass of stopping the vehicle he was travelling in and going down to welcome and embrace a man who was severely handicapped. There was only one other time where I have witnessed such deep compassion and that was when Mother Teresa welcomed the poor at a service at the Charlotte Coliseum. Francis clearly has a connection with the "least of these" and if that is the only change that comes from his papacy that will be a blessing to us all.

Of course, there are larger and more complex issues: sexual abuse, theological concerns, and a church that seems out of touch to many young people. Let's be honest, the power brokers who run the Vatican will not step aside easily. This is an institution that guards its traditions and any suggestion of change can be seen as a threat to its well-being. Again, I am impressed that the new Pope, it has been reported, has told those in power that they are on notice. They can continue to serve but every position is up for review. Let us pray that Francis will have the wisdom and courage to make the change that is necessary to right the wrong.

The institutional Church is in trouble in most denominations mainly because we have forgotten to take the primary teaching of Jesus and live it out with integrity and truth. In the last week, the new Pope has exemplified for me the teachings of our Lord: ‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (John 13:34 and 35).

As Christians around the globe gather tonight to begin the observance of the Triduum, may we remember the words of our Lord, and rejoice that the leader of the largest Christian denomination is seeking to return the Church to its roots: the ministry of servanthood.

Love One Another - Brian

An Invitation: I invite you to join the members of The Community of Saint John this evening at 7:00 pm as we begin the observance of the Great Three Days. We meet at the Barlow Center in Hudson and the service this evening will include readings, footwashing, the eucharist, and the stripping of the altar. You are most welcome to join us and please invite a friend.

"Lord, teach us to pray...." The Danger of Pride and Desiring Anything But God

In his famous work Christian Perfection, John Wesley gives practical advice to those who wish to move towards perfection. For this great Methodist preacher, perfection did not mean a state of sinlessness, rather it was a desire to be fully in love with God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind and strength. Some good advice for those of us about to enter into the Paschal msytery. Here are two short excerpts from his writings.

The Danger of Pride

“The first advice I would give to those who have been saved from sin by grace is to watch and pray continually against pride. For it is pride not only to ascribe what we have to ourselves, but also to think we have what we do not. One man, for instance, ascribed his knowledge to God and was therefore humble. But then he thought he had more than everyone else which is dangerous pride.

“We often think that we have no need of anyone else’s advice or reproof. Always remember, much grace does not imply much enlightenment. We may be wise but have little love, or we may have love with little wisdom. God wisely joined us all together as the parts of the body so that we cannot say to another, “I have no need of you.”

“Even to imagine that those who are not saved cannot teach you is a very great and serious mistake. Dominion is not found in grace. Not observing this has led some into many mistakes and certainly into pride. Beware even the appearance of pride! Let there be in you the lowly mind which was in Christ Jesus. Be clothed with humility. Let modesty appear in your words and actions.

“One way we do this is to own any fault we have. If you have at any time thought, spoken, or acted wrong, do not refrain from acknowledging it. Never dream, that this will hurt the cause of God – in fact, it will further it. Be open and honest when you are rebuked and do not seek to evade it or disguise it. Rather, let it appear just as it is and you will thereby not hinder but adorn the gospel.

The Danger of Desiring Anything but God

“Also, beware of desiring anything other than God. Jesus said: “If your eye remains single your whole body shall be full of light.” Do not allow the desire for tasteful food or any other pleasure of the senses, the desire of pleasing the eye or the imagination, the desire for money or the praise of power, to rule you.

“Be an example to all of denying yourself and taking up your cross daily. Let others see that you are not interested in any pleasure that does not bring you nearer to God, nor regard any pain which does. Let them see that you simply aim to please God in everything. Let the language of your heart sing out with regard to pleasure or pain, riches or poverty, honor or dishonor, ‘All’s alike to me, so I in my Lord may live and die!’” (John Wesley, The Works of John Wesley. Edited by Albert C. Outler. Nashville: Abingdon, 1984)

Love One Another - Brian

Sabbath Rest

Tuesday is the weekly Sabbath for the John 13:34 Blog. Back at it again tomorrow. Hope you will return and journey with me.



Bracketology Results for Week One

There are few weekends that I love more than the first four days of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. This year's "Cinderella" team from FGCU is a joy to watch. Their two wins completely destroyed my South Region bracket - but who cares! The team’s energy, free spirit, and athleticism are contagious. While they have a “Herculean” task ahead of them when they face the #3 Seed Florida Gators, I am “all in” for the Eagles!

