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!

The Story of the $20 Bill - You Are Worth A Whole Lot More!

This story has been around for a long time. But there is still great truth in it….

A well-known speaker started off his seminar holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it...?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We may feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE.

You are special. Don't EVER forget it. If you do not pass this on, you may never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it may bring. Count your blessings, not your problems.

Good words for a Monday morning!

Love One Another - Brian

The Weekly Round-Up for March 9, 2013

Coming off a week of travel and finishing some teaching assignments at Tri-C Community College, it has been seven days of playing catch-up. There is a local teacher's strike in Strongsville, Ohio that has my attention. I am wondering if this action is not the tip of the iceberg for many other school districts as municipalities and school boards struggle to find additional revenues to cover costs. In Medina, Ohio, the School Superintendent, was rewarded an $83,000 signing bonus (which he later returned). How does this happen? What justification can be made for an administrator to receive such an outrageous sum of money when the real champion is the teacher in the trenches. Where is that bonus? 

The Weekly Round-Up begins now....

Observation: Notes on Freedom and Culture: What Culture? Whose Freedom? (Huffington Post)

The Economy: 9 out of 10 Americans are Completely Wrong About this Mind Blowing Fact (Upworthy.com)

The Economy: Robert Reich Rips Walmart (pressdemocrat.com)

Opinion: Welcome to Deadwood (NY Times)

News Analysis: The Holocaust Just Got More Shocking (NY Times)

News Analysis: Was Syria Ever the Secular, Non-Sectarian State We Were Led to Believe It Was? (The Telegraph)

News Analysis: Congressman John Lewis Tells Story of March from Selma to Montgomery (sojo.net)

Ideas: Banished Words (thesmartset.com)

The Papacy: The Ratzinger Legacy (NY Times)

Papacy: New Pope Survey Finds American Catholics believe Church Must Change Course (Huffington Post)

The Papacy: Father "Phony" Tries to Sneak into the Conclave (USA Today)

Advertising: What a Brilliant Ad - A Must Watch (Facebook)

Music: The Metropolitan Opera Announces the 2013-14 Season (metopera.org)

Music: The Vienna Philharmonic to Release Nazi Connections (NY Times)

Music: Mozart's "The Abduction from the Seraglio" (NPR.com)

Job Search: Job References Are Pointless (Huffington Post)

Church: Youth Ministry that is More than Fun and Games (FaithLeadership.org)

Church: Nine Lessons on the Missional Church (Anglican Journal)

Church: But We Always had Sunday School? (buildingfaith.com)

Church: History Channel's "The Bible" Keeps Conservatives (Mostly) Happy and Jesus White (religiondispatches.org)

Church: Spiritual but not Giving a Damn (elephantjournal.com)

Love One Another - Brian

Avoiding Becoming A Self-Promoting Jerk Online

Mark Sayers is a writer and speaker, who is often sought out for his insights into faith, contemporary culture and the future of the Church in the West. Mark is the Senior Leader of Red Church, and the co-founder of Über Ministries. An author of many books and articles, I find Mark’s ideas and opinions spot on. If you have time, check out his blog: http://marksayers.tumblr.com. Here is a recent piece he wrote about social networking that really rings true. I especially like #5 and #10.

10 Tips for Christian Leaders Who Don’t Want to Become Self Promoting Jerks Online

Social Networking can be a fabulous tool for leaders to advance the kingdom. However like so many other things it can also lead us into dangerous territory if unexamined.

Below are some tips on how to use social networking well in our celebrity obsessed, image based culture without falling into the sin of pride. I have probably broken several at times, but hopefully they will be of help to you. 

1) Avoid being a fame-vampire. Just because you had coffee with someone well known doesn’t mean that you have to tweet about it. We tend to do this because sub-consciously believe that if we broadcast the fact that we are associating with someone well known, that their fame/influence will rub off on us. Would you be willing to tweet that you just met with a person who had no influence or social capital?

2) Don’t add to the Hubbub. We live in a culture of incredible distraction. Just because we can broadcast to thousands the first thought that comes into our head doesn’t mean that we have to. Just communicate the important stuff. By refraining from the cacophony you just might give others space and silence. Is your broadcasting of the mundane robbing others of the silence they need to encounter God?

3) Real life Followers>Online followers. 

4) Platform never beats spiritual authority. Lot of people talk about platform these days. Platform sells books, generates hits and followers and results in speaking requests. However platform doesn’t always equate with spiritual authority. You can have a massive platform with little spiritual authority, and you can have significant spiritual authority and a terrible Klout score.

5) Promote resources not yourself. Beware the thin line between selling books, resources, events, Churches, others you wish to champion, ministries you believe in and selling yourself. Do your social networking patterns push people towards resources that will build up their faiths, or are you allowing some of the glory to bounce off onto you?

6) Avoid humblebrags. Don’t ever use the hashtag #humbled. My friend Amy said to me the other day that if someone uses the hashtag #humbled there is a 90% chance they are bragging. We know deep down that social networking naturally tilts towards self promotion, so we try and self promote whilst trying to be humble, check out the humblebrag feed on twitter to see why this approach doesn’t work.

