Tag Archives: heart

Will Emotion Override and Cloud the Spirit’s Path to Logic and Truth?

I listened to a young man pour out his emotions as he spoke on TV about the terror and trauma he experienced during the mass shootings that took place at the Parkland High School in Broward County, Florida.   It was gut wrenching to listen to.  My heart was torn as I listened as his words.  It caused me think of my own children and grand children.

Emotions are a vital part of our human condition.  More than that they are truly a gift from our creator.  Emotions serve as the only source capable of taking a human on a journey to the core of our soul where we encounter our human values.  But more importantly, they take us on a journey so we can see ourselves face to face as in a mirror.  It is as if we must be dragged kicking and screaming into a Garden long ago set aside as the place where blo0d is sweat as the human heart engages the battle where emotions attempt to drive us away from looking into the mirror of truth.  Said another way, emotions seek to focus on a simple solution rather than confront the ancient symbolism hidden in a seamless garment.  The truth of the temple of our soul is intimately connected to the human search for the purpose of a people so loved they have been granted free will.  The pain of emotions can distort truth as one who seeks to avoid the journey to the only source with the potential to wash the human family clean and make us whole again.

Hold on to that image of the seamless garment for within it’s creation lies the secret of one who is willing to offer up life as the price of penetrating the human heart and restoring mobility to a stiff neck!  The truth found in the blood found on the ground speaks to a hope beyond measure!

Here in this mirror lies a treasure, a gift from our creator where the real possibility exists to confront and overcome human natures original sin!  Sin the modern world seeks to ignore and worse deny!  In this mirror the image and likeness of our creator one cannot  ignored or escape!  The source of truth is dimly lit to a new arrival and the values buried within are designed to lead us to the truth in the beginning hearken to a soul thirsting and longing for an answers!  Here in this garden of agony one encounters the potential to ingest the breath of ancient truths again as in the first time.  Emotions erupt from deep within our gut as they crawl upward into our heart and mind creating the only unrest that can open the door that can lead to the search for hope we can find again the sacredness and treasure of life!  The question is  will take the time necessary to endure the journey to the core of our soul where we can encounter the spirit and wisdom that created us.  It is in the deeps of our soul where emotion can be balanced with the gifts of logic, wisdom, understanding of the purpose of the creator’s plan that calls people to freely choose the journey with the potential usher in real hope for a healthy human family.

A gun on the other hand is just metal and cold.  It has no spirit, no emotions and cannot make a decision.  It can not pick itself up, load itself or pull it’s trigger.  It lacks warmth or breath.  A gun has no emotions and cannot reflect upon anything that happens to it or it’s impact on any living being.  Why are we investing so much time on an inanimate object with no potential to save us?

As I listened to this young man, I too was sent on a journey to the core of my soul and began to ask the spirit in the mirror questions.  Who was this young man who picked up that gun?  What happened to him?  Who were his parents and how did he get that gun?  What questions are being asked about this young man and his environment?  Guns were allowed in school when I was a kid and this kind of event never took place.  What has changed?

Can we examine the seamless garment without being executed?  Do we really have an understanding of who we were created to be?  Is our focus on an inanimate object or the core of the soul of humanity?

If you made it thus far, will you come with me on a journey through the flawed memories of a child beginning to digest and grasp at the seamless garment and how it runs through the whole of humanity where not a single soul is without impact?

Is anyone willing to ask, have all the political attacks over the past several years on the police had an impact?  he alone the associated demand for body cameras?  Have we  pushed our policemen into political correct precautionary non life saving behaviors?  Someone with courage needs to be willing to ask?  Have our emotions and power agendas overridden our ability to have courage under fire?

