Category: Personal

life?

So … again … I have not posted for a week or so. I have been asked to leave my current house, so I have packed my books, clothes, and furniture (three kneelers). I knew it was coming. But I cannot help but be disappointed. I am blessed to have a place to which I can move and the love and care of a parent. Plans are set!

Today is a day of rest. Emotionally, this is all too much for me. People are a disappointment. Maybe not people, but the idea that an institution is above an individual!? Conform!!!

I am reading Nietzsche. A strange mixture (for me) of the reality of my life and the inspiration of madness. Whatever happened to madness? Where are the books of aphorisms? Who is speaking the ideas that are way ahead of their time?

Anyway …

time …

Today is the celebration of The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is also the liturgical celebration of the anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. (That is, the secular date is different due to moving of the feast past Holy Week and Easter that year.)

What is time? God measures time by the rising and the setting of the sun. As a person in this world – not my home – I am ruled by mechanical time. Yes, if I want the doctor to see me, I need to be at their office at a particular time. But to what extent is time simply an abstraction forced on me by my being alive? And, to what extent is it an abstraction that rules my life?

Anyway, happy anniversary to me and blessed feast to you all.

… for me

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

John 4:39-42

To what purpose is this waste?

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Matthew 26:7-13

deChurched?

… commentators distinguish between people who are un-churched (as in never had any significant contact with a church) and those who are de-churched (as in once were involved, but no more thank you very much).

Churched, Un-churched or De-churched

I used the term for the first time yesterday. It was a little of a shock to me. “Yes, I am de-churched but still in love with Jesus”.

It is a gigantic leap to say that the earthly institution we call “church” is the same as the Body of Christ. Even more that a system of thought or decisions of a particular organisation is more important than an individual person. How can any system that is above the individual be acceptable? Obedience is not simply conformity (to an external) but accountability (for my actions). My experience is valid and meaningful to me. The individual’s confession – my confession – is “Jesus is Lord”, not “Jesus and various other things are Lord”. No Jesus+ or faith+. No institution above intimacy.

Sorry, that is a brain dump that was floating in my head for some time. I am not looking for someone to agree with me (or disagree with me). This is simply where Jesus has led me. Anyway …