I’m one of those people who have only spotty memories from childhood. I stand in awe of those who recall incidents when they were three. And, I admit, a little suspicion, as well, particularly when these recollections get detailed. Whatever, for me, only memory fragments here and there. One of which was my beloved Davy Crocket Coonskin hat, which for a time could not be removed from my head. As for many who were children in the 1950’s, Davy Crocket... Read more
One can see why some mourn the coming of St Patrick to Ireland and the foundation of the Roman church on the emerald Isle… And for those with an interest in such matters, here’s a lovely reflection on Irish religion. Read more
Recently I was at an event where the main speaker was a prominent minister in our denomination. He was speaking of various things, but one point particularly caught my attention. He described a trip to Latin America he made with some friends a few years ago. It was to a country that had been torn by civil strife and included revolutionary activities, paramilitaries and much of the deep ugliness of covert war. Our country had dirty hands in the mess,... Read more
Sesshin ended at noon on Sunday. Jan & I stopped and gobbled a sandwich, then started a mad dash to Roxbury and the installation of the new senior minister and executive director of the Benevolent Fraternity of Unitarian Universalist Churches, the UU Urban Ministry, the, near as I can tell, oldest social service agency in the country. The new senior minister is an old Zen hand and a member of our sangha. The installation preacher said how spiritual engagement and... Read more
This afternoon Jan & I are off to sesshin, leaving auntie & the cats in charge of the homestead. This means it is unlikely there will be any additional posts before Sunday evening… In the meantime here’s something to chew on… Nothing Nothing sings in our bodies like breath in a flute. It dwells in the drum. I hear it now that slow beat like when a voice said to the dark, let there be light, let there be ocean and blue fish born of nothing and they were there. I... Read more
On this day in 1965 James Reeb lay in an Alabama hospital, his life slipping away. Read more
I was driving into church this morning when I heard the most fascinating, compelling and lovely story about the WASPs during the Second World war, women who flew military aircraft in a variety of capacities back here in the States, freeing up men to go into combat. If you have eight minutes and fifty nine seconds to listen to it, I heartily recommend you do. There’s a print text as well. Go here for both. As one might expect if... Read more
A friend just forwarded me a story that recounts how television talking head Glenn Beck decries churches that call for social justice, revealing how such are either covert Communists or Nazis. He really is a nutjob. My ongoing concern is that he appears to have a very large following. I wonder if people believe this stuff and bother, or just find him entertaining in a creepy sort of way. I fear some take him seriously. And what a sad universe... Read more
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