How about the violence in so many neighborhoods?  How about the self inflicted wounds of gender-ism?  Isn’t the DNA we are born with the DNA we will die with?  Did God make a mistake when he created us?  Is there something else in play?  Have we now declared ourselves to be God?  How about the breakdown of families?  How about the destruction of life for those who cannot speak?  How about a feminist movement that does not include mothers?  How about the stripping of a mans ancient obligation to the mother and their children?   In the beginning God created man and woman and it was good.  The two became one flesh.  Abortion kills not only the child but the father for the two are no longer one flesh!

Do we have any real men in political life?

Why are so many people today taking drugs for everything?  Why are TV commercial’s full of advertisements for new drugs?  Does a pill correct every situation?  Do our brain’s work any more?  Why do we want to stop letting boys be boys?  Why are so many young men in prison and why are they so angry with their parents?  Why are we afraid to ask these questions?

When I was a kid we allowed prayer to be taken out of school about the time I finished.  We allowed abortion to begin to flourish at about the same time.   Why do our politicians support the abortion of 60 million babies and then insist we need 60 million immigrants?

Does anyone recognize the abortion decision declared a death sentence on a father’s right to protect his children?  Do gun free so called safe zones override the right of a father to protect his child from a principal whose policies do not report crimes which undermines the law intended to keep guns out of the hands of individual’s with histories of violence?  Are our police and sheriff’s bullied by the politically correct and unwittingly unleashed the violent and mentally unstable on society.  Has politics destroyed common sense?  Have we become so smart and tolerant that we are now become our own worst enemy?  Have we declared that sin is dead and people are just misunderstood?

Have we allowed a judge to override the voice of the people?  Have we allowed a judge to declare the father of a child has no rights even in a marriage?  Why do we want to destroy men and the potential father many are created to become?  What has this done to our children and does anyone care what the the impact is on children and family?  Is anyone looking at the success of children brought up in a traditional family versus the new so called norm?

About the time I was just a kid contraception exploded.  I thought it was good!  Has anyone opened their eyes lately?  Is sex no longer about children?  Have we advertised the impact of contraception on the human breakdown of the family?  Divorce has sky rocked.  Single parenthood in many neighborhoods is 70% and higher.  What is the emotional cost and impact on children from all of these changes?  Our prisons are overflowing with angry, upset young men most from single parents homes.  Discipline in schools is major growing problem.

Are we in denial about the nature of our humanity and natures use of hormones?  Do we not know what takes place year in and year out in natures survival of life?  In many parts of our world cultures are approaching self annihilation because of the refusal to birth children.  Anyone talking about the death of Christianity by those who [profess to be Catholic’s and Christians.  Who has muted the voices of our Bishops and Religious leaders?

Has anyone noticed the changes that have taken place over the years in Hollywood, TV, movies, entertainment and video game industry.  Do they glorify violence and shoot em up adventures?  Is promiscuous and raw sex displayed as normal?  How about the impact of the internet, the smart phone and sexting?  And what about the explosion of porn – the objectification of women, children and sex?

We have become a people who lack the courage to ask ourselves tough questions!  What is the stumbling block that prevents us from asking the tough questions that affect people with the potential to pick up and use a gun?  Why are we so afraid to ask these questions?

What is a safe zone?  Shouldn’t a mothers womb the safest zone every created.  Ask a small kid?  Who is the enemy of that zone?  Is it a gun or is it man?

Aren’t a mother and a father supposed to be the protectors of their children with the duty and responsible to assure their safety?  Who overrode those parental rights?  Why do we entrust our children to people who have allowed the children to run the school?   What system or systems in Broward County failed the students and faculty in that school?  Do we not know our government has encouraged the non reporting of violent crimes in schools?  If you see something – say something!  Did that work?  And what is the FBI doing these days – does anyone know?  So how can a system based upon reported crimes prevent someone from purchasing a gun when the system rewards non reporting?  Have emotions overtaken and all bet eliminated logic and leadership?

