Category Archives: Solidarity

A Personal Meditation on Seeing and Hearing Jesus

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In my last post, I discussed how people of different beliefs can and do work well together on common efforts to attain sobriety and to make peace. I discussed how we can respect each other’s diverse perspectives on our “Higher Power,” and how we can respectfully support each person’s needed spiritual awakening. In response to these thoughts, some Christians questioned my beliefs: Am I Christ-centered enough? Am I a true Christian?

Today, I am sharing a meditation that I wrote to help me on my needed and ongoing spiritual journey. The meditation is based on the Gospel and is based on our common humanity, particularly our gift of love.

The meditation has 10 parts. I like to savor one or two of these parts at a time to help me start my day. I hope you enjoy the meditation, and of course feel free to share with others.

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Today I see and hear
Our Father and our Mother
Our fountain of Mercy and Justice
Gifting Humanity
Through wondrous plants, animals, water, lands, air, and sky
Gifting Humanity
In all places, through all cultures and people, and throughout all times
Gifting Humanity
With wondrous helpers, teachers, humorists, and truthsayers
Gifting Humanity
With wondrous artists, dreamers, thinkers, and story-tellers
Gifting Humanity
With wondrous healers, reconcilers, peacemakers, and prophets
Gifting Humanity
With wondrous children, family, friends, needy ones, and wanderers
Gifting Humanity
With each person

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Let your light shine!
Today I see and hear
Our Mother and Father
Our fountain of Compassion and Strength
Gifting Humanity
With Jesus
A helper, player, and worker
A learner, teacher, and encourager
A healer, forgiver, and peacemaker
Jesus our Brother who lives for us all
Jesus our Revolutionary who dies for us all
Jesus our Savior who has been raised for us all
Jesus the Child of all Humanity

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Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

I hear Jesus celebrating people’s goodness
Blessed are you who are poor
Blessed are you who hunger
Blessed are you who mourn
Blessed are you who are merciful
Blessed are you who make peace
Blessed are you who are hated, reviled, and persecuted
You are the salt of the Earth
You are the light of the world
Let your light shine

I see Jesus respecting people
A patient friend
Listening
Playing along
Trusting
Sharing heavy burdens
Accepting people as they are
Welcoming all
Blessing all

I see Jesus turning life around
For the outcasts, the dirty, the disorderly, and the mischief-makers
For the strangers, the lepers, the weird, the addicted ones, and the prostitutes
For the humbled, the abused, the searchers, the conservers, and the broken hearted
For the sick, the hurt, the young, the old, and the dying
For those who have crashed and
For those who have fallen through the cracks
I see Jesus revealing each person’s hope
Supporting and encouraging each person’s joy
I see Jesus
As Child of God
Calling each of us
Even me
As Child of God
Into one Family

Not judging, not condemning, not holding back
I see Jesus showing up and standing up for others
I hear Jesus upholding me
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
And wherever you go
Celebrate, respect, and welcome

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Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

I see Jesus sharing compassion, wisdom, and encouragement
I hear Jesus building upon humanity’s gifts and
Teaching the Way based on love
As you wish others would do for you
Do so for others
Do not insult or hurt another
If someone strikes you on one cheek
Offer your other cheek as well
Do not return evil for evil
Do not fight or ridicule
Do not even pray
Until you go and seek reconciliation
Be merciful as your Abba is merciful
Love like Abba loves
Generously give to the just and unjust
Love whether people love you in return or not
Love expecting nothing in return
Put away your swords
For those who live by the sword die by the sword
Trust in Abba
Love your enemies

I hear Jesus sharing Abba’s love and
The wonders of nature
Think of the birds
They neither sow nor reap
They have neither storehouses nor barns
Yet Abba feeds them
Think of the lilies
Think of how they grow
They neither toil nor spin
Yet Abba clothes them
More beautifully than royalty
Abba knows your needs
Fear not
Trust
It’s Abba’s joy to give you the Kingdom

I hear Jesus trusting us with stories
Stories of mustard seeds, making bread, hidden treasures, and businesspersons
Stories of fishing nets, lost sheep, banquets, and Good Samaritans
Stories of merciful lenders, weeds and crops, wayward children, and persistent widows
Stories of humble and poor folks, sheep and goats, harvests, and weddings

I see Jesus meeting us where we’re at
Inviting us along our path of renewal
Come to me
All you who are weary
And heavily burdened
And I will give you rest
For I am gentle and lowly of heart
And my work and my burdens
are easy and light
Live in me and I in you
Abba, like a Good Samaritan
Loves and cares for you
Go and do likewise

