Tag: Scripture

Living on the Doorstep of Hell

Post author By dw
Post date November 21, 2021
6 Comments on Living on the Doorstep of Hell

To consider persons and events and situations only in the light of their effect upon myself is to live on the doorstep of hell.

Selfishness is doomed to frustration, centered as it is upon a lie.

To live exclusively for myself, I must make all things bend themselves to my will as if I were a god.
Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island, “Conscience, Freedom, and Prayer”

This from Thomas Merton brings to mind words of Jesus:

If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.
Matthew 10:39, Peterson, Eugene H.. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language . The Navigators. Kindle Edition.

You might be more familiar with the words this way:

Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
Harper Bibles. NRSV Bible with the Apocrypha (Kindle Location 75096). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

I don’t even know where to start. Which strand of thoughts, of the many, do I pick up and try to pull from the knotted mess that’s there?

One is about the rampant corruption in politics in our country and around the world…bending all things to the will of powerful people.

Another is about the kind of economics that steals from the poor and gives to the already-wealthy…selfishness.

Another is about the stockpiling of weaponry, both nationally and individually…first concern is to look after yourself.

Another is about speech and how we choose to use it…exclusively for ourselves.

Each of these threads gets and deserves plenty of air time in our public discourse.

But I’m holding back the temptation to enter the fray.

Because maybe I need to start, to remember as best I can always to start, with the thread of my inner life.

The tragic and tragically flawed little god in there who rants and raves at even the smallest inconvenience daring to cross it’s path.

That spews all the correct answers to all the important questions and deserves accolades commensurate with this great wisdom, greater even than Solomon’s.

That can’t seem to go a day without chocolate of just the right darkness or coffee made from just the right bean brewed in just the right way.

Maybe that is the thread I should start with.

Maybe that little tyrant needs to be reminded about the quotes from Merton and Matthew first.

Before it commences tying all the other threads together into a tangle made in it’s own image.

Grace and peace to you…
dw

Door photo by dw

Tags interior self, No Man is an Island, power, Scripture, Thomas Merton

the Bible

Begin well

Post author By dw
Post date January 17, 2021
3 Comments on Begin well

The Bible isn’t a novel. It’s not meant to be read from beginning to end.

If you “start at the very beginning”, it probably isn’t “the very best place to start.”

The Bible does have a plot, a story that develops over thousands of years. But it’s really important to know the end of the story first. Knowing the end puts all the parts in perspective.

There is no bonus for being held in suspense about how the story ends.

Remember from last week: the whole point of the Bible is to lead us to Jesus, who described himself as “the beginning and the end.” As best we can, let’s make our reading begin and end with him.

The end of the Bible is Jesus. The whole story is about him. The beginning, the middle, the end – all about him…so we can know him.

So, to begin well let’s choose one of the four Gospels. I suggest starting with John or Mark.

Start with John to focus on who Jesus is. John had an especially close relationship with him and gives us a unique perspective. John adopted Jesus’ mother Mary into his home – I wonder how much his writing passes along Mary’s reflections.

Start with Mark if you prefer to focus on what Jesus did. They say that Mark’s gospel is likely to reflect Peter’s telling of events; Peter is a “get it done” kind of person.

Which ever one you pick, don’t rush. Give yourself time to pause, question, ponder.

Most importantly, pay attention to what your inner voice might be saying. You are reading to get to know a Person, not to pass a test.

I hope you find this hodgepodge of thoughts helpful. Grace and peace to you…

Tags Bible reading, Gospel of John, Gospel of Mark, Jesus, John the Apostle, Mary, Peter the Apostle, reflection, Scripture

prayer the Bible

Resolved to read?

Did anyone out there make a resolution to read the Bible in 2021?

I want to share a few thoughts over the coming weeks about the Bible and the experience of reading it. Not that I’m an expert or anything: I’m not. But maybe my experience could be a help to you.

And yours to me.

So this could be kind of a discussion, if you like. What do you think?

There are two things I want to start with – to me they are really important. The first is where I’m coming from about the purpose of the Bible and of reading it; Jesus says it better than anyone:

“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you…
Peterson, Eugene H.. The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language . The Navigators. Kindle Edition. John 5:39-40

There are all kinds of reasons for reading the Bible, but for me this is the one that matters: to bring us to Jesus. That’s what I want to focus on.

The second thing I want to mention today: are you familiar with Mary Oliver’s poem Praying? (If not, you can read it here: Praying – a poem by Mary Oliver – it’s by far the most popular post on this blog.)

What does this have to do with reading the Bible? Everything. Reading the Bible is a way to pray. Come to it from where you are, with what you have and what you lack. Just be yourself. Just come.

Jesus says, “Here I am, right here. Just come on, the way you are, so we can be together.”

Grace and peace to you…

Tags 2021, Bible reading, Jesus, Mary Oliver, praying, resolutions, Scripture

prayer Scripture

A prayer when reading scripture

Post author By dw
Post date August 16, 2020
No Comments on A prayer when reading scripture

Child reading tattered Bible in bed. — Child reading Bible

Yesterday I looked back at one of the earliest posts on this site. It describes a habit I formed back then and still practice now when I read the Bible. I added some current thoughts, extended the section that invites reflection, and spruced up the design a bit. I offer it again to anyone who may find it helpful.

Read Original Post

Grace and peace to you…

Tags Bible, prayer, Scripture

Current Events Other Writings

Half the civilized world

Passage from No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton about telling lies

How is it that our comfortable society has lost its sense of the value of truthfulness? Life has become so easy that we think we can get along without telling the truth…
But the whole world has learned to deride veracity or to ignore it. Half the civilized world makes a living by telling lies. Advertising, propaganda, and all the other forms of publicity that have taken place of truth have taught men to take it for granted that they can tell other people whatever they like provided that it sounds plausible and evokes some kind of shallow emotional response.
No Man is an Island, Thomas Merton, “Sincerity”

Merton published this in 1955. Yes, 1955. Television in its infancy. No internet.

The attack on Truth that is relentless now has been relentless since the very beginning, the Deceiver saying in the Garden of Eden, “Did God really say…?”

Deceit pits us against each other, makes us see each other as deceivers, as enemies. It causes us to pronounce judgement on each other. Our compassion is throttled by fear for our own well being, that we are somehow being tricked or scammed.

But we all have a common Enemy, the one whom scripture calls “the father of lies.” Why he hates us, I don’t understand; but he does.

I can’t help but think that if we could remember we all have this common Enemy; if we could all embrace the wondrous news that we also have a common Friend and Ally, who came to bear witness to Truth and who gave himself up to rescue us and secure us forever in his Kingdom of Truth…oh, if we could remember and embrace these things, what a difference it would make!

Come, Spirit of God, Spirit of Jesus, Come!