It is so easy to slide into a space of going through motions, whatever our age or situation. Another theologian, the late Bernard Lonergan, said the first step of real conversion, of seeing things differently, was to pay attention. St. Francis left us that fabulous legacy of deep attention to all around and in us.
Reverend Cameron, What a truly wonderful homily! God is in the present moment (is what my Mom would say. ) We all need to remember, to reconnect to our inner sacred space, and let go to let God. We are all in this together. Thank you! 🙏🏻
Absolutely spot on, as ever, Cameron. 😍 The Franciscan and Celtic ways have so much to inspire and teach us about wholistic spirituality, and the universality of the Divine. Thank you for sharing.
Devotion is wonderful, and for many years I did not understand it, nor did I understand the meaning of worship and surrender. I understand them differently now. I understand worship as a delightful meeting with a lover rather than admiration of a distant, incomprehensible being. I understand devoting as similar to allegiance. I know that I gave my allegiance to love most of my life, without fully understanding love, and thinking of devotion as subservience. I now experience my relation to God as a love affair, and I act out of love. I suppose that one could describe it as surrendering to love, but that doesn't really work for my stubborn nature, which love dissolves. Other find the concept of surrender works well for them; I am encouraging looking at our relationship with God from many different angles, hoping to find the one that appeals to any given person. I see you doing that; your description of devotion is new to me, and I thank you for it.
Cameron so glad you are on the FAN Board. They do wonderful social justice work. This is such a reminder to not lose sight of what keeps us feeling alive!!!!! Thank you.
Being awake to the full aliveness of Life necessarily means to be open to the ever-presence of suffering, which is not a word or concept we find attractive, but which is a truth yearning to attract us to wherever and whenever it is happening. If we, in our faith, are devoted to following Jesus, it means taking up our cross to help others take up theirs. It is then, says Jesus, that we find our lives. May it be so.
Thank you for this thoughtful, powerful devotional that puts all of our gifts and all that we do in perspective. Our foundation is to be devoted to the Spirit in prayer.
To your timely point, in Lauren Groff’s “Arcadia,” one of the characters, when asked what he was doing, he calmly says, “I’m bearing witness to the present moment.” Words to live by in our phone obsessed world.
We need to find our way back to lives shaped by devotion instead of distraction, by relationships instead of extraction, by participation instead of consumption."
Thanks so much! This is really critical, Cameron.
It is so easy to slide into a space of going through motions, whatever our age or situation. Another theologian, the late Bernard Lonergan, said the first step of real conversion, of seeing things differently, was to pay attention. St. Francis left us that fabulous legacy of deep attention to all around and in us.
Reverend Cameron, What a truly wonderful homily! God is in the present moment (is what my Mom would say. ) We all need to remember, to reconnect to our inner sacred space, and let go to let God. We are all in this together. Thank you! 🙏🏻
I like how you use the word, “homily.” Exactly!
Absolutely spot on, as ever, Cameron. 😍 The Franciscan and Celtic ways have so much to inspire and teach us about wholistic spirituality, and the universality of the Divine. Thank you for sharing.
Devotion is wonderful, and for many years I did not understand it, nor did I understand the meaning of worship and surrender. I understand them differently now. I understand worship as a delightful meeting with a lover rather than admiration of a distant, incomprehensible being. I understand devoting as similar to allegiance. I know that I gave my allegiance to love most of my life, without fully understanding love, and thinking of devotion as subservience. I now experience my relation to God as a love affair, and I act out of love. I suppose that one could describe it as surrendering to love, but that doesn't really work for my stubborn nature, which love dissolves. Other find the concept of surrender works well for them; I am encouraging looking at our relationship with God from many different angles, hoping to find the one that appeals to any given person. I see you doing that; your description of devotion is new to me, and I thank you for it.
Cameron so glad you are on the FAN Board. They do wonderful social justice work. This is such a reminder to not lose sight of what keeps us feeling alive!!!!! Thank you.
Both of these men, Anthony and Francis were giants of spiritual wisdom.
Being awake to the full aliveness of Life necessarily means to be open to the ever-presence of suffering, which is not a word or concept we find attractive, but which is a truth yearning to attract us to wherever and whenever it is happening. If we, in our faith, are devoted to following Jesus, it means taking up our cross to help others take up theirs. It is then, says Jesus, that we find our lives. May it be so.
Thank you for this thoughtful, powerful devotional that puts all of our gifts and all that we do in perspective. Our foundation is to be devoted to the Spirit in prayer.
Hello from Italy, Rev. Cameron!
To your timely point, in Lauren Groff’s “Arcadia,” one of the characters, when asked what he was doing, he calmly says, “I’m bearing witness to the present moment.” Words to live by in our phone obsessed world.
Profound and amen:
We need to find our way back to lives shaped by devotion instead of distraction, by relationships instead of extraction, by participation instead of consumption."
Thank you. I’m very grateful for your inspiring meditations. I wish you peace. 🙏🏻🕊️
Beautifully expressed - as always. Thank you.