- Jeremiah 38: 4-6, 8-10
- Psalms 40: 2, 3, 4, 18
- Hebrews 12: 1-4
- Luke 12: 49-53
- The art of the unpopular
- Jeremiah's message from God to His people was that they needed to surrender to the Babylonians. Not a message calculated to ignite patriotic fervor, or broad approval from his fellow Israelites.
- When have you felt called to speak up, knowing that you were not going to be well received?
- How did you decide whether or not to "rock the boat"?
- How did you realize that you were the one to share that message, and not someone else?
- What does it all mean?
- The terrifying thing about quicksand is, the more that you flail around, the faster you sink. When our best efforts just make things worse, we can make poor choices.
- Think of a time when you were under a great deal of stress. Maybe it was at the loss of a job, someone close to you attacks you for no apparent reason, you and your spouse have a big argument, you name it.
- Was your first reaction the absolute best reaction?
- How did you get past that first reaction to a better response?
- Was prayer a part of any of that?
- Are you sure?
- Finding the essentials
- An old Jesuit priest once said "as my earthly mobility steadily declines, I find that I am more and more able to run toward God." I suspect that the definition of "aging gracefully" really comes down to how well we embrace the overall paring down of our lives one piece at a time that is so much a part of aging.
- An old friend of mine has observed "of all the things that I have lost in life, I miss my mind the most." What do you fear losing as you look forward to old age?
- Do you see any way that losing that (whatever it is) could possibly make your relationship with God, others, yourself deeper or better?
- My father in law once observed "my only hope is that I don't linger at the end". What do you think he meant by "linger"? Is there any possible good that could come of that seemingly endless span of time at the end of your life?
- Sticking out like a sore thumb
- Yesterday was the feast day of St. Lawrence Martyr. He probably takes the prize for courage under fire. In AD 258 the Romans decided to roast him to death on a gridiron. At one point, Lawrence told his torturers "I'm cooked on that side, turn me over". Lawrence stood up to the Roman persecutors, and gladly paid the price. I'm not sure that I would have carried my sense of humor to the end like that.
- When you see others marginalized, taken advantage of, silenced, what is your first reaction?
- What do you think that you should do about those feelings?
- Do you think that "taking the high road" would make any difference in the end?
- Does that make a difference to you?
- Preparation for Reconciliation:
- Do I have the courage to do/say what's right regardless of the consequences?
- Do I trust God to get me through today?
- What are the things that I really want to hold onto until I die? Are they worth it?
- What are examples in my life of God's faithfulness?
Comfort in unlikely places
I once worked for a manager fond of the information grenade.
He'd go to a meeting, toss out some bit of inflammatory information,
Wait a few minutes for the meeting to burst into flames,
And then he would have somewhere urgent to get to.
He took an odd comfort in discomfort.
Others find comfort in the predictable, the well worn path
Knowing what they know, content with what they don't know
Thinking, living, being inside the box all of their lives
Because the unknown is the lair of the unexpected.
These find comfort in control and predictability.
Others give to distraction
Generosity to a fault
Always shedding themselves in all directions
Hoping to atone for sins not yet committed.
These find comfort in self-inflicted penance.
Still others look to those around them for validation.
Every person that agrees with them is another friend.
Everyone else a danger, a hazard.
Closing off their minds and hearts to anything new.
These find comfort in sick solidarity.
"Peace give I to thee" Jesus says
"Not as the world gives, give I to thee"
I cannot promise everything will turn out the way that you think it should.
I cannot promise that you will always feel consoled or at rest.
But I can promise that every fiber of your being will be engaged
If you learn to find peace in living full throttle
No holds barred, no "plan B" no escape hatch
Trusting Me to be with you
As long as you are with Me.
The brave man dies but once, the coward dies a thousand times.
- Final stanza adapted from Julius Caesar by Sir William Shakespeare Act II Scene II
Shalom!
He'd go to a meeting, toss out some bit of inflammatory information,
Wait a few minutes for the meeting to burst into flames,
And then he would have somewhere urgent to get to.
He took an odd comfort in discomfort.
Others find comfort in the predictable, the well worn path
Knowing what they know, content with what they don't know
Thinking, living, being inside the box all of their lives
Because the unknown is the lair of the unexpected.
These find comfort in control and predictability.
Others give to distraction
Generosity to a fault
Always shedding themselves in all directions
Hoping to atone for sins not yet committed.
These find comfort in self-inflicted penance.
Still others look to those around them for validation.
Every person that agrees with them is another friend.
Everyone else a danger, a hazard.
Closing off their minds and hearts to anything new.
These find comfort in sick solidarity.
"Peace give I to thee" Jesus says
"Not as the world gives, give I to thee"
I cannot promise everything will turn out the way that you think it should.
I cannot promise that you will always feel consoled or at rest.
But I can promise that every fiber of your being will be engaged
If you learn to find peace in living full throttle
No holds barred, no "plan B" no escape hatch
Trusting Me to be with you
As long as you are with Me.
The brave man dies but once, the coward dies a thousand times.
- Final stanza adapted from Julius Caesar by Sir William Shakespeare Act II Scene II
Shalom!
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