I feel Jesus stirring me up
I hear Jesus
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
And wherever you go
Share love, understanding, and joy

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Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

I hear Jesus engaging us
Be good and trustworthy servants
Give food to the hungry
Give clothes to those in need
Visit the imprisoned
Welcome and celebrate strangers
Live and work
So that everyone
Neighbors near and far
Can have and share a good life

I hear Jesus engaging us
Be good and trustworthy family members
Give each one the nourishment to grow
Give each one the love they need
Comfort the sorrowful
Welcome and celebrate each new member
Live and work
So that everyone
Sisters and brothers near and far
Can have and share a good life

I see the goodness
Of light, water, land, air, and fire
Of Earth, moon, planets, sun, and stars
Of rain, food, sunshine, and seasons
Of plants, fungi, animals, and all living creatures
I see Jesus engaging us with the goodness of all things
Be good and trustworthy servants
Preserve nature
Restore all that has been despoiled and wasted
Protect the endangered
Welcome and celebrate all creation
Live and work
So that everyone
Creatures near and far
Can have and share a good life

In my life’s efforts
I see Jesus
Inviting me into an out-of-the-way wilderness
Leading me up a mountain
Stilling the storm within me
Opening me to life’s mysteries
Strengthening me for the journey ahead and
In each step accompanying me
Ask and it will be given to you
Seek and you will find
Knock and the door will be opened to you
Consider life’s mysteries deeply in your heart
Pray that Abba’s Yearning will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven
Give thanks
Give praise
Bless all
Be one

I see Jesus
A stranger, neighbor, spouse, sister, brother, and needy one
Ardently seeking to do Abba’s Yearning
On this Earth as it is done in Heaven
I hear Jesus engaging us
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
Love, love, love
Wherever you are
Wherever is home
And wherever you go

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Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

Humbled and coming to our senses
For what we have done and not done
We see Jesus
Coming in mercy and compassion
Coming to set us free from all our undoings
We too come to Jesus

I hear Jesus
Rise from your failings
I love you
I know you love me too
Your sins are forgiven
Leave them behind
Forgive yourself
Be happy
Let us put a ring on your finger
And celebrate our togetherness
You are forgiven
Go in peace
Share the joy of your restoration
And live free of sin

Likewise forgive
Whoever has wronged you
Seventy times seventy
Again and again
Forgive, forgive, forgive
Always renewing the Earth with love

I see Jesus our Liberator
I hear Jesus
Peace be with you
As Abba has sent me
I send you
Receive the Holy Spirit
Whenever you forgive anyone
They are forgiven
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
As I have forgiven you
Set others completely free of their sins
Forgive and be forgiven
Wherever you go

I wade into the river of forgiveness
Forgiving others
And I find that I am being forgiven too

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Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

Jesus comes to heal
I hear Jesus
What do you want?
Trust In Abba
Let me see your sickness, your infirmity, your possession
Feel my hands upon you
My hands upon your needs
Trust
Love
Rise and be healed
Go your way and live afresh
Your faith has made you well
Your faith has saved you

I see Jesus with the sick, suffering, and healed
I hear Jesus
In the same way
With me
Guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit
Heal sickness, infirmities, and possessions
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
Being healed and healing wherever you go

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Today I see and hear Jesus
Come with me serving and caring
I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring

I hear Jesus call us to renew the Earth
With all our talents
And with all our efforts
With love and justice
Without harm to anyone
To fulfill our duties
Doing what is needed
To Sustain and give life
For all creation and for all people
To take charge and transform our world
So that our world will benefit all
I have come to set the world on fire
And how I wish it were already blazing

Let us rid and purify our lives
Of all callousness and injustice
Of all exploitation and corruption
Get these things out of here
Stop turning my Father’s house
Into a marketplace and
Into a den of thieves
As the Scriptures proclaim
My house shall be a house of prayer
For all peoples
Throughout the Earth
Just as it is in Heaven

I see and hear Jesus
Let your light shine
Stir up the people
Carry our revolution
Rise up for all humanity
And wherever you go
Renew the Earth with the fire of your love

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Today I see Jesus
I ask Jesus
When, Jesus, when?
When will we be healed?
When will we be victorious?
Unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground
And dies
It remains just a grain of wheat
But if it dies
It produces much fruit
Here’s the way to find the life that you seek
Deny yourself
Lose your life
Take up your cross
Bear another’s burden
And follow me
Serving and caring