7) Ask the dangerous question ‘why?’ Before posting always ask yourself ‘why am I posting this instagram pic/tweet/status update?’ Deeply search your heart for your true motivations. If you struggle with this find a social networking accountability buddy who will ask you the tough questions.

8) Take breaks. Take regular technology Sabbaths. This is one of the best ways to ensure that you keep social networking as a tool rather than an idol.

9) Be Patient with God. God will advance your ministry if he so desires in His good time. Just because we live in a time where it is easy to push our own carts does not mean that we need to. Both the bible and history is littered with the tragic tales of people whose influence exceeded their spiritual development. 

10) Track your time. Keep a track of how much time you are devoting to social networking. Not just in real minutes and hours but also in mental energy. Do you find yourself thinking about what you could say online when you are even off line? Are you robbing your family, friends and neighbors of your complete presence and attention? Sit down and plan how much time you wish to spend a week online and stick to it. 

Love One Another - Brian

"Lord, teach us to pray...." Stretching Out the Tentacles

Evelyn Underhill was a spiritual titan during the twentieth century. A scholar, Underhill assisted seekers of all shapes and types in the study of religion and the spiritual life. She was educated at King’s College for Women in London and served as the Upton lecturer at Manchester College at Oxford. A spiritual conversion of sorts occurred when she was thirty-two from which time she practiced the devotional life with greater intensity. Her gift to the study of spirituality was the combination of authentic spirituality and academic integrity. Underhill's book, Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Man’s Spiritual Consciousness is a must read for anyone serious about the spiritual life and journey.  This passage is taken from another of her works, The Essentials of Mysticism.

“What do we mean by prayer? Surely just this: that part of our conscious life which is deliberately oriented towards, and exclusively responds to spiritual reality. God is that spiritual reality, and we believe God to be immanent in all things: “He is not far from each one of us: for in him we live and love and have our being.”

“’Prayer’, says Walter Hilton, ‘is nothing else but an ascending or getting up of the desire of the heart into God by withdrawing it from earthly thoughts.’ It is ‘ascent,’ says Ruysbroeck, of the Ladder of Love. In the same spirit William Law defines prayer as ‘the rising of the soul out of the vanity of time into the riches of eternity.’”

“It entails, then, a going up or out from our ordinary circle of earthly interests. Prayer stretches out the tentacles of our consciousness not so much towards the Divine Life which is felt to be enshrined within the striving, changeful world of things; but rather to that ‘Eternal truth, true Love, and loved Eternity’ wherein the world is felt to be enshrined.” (Underhill, The Essentials of Mysticism)

Love One Another - Brian

Sabbath Rest

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

The Sunday Musical Offering: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Cliburn Kondrashin RCA Symphony

Van Cliburn died this week. A memorable performer and consummate musician. This recording of the Tchaikovsky Piano Conerto No. 1 was one of the first recordings to be added to my musical library. An inspired performance and amazing techinical skill. In memorium.

Love One Another - Brian

New York, New York.... A Wonderful Town!

As you read these words, I am in New York City playing tour guide to the members of the Hudson High School Chamber Orchestra as they prepare to play in competition tomorrow morning at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A great privilege and honor to be accompanying these fine young musicians and their conductor, Roberto Iriarte. It has been years since I have been back in my old stomping grounds. Really looking forward to it.

First stop this morning is the TODAY show and a chance at getting many of the students on national TV. Then we are off, or is it up, to the the Top of the Rock for some panoramic views of the Big Apple. Next I plan to cruise them up and down Fifth Avenue for the traditional New York sights (Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Tiffany's, FAO Schwartz, the Plaza Hotel and Central Park) before jumping on the subway for lunch and a visit to the 9/11 Memorial. The afternoon is taken over by a rehearsal back at our hotel. Then it is on to Carnegie Hall for a performance by the Vienna Philharmonic led by Franz Welser-Most! (Are you kidding? We came all the way to New York to see our most favorite Cleveland maestro?)

Last night we went to the MET for a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's monumental French Opera masterpiece, Don Carlos (this time sung in Italian). I would love to tell you how it all turned out, but I am writing this column on Wednesday! More later.....

Alice Tully Hall at The Julliard School
New York City

Tomorrow, the kids play at Alice Tully Hall, one of the great venues here at Lincoln Center. If you are near the city, come on over to 66th street in the morning and hear some awesome performing ensembles from around this great land of ours. Following the competition, we are off on an afternoon cruise on the Hudson River (Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, views of the City), then to Broadway and The Mystery of Edwin Drood before catching our coach at 11:00 pm for an all-nighter back to Hudson.

Whew....... I'm tired already!

And yes..... I will be preaching at service on Sunday morning for The Community of Saint John. It should be a dilly!!

Keep these kids, their leaders and chaperones in your prayers.

Love One Another - Brian