If you want to be even more confused than you are, look up "Hillel taught Jesus."
Here is the context:
Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! Teach the Moral ABC that unites all mankind free, instantly 6 billion strong & we're All-One. "Listen Children Eternal Father Eternally One!" 1st If I'm not me, who am I? Nobody! 2nd Yet, if I'm only for me, what am I? Nothing! 3rd If not now, when?! Once more: unless constructive-selfish I work hard perfecting first me, absolute nothing can help me! Exceptions none!! 4th Only hard work -- God's Law can save us, but if we teach only our clan? We're all hated then! So, Hillel taught Jesus, we must teach friend & enemy, the whole Human race, the full truth, hard-work, free speech, press & profitsharing Moral ABC's All-One-God-Faith, as teach the African shepherd-astronomers Abraham & Israel, for 6000 years, since the year One: "LISTEN CHILDREN ETERNAL FATHER ETERNALLY ONE!" -- we're one! All-one! Exceptions eternally? None! Absolute none!
This quote is from a label pasted on Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap. It's very small print, which I bothered to read because this soap can be used for your face, dishes, washing the dog--18 uses!
It's hard to understand, but you get the gist. Isn't strange that Jewish references are made? Yet, Jews don't call God, by name. They write something like G--. So Hillel, the rabbi taught Jesus. Perhaps, but since when do rabbis call God by name?
What would you say the point of the quote is? This soap cleans ALL--Exceptions None? Well, note the instructions about Hard Work. So if you scrub very hard, you'll get clean results.
Remember, "cleanliness is next to Godliness!" All this time I thought this quote was from Ben Franklin and here I learn that it's from Hillel.
Every year between September 1---October 4, Christians from all over the world are meeting this year to discuss how to heal our world. Christians from six continents will gather together for a time of reflection, restoration, and hope. They will discuss how to live better.
People are invited to join the effort. One way is to have a meeting of like-minded people and pray, and discuss what actions they could take to make the world better:
Your eyes really don't see what you think you do. Your mind interferes with the truth. Think of people who you think are beautiful, lucky, smart, rich--everything you wish you were.
But are they?
How do we know what they're going through?
If you realize this, then why get upset, why be jealous, and why even wish you could change places with someone.
The best advice is to look in the mirror and assess yourself. There's always the need for improvement.
At least, get more sleep. Things look will look different in the morning.
Today, I ripped up about ten of those plants, here and there, in my garden. I looked them up and found out that they're called American Burnweed, or Fireweed, or Pileweed. They're medicinal.
I don't care. They don't belong in my garden.
Interesting insight from Bono. I was reading the difference between "Grace and Karma," which is an interview by Bono. He sees Karma is Lex Talonis. You get what you deserve. But God's grace is undeserving. He gives when you don't deserve it.
Thanks be to God.
Yesterday, I did a lot of work harvesting plants from my garden. I gathered them in bunches, tied pretty ribbons on them, and composed a little poem, which I attached to each little bouquet.
All for naught.
I found out that what I thought was garlic, was not. It is oregano. How embarrassing!
My new poem:
Silly I know. But Argonauta is tomorrow and I have so much garlic! The garlic has turned to flower and I hate to waste it. So when the book club meets tomorrow, I plan to give each member a small bouquet of the flowers and this little ditty. Fun!
You can't be, says a Palestinian Christian on the first feast day after Ramadan.
So, half-and-half and half-and-half.
He sells glass.
He knows about broken bits, chips.
If you love Jesus you can't love anyone else.
Says he.
At his stall of blue pitchers on the Via Dolorosa, he's sweeping.
The rubbed stones feel holy.
Dusting of powdered sugar across faces of date-stuffed mamool.
This morning we lit the slim white candles which bend over at the waist by noon.
For once the priests weren't fighting in the church for the best spots to stand.
As a boy, my father listened to them fight.
This is partly why he prays in no language but his own.
Why I press my lips to every exception.
A woman opens a window—here and here and here— placing a vase of blue flowers on an orange cloth.
I follow her.
She is making a soup from what she had left in the bowl, the shriveled garlic and bent bean.
She is leaving nothing out.
God will be with the people of Haiti; I hope they know it and take comfort in it. They haven't recovered from the earthquake in 2010 and now this one is worse! Their president, Jovenel Moise, was recently assassinated. The Haitian government hasn't started vaccinating the people. They are one of the poorest nations in the world. And now, a tropical storm is threatening the island.
Our Lady of Prompt Succor help the people of Haiti. On this day of your Assumption into heaven celebrate by delivering the little island of Haiti into the safety and comfort of Our Father in heaven. Cast out all the evil in Haiti and have mercy on the people. Intercede for the Haitians and may they accept God's graces and be faithful to Him. We ask this through the merits of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, Our Redeemer, and Lord. Amen.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is my first time reading "indirect discourse." This novel has a narrator explain the character's thoughts and feelings within the story, rather than expressing them directly.
If you have the following traits or do the following, you are a soul-mate book lover.
1. Have stacks of books, here and there, everywhere, just in case you have a moment of free time:
I've decided to write a series of short stories like I once wrote Prayer Group Tales (use the search engine). Here's the first one.
THE INTRODUCTION
It was Faith’s 65th birthday and she decided she
wanted to give herself a present--a pet.
Although Faith loved all animals, she knew she didn’t want a dog because
she didn’t want to have to walk it. And
all the fish she ever had died; besides the aquarium eventually smelled like
low tide, and she didn’t want to have to clean that smelly scum.