The Community of Saint John initiated a NCAA pool this year with all proceeds going to a local charity. We received 30 responses, and with a little assistance from the COSJ Board, the winner of this year’s brackets will be able to donate between $250 and $300 to their charitable organization. What a blessing to be part of a faith community who looks outward and tries, even through some wagering, to give back to those in need. Here are the results from Week One.

First Place (Tied with 92 Points)

Alex Nawn

Brian S. (ex officio)

Second Place (90 Points)

Michelle O. 2

Kathy S.

Barb D. 2

Third Place (88 Points)

Tyler S.

Fourth Place (86 Points)

Cam O. 2

Barb D. 4

Fifth Place (82 Points)

Dan C.

Clark W.

Cam O. 1

Sixth Place (80 Points)

Betsy C.

Seventh Place (76 Points)

Barb D. 1

Gailmarie F.

The Lund Family

Jeff R.

Eighth Place (74 Points)

TG N.

Susie S.

Barb D. 3

Michele O. 1

Ninth Place (68 Points)

Nancy R.

Tenth Place (66 Points)

Melinda N.

Eleventh Place (64 Points)

John H.

Twelfth Place (58 Points – As we like to remind people at COSJ: “The last shall be first!”)

Brian M.

Now, the “Commish” wishes to report that there has been some intrigue as late as Monday night when two brackets, filled out by notorious Duke supporters, went a missing somewhere at the Valerie Lane residence. While no one is suspecting “foul” play, the results of this First Round may be changing in a few days as a ruling has been rendered to accept these brackets when they are recovered. The Rules Committee, made up of one very zealous Carolina devotee, may actually impose sanctions against those “Devilish” personalities who are currently sunning on the beach in Florida while the “Commish” shivers in NE Ohio with the prospect of more snow! Details to follow…. Stay tuned!

In the meantime

Love One Another - Brian

Weekly Round-Up for March 23, 2013

A Papal inauguration, an awesome beginning to March Madness with some terrific bracket-busters, a Presidential visit to Israel/Palestine complete with a sandstorm, and a science report that states beef and bacon aren't bad for you! What a week!! The Round-Up begins below....

Thought Provoking: The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong (TED)

Inspirational: Photographs of Children Around the World with their Prized Possessions (featureshoot.com)

Inspirational: New Voices for the Voiceless - Synthetic Speech Gets An Upgrade (NPR)

Opinion: As a Republican and Iraq war veteran, I support an assault weapons ban (Christian Science Monitor)

Opinion: On Questioning the Jewish State (New York Times)

Opinion: Rape Culture - How Our Scorn for Self-Control Drowns Out ‘No’ (sojo.net)

Tribute: Gordon Cosby - Teaching Us How to Live and How to Die (sojo.net)

Science: Beef Good, Bacon Not So Bad (MotherJones)

Music: Beethoven with Your Beer (The Economist)

Music: Inside the Metropolitan Opera's Stage (New York Times Magazine)

Music: Tribute to Rise Stevens

Music: Beethoven and the Quality of Courage (The New York Review)

Adults Only: The Best Summer Camps for Grown-Ups (The Wall Street Journal)

MUST Watch!: French Toilet Paper Ad (Huffington Post)

Pope News: What the Church Needs Now (New York Times)

Pope News: Pope Francis says the ‘nones’ can be allies for the Church (Religion News Service)

Pope News: Rebuild My Church (sojo.net)

Pope News: Pope Francis breaks the mould again with ceremony at prison instead of St Peter's (The Telegraph, London)

Religion: What I Wish I Knew Before I Went to Church (Relevent Magazine)

Religion: What if the Kids Don't Want Our Church? (Huffington Post)

Religion: Top Ten Reasons Our Kids Leave Church (Marc5Solas)

Religion: Passover In The Desert: Jews Trek to Mojave For A Visceral Holiday (Huffington Post)

I Will Leave You With This: The Lesson of Grace in Teaching (The Mathematical Yawp)

Love One Another - Brian

A Simple Life Truth

There is truth to what follows below. It can be applied to just about everything I do in life. What about you?

Love One Another - Brian


American Guild of Organists





"Lord, teach us to pray...." Prayer and Compassion

In my opinion, the best book on prayer is a small treasure written by Henri Nouwen entitled "With Open Hands." I have read many books and pamphlets on the subject, but none journey to the center of truth about prayer and spiritual life as Nouwen's work. The book has been around now for over forty years. It is still one of the best buys ever for under $10.

