How soon they forget.....those bible thumping souls who close their hearts!

Terminated!

On Friday morning, A colleague and I were informed we were terminated from our jobs effective immediately. We were then given thirty minutes to clear out our offices and leave the building. Our crime? We make too much money and the agency is in fiscal decline. Now let me assure you, I didn't make a great deal of money (social workers rarely do). The plan is to have one person do both of our jobs for less than one of us earned.

What bothers me most is that we were treated like criminals. We both ran efficient programs which exceeded their goals and objectives every quarter (in my case, every quarter since starting this job 2.5 years ago). If I had been told I was being laid off for the same reason, I would have been able to accept this as a sign of the economic times, but get out in thirty minutes? Much of this treatment is easily attributed to the management style of the two individuals who kicked us out stone faced. Indeed the fiscal decline of the agency is attributable to the inaction of these two and that of the board of directors.

In my anger at such treatment, in parting I got off the zinger "Between the two of you there isn't one human soul". A bit strong? Now two days later, I feel I was given a prophetic word to speak to anyone who so little values the dignity of any human person. By the look on their faces, I think it made it's point.

True Beauty

To use the bible.......

.....to justify injustice is sacrilege!

"The words of the prophets........

.....are written on the subway walls......."

The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life!

A proposal was made at the United Nations that the Scriptures of every religion be revised; everything in them that leads to intolerance or cruelty should be deleted; everything that damages the dignity of human beings should be destroyed. When it was found that the author of the proposal was Jesus Christ, reporters rushed to his residence. His explanation was simple: “Scripture, like the Sabbath, is for human beings, not human beings for Scripture.”

"THE SONG OF THE BIRD"
Anthony de Mello S. J.

It has always seemed to me that some people worship the scriptures instead of God. They insist that a literal understanding of the bible is the only understanding of "truth". What about what has happened in the last 2-3 thousand years since the Hebrew and Christian scriptures were written? Has God been silent? I think not!

I love these two sayings from the United Church of Christ:

“Never put a period where God has placed a comma.”

"God is still speaking."

While I'm not a member of this or any church at present, these statements are a much closer representation of what I believe than a static and unbending interpretation of the bible. I honor the bible above all books, but with a fluid interpretation open to the living human experience. God is alive and active in our lives and world, and I for one don't intend to let my limited understanding be an obstacle in God's way!

A lesson in how never to argue.....

Once upon a time there were two monks who had lived together for 40 years and never had a squabble. Not even once. One day, one monk said to the other: "Don't you think it's about time we had a squabble, even if it's just once?" "Sure," replied the other monk. "Let's get started right away. About what shall we squabble?" "About this piece of bread perhaps?" the first monk offered. "Ok, let's have a squabble over this bread. How are we going to go about this?" Asked the other again. "This bread is mine, and mine alone," said the first monk. "Oh yeah? Well you can keep it," said the second monk.
Anthony de Mello, SJ

Signs, signs everywhere a sign.......

Amen!

Beautiful and Motivating!

The goodness within the human heart!

One day we'll learn we're all "birds of a feather"

Love always conquers hate!

A prayer for morning......

Hear my prayer O God.... I place all my trust in you.... Be for me all I need this day; that I may be healing love for those I meet.... May we, in this sharing, know your love incarnate. Amen

Signs of the times (now and always in the God's eyes!)

You'll cry, but don't miss this!

Give me half his faith; half his hope; half his joy and I shall be fortunate above all but him. Give him every grace and bless his life as he has blessed all who but see his smile. Amen

Let us always and forever welcome the light!

Fear keeps us from much that is good. Change can be the very engine of growth. We can become comfortable with even the most painful situation. Let us always and forever welcome the light!