There are always birds, e.g., parakeets, cockatoos, parrots,
etc.
Again, there would be cages to be cleaned.
It is clear that the answer was a cat—a cat, not a
kitten. She didn’t want her pet to outlive her. Who knows what would become of
it? And it would be an indoor/outdoor
cat. She didn't want to bother with kitty
litter. Cats clean themselves, so she didn’t have to do that. Yes, she decided.
The next day, Faith went to the animal shelter to pick out
her cat. What a heart-wrenching
decision! She wanted them all. She felt like rescuing the most desperate,
the sickest, the feeblest, and the ones no one else would take. The cutest and friendliest would find homes
soon enough, but who would ever adopt the undesirables? Faith didn’t know what to decide.
The shelter lady knew Faith’s dilemma and asked her some
probing questions:
Did she want short hair or long hair? Didn’t
matter.
How old a cat?
Old
Will children be in the home? Yes
Can I care for my pet? Yes
While the lady was asking Faith her questions, the cats were
eyeing Faith, ignoring Faith, making figure eights in and around Faith’s legs, or meowing for attention. There was one
tabby that looked old because although he was grey and black striped on his
back and sides, he had a lot of grey and white that made him look old.
“How old is this cat?”
Faith asked because he was playing with her shoelaces like a kitten,
yet had the coloring of an elder.
She’s around 10 years old and has arthritis; she's on medicine, do you think you can care for her and bring her to the vet
regularly? Ha! Maybe we can take the same
meds Faith thought. "How long is her expected
life span?"
She may live another 5-8 years, if she stays an
indoor cat.
Faith didn’t want an indoor cat.
She didn’t want a sick cat.
She didn’t want a pet that played with her shoelaces and looked so appealing
and purred so loud and meowed so pitifully.
But Faith impulsively picked the kitty up and she instantly settled in Faith’s
arms and melted into her body like a sleeping baby.
Faith was hooked.
After paying the adoption fee, which actually was free
because of the cat’s age, but the vet’s bill, her medicine, the cost of her
spaying, her flea and tick bath, her kitty litter, some toys, food, and a
carrier, Faith’s purse was $ 300 lighter.
But Faith didn’t seem to mind.
Upon leaving, Faith turned and asked, “What’s her name?”
Fido You’re kidding.
No. A cat
named Fido.
The social media platform, Facebook, has initiated a prayer request feature and some people are suspicious. Facebook does tract people and a concern would be for this platform to keep more tabs on Facebook users. But I know that God turns bad into good and I trust Him, not Facebook.
Still.
So my first prayer will be that this Facebook feature will be a force for good and be used to put the world in the correct order that God always intended.
St. Dominic, you who preached the Good News, and whom I believe would be using social media to spread the Good News, were he be alive today, please protect and turn all these Facebook requests into forces for good. May they be answered according to Your Will and may the people who requested prayers be comforted. I ask this through the intercession of St. Dominic to Christ, Our Savior and Lord. Amen.
My rosary under my pillow is a corded rosary. Corded rosaries are indestructible.
A friend from TOPS follows this program, which when I joined I agreed not to share. During the exercise chatter, the instructor stressed the "mind and body" connection. Guess who I thought of.
St. Dominic.
St. Dominic has nine ways of prayer because he also saw the mind and body connection.
(1) Kneeling. Think of praying to your God. The only way to approach your Creator is on your knees.
(2) Prostrate on the ground. You humble yourself as low as you can by stretching out on the floor.
(3) Offer Penances. In Dominic's day, some people whipped themselves in imitation of Jesus being scourged at the pillar. Nowadays the very idea is abhorrent. I offer a penance instead.
(4) Eucharistic Adoration.
(5) Orans position.
(6) Praying hands stretched up as high as you can.
(7) Lectio Divina.
(8) Walking while meditating, singing, and praying.
(9) Bowing, kneeling, genuflecting.
See the connection between the body expressing reverence to God. The mind uses the body to express worship.
Pascal's Wager always made sense to me. I could never understand why once it was explained to them why anyone would choose to not believe in God. Where or when I learned of Pascal Wager, I don't remember, but I am infinitely thankful that I know it. It has always "had my back," so to speak.
Pascal's wager is found in his book, Pensees. It was written in defense of Christianity. What I didn't know was that Pascal suggested that once one can see the reasonableness of believing in God, then one should practice religion.
The wager explains that it is more reasonable to believe than to not believe. If you die and there's nothing, so what. Who knows that you were wrong? But if you die and there's a God, you had better be a believer.
Lectio:
Jn 6:41-51
The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said,
“I am the bread that came down from heaven, ”
and they said,
“Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?
Do we not know his father and mother?
Then how can he say,
‘I have come down from heaven’?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Stop murmuring among yourselves.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
Studio:
The Jews are complaining because they don't know what Jesus
is talking about. He's not bread. He's not manna that came down
from heaven. Jesus is prophesying that He is the Eucharist. It is
a hard saying.
Meditatio:
Funny that the Jews focus on Jesus saying that He came down from
heaven. Don't all babies come down from heaven? Nothing happens
without the Will of the Father.
Oratio:
Lord Jesus, You are the living bread given to us, a hungry people. Help
us all to see You as You are in the Eucharist.
Contemplatio:
Thank you for the gift of Yourself, Jesus. Thank you for the gift of Faith
Resolutio:
I will continue to pray for more Faith
Whenever the pope flies anywhere, you will see that the plane is called Shepherd One. Even so, the Vatican doesn't own any planes. Th...
