I go to a shrine, quite often. The reason is because in nice weather, they conduct their services, outside. Nature is God's basilica.
Of course, people can change. Thanks be to God. I am not the stupid, shy, silly, twenty-something year old, I once was. Nor, is Damon West, the stupid, arrogant, self-important, jock, he once was. I'm talking about the book, The Change Agent, by Damon West.
Damon was spoiled. Success in athletics gave him confidence and a big ego. He became involved in drugs. It was cool and fun. Until it wasn't.
He got sucked in and became a crook. The usual story that I hear in my prison ministry. No one thinks that addiction will happen to them.
No one is immune.
Fortunately, like my "cloistered brothers," Jesus had Damon's back. Damon knew he had veered off the religious road and worked to get back on it. He kept on it and continues keeping himself on the straight path.
I love how his parents never gave up on him. That's important. When he was released from prison, his parents picked him up and brought him home. They had even kept up his driver's license, while he was incarcerated. That alone, exemplifies hope.
If you enjoy stories about people who change their lives, The Change Agent, is for you.
Why can't it be both?
The book I read, by Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, OP is The Three Conversions and the Three Ways of the Spiritual Life.
It is two books summarized. Much of it is over my head, but I did learn the three ways to obtain a good spiritual life: purgative, illuminative, and unitive. They meld into each other gradually. Basically, it's fake it 'till you make it. Your meditation will stall, grow in spurts, veer off, and might fall off. The trick is to keep on trying. Eventually, you will get it. Garrigou-Lagrange gives examples which will help.
I just finished Louise Penny's A Better Man. Once again, Penny shows Inspector Gamache to be human, a good human. The setting is Three Pines, with the usual characters. This time, the weather is a factor. At first, I thought it was a character because of the focus put on it. A body does wash up in it. Gamache and Beauvoir almost drown in it, and the murderer succumbs to it. Thus, it is a vital part of the story.
The psychological gymnastics that the characters portray run the gamut. The bad guy is still a bad guy, but not a murderer. The loving father had a demon, inside him. Agent Cloutier loved from afar. Beauvoir leaves the job, the country, and starts a new life.
That's a lot to chew on. Penny doesn't disappoint.
Jason Porterfield's takeaway of Holy Week, in Fight Like Jesus, is very interesting. His view challenged me. I'm not a pacifist. I think that's too naive. Although I'm glad we have people like that, but it just seems too gullible.
Porterfield made me think. I can see what he's saying, but I don't agree 100%.
This book is to be read during Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday. The people are celebrating the arrival of their Messiah. They're shouting "Hosanna." The Greek translation tends to imply that "hosannah" is for a savior, a rescurer. This is what Jesus is, but not a conquering, violent, insurrection. That's what the people were excited about.
Holy Monday, Jesus goes to the temple and throws the money changers out. Porterfield claims that this was not a violent act. No people were hurt. He couldn't have used whips because there weren't any around. He must have used wicker and something within his grasp. The temple needed to be cleared of the people cheating and He did it.
Holy Tuesday, Jesus goes back to the temple and has verbal confrontational encounters with the temple authorities, which convinces them to get rid of Jesus. He has the crowd following Him, who think He's going to attack the Roman soldiers, like he cleared the temple.
Holy Wednesday, He gets annointed by the woman. Judas is disgusted by the waste of money and makes a deal with the temple authorities.
Holy Thursday is the Last Supper. Judas leaves early to make arrangements. Jesus is arrested without resisting.
Good Friday is the crucifixion. Porterfield explains why the crowd chose to release Barabbas. Remember that everybody was expecting Jesus to overthrow the Romans. Well, He didn't. But Barabbas tried and it resulted in his being arrested for insurrection. Also, Barabbas' name is Bar-Abba, IOW, Son of Abba (God).
Now, you are expecting Jesus to overthrow the Romans. Who would you choose to be released, the one arrested for insurrection, or the one preaching love your enemies?
Who would you choose: Jesus Bar Abba, or Jesus Bar Joseph of Nazareth. Barabbas' first name was Jesus (common name)?
On Holy Saturday, Jesus worked. He went down to release the dead.
Sunday, Jesus proves He's the messiah. He raises Himself from the dead.
Who can do that? Only the messiah can do that, Jesus the Christ.
David Torkington tells the story of when he was a little boy, he went to confession. He had dutifully examined his conscience and discerned that he didn't break any of the ten commandments.
The confessor asked David a few questions but he could see that his little penitent was adamant that he didn't sin.
So, the confessor said, "Say three Hail Mary's in thanksgiving for being immaculately conceived!!!"
On Sunday, Jesus was honored in a parade, with the people waving palms and shouting Hosannah. Do you know what Hosannah means?
ὡσαννά, hōsanná) is from Hebrew הושיעה־נא, הושיעה נא hôšîʿâ-nā and related to Aramaic ܐܘܿܫܲܥܢܵܐ (ʾōshaʿnā) meaning 'save, rescue, savior'.
In other words, they were greeting, praising, and thanking God for this savior. But their idea of savior, wasn't what we think now. They thought Jesus was coming to throw out the oppressive Roman soldiers. We think Jesus came to save us from our sins.
So Sunday the people are jubilant at seeing Jesus, and then they want Him crucified, on Friday.
Why? Because He didn't overthrow the Romans.
The people were given the choice of releasing Barabbas or Jesus. What was Barabbas in prison for? Insurrection--attempted overthrow of the Roman government.
Before that sinks in, remember how names are in Israel, at the time. "Bar" means "Son of." So Barabbas = Son of Abba. And Abba is another name for God.
Barabbas is the last name. His first name was quite common in those times--Jesus.
Who do you want released? Jesus Bar Abba or Jesus of Nazareth?
Who do you want released? Barabbas who preached overthrowing the Romans, or Jesus who preached "love your enemies?"
My sister died a month ago. A sibling dying is not an inconsequential event, for anyone. For me, it was deep. You see, she was ten years...