Jesus keeps speaking
And I keep listening
To find life
Pass through the narrow gate
Bring others with you too
Distribute your possessions for the needy
Keep only what you need
Speak simply and truly
Do not judge
Do not compare
Do not focus on the speck in your neighbor’s eye
When you do not see the log in your own eye
Do not parade your alms, deeds, or prayers
But in secret without credit to yourself
Do not let one hand know
The good that your other hand is doing
Seek first the Kingdom
Doing whatever is needed
Washing another’s feet with your tears
Standing by another’s cross
Taking the least important place
Being like this child in my arms

I see the child
The child is held by Jesus
Hugged
I hear Jesus
Be gentle and humble
Be cheerful and grateful
Enter into life’s deep waters
Be born afresh
Everyone who loves is born of God
Be born of the Spirit
Becoming a Child of God
For God is Love
Experience all that Abba, your Father, wants for you
Be led by the Spirit
Let the wind blow where it will

We are becoming the child in Jesus’ arms
I am resting in Jesus’ arms
We hear Jesus
Come with me
I have chosen you
Dear brothers and sisters
I have appointed you
To go forth and bear lasting and life-giving fruit
Ask Abba with me for whatever is serviceable
And receive it in love
Remember always that
Abba sends and gives the Counselor, the Spirit
To all those who ask

I follow Jesus and live with Jesus
Serving and caring
I die
I am born
I am raised
My time has come
I am alive
The Child of all Humanity lives in me
I see Jesus
I hear Jesus
Let your light shine
Rise up and carry our revolution
And wherever you go
Bring childlike grace, good news, and life

~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~

Today I see and hear Jesus
Jesus is preparing us for his journey to Abba
Come with me
Even in this difficult time
Let’s celebrate and give thanks
Let’s wash each other’s feet
Let’s break bread together
Let’s pray together
Let’s stay awake together

I see Jesus deeply troubled
I hear Jesus
Abba loves the world so much
But this world is full of hurt and hate
Do not be of this world
The time is coming
When you will weep
And the world will rejoice
When those who kill you
Believe that they are doing God a service
But do not let sorrow fill your hearts
Forgive them
They do not understand what they are doing

We wash feet and break bread together
We hear Jesus pray
Abba may all these your children be one
Just as you and I are one
And through their love for one another
May many others find and experience your love

I see Jesus’ life offered
Placed before me
I hear Jesus
Love one another
As I have loved you
I lay down my life for you
You are my friends
Live in my love
That your joy and your life will be complete

In all this
I am greatly troubled too
I try to stay awake and hopeful
But I find great difficulties in doing this
Still I hear Jesus
I am not leaving you deserted
The Counselor, the Spirit, will come to you
And will always be with you
Rely on our Counselor
Guiding you
And anointing you with all virtue
Keep coming together and I too will be with you
Keep showing up for others and I too will show up for you
Keep standing for all and I too will stand for you
Keep upholding one another and I too will uphold you
Keep awake and I too will be awake at your side
You will fail sometimes
But do not fear
Be bold and courageous
Our present sorrows will turn
To joy
To forgiveness
To healing
And to thanksgiving
My peace I give to you

My hopes are growing stronger
I hear Jesus
Keep letting your light shine
Keep rising up
And keep carrying our revolution
Wherever you go
Yes, Jesus, I am joining your journey
I am dying to myself
I am becoming a friend of all
I am becoming family for all
I am becoming in you a living member
Of the Child of all Humanity
Our renewed Humanity whose members are
Striving always to love as you and Abba love
This Humanity being renewed and coming on the clouds of Heaven
To renew the Earth

Peace be with you
As Abba has sent me
I send you
Serve
Care
Be a friend
Share wisdom
Forgive
Heal
Work
Renew
Be a child
Be a light
Uphold others
Love
And Smile
I see and hear
The Heavens are glad
The Earth rejoices
The deserts blossom
The seas roar
The forests and the hills dance
All that has life shouts with joy
Thank you Abba
Thank you Jesus
Thank you all who love

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Righting our Capsized Boat

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Last week, I dreamt that I was in a capsized boat. I kept trying to figure out how to right the boat or to find safety. But it was dark, and I was just stumbling through the boat, waste deep in water. Abruptly, I fell forward but caught hold of a handrail. My head was still above water, and as I caught my breath, I began to think how older folks, like me, with a few years left in their life, were needed to get the boat righted. I thought of young people too and all kinds of people working together to right the boat. Then I woke up.

