Meditation

"Meditation is the tongue of the Soul and the language of our spirit."
- Jeremy Taylor as quote in Sanctuary of the Soul by Richard Foster

Photo of the week- new water well in Central Asia

Conversion to God

"There is a conversion of the deep will to God that cannot be effected in words-barely in gesture and ceremony." -Thomas Merton

Photo of the Week-Shoes for a mother in Honduras

Follow Me

"Follow me" is one of my favorite sayings of Jesus.  It’s such a short, simple command but it holds so much for those who chose to obey. 

Jesus spoke it several times as he was choosing his apostles.  I especially like the incident in Luke 5:27 where Jesus comes upon Levi at his tax collection booth.  He merely says to Levi, “Follow me” and Levi drops it all and follows.  So begins an adventure with a purpose.

I had a similar experience in 1978.   I was a young husband and father, a new homeowner and an independent businessman.  Not a thought of God on the horizon.  Then Jesus walked by one day, said “Follow me” and I did.  So the adventure began. 

I made my public profession of Christ, was baptized and joined a local church.  My family and I were there every time the doors opened.  Soon I was a deacon.  Then church treasurer.  Serving on committees.

But then 20 years later Jesus came by again and said, “Follow me”.    My reaction was, “Whoa, wait a minute Jesus.  We’ve already done this.  I’m a good churchman, I study my Bible, tithe, pray, serve.”  “Is that what I told you to do” Jesus said “Or did I say ‘Follow me’?”  And so began my adventure with a Purpose.

"There's a moment in every journey when the trip you are on presents itself, and the one you had planned is jettisoned." 

Cafe Du Monde

I had coffee and beignets with Jesus at Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter of New Orleans this morning. I thought I was showing up early but he was already there waiting for me.

Love of Buildings

"What an evil it is, this love of building that possesses you: you think that roofs and walls make a church of God worthy of your reverence, and a setting fit enough in which to call down upon yourselves the blessings of peace...Safer by far, to my mind, are the mountains, the woods, the lakes - indeed, dungeons and the pits: these are the places where, inspired by God's spirit, the prophets spoke..."
Hilary of Poitiers

Photo of the Week -Coffee farm in Honduras

Picking coffee for a good fresh cup of joe in Honduras

I saved some lives today

Right after my first cup of coffee I went and saved a few lives.  That may sound like hyperbole but it’s true.  This morning, before breakfast, I actually took action that will result in lives being saved.

Malaria is a deadly mosquito-born disease, which took 781 000 million lives in 2009 and afflicts as many as half a billion people in 106 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.  Every 45 seconds, a child dies from malaria. Each of these deaths is avoidable.  But only if we act.

Buy a book now and save lives.  For each copy End Malaria you buy the publishers will donate $20 to Malaria No More to purchase bednets.  It's that direct.  Malaria bednets are simple nets that hang over a window or a bed. They're treated with a chemical that mosquitos hate. The mosquitos fly away, they don't bite, people don't get malaria. 

Every single penny spent on the Kindle edition goes to Malaria No More, giving them enough money to buy one or two bednets and to deliver them and be sure they're used properly. Low overhead, no graft, no waste. Just effectiveness. And if you buy the beautiful paperback edition, you can easily give it away when you're done and the same $20 donation gets made. None of the authors or anyone at the Domino Project sees your money, there's no ulterior motive, just the fact that a kid won't die.

Go ahead.  Save some lives today and then share this opportunity with your friends.

Pax Intrantibus

Over the archway of many medieval monasteries the words “Pax Intrantibus” were carved.  Meaning “Peace to all who enter here” these words were both a hope and a promise.  As I read about this ubiquitous monastery greeting in a book by Joan Chittister I was reminded of one of my favorite prayers. 

The prayer of St Francis of Assisi begins “Lord, make me and instrument of your peace.”  I often pray this prayer as I’m leaving home on one of my journeys. I also find myself praying this opening line of his prayer often as I meet people along the way.  I believe God has called me to this peripatetic life so that I can pray this prayer for those I encounter.  I’m foolish enough to believe that God can and will somehow use me to bless the people I encounter on my travels.

I also thought that Pax Intratibus would make a great greeting for this blog.  I welcome all to my humble musings and pray that the peace of God will rest on each one who visits. 

Pax Intratibus - Peace to you my friend and welcome to this Monastery of the Soul.

I welcome your comments and encourage you to join our little present-day monastic community by visiting often and sharing your thoughts.