Saturday, July 31, 2010

We Need a Little Mystery

Sometimes I am frustrated by all of the things I don't understand. Why is there evil, pain and suffering in the world? How does God answer prayer and which ones will He answer with a "yes?" Why does God not make Himself more plain? These are some of my greatest mysteries. Dreamers and poets have always had more questions than answers. Perhaps I need to listen to these dreamers and poets.
Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand. –Neil Armstrong
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. –Albert Einstein
Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes - The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries. --Elizabeth Barrett Browning
We wake, if ever at all, to mystery. –Annie Dillard

Monday, July 26, 2010

Spiritual Experiences and Reason

As I work on a graduate course at Regent College I have been reading the works of Teresa of Avila. She was a remarkable person and one who always analyzed her experiences to see if they could be from God or from her own mind. This quote is from her and speaks to using all of our faculties for God.
God gave us faculties for our use; each of them will receive its proper reward. Then do not let us try to charm them to sleep, but permit them to do their work until divinely called to something higher.* - Teresa of Avila


*Fourth Mansions, Ch. 3: Prayer of Quiet, as translated by the Benedictines of Stanbrook (1911), revised and edited by Fr. Benedict Zimmerman

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Friendship

Sometimes we have a friend with whom we are comfortable. We can call them up and talk about nothing. We can sit with them and not have any words at all. I want to be the kind of friend that others would call at the end of the day just to talk about nothing. I want that kind of friendship with Jesus. Wouldn't that be something.
Wouldn’t That Be Something
(Words and music by Wayne Watson)

I had this dream and You were in it
There was this party and You were there
Simple evening with just a few close friends
People were pressing for Your attention
You were patient, everybody could see
But all the time You were lookin' round the room for me
But hey, after all, it's my dream

I wanna be the kind of friend that Jesus would call
Yeah, you know if He had a telephone
At the end of the day
Just to talk about nothin', nothing'
Yeah, I wanna be the kind of friend He'd wanna be around
You know without a word, without a sound
Wouldn't that be somethin', somethin', yeah


Is that so hard to imagine
The Lord Jesus as a friend like that
Spending time in the pleasure of your company
True companion like no other
You never had a friend like this
If you're havin' a little trouble believing
Come on, put yourself in my dream

I wanna be the kind of friend that Jesus would call
Yeah, you know if He had a telephone
At the end of the day
Just to talk about nothin', nothing'
Yeah, I wanna be the kind of friend He'd wanna be around
You know without a word, without a sound
Wouldn't that be somethin', somethin', yeah

Wouldn't that be somethin', somethin', yeah*
John 15:15 (NLT)
I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.


*Copyright 1998 Material Music (Admin. by WORD MUSIC) / Word Music (A div. of WORD MUSIC) / ASCAP

Friday, July 23, 2010

Scripture and Reason

Augustine (354 – 430 AD) had this to say regarding truth and our understanding of the Bible.
If it happens that the authority of Sacred Scripture is set in opposition to clear and certain reasoning, this must mean that the person who interprets Scripture does not understand it correctly. It is not the meaning of Scripture which is opposed to the truth but the meaning which he has wanted to give to it. That which is opposed to Scripture is not what is in Scripture but what he has placed there himself, believing that this is what Scripture meant. – Saint Augustine, Espitula 143, n. 7 PL33, col. 588.*

*Pojman, Louis P. and Rea, Michael. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Belmont: Thomson Higher Education, 2008, p. 442.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Science and Reason

As someone who holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and a Bachelor of Religious Education as well as several years of seminary training, I appreciate people who recognize the importance of both fields of study. I like this quote from Karol Jozef Wojtyla (also known as Pope John Paul II).
It is a duty for theologians to keep themselves regularly informed of scientific advances in order to examine if such be necessary, whether or not there are reasons for taking them into account in their reflection or for introducing changes in their teaching.*
- Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)
I still find myself reading widely in the areas of science and philosophy of religion. It keeps my life in balance and reminds me that "all truth is God's truth."

*Pojman, Louis P. and Rea, Michael. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Belmont: Thomson Higher Education, 2008, p. 439, 440.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

A Little

"Better a little which is well done, than a great deal imperfectly." - Plato

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Mull of Kintyre

(Words and Lyrics by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine)

Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea
My desire is always to be here
Oh Mull of Kintyre

Far have I travelled and much have I seen
Dark distant mountains with valleys of green
Past painted deserts, the sun sets on fire
As he carries me home to the Mull of Kintyre

Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea
My desire is always to be here
Oh Mull of Kintyre

Sweep through the heather like deer in the glen
Carry me back to the days I knew then
Nights when we sang like a heavenly choir
Of the life and the times of the Mull of Kintyre

Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea
My desire is always to be here
Oh Mull of Kintyre

Smiles in the sunshine and tears in the rain
Still take me back where my mem'ries remain
Flickering embers grow higher and high'r
As they carry me back to the Mull of Kintyre

Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea
My desire is always to be here
Oh Mull of Kintyre