Later that morning, I reflected on the dream and our world situation. I wrote:

Our boat is capsized
not all see it or feel it
but look around
the needs – the news
the storms

Our boat can be righted
not so much for ourselves
we have slept too long
but for the young and for the future
the alarms are ringing

The Seawise University (formerly RMS Queen Elizabeth) capsized in Victoria Harbour (Hong Kong). Photograph by Barry Loigman, M.D., July 1972.

The Seawise University (formerly RMS Queen Elizabeth) capsized in Victoria Harbour (Hong Kong). Photograph by Barry Loigman, M.D., July 1972.

Some of the wisest words, ever spoken, were spoken by Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” These words compliment Jesus’ perception: “How can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? How fake, how bogus! First take out the log in your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck out in your neighbor’s eye.” To right our boat, each of us needs to start with our own self, not accusing anyone else of anything, but continuing to focus on our own improvement and the improvement of our own groups.

To right our boat, we must also work together! This requires that we practice respect, trust, forgiveness, and love for one another – whether the other be Agnostic, Atheist, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, or a believer in another religion. Let us open our eyes, not so much to what the propaganda machines or the accusing Satans want us to see, that’s focusing on all the specks in our neighbor’s eyes, but focus on “whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, … excellent, … worthy of praise …” (Philippians 4:8). In this way, we can grow together in peace, righting our boat with joined hands, step by step, benefitting from each other’s perspectives. In this, we are ultimately trusting in God, who has placed all these extraordinary people and perspectives here for us and for our benefit. Trust! For “whoever trusts in God, God will suffice!” (Qu’ran 65:3). As we look forward in trust, we need also to forgive the many transgressions of humanity. As the Jewish book of Proverbs teaches, “Love flourishes whenever an offense is forgiven” (Proverbs 17:9). Finally, it’s each of our answers to the call of love that matters. This is beautifully expressed in Shantideva’s prayer:

May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened.

In doing this, we will see Christians standing for Muslims, Muslims standing for Buddhists, Buddhists standing for Jews, Jews standing for Hindus … Africans standing for Australians, Australians standing for Pacific Islanders … and in this solidarity we will discover and win “liberty and justice for all!”

May each of us work to right our boat: being the change we seek in the world, focusing on bettering ourselves, working together, patiently trusting each other, generously forgiving, and loving all, just as God loves each of us.

Finally, be assured, that each of our parts in this is far greater than we can imagine. Even our seemingly “small” positive actions are having extensive effects beyond what we see. Each of us is part of a much bigger picture, that is beyond our comprehension, and that is creating a new and better future for us all. But we need to work well together now to right our boat.

The Farbor’s Way

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Let’s take this journey together – a new world beckons.
A new world beckons – can we make the journey together? Photograph by Wikimedia user, Palosirkka, Denali National Park and Preserve, September 8, 2012.

“Love your neighbor as yourself!” But every rule has exceptions! Who is our neighbor anyway? Why must we, with all our good work, love the conservative who stands in the way of our progress? Or why must we, with all our good work, love the liberal who wants to tear down our values? Don’t forget the time when they lied about us and did us wrong! They don’t deserve our respect!

We’re usually not so blunt. We’re smooth talkers, like the lawyer who asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” But the lawyer’s heart was inflamed. He hoped to inflame his audience and maybe even the teacher too. The fiery storm in his heart sought “clarification” about neighbors and enemies.

Jesus could have fed the flames. He could have narrowed the call to love. Or he could have engaged the lawyer in a righteous argument. But Jesus was good at calming storms, and he calmed this one by trusting us with a story about a traveler who is mugged, robbed, and left for dead. Some respectable folks come along but they simply walk by. Finally, another traveler comes. He’s a farbor from another land and background, not a neighbor at all. In fact, he’s an enemy of the respectable folks who walked away. But this traveler sees the man’s needs, cares for him, and carries him to safety. “Now,” Jesus asks us, “which of these do you think was a neighbor to the man who was beaten and robbed?”

This stranger, this enemy, has become the neighbor, the hero! Inspired compassion has overcome the status quo of hatred.

Yes, we have diverse guiding visions, but these positive visions in all their diversity are united in urging us to develop and practice virtues and to avoid and eliminate vices.

