“We Christians all have one thing in common; we have met Christ in one way or another, and the encounter has moved us to make some transformation in our lives. Whether that is as simple as beginning to go to church on a regular basis or as complex as choosing and sticking with a Rule of Life, it invites us into a spiritual community.”
Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Brigid certainly was compassionate, and beloved for acts of kindness. Maybe we never make ourselves saints, but a few good works certainly wouldn’t hurt in this world where such actions seem to be becoming fewer and further between.
“Through the lens of Marcella’s life we are reminded that the inclusivity of any group of people who are “different”, at times, has tragic costs. We see this mirrored in the lives of women throughout history, through minority groups, and through the struggles of the LGBT community. So many commonalities overlap–in particular, the need to be recognized by at least a few of those who belong to the status quo, the subterfuge of the ruses that must be perpetuated to not garner unwanted attention, and, sadly, the risk of losing one’s life.”
“I remember that even as we long for our oneness with God, God too longs for us, and reminds us that we are both beloved, and safe.”
For the incantation of
all creation contained in the call
to the stewardship of a cat,
I give thanks;
God sends us love notes each and every day. “Every moment of our lives. Reminding us we have been called and loved and filled with God’s word.”
“Even stepping back from the passionate relationship most of us have with him, Jesus is a man being falsely accused. That is what bearing false witness is all about. Not just lying about someone, but invoking a preconceived judgement based on convention or personal likes and dislikes.”
“That’s why authenticity is important. That’s why telling our stories is important. That’s why, in our churches, it’s so important to work through our conflicts and set aside petty ego-issues in the service of loving one another. We are the beloved community.”
“It is little doubt that the teachings of Paul have had an impact on Christianity, second only to Jesus Christ himself. For someone who never met Jesus in the flesh, many of his writings have had much more effect on the faith than the words of even Jesus’s disciples themselves.”
“Sometime later I discovered, like an old dear friend, the scripture “We are surrounded by such a mighty cloud of witnesses…”. I knew exactly what that looked like.”