My brother tried every kind of drug while he was in college.  He took his own life!  So we ant to legalize pot!  Emotion has overridden logic!  What about all the drugs people are using today?  Is anyone paying attention?  Can we ask?  What is the drug overdose rate today?  Does anyone notice all the drug commercials on TV?  What is our society selling – a quick fix – just take a pill?

And we have just entered the arena of social media and new technology?  What about social media?  Will the children of the future develop social skills to interact with people face to face?  What again about the deterioration of the family and why is it children with a mother and father are so much more successful on average?   Do we have the courage to ask the questions that we get to the heart of the problem or have our emotions trapped us in a dialogue with a gun issue?

Folks, we have a culture problem.  Our values are in the toilet!  It’s time for our emotions to take on a trip back to source when we look ourselves in the mirror of truth so the door of hope is opened and we can begin again to reach for the full potential of the gift of life!

Finally, does anyone know that true love will piss of an awful lot of people?  Didn’t the people of his own family take the one who came to testify to the true to a cross?  Weren’t they jealous and envious of his courage to speak the truth?  And they didn’t like the way he preached because it forced them to look into the mirror of truth!  So I ask, do we modern day sophisticated people really want to hear the good news or do we just want happy talk?

Self examination in the deeps of ones soul is where forgiveness and healing begin.  Love one another as I loved you!  Lord have mercy!

Aunt Hope

I had an Aunt Hope! She had seven children – I lost count because I left home. She was a wise woman and really knew where “Hope” resides. She was Christian and Catholic – obviously she had a bunch of beautiful children. Hope knew where hope lives! It lives in the spirit of truth, revealed in the life of the one who came at Christmas. Hope can abound in each and every person willing to open themselves to the risk of loving others.

Those searching for hope – please search your heart for the doorway placed there at birth! You will know it when you find it – it looks like a mirror reflecting the image of God and can only be detected in the twinkle of ones eye when they have found it!

Word Stumbling

Forgive me Father. When I type/write for some reason I only see the message and am not able to see the mistakes in the words. I suspect when God looks at us, he sees the intent of the message in our hearts and just has to forgive the obvious mistakes found in our words. Take a risk and tell someone you love them even if they stumble all over their words!

Hey – Howd God get out of my Treasure Box?

26th Sunday Ordinary Time — September 26, 2009

In today’s gospel Jesus is confronting human natures ability to create a captivity and control box, a jail.  When we are young our human capacity to understand God is limited yet we automatically try and wrap our arms around this God of ours.  In doing so, we unknowingly create a treasure box for God and others.  Unfortunately some are locked in and some locked out.  Later in life this treasure box can to limit our spiritual growth to the size of the box we chose.

Did you know we all have such a treasure box?  Some have a little bitty box and some of have a bigger box.  Let me assure you each of us has their own box.  At some point in our life we settled in on, who we think God is, how he operates and we then put God in our box and locked some folks out.  Then we tend to keep him there because we are comfortable with who we decided he was.  But eventually in life the good Lord will place us in a situation where he makes us uncomfortable because God wants us to understand he cannot be contained within our limited understanding self defined box.

From the book of Numbers we hear the Lord came in a cloud, took some of the spirit of Moses and bestowed it on the seventy elders.  Joshua, Moses longtime closest aide was one of them.  We hear Joshua, one of the chosen ones complain.   Eldad and Medad, two who were outside the gathering had prophesied in the camp – stop them!  Please Moses get them out of our box!

Again in the gospel of Mark, we hear John, the beloved disciple, tell Jesus. Teacher someone is driving out demons in your name.  We tried to stop him because he does not follow us, tell them to get out of our treasure box!

In these readings we see human natures reaction to a confrontation with this treasure box, pettiness, arrogance and envy.  Times like these are teaching moments.  Jesus wants us to know those of good will who are not against us, are to be treated as being with us.  We are being called to tolerance and openness.  Jesus wants our limited human created box to be stretched.  One day we will find ourselves in a situation that will make us uncomfortable so we can see clearly the arbitrary human limitations we place on him.

