In Yoke

“A relationship is not a something . You can’t see it or touch it. It is a BETWEEN- between you and me- a space that enables us to I-You each other, just as God I-You’s us by His Spirit. Living by the Spirit is an entry into mystery, into something beyond our control, into something we can’t contain, into something we can only receive. Although we can treat God like an idea to be discussed, an experience to be savored, and a power to be used, these are all I-It relations, distorted relations. The Spirit is constantly drawing us back into I-You relating with God and with each other.” After all, it seems that Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom can be simply explained as his message about Relationship. He had a vibrant relationship with the Lord, and is sharing that it can be a relationship in which you can participate, as well. from “I-Thou”by Martin Buber, as translated by Eugene Peterson, in ‘Practice Resurrection’.

As I have perused many treatises regarding the Christ, it is obvious to me that Jesus teaching was centered on three core principles. As I have digested His message, I come back to the three pillars of Jesus' teaching. They are: Kenosis - (letting go, non-clinging) Abundance - ( “I have come that they might have life abundant”) Singleness - (oneness of heart) From Mark 12:28-31: “One of the religion scholars came up. Hearing the lively exchanges of question and answer and seeing how sharp Jesus was in his answers, he put in his question: "Which is most important of all the commandments?" Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.' And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these." Love the Lord your God with all your passion & prayer, inte...

It is here, my daughters, that love is to be found, not hidden away in corners but in the midst of occasions of sin. And believe me, although we may more often fail and commit small lapses, our gain will be incomparably the greater.   – Saint Teresa of Avila From Sri Easwaran: The widest possibilities for growth lie in the give-and-take of everyday relationships. The truth of this is brought out in a story about Saint Francis of Assisi. Three young men approached Francis and asked his blessing to become hermits and seek God, each in his own cave, deep in the mountains of Umbria. Francis smiled. He instructed them to be hermits indeed, but hermits all together in a single hut. One should take the role of father; a second should think of himself as the mother; and the third should be their child. Every few months they should exchange roles. Living in this way they were to establish among themselves perfect harmony, thinking always of the needs of one another. We can al...

To have a thing is little, if you're not allowed to show it, to know a thing, is nothing unless others know you know it.  ~Charles Neaves When I am truly honest with myself, and employ true self observation, I have to admit that I possess a burning desire to be "right", when I compare my own opinions and theological convictions against a brother or sister.  [Maybe observing this in myself is the first step in the needed transformation of my behavior...] Why does this seem to exist --especially when I am among fellow church folks? Is it because we are all in this together, and what one member does affects all the others? Perhaps.  Where does grace enter into our thinking? or into our actions? Does it? Do I truly think my opinions matter that much to others?  Do my opinions and convictions matter that much to the Creator?  Truly I am responsible to Him for my own heartfelt conviction and my own expression of belief or faith. I may have an obligation to share that convictio...