Social Responsibility for the Common Good & Easter

When I make a purchase at Amazon.com I receive a request from Amazon several days later to review the product and thereby make my experience of it available to others who are trying to decide what to buy. In the past I have not submitted reviews but this has not stopped me from using the reviews of others for my own decision-making. My reasoning (excuse)? The one I give most often to myself is, "I'm too busy." Well, today I have decided to join-in contributing to the common good - even if its just a couple of sentences its something vs. nothing. This decision required that I admit that, at least in this context, I take, take, take but do not reciprocate in giving. I have decided its better to give AND receive, at least with the  Amazon community of shoppers of which I'm one, and thereby contribute in a small way to something that is made by both one(s) and many. I think there is an Easter message therein.

Ubiquitous Living Now (and Here)

We live in a time when one could work 24/7 from anywhere in the world via networked technologies – which can be a blessing and a challenge to living an authentic life. This recent and well done Sprint commercial vividly captures this 24/7 situation and what’s happening “now". The challenge seems to be that technology will increasingly permeate global societies including our own and how will authenticity, spiritual and otherwise, survive. In answer, on the PBS program “Speaking of Faith” this morning, Jon Kabat-Zinn spoke of the value of practicing mindfulness in “the ceaseless society.” He spoke of fostering “intimacy with spaciousness” (nice phrase) as an antidote. To hear more see http://tr.im/jarY.
via smartmobs.com


The Original Quest (without color)

The creator nor date of creation of this woodcut are definitively known it seems. Various interpretations of the meaning of the image include a depicton of  Man's efforts to gain astronomical knowledge (NASA has used the woodcut in one of their publications) and a spiritual quest including the existential situation of Man "caught" between heaven and earth, etc.
via homepage.mac.com

Retreat Day10: Fr. Thomas

Today, a half-day, is the final day of the retreat and a time to say good-byes, express gratitude to the staff who served the retreat and drive home.

Yesterday Fr. Thomas (86 years of age) gave two exceptional talks and literally seemed to speak on all and everything in a coherent, logical and inspirational manner. The only difference I could see in Fr. Thomas from when I heard him speak last September was that he sat yesterday (but appeared to have no less energy).

Areas covered included the meaning of Lent and the Cross, the human condition-predicament (stuck literally between heaven and earth), biological and spiritual evolution, Neil Bohr and modern physics, angels, Adam and Eve, Buddhism, the creation myth, scientism and creationism, the biological brain, programs for happiness based on instinctual needs for security, love and esteem, and power and control that are doomed to fail, the ultimate cause of human suffering, the limitation of belief systems, the parable of the Wedding Feast at Cana, Bernie Madoff, the meanng of the Trinity, incarnation and resurrection, the Op Ed of the New York Times, and of course contemplation and Centering Prayer and their relevance to all of the above. I think you get the idea.

My favorite take-home quotes? "God wants us to become God to the same extent that God became human. But, do you want to be God on God's terms or on your terms." "Every creature is our teacher."

Sent from Ron's iPhone