Ecumenism - Our Neglected Mandate

ECUMENISM – OUR NEGLECTED MANDATE

Jesus’ reply is far-reaching: In each case, he responds with a question: “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers and sisters?” And he answers his own question by saying: “Those who hear and keep the word of God are mother, and brother, and sister to me.”

In a society where blood relationship meant everything, this statement is a stunning one. Blood may be thicker than water but, Jesus asserts, faith is thicker than blood. Faith is the real basis for family.

Who is your real brother or sister as a Christian? Your fellow Roman Catholic? Your fellow Presbyterian? Your fellow Lutheran? Your fellow Baptist? Your fellow Evangelical? Your fellow Methodist? Your fellow Anglican or Episcopalian?

Clearly, for Jesus, it is the person who most deeply hears the word of God and keeps it, irrespective of denomination. Christian discipleship is defined more by the heart than by a particular church membership card.

This makes for a non-negotiable mandate within our Christian discipleship: We need to radiate Jesus’ hunger for intimacy with all people of sincere faith and, to that end, our actions towards those outside our own religious circle must always be marked by respect, graciousness, and charity – and a genuine signal that we hunger for unity with them.

Our real ecumenical task, no matter our denomination, is not that of trying to win over converts or convince others that we are righter than they are. Our primary task is inner conversion within our own denomination. Our primary task is to try, as individuals and as churches, to be more faithful to the gospel. If we do that we will eventually come together, as one church, under Christ because as we all go deeper into the mystery of Christ and grow more deeply in our own intimacy with Jesus, we will (in the beautiful phrase of Avery Dulles) “progressively converge”, eventually meet around one center and one person, Jesus Christ.

To read more click here or copy this address into your browser http://ronrolheiser.com/ecumenism-our-neglected-mandate/…
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26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Short Reflection for the 26^th Sunday in the Ordinary Year (B)

Readings: Numbers 11: 25-29; James 5: 1-6; Mark 9: 38-43. 45. 47-48

Selected passage: "Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward." (Mark 9: 41)

Meditation:  The act of sharing whatever we have with people in need is closest to God’s heart.  Tradition has it that almsgiving is “prayer in action”.  Gospel invites us to share our blessings with the neighbors in need  and he/she does.. will surely not lose his/her reward.

Visit: www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1. Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Short Reflection for the 25^thSunday of the Ordinary Time (B)

Readings:  Wisdom 2: 12. 17-20; James 3: 16 – 4: 3; Mark 9: 30 - 37

Selected Passage: "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." (Mark 9: 35b)

Meditation:  In our daily life, we are like the disciples who often argue who is the greatest among ourselves or who shall be the first in the community or in our association.  Yet, in discipleship, the call we receive is to become servant of all.

 Visit www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1. Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

24th Sunday (B)

Short Reflection for the 24^th Sunday of the Ordinary Time (B)

Readings:  Isaiah 50: 5 – 9a; James 2: 14 – 18; Mark 8: 27 - 35

Selected Passage:  “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny him/herself, take up his/her cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8: 34)

 Meditation:  The same question is being asked of us today… Who is Jesus to us? The answer is, often, found NOT in our words but in our actions and attitudes.  To know ho Jesus is to continue listening to him and journeying with him. Often, this means being like Christ – taking up our crosses, denying ourselves and follow him – a life offered for the life of the many.

Visit: www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1. Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

From Paranoia to Metanoia

FROM PARANOIA TO METANOIA

The word, metanoia, comes from two Greek words: Meta, meaning above; and Nous, meaning mind. Metanoia invites us to move above our normal instincts, into a bigger mind, into a mind which rises above the proclivity for self-interest and self-protection which so frequently trigger feelings of bitterness, negativity, and lack of empathy inside us.

Metanoia invites us to meet all situations, however unfair they may seem, with understanding and an empathic heart. Moreover, metanoia stands in contrast to paranoia. In essence, metanoia is “non-paranoia”, so that Jesus’ opening words in the Synoptic Gospels might be better rendered: Be un-paranoid and believe that it is good news. Live in trust!

Henri Nouwen, in a small but deeply insightful book entitled, With Open Hands, describes wonderfully the difference between metanoia and paranoia. He suggests that there are two fundamental postures with which we can go through life. We can, he says, go through life in the posture of paranoia. The posture of paranoia is symbolized by a closed fist, by a protective stance, by habitual suspicion and distrust. Paranoia has us feeling that we forever need to protect ourselves from unfairness, that others will hurt us if we show any vulnerability, and that we need to assert our strength and talents to impress others. Paranoia quickly turns warmth into cold, understanding into suspicion, and generosity into self-protection.

The posture of metanoia, on the other hand, is seen in Jesus on the cross. There, on the cross, we see him exposed and vulnerable, his arms spread in a gesture of embrace, and his hands open, with nails through them. That’s the antithesis of paranoia, wherein our inner doors of warmth, empathy, and trust spontaneous slam shut whenever we perceive a threat. Metanoia, the meta mind, the bigger heart, never closes those doors.

Jesus, in his message and his person, invites us to metanoia, to move towards and stay within our big minds and big hearts, so that in the face of a stinging remark our inner doors of warmth and trust do not close.

To read more click here or copy this address into your browser http://ronrolheiser.com/from-paranoia-to-metanoia/#.W2CO5dhKj-Y
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23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Short Reflection on the 23^rd Sunday of the Ordinary Time (B)

Readings:  Isaiah 35: 4-7a; James 2: 1-5; Mark 7:31-37

Selected Passage: “He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue;  then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (That is, "Be opened!")  And (immediately) the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly." (Mark 7: 33-35)

 Meditation:  We need to hear again the word "Ephphata" and find its healing power in us today. It is an invitation to be opened to the prompting of the Spirit; to be opened to the call to go to the margin and the poor and the excluded; and to be opened to become the Church of communion that includes ALL.

 Visit: www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1. Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Short Reflection for the 22nd Sunday in the Ordinary Time (B)
Readings: Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-9; James 1: 17-18, 21b-27; Mark 7: 1-8, 21-23

Selected Text: “He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.' You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." (Mark 7: 6-8))

Meditation: How easily do we make idols of our rules and ways? They are NOT God’s! They must know what comes from God and what comes from man. The important thing is that we worship God NOT only with our lips, but with our hearts and deeds. Visit: www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR SIMPLE METHOD...
Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1. Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…
2. Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips.
3. Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…