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Daily Scripture

+ 4th Week in Ordinary Time

Everyone needs a bit of ‘pocket time’

Readings: 1 Kings 3:4-13 Psalm 119:9-14 Mark 6:30-34

The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, “You must come away to some lonely place all by ourselves and rest for a while.” [Mark 6:30]

The notion of Sabbath rest is rooted in the third of the Ten Commandments, “Keep holy the Lord’s day.” For Christians, Sunday is our Sabbath because it was the day on which the Lord rose from the dead. Holiness is the state of being whole, i.e., fully integrated, mind, soul and body. It is the acknowledgment of God as the ground of our being.

In truth, God doesn’t need the Sabbath; we do!

However, I am of the mind that we need to build into our daily routine, a mini-Sabbath or two. I call it ‘pocket time’ or time out from the pressure of our daily schedule. Some folks call it down time.

Of course, there are different strokes for different folks. A good power walk also can be a great opportunity for conversation with God. It’s an easy script. God talks and I listen.

All of us, married or single and whatever our call and career need pocket time every day and in that way we learn to live in the present moment. As my cousin frequently reminds me, “Yesterday is a cancelled check; tomorrow may never come; the present is a gift.” How true. I’m still a neophyte.

Still another view on 'It's politics... isn't it?'

Monday May 12, 2008

A slippery slope!

I listened to Rev. Wright’s full homily (not the network’s You Tube snippet), the interview with Bill Moyer and the C-Span broadcast of his speech at the Press Club. It reminded of a Holy Name meeting years ago when the speaker (African-American) addressed the issue of social justice, rejecting the role of violence and destruction employed by union movements. In response to the audience irritation at the comparison, he said, “I speak so loud, you may not hear my words”. Sounds like Rev. Wright!

Had he been polite and courteous at the Press Club, the outcome may have been different. But as you know, and this writer demonstrates, we have our own prisms. We hear things through the filter of our apperceptive mass including the accumulated prejudices and biases we don’t care to acknowledge. His key words demonstrate this:

Translation: We are people of good faith but this is not our problem. We have tried to help, but they have wasted the opportunity. Move on!

The writer prefers that the wronged adopt forgiveness and fails to acknowledge responsibility for the continuing injustices demonstrated by African-American’s poverty, joblessness, infant mortality and the crime and incarceration rates. Here in Philadelphia, a predominantly Black city, more than 40% of the people live below the poverty line.

Yes it does make a difference too many Americans, especially the younger generation, who understand bias and prejudice whether it be race, gender, religion, sexual disposition, in the Church or on the public stage.

“Experience” is the new code word!

The NY Times column called the Clinton use of the race card shameless (I was a supporter), but it is ‘win at any cost’. Yesterday, WV exit polls showed that more than 20% of the white voters considered race in deciding to vote for her. And they had the guts to admit it. 51% said Rev Wright affected their decision. He just made it easier on them.

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