“Home by Another Way” the Song has been running in my mind for several days and I tank the Pope and you for showing and helping and gifting us this way at Easter. The painting is stunning in the best way!
And prayers that the new pope will walk in Pope Francis’s undying compassion, devotion to the marginalized, and courage to stand up to bullying world leaders. 🙏💝🙏💝🌷
Yes: Mary Magdalene was given the title “Apostle to the apostles” and she remains our example of courage and compassion. Pope Francis, was prayed for within the Episcopal Church at the Easter Vigil this year; as our brother in Christ. Hopeful for the humanity he loved as Christ during this time of mourning.
My state, Tennessee, had been considering a heinous bill that would have defied an earlier Supreme Court ruling and allowed school districts to turn away undocumented children. One version of the bill would have required schools to verify each child's immigration status. A lot of people summoned the spirit of Pope Francis and rallied against the bill, protesting every week at the State Capitol and interrupting committee hearings by reciting the Lord's Prayer until they were thrown out by state police.
This afternoon we got word that the bill is dead for the year. It feels like one final gift from this "imitation of Christ" who spent his papacy advocating for the poor and marginalized.
Yes, AND…as another brilliant sermon I heard yesterday from Sari Ateek, rector at the Bethesda Maryland parish of StJohnsnorwood, reminded us: rather than waiting around for instant (Gospel story-like) resurrection new life, we need to participate in the Kingdom Jesus opened to us through his life & teaching, by fighting/working for the resurrection-transformation changes …so that justice (not just us) will increase. Let’s make resurrection everywhere we live, everywhere we can…so that suffering & dying are never the end of the stories of our lives!
My favourite preacher these times, continues to be Sari Ateek, priest at St. John’s Norwood, Bethesda, Maryland…who has in this morning’s sermon connected Easter with real life in his so gifted & skillful way. So, dear ones, if you want to spend another 15 minutes or less to hear what has spoken so meaningfully to me, I invite you to open this link:
to 25:25 and listen, whether or not you’ve also been moved by a sermon in your communities already.
So…yes, we must choose to fight for resurrection…not waiting in hope for some magic to happen! I know each of you live resurrection lives…for to echo Sari, “If we sow resurrection, we will reap resurrection”…a bit like gardeners in spring.
While most of us will enjoy this day & season of Resurrection, in relative comfort & peace, let us work for the transformation we so desire in each place by increasing such justice & peace for more than just us!
Karen
"Wonder is the wellspring of love…and love, in the end,
is what drives us to a passion for things wild and at risk."
sharing enthusiastically, as a life-long Anglican Christian, the ways suggested by Sari that we’ve got to proclaim & live resurrection lives in believably ways for 21st century human beings!
Thank you for sharing the pope's message. It was so beautifully spoken and eloquently interwoven with the Mystical teachings that Jesus, the Gospels, and especially John's Gospel proclaimed.
Mary Magdalen, Voice of Wisdom, Tower of enlightened insight, continued to inspire and lead the men to the Truth. They ran like the prodigal son to the blessings of Christ-God, swept into the loving, ever-waiting Mystical embrace of God's arms.
That Mystical Divine Love and sacred Equality was their primary directive to spread on earth, to share for all time, to teach people how to enact that same Love and humble equality continuously, in every moment, bringing it into physical Being.
They kept much of that to themselves, hoarding God's gifted Mystical Treasure, and couldn't see God's Image in Mary Magdalen. Or in any woman. Astonishingly, they were blind to the souls of half the population. And they spread that blindness, a greedy assault of lies to prop up their own souls' small-ego image.
We live in the shadow of that first-lie, the denial of the Female-Soul, Wisdom's daughter.
MS, I do like your arc-of-history rebuke exposing the unfortunate patriarchal PATTERN which the church has reinforced through the centuries since Jesus... in virtually all of the church's cultural opportunities to be as lights in the darkness, a pattern which is so readily lived out in most of world's cultures where political domination and wealth, rather than loving service, rules. Full stop. In fact, the pattern is so apparent and "in your face" that most of us are blind to it, like fish to the very water in which they swim. May our eyes be opened to all the ways of Jesus and not just the convenient ones.
Pope Francis loved the children of God--all of us--and he loved Peace. The Catholic Church is at a point of crisis now as the all-male Cardinals choose a new pope. I pray they choose a leader as humble and loving as Francis, one who can turn the Church away from grasping power and money and towards love and justice.
How I longed for this message. I am filled with awe as I read these words of Pope Francis as he was so close to his transition. Yes, a call to action. Thank you with all my heart.
“Home by Another Way” the Song has been running in my mind for several days and I tank the Pope and you for showing and helping and gifting us this way at Easter. The painting is stunning in the best way!
Thank not tank!
Such a grace-full tribute! May we live into these words.
Thank you for this, Diana.
Amen and Amen!
Beautiful, rich tribute, DBB!!
Thanks so much!
