Rejoice!!!!!

My daughters came home for Thanksgiving. The noise level increased. The humor increased. The likelihood of going to the new Harry Potter film increased. The singing in the home increased. The number of pies baking in the oven increased.

Youngest daughter said, "Dad, you've GOT to see this," dragged me to the computer to show me this music video.

This is the most perfect image of the Gospel I think I've ever seen.

I have no idea what the icelandic lyrics mean (although the title appears to mean "glowing soul"... but the sound and images make me weep for joy.

Happy Thanksgiving.

the Lord be with you!

Position Opening

Announcement of Position Opening:

Because of the strong support indicated by our parishioners, the Vestry at St Marks authorized our search for a Full-time associate, primarily to focus in leadership development and oversight of Spiritual Formation / Christian Education, with an emphasis in youth ministries

For more information, click here:
http://www.stmarkshighland.ang-md.org/opening/

Crash

Crash is an outstanding film, definitely worth your time. Strong. Powerful. I am not sure that the film is "about racism," although racism is dominant character. It is more about us.

Roger Ebert wrote, in his review:

Not many films have the possibility of making their audiences better people. I don't expect "Crash" to work any miracles, but I believe anyone seeing it is likely to be moved to have a little more sympathy for people not like themselves. The movie contains hurt, coldness and cruelty, but is it without hope? Not at all. Stand back and consider. All of these people, superficially so different, share the city and learn that they share similar fears and hopes. Until several hundred years ago, most people everywhere on earth never saw anybody who didn't look like them. They were not racist because, as far as they knew, there was only one race. You may have to look hard to see it, but "Crash" is a film about progress.

The language and situations are strong, terrifying, horrifying and enlightening. If my children were little I would be torn between feeling though should not see it, and feeling that they must.

Rent the film, get some friends together, see it together, and then talk about how seeing this film might help us in the redeeming, reconciling, and healing of the world -- especially ourselves.

The Lord be with you,

Echo

Compare this, by Dostoevsky, to Nouwen's statement in the previous post. Hmmm... is there a motif here?

"Everywhere in these days people have, in their mockery, ceased to understand that the true security is to be found in social solidarity rather than in isolated individual effort. But this terrible state of affairs must inevitably have an end, and all will suddenly understand how unnaturally they are separated from one another. It will be the spirit of the time, and people will marvel that they have sat so long in darkness without seeing the light... But, until then, we must keep the banner flying. Sometimes even if he has to do it alone, and his conduct seems to be crazy, a man must set an example, and so draw other souls out of their solitude, and spur them to some act of brotherly love, that the great idea may not die."

-- Fyodor Dostoevsky

Well said!

"We are constantly made to believe that everything we think, say or do is our personal accomplishment, deserving individual attention. But as people who belong to the communion of saints, we know that anything of spiritual value is not the result of individual accomplishment but the fruit of a communal life. Whatever we know about God and God's love...it is not the invention of our minds asking for an award. It is the knowledge that has come to us through the ages from the people of Israel and the prophets, from Jesus and the saints, and from all who have played roles in the formation of our hearts. True spiritual knowledge belongs to the communion of saints."

-- Henri Nouwen