St Jerome, September 30

Lk. 9:46-50

The Bible is the journey of a people, it is not static, and in the time of Jesus children were frankly not regarded, and Jesus used them as an example to tell us how we are all equal in God’s eyes.  As we have journeyed I believe he includes all creatures.

“There is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to beasts as well as man it is all a sham.” ~ Anna Sewell, Black Beauty

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Amos 6:1 a., 4-7; Ps. 42, Luke 16-19-31

The Mayor is concerned about getting the American Cup back, giving tech industries tax breaks, a columnists wrote how “poor people” can no longer live in San Francisco. Today the Old Testament and Gospel hit home–and the question I raise is a midst the cries for helping the poor the homeless, where is the sacrifice of those who have the money to give, to reach out and give of themselves, and Amos is a reminder that ultimately the poor will be justified, and that we are all held accountable for the way we spend our money, we treat people. Psalm 42 this week speaks to me, it reminds me that God is in the midst of life, that he supports, and sustains, and it reminds me that I will draw my last breath doing what I do. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

The Veg Blog–Dr. Will Tuttle

All of us are celebrations of infinite mysterious Spirit, deserving of honor and respect. If our religions don’t emphasize this and include all of us, it’s time to replace them with spiritual teachings and traditions that do. —

September 28  Psalm 42

“Deep is calling to deep by the roar of your cataracts, all your waves and breakers have rolled over me.”

I have been sick, this morning I could hardly move, and I felt the loneliness of being here alone. I thought I might have to go to the hospital and one friend told me to call a cab because they were “too busy”, strange how “busy” we are. So I laid here, not wanting to call ambulance because of the cost, and it past.  Reminds me of how far we are from people these days.  People called needing stuff, but I was alone.  And even now as I slowly move, there is a sense of aloneness.  And yet I am not alone, God is here, and my hope is in God. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God

Luke 9:43-45 “Let these words sink into your ears.”

He calls us out of the comfort zones, and asks us to open our eyes compassionately to the human misery around us–the homelessness, the lack of housing, the pain in people’s lives–reach out, and touch simply reach out and touch someone’s life–get off of face book, texting,make a phone call—Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

Psalm 42

“As a deer yearns

for running streams,

so I yearn for you, my God. .”

This has been my quest for as long as I can remember–yearning for God; no far how I went astray, this quest drew me back; no matter what doubts I have had, I still come back to that quest. People asked me about “retirement plans”, a priest colleagues wanted to discuss with me how I processed a ministry of presence.  I frankly do not know how to respond, and so respond in really weird ways I suppose, for my life is “one seamless garment”, it is among and with the people I serve, day in and day out, living simply, using the money I receive to provide for them. There is no separation for me.  All of this is a part of my yearning for God, seeking God; I remember many years ago when I started working with street kids I was told by a friend,  I could “work with the thousands, or the one”, and that I would be far happier with the thousands. And I have been and am, but it brings a life of solitude and sometimes isolation from my housed friends. And one of the reasons I do not burn out is I see each person as the face of the Crucified Christ, and that means each person-no matter their economic situation–and I walk with them as an equal.  This is my yearning for God, I yearn for this God and I find him in each face of each person I meet. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God

St. Vincient De Paul, September 27, Lk. 9:18-22 Psalm 42

“Who Do you Say that I am?” A simple question and I find that it is doing that I encounter the Risen Christ. All around are people who ask: “”Where is God?” “How do you keep on going seeing so much pain?”  The reality is in doing I see no pain,but I see the Crucified Jesus in the face of “Shaggy”, “Rose”, and so on. God is present in each and everyone of them–I see Christ. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

Jesus’ message was intolerably radical, for it was the revolutionary vegan message of mercy and love for all creatures that strikes directly at the mentality of domination and exclusion that underlies both the herding culture we live in today and the culture of Jesus’ time.  Dr. Will Tuttle

September 26

Haggain 1:5-6  Lk. 9:7-9, Ps. 42

Cosmas and Damien

Haggai brings to light that human endeavor and toil are brought together in my prayer. All my busyness and all my concerns are distractions if Ilose sight of what really matters. I am often asked if I get bored with the small task I have to do–cooking, cleaning, putting socks together and so on–and the answer is that this is all part of the seamless fabric of serving.  Psalm 42 reminds me that there are good days, bad days, mellow days, boring days–but at the heart of them is God–and that makes every moment God’s moment and life is a gift of grace. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

VegInspiration Dr. Will Tuttle The vegan ideals of mercy and justice for animals have been articulated for centuries, often from within the religious establishment, and it is fascinating and instructive to see how these voices have been almost completely silenced or marginalized by the herding culture. It seems to be an unconscious reflex action. For example, if we read Jesus’ teachings, we find a passionate exhortation to mercy and love, yet the possibility that the historical Jesus may have been a vegan is a radical idea for most Christians.

 

September 25-The Little Things–Luke 9:1-6

Simon Tugwell made a comment that hit home: .”he was not solving the world’s problems in any sense that the world could understand, he was not reforming society or abolishing poverty–he was not doing any of the things some modern Christians think he should be doing.  And many people considered him a nuisance. But he was giving himself, he was giving he had got, he was givinghis very life.. .”

 For me it is in each smile, each moment, that matters-it is in touching each individual life as that life is the Christ.  And it is in trusting God’s grace to provide what we need.  Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

.September 24-Luke 8:19-21–Family

“Family”–Jesus describes his family has those who follow him; my family are the people I serve. I think of the story of Jesus after his resurrection and the women disciples wanted to touch him and he backed off, telling them, “No”, the symbolism was he had to be for everyone. We have struggled through the years with not having a partner or family until we realized the challenged given to us when we started this ministry-“you are for the thousands.”  Psalm 42 is a psalm of strength: “Hope in God,” in the midst of our own fears–that is all we have.  Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

Spiritual reading is a regular, essential part of the life of prayer, and particularly is it the support of adoring prayer. It is important to increase our sense of God’s richness and wonder by reading what his great lovers have said about him. – Evelyn Underhill

(What kind of reading nourishes your soul? . . . helps you draw closer to God?)

Be an Example

September 23 St. Pio Petrelcina

Lk. 8:16-18 

Jesus invites us to “Come and see. .” and for nearly 19 years we have seen much pain, much hurt, and we have seen much joy.  St. Pio Pedtrelcina says to us: “Only by good example can you change the world.”  For us that means to live our lives simply, to be present in the moment in contemplation, to focus on the individual.  We believe that is what all need to do–to focus our lives on people, protecting the enviornment, and the needs at hand–giving of ourselves to all are taken care of–that would change the world. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!