Like the Good Samaritan, we can move beyond our divisions which have only enslaved us. Like this Good Traveler, we can think first of others and let ourselves become instruments of divine healing. Like this Good Farbor, we can embrace life in many beautiful ways:

  • I will strive today to SHARE THE GIFT OF CREATION with all living beings and people.
  • I will strive today to EXPERIENCE THE WONDER OF BEING A HUMAN BEING embracing the astonishing diversity of life, persons, cultures, and places on our wondrous Earth.
  • I will strive today to PUT INTO DEEDS MY GUIDING VISION.
  • I will strive today to SEEK THE GENIUS AND INSPIRATION IN OTHERS AND IN THEIR GUIDING VISIONS.
  • I will strive today to FULFILL MY DUTIES to my family, neighbors, friends, all others, and myself.
  • I will strive today to FIND JOY IN EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE, even in my sacrifices, trials, and persecutions.
  • I will strive today in every conflict to be attentive to all, seek understanding, forgive, heal, and MAKE PEACE.
  • I will strive today to MANAGE MY DESIRES HONORABLY AND TEMPERATELY so that I will maintain right relationships and will pursue ardently and effectively what is beneficial to myself and others.
  • I will strive today to DEDICATE MY TIME AND RESOURCES TOWARD OTHER’S NEEDS, particularly those who are suffering and have pressing needs.
  • I will strive today to WORK CREATIVELY, COOPERATIVELY, AND PRODUCTIVELY.
  • I will strive today to BE HUMBLE, HONEST, OBJECTIVE, AND KNOWLEDGEABLE.
  • I will strive today to FREE MY GUIDING VISION FROM ALL NARROWNESS AND FALSENESS that might diminish others, blind me to the needs of others, set me above others, or in any way hinder me from becoming closer to others.
  • I will strive today to HONOR ALL PERSONS AS MY FAMILY knowing that we are one human family.
  • I will strive today to ENLIGHTEN, EMPOWER, AND UNIFY.

I am Nahari

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Nahari talks with Gandhi taken from the 1982 movie, Gandhi

Nahari talks with Gandhi (from the 1982 movie, Gandhi)

There is an astonishing scene in the movie Gandhi where a Hindu man named Nahari commands Gandhi to “Eat!” The fasting Gandhi is starving, near death, but he refuses pressing for an end to violence. Nahari, overcome with emotion, cries out, “Eat! I am going to hell, but not with your death on my soul!”

Gandhi replies, “Only God decides who goes to hell.”

Nahari continues despairingly, “I . . . I killed a child . . . I smashed his head against a wall.”

“Why?” Gandhi asks.

Deeply distraught, Nahari replies, “They killed my son . . . my boy!” Nahari holds his hand out showing the height of his son. “The Muslims killed my son . . . they killed him.”

After an intense pause, Gandhi replies, “I know a way out of hell . . . Find a child . . . a child whose mother and father have been killed . . . A little boy . . . about this high . . . and raise him . . . as your own . . . Only be sure . . . that he is a Muslim. And that you raise him as one.”

Nahari almost leaves but then goes to his knees and breaks down sobbing. The divine seed within him is coming to life. Astonishingly, there is a way out of hell.

This story is not so much about Nahari, or about the faults of any people of the Indian subcontinent, or about the cruelty of Christian imperialism in India, or even about the violence or injustice or intolerance in today’s world. It is about me. How many times have I sought to get the better of a deal, killed the creativity in a child, scoffed at the wise thoughts of others, watched abhorrent videos, wasted the gifts of nature for my own convenience, discounted the needs of others, lashed out in anger, doubted the divine seed in others, failed to be generous, failed to forgive, placed myself above others, … In all these things, I have built up our insane violence, injustice, and politics.

But hell is not our only option. With God’s Infinite Gracious Mercy, we need add just a few ingredients: understanding, appreciation, justice, forgiveness, and love.

Similar to Nahari, we can raise our children and educate ourselves to understand and appreciate the ways of the Muslims, the ways of the Buddhists, the ways of the Hindus, the ways of the Christians, the ways of the Humanist, …

We can appreciate each person and each culture’s strengths and weaknesses, but we must not focus on the other’s weaknesses. It is by earnestly seeking solutions to own our faults, that we nourish the divine seed in others.

Nahari's Call and ChallengeWe all have needs. Justice for all is required. How we treat one person and how we neglect one person, is how we treat all humanity and how we neglect all humanity. Disrespect and injustice and violence, toward even the most despicable person, toward even the most unwanted person, toward the weak or the strong, toward our neighbor or stranger, … is intolerable.

I am guilty of these intolerable acts, yet I am forgiven and loved. There is hope, a way out of hell for everyone. Let us consider deeply and act today. Let us courageously hear the call to both a broader community and family.