Rule of an antinomian

I always thought that monasticism was about wearing brown cloaks & hiding away from the world. Now I see that it is about ordering my life in such a way that I can live out a radical commitment to God, with a community of believers & amongst a hurting world.

Being the spontaneous (lazy?) person that I am, I don’t display the discipline my father showed every morning that I can remember, arising at 6am for a ½ hour quiet time to begin the day. To be honest, I hate mornings, loathe routines and often see rules as suggestions. So why am I writing about a “rule for living”? I have learnt the hard way of the need for rhythms in life. More

Lent

Great Lent resourses.
I am still thinking about how to best celebrate Lent ie. What to giive up. Any ideas?

There is a God

New Zealand is following other countries in having an “atheist bus campaign”.

Liturgy says:

So, in summary, let’s not react against these ads – they are a wonderful opportunity not only to deepen our own reflection, but to clarify the misunderstandings between us. Atheists can be prophets, challenging the idols that Christians present.

Also see the TVNZ interview

Little Drummer Boy

Cool rendition. Never knew what this song was about, but wiki says:

The lyrics tell the apocryphal story of a poor young boy who, unable to afford a gift for the infant Jesus, plays his drum for the newborn with the Virgin Mary's approval. Miraculously, the baby, although a newborn, seems to understand and smiles at the boy in gratitude.

Fences & footprints

Accusations
-You’re outside the fence!
But who erected it in the first place?
Jesus says
-Come to me
And the invitation to leave aside all that holds us back

Yet Phari-sees
We add to the weight of the oppressed
-Be like us or he won’t accept you

When he is we
And his acceptance is based on faith in a person
Not interpretation of a proposition

We reduce conversation to catechism
And faith to assent
When we are called to radical living that engenders faith

-The word of God says
Becomes a weapon of exclusion
And insomuch we deny our very Lord who says
-Come
For those who come
find that we have locked the door
To protect ourselves
When the message of hope and life has no bounds
And true religion is to break the bondage of the oppressed

Can’t you see that in unlocking the door we are freeing ourselves to truly live
To put flesh on God amongst those to need to see him most

Ghosts and Halloween are evil we say
But the real evil is that millions are dying of starvation while we just
Booty, God, booty

Since when has
-live justly
meant
-Be pious when others can see you
We forget that in a global world
buying a pair cheap pair of shoes is a Moral choice
That our footprint on the earth leaves an imprint
In us
In others

That the boundaries we draw
Form over meaning
Are the fence that keeps those God is drawing
OUT
And that ain’t no justice

I am left speechless, except to ask
-How long?

24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!