thought for day

Thanks to my friend Dennis for posting this on FB.

There is a really deep well inside me. And in it dwells God ... But more often stones and grit block the well, and God is buried beneath. Then God must be dug out again.- Etty Hillesum 
from An Interrupted Life: The Diaries of Etty Hillesum, 1941-1943

thought for day

“You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.” - Anne Lamott.

thought for day

Stolen from my friend Dan over at FB.

"Quote of the day: Obama is not a brown-skinned, anti-war socialist who gives away free healthcare. You're thinking of Jesus." -John Fugelsang (the son of a former nun and Franciscan Brother)"

thought for today

The irony would be delicious if it were not so bitter: earnest theologians have been earnestly persuading Christians for sixteen centuries that their gospel supports violence, while massive outpourings of citizens in one officially atheist country after another [during the peaceful overturning of the Soviet regime and its allies at the end of the Cold War] recently have demonstrated the effectiveness of Jesus’ teaching of nonviolence as a means of liberation.

- Walter Wink, from his book The Powers That Be

thought for today

The whole purpose of the Bible, it seems to me, is to convince people to set the written word down in order to become living words in the world for God's sake. For me, this willing conversion of ink back to blood is the full substance of faith.

- Barbara Brown Taylor, from her book, Leaving Church

thought for today

"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music" - George Carlin.

This year - I intend to dance.

thought for the day

"When we get it right, 'I'm sorry' is redemption"

(was on a TV show, I don't remember which one)

thought for today

From a FaceBook post from my friend Fran.

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect. - Oren Arnold

thought for today

The Christian faith for most people is not communicated by doctrinal pronouncements ... but by what goes on in the church in its most local setting. It is here, in the church down the street, that people are caught up in the Gospel promise -- or are turned away.

- James C. Fenhagen, from his book Mutual Ministry

thought for today

This reminds me to be thankful for all those who work in food banks:

Distributing food is a unique act of love because food is the basis for life. When the church can distribute food, it can allay one of people's most primal fears -- that of going hungry -- as a way of helping people come to peace. When sources of food are close at hand, peace may be sustained.

- Pamela Couture, Vice President for Academic Affiars, Dean, and professor at Saint Paul School of Theology

thought for today

Thanks to Karl for this.

Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.

- Martin Luther King Jr.

thought for today

I don't find anything comparable to the magnificent beauty of a soul and its marvelous capacity.

- Saint Teresa of Avila, from The Interior Castle

thought for today

To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name.

- Thomas Merton,
from A Book of Hours

thought for the day

Stolen shamelessly from a friend:

We all fall from grace, some take the scenic route, some the expressway.

thought for today

I am your message, Lord. Throw me like a blazing torch into the night, that all may see and understand what it means to be a disciple.

- St. Maria Skobtsova,
Orthodox nun and martyr (1891-1945)

thought for today

Reconciliation is the ultimate aim of nonviolence because nonviolence holds not only for the absolute inviolability of the human person, both friend and enemy, but maintains that human beings are ultimately one family, brothers and sisters to each other.

- Niall O'Brien,
Columban priest in the Philippines

thought for today

Lord, let the thick skin that covers me not be a hindrance to you. Pass through it. My eyes, my hands, my mouth are yours. This sad lady in front of me: here is my mouth for you to smile at her ... This smug young man, so dull, so hard: here is my heart, that you may love him, more strongly than he has ever been loved before.

- Madeleine Delbrêl,
Missionary and activist (1904-1964)

thought for today

As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our Mother. Our Father wills, our Mother works, our good Lord the Holy Spirit confirms.

- Julian of Norwich
Catholic mystic (1342-1416)

thought for today

Maybe I’m not making big changes in the world, but if I have somehow helped or encouraged somebody along the journey then I’ve done what I’m called to do.

- Sister Thea Bowman
African-American Franciscan (1937-1990)

thought for today

There can be no evangelization without incarnation.

- Alvaro Barreiro, Brazilian Catholic theologian