7 Quick Takes Friday

I think I’m in the throes of a spiritual dry spell. I feel sort of numb to the working of the Spirit. I try to pray, and most days I do spend at least a little bit of time in prayer. But it rarely moves me, and often seems that I’m doing it just to do it. That’s not always a bad thing. But today my quick takes are devoted to the words of people who have it figured out a lot more than this fool of the world does. Maybe it’ll ignite me a little?

** 1 **

“The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us. When we begin to take the lowest place, to wash the feet of others, to love our brothers and sisters with that burning love, that passion that leads to the cross, then we can truly say, ‘Now I have begun.'” – Dorothy Day

** 2 **

“Mercy transforms us. Once we feel the mercy of God, we can never again withhold mercy from another. From that moment on, we forgive everyone who ever hurt us, and we grant clemency to oppressors and oppressed alike. Mercy leads us away from violence so that we live in peace with everyone. It pushes us to reject war, revenge, the death penalty and nuclear war so that all humanity might dwell in Divine Mercy.

If we truly honor Jesus as the image of Divine Mercy, we will make the connections between the personal call to mercy and the global and political ramifications of divine mercy. We advocate mercy for the people of Iraq and Palestine, for those on death row and the unborn, the hungry and homeless…Our participation in His mercy leads us to renewed gratitude for his kindness to us, the unmerciful.” – John Dear S.J.

** 3 **

“Love planted deeply, and hearts given freely, become what they ought to be.” – Audrey Assad

** 4 **

“If I have understood/She holds high motherhood/Toward all our ghostly good/And plays in grace her part/About man’s beating heart/Laying, like air’s fine flood/The deathdance in his blood;

Yet no part but what will/Be Christ our Savior still./ Of her flesh he took flesh/He does take fresh and fresh,/Though much the mystery how/Not flesh but spirit now/And makes, O Marvellous!/New Nazareths in us/Where she shall yet conceive/Him, morning, noon, and eve;

New Bethlehems, and he born/There, evening, noon, and morn-/Bethlehem or Nazareth,/Men here may draw like breath/More Christ and baffle death; – Gerard Manley Hopkins S.J.

** 5 **

“He is jealous for me/ loves like a hurricane/ I am a tree/ bending beneath the weight of His grace and mercy.”  – David Crowder Band

** 6 **

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are an Easter people, and hallelujah is our song!” – Pope John Paul the Great

** 7 **

And, last but certainly not least:

“Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.“ – Jesus

Happy weekend everyone!!