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A person may carry the whole scheme of Christian truth in his mind from boyhood to old age without the slightest effect upon his character and aims... It has had less influence than the multiplication table. - J. G. Holland (1819-1881), in an editorial entitled, "American Sunday-Schools"
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There is a scene from "The Godfather" where the movie's main character, Michael Corleone, is speaking with Cardinal Lamberto, who would soon become pope. They are in a courtyard standing by a small bird bath or fountain. The cardinal retrieves a pebble from under the water. "Look at this stone," he says, holding it out for Michael to see. "It has been lying in the water for a very long time, but the water has not penetrated it." He then whacks the rock on the side of the fountain, breaking it open to expose the inside. "Look," he says, "perfectly dry." The glistening water on the outside had not seeped in.
Lamberto continues: "The same thing has happened to people in Europe. For centuries they have been surrounded by Christianity, but Christ has not penetrated. Christ doesn't live within them."
- Joel J. Miller, "The gangster, the cardinal, and us." ("Knowing about" without believing and doing is mostly worthless. What helps you to bridge the gap?) |
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HEB 5:1-10; PS 110:1-4; MK 2:18-22 R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool."
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
"Rule in the midst of your enemies."
"Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you."
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
"You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
USCCB lectionary
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No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God.
Today in the United States as we inaugurate our president, we also remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Last year I was privileged to be on a program with Dr. King's youngest daughter. She was just a little girl when King was a living prophet. She was still a little girl when he was assassinated. As I listened to her speak, I wondered what it would be like to grow up as the daughter of an icon on whom so many made a claim. No one could serve as King did without being called to this work. It is both an honor and a burden to be so called. In the Gospel we will hear about the problem of pouring new wine into old wineskins; new ideas into old institutions and habits of mind. We are stretched almost to the breaking point, and sometimes the reaction to that stretching is violence.
O God, we give you thanks for Dr. King and for all those who serve as your prophets: Bless them and perfect them in your grace, and bless and perfect all of us as we struggle to hear your truth. - by Paige Byrne Shortal
My Daily Bread
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The Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage, by St. John of Rusybroeck (1293-1381)
These words we will now explain and set forth in their relation to that superessential contemplation which is the source of all holiness, and of all perfec tion of life to which one may attain. Few men can attain to this Divine seeing, because of their own in capacity and the mysteriousness of the light in which I one sees. And therefore no one will thoroughly understand the meaning of it by any learning or subtle consideration of his own; for all words, and all ' that may be learnt and understood in a creaturely way, are foreign to, and far below, the truth which I mean. But he who is united with God, and is en lightened in this truth, he is able to understand the truth by itself. For to comprehend and to under stand God above all similitudes, such as He is in Himself, is to be God with God, without intermediary, and without any otherness that can become a hindrance or an intermediary. And therefore I beg every one who cannot understand this, or feel it in the fruitive unity of his spirit, that he be not offended at it, and leave it for that which it is: for that which I am going to say is true, and Christ, the Eternal Truth, has said it Himself in His teaching in many places, if we could but show and explain it rightly. And therefore, whosoever wishes to understand this must have died to himself, and must live in God, and must turn his gaze to the eternal light in the ground of his spirit, where the Hidden Truth reveals Itself without means. For our Heavenly Father wills that we should see; for He is the Father of Light, and this is why He utters eternally, without intermediary and without interruption, in the hiddenness of our spirit, one unique and abysmal word, and no other. And in this word, He utters Himself and all things. And this word is none other than: Behold. And this is the coming forth and the birth of the Son of Eternal Light, in Whom all blessedness is known and seen.
- Third Book, Chapter 1: Showing the three ways by which one enters the God-seeing life. Paperback (kindle edition available)
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