And prayers that the new pope will walk in Pope Francis’s undying compassion, devotion to the marginalized, and courage to stand up to bullying world leaders. 🙏💝🙏💝🌷
Yes: Mary Magdalene was given the title “Apostle to the apostles” and she remains our example of courage and compassion. Pope Francis, was prayed for within the Episcopal Church at the Easter Vigil this year; as our brother in Christ. Hopeful for the humanity he loved as Christ during this time of mourning.
Praying with you. His free speaking outside the normal church realm will be missed.
My state, Tennessee, had been considering a heinous bill that would have defied an earlier Supreme Court ruling and allowed school districts to turn away undocumented children. One version of the bill would have required schools to verify each child's immigration status. A lot of people summoned the spirit of Pope Francis and rallied against the bill, protesting every week at the State Capitol and interrupting committee hearings by reciting the Lord's Prayer until they were thrown out by state police.
This afternoon we got word that the bill is dead for the year. It feels like one final gift from this "imitation of Christ" who spent his papacy advocating for the poor and marginalized.
Thank you for this beautiful remembrance. Yours was the first I came across this morning. May he rest in peace and glory.
I have followed Pope Francis. Read two of his books. I love this man and I am not Catholic. Good man. God man.
Yes, AND…as another brilliant sermon I heard yesterday from Sari Ateek, rector at the Bethesda Maryland parish of StJohnsnorwood, reminded us: rather than waiting around for instant (Gospel story-like) resurrection new life, we need to participate in the Kingdom Jesus opened to us through his life & teaching, by fighting/working for the resurrection-transformation changes …so that justice (not just us) will increase. Let’s make resurrection everywhere we live, everywhere we can…so that suffering & dying are never the end of the stories of our lives!
Easter Day caring love for each of you!
My favourite preacher these times, continues to be Sari Ateek, priest at St. John’s Norwood, Bethesda, Maryland…who has in this morning’s sermon connected Easter with real life in his so gifted & skillful way. So, dear ones, if you want to spend another 15 minutes or less to hear what has spoken so meaningfully to me, I invite you to open this link:
https://www.youtube.com/live/OXaHmTW-DT4?si=4g5LTiuxlZzDY7xW
to 25:25 and listen, whether or not you’ve also been moved by a sermon in your communities already.
So…yes, we must choose to fight for resurrection…not waiting in hope for some magic to happen! I know each of you live resurrection lives…for to echo Sari, “If we sow resurrection, we will reap resurrection”…a bit like gardeners in spring.
While most of us will enjoy this day & season of Resurrection, in relative comfort & peace, let us work for the transformation we so desire in each place by increasing such justice & peace for more than just us!
Karen
"Wonder is the wellspring of love…and love, in the end,
is what drives us to a passion for things wild and at risk."
Abraham Heschel
More direct link to the Easter sermon so relevant to any of our considerations of the meaning of the Easter event: https://youtu.be/aXmFrEy0cFs?si=vWdmKdDSGbhyndSW
sharing enthusiastically, as a life-long Anglican Christian, the ways suggested by Sari that we’ve got to proclaim & live resurrection lives in believably ways for 21st century human beings!
Thank you for this important post, and for the link to Pope Francis’s earlier message about Mary ~
turning around, seeing those behind you, facing life rather than death.
I certainly appreciate you🩷
Amazing how your message was also about Mary Magdalene yesterday and his was too!
Thank you for sharing the pope's message. It was so beautifully spoken and eloquently interwoven with the Mystical teachings that Jesus, the Gospels, and especially John's Gospel proclaimed.
Mary Magdalen, Voice of Wisdom, Tower of enlightened insight, continued to inspire and lead the men to the Truth. They ran like the prodigal son to the blessings of Christ-God, swept into the loving, ever-waiting Mystical embrace of God's arms.
That Mystical Divine Love and sacred Equality was their primary directive to spread on earth, to share for all time, to teach people how to enact that same Love and humble equality continuously, in every moment, bringing it into physical Being.
They kept much of that to themselves, hoarding God's gifted Mystical Treasure, and couldn't see God's Image in Mary Magdalen. Or in any woman. Astonishingly, they were blind to the souls of half the population. And they spread that blindness, a greedy assault of lies to prop up their own souls' small-ego image.
We live in the shadow of that first-lie, the denial of the Female-Soul, Wisdom's daughter.
Who among men has eyes to See?
MS, I do like your arc-of-history rebuke exposing the unfortunate patriarchal PATTERN which the church has reinforced through the centuries since Jesus... in virtually all of the church's cultural opportunities to be as lights in the darkness, a pattern which is so readily lived out in most of world's cultures where political domination and wealth, rather than loving service, rules. Full stop. In fact, the pattern is so apparent and "in your face" that most of us are blind to it, like fish to the very water in which they swim. May our eyes be opened to all the ways of Jesus and not just the convenient ones.
Pope Francis loved the children of God--all of us--and he loved Peace. The Catholic Church is at a point of crisis now as the all-male Cardinals choose a new pope. I pray they choose a leader as humble and loving as Francis, one who can turn the Church away from grasping power and money and towards love and justice.
How I longed for this message. I am filled with awe as I read these words of Pope Francis as he was so close to his transition. Yes, a call to action. Thank you with all my heart.