Impromptu Conversation with Sr. Maria Tasto on Lectio Divina (video)

This 11 minute, unscripted conversation, recorded with a hand-held iPhone, took place at a Contemplative Outreach retreat on deepening the contemplative dimension of servant leadership near St. Louis MO during November 2009. I very much appreciate Sr. Maria's willingness to share on short notice and "rolling" with the questions and spontaneous conversation that developed.

Note: recorded for distribution on Twitter @centeringprayer.

The Worth of Advisors

Annette cuts my hair and I always accept her advice, at least in time. As I've told her,  "I follow the counsel of three advisors - my spiritual advisor, my financial advisor and you, my hair advisor." Ergo, on her suggestion, I had her give me a #1 this morning (formerly a #2). If its not cool in one sense of the word it may be in another.

Sent from Ron's iPhone

"In violence we forget who we are" - Mary McCarthy

via flickr.com

Violence of whatever denomination (physical, psychological, social, political, etc.) can be perpetrated agaisnt many: another person or group of people, a principle one holds dearly, nature and the environment, some aspect of self, etc. In any case a common result of an act of violence is our identity disappears and that my friends is the truth.

Thanks to Gigi for these reminders about violence as well:

The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender oneself to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence. More than that, it is cooperation in violence. It destroys one's own inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of one's own work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful. (adapted from Thomas Merton)

"We live in the fullness of time. Every moment is God's own good time, His kairos. The whole thing boils down to giving ourselves in prayer a chance to realize that we have what we seek. We don't have to rush after it. It is there all the time, and if we give it time it will make itself known to us." - Thomas Merton