Here is a passage from Nouwen's chapter on Prayer and Compassion.

"If you are to have a future, it will be a future together with others. A prayer of hope is a prayer that disarms you and extends you far beyond the limits of your longings. Therefore, there can be no talk of prayer so long as praying is thought of as an activity which excludes our neighbor. "Anyone who says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother or sister is a liar," says Saint John (1 John 4:20). And Jesus says, "It is not those who say to me, "Lord, Lord,' who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who do the will of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21)

"Praying can never be antisocial or asocial. Whenever we pray and leave out our neighbors, our prayer is not real prayer. True prayer by its nature is socially significant. But that is not as simple as it sounds! Often people say: "Go out and do something for those who suffer instead of praying for them." Although there is little reason ti suppose that so little is done for people who suffer because so much time is spent praying for them, there is some reason to wonder whether the comment "I'll pray for you" is a sign of genuine concern.

"Dear God, as you draw me ever deeper into your heart, I discover that my companions on the journey are women and men loved by you as fully and as intimately as I am. In your compassionate heart, there is a place for them all. No one is excluded. Give me a share in your compassion, dear God, so that your unlimited love may become visible in the way I love my brothers and sisters. AMEN." (Henri Nouwen, With Open Hands, pages 81, 82, and 97)

Love One Another - Brian

Sabbath Rest

Tuesday is the weekly Sabbath at the John 13:34 Blog. Back at it again tomorrow. Thanks for checking in. I hope you will return and join me on the journey.

Bracketology 2013.....It's Tournament Time!

It’s my favorite time of year: March Madness! (And, let’s not forget about Easter!!)  The field of 68 teams for the NCAA Tournament has been revealed and it’s time to make your choices. Four #1 seeds have been named, bubbles have been burst, and Cinderella squads are in (Liberty University). Who will cut down the nets? Which teams will leave their fans crumpling up their brackets and trying to hit the wastebasket?

At the Community of Saint John, we invite you to join our “Brackets for Charity”, a fun-filled three week ride to help the poor in our area. Here is how it works….

1)    Fill out your NCAA Tournament Brackets by Thursday, March 21, no later than Twelve Noon.

2)    Send your bracket electronically to bss3466@gmail.com OR by post 7565 Valerie Lane, Hudson, Ohio 44236 OR get it to me sometime this week.

3)    $5 entry fee for each bracket (you can enter as many brackets as you wish – the more money we raise, the more we can help those in need!)

4)    ALL monies raised will be donated to the charity of the Winner’s choosing. (The charity must be involved in assisting persons in overcoming poverty, substance abuse, hunger, shelter, etc.) Last time, the Open M program in Akron, Ohio was the recipient of our generosity.

So get busy! You have three days to figure out how THE Ohio State Buckeyes will be playing for the National Championship! Or maybe the Hoosiers, or Cardinals, or Hoyas. One thing I know for sure, it won’t be the Blue Devils!! (That’s a joke, Virginia!)

Love One Another – Brian

"Lord, teach us to pray...." Spirituality and Opened Eyes

I have always admired this story from the Arab mystic Sa'di.

A man walking through the forest saw a fox that had lost its leg and wondered how it lived. Then he saw a tiger come in with game in its mouth. The tiger had its fill and left the rest of the meat for the fox.

The next day God fed the fox by means of the same tiger. The man began to wonder at God's greatness and said to himself, "I too shall just rest in a corner with full trust in the Lord and he will provide all that I need."

He did this for many days but nothing happened, and he was almost at the point of death when he heard a voice say, "O you who are in the path of error, open your eyes to the truth! Follow the example of the tiger and stop imitating the disabled fox."

That is a wonderful parable and reminds me of times in my life when prayer has led me to see others with the eyes of Christ. So often, many of us fall prey to the desire to become the disabled fox believing in some way that we are deserving of all the attention and fuss. The truth is that life comes alive when we embrace the vocation of the tiger and feed those persons who cannot feed themselves. This is when prayer becomes liberating.

Love One Another - Brian

Sabbath Rest

Today is the weekly Sabbath at the John 13:34 Blog. Thanks for checking in. Back at it again tomorrow. Please return and join with me on the journey. Until then, safe travels!