Break open your box, set me free from your confounded self defined box which in truth is purely an illusion that exists only in your mind. 
This week end, we are also holding our parish stewardship fair.  Guess what is true about Catholic stewardship?  Yes each of us also has a stewardship captivity box.  This box may have been defined long ago and over time some of us have added an iron reinforced concrete layer to protect our inner self from any penetration!  Some are putting up road blocks as I speak.

The spirit of God cannot be contained.  Release God and he will open your spirit and stretch the size of your box beyond your wildest imagination to the degree we open our hearts!

I have a promising antidote, a box expanding opener.  It has the potential to spring God lose from our self limiting captivity box and begin to cut a hole in the concrete reinforced walls of our stewardship box!  Let’s call this a kind of spiritual of cash for clunkers program.  We will be trading in the stubbornness of the human heart for joy now and salvation later.

Are you willing to take a risk and give this antidote a try?

I have some lyrics I will say the words first and then I want you sing the refrain after me.  Are you ready for the antidote?

I’m trading my sorrow — I’m trading my shame — I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord
I’m trading my sickness –I’m trading my pain — I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord

Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord.

There is a positive impact from saying a simple yes to the Lord.  As the Yes travels from the tips of the tongue down it startles and wakes up the spirit of the soul triggering a natural opening and stretching of the size of the box to handle the possibilities of the hazards of the risk just spoken.  As the reality of yes reaches the living, beating chambers of our heart it expands to transform our box into a spirit filled room of potential unending capacity.

No one gets bumped out as new travelers begin to fill the room.

 

Somebody Else Built It!

Business’s

These words “Somebody Else Built It” were spoken recently by the president of the USA referring to those who have created and / or built a business.  Within this statement lives a point of view and a value of the president about the creation of a business.  No one is capable of building a business independently or on their own!  He further sated the business’s employees who work hard are also responsible for the business.

Well how come these statements have become so controversial?

Let’s examine the business creator to begin with.  This person or persons must have made a conscientious decision to create a business and at the stage a worker is not even in the picture.  At this point the business lives in the mind and heart of the creator.

Next the creator must do the necessary prerequisite work to create a business concept and plan.  One must undertake an investigation to determine the financial and personal risks.  Eventually the creator must decide to take the necessary steps and risk of investing ones time, talent and treasure into this new venture!  Still at this point in the process a potential employee / worker is still not in the picture.

Once the creator launches into the new business the creator must be willing to dedicate oneself to work as many hours and days as is necessary to achieve financial and individual satisfaction.  Even now an employee is not necessarily in the equation.

At some point when the business enterprise achieves sufficient success the creator must begin the search to identify prospective employees!  The the creator must conduct some type of analysis to determine which person have the proper attitude and aptitude to help the creator grow this business.    The creator must further assess the proper talent, attitude, pay and benefits compensation to attract the correct employees which will be critical to continued success.   We still do not have an employee and the creator is still working.

So when the creator does hire an employee the creator is still not finished.  The mission and vision of the business which lives in the heart of the creator must be passed on to the employee.  But this informational passage is just the beginning for the creator.  The creator must now monitor the employee to validate and assure the employee understands and is willing and able to support the mission and vision of the business.

At this point the creator must assure the business operates in compliance with all regulation and rules of local, state and federal regulations.

Should the business begin to fail the creator takes home the problem in hope a solution will be forthcoming.  Should and / the employee become a detriment to the success the creator must confront the problem head on and if necessary take corrective action or even dismiss the employee.

Should the business begin to struggle financially the creator must confront the salary of every person working in the business including the owner.

None of this is done without an emotional toll on the creator.

— Let’s see —  How is it —

the president equates the owner/creator & the worker as co-equal?

Yep it’s only fair — they both can work hard right?

Who did the president say takes home the burden and responsibility for the business and it’s employees?

Was it the creator or the worker?