March Theme Passion

3/1/08
Divine MysteryDeliver me to my passion.Deliver me to my brilliance.Deliver me to my intelligence.Deliver me to my depth.Deliver me to my nobility.Deliver me to my beauty.Deliver me to my power to heal.Deliver me to You.
Amen


“People who lead exciting [or passionate] lives don’t know who got voted off the island, or know who got fired by the Donald.” … [Passion] in our life doesn’t happen TO us --- it can only happen THROUGH us. Life is meant to be lived, and it is best lived when it is lived passionately. The sooner we realize this, the more likely we are to start creating a little bit of excitement in the world around us. Doesn’t that sound like fun?
People who have changed the world have never been boring or timid people. They have always been willing to rock the boat, or even to capsize it, in order to get the attention of the world around them. Of course, this can
be very upsetting to those people who spend their lives just trying to keep everything on an even keel. It’s uncomfortable for some of us when someone comes in with a new idea that will change everything, and they just won’t
go away or be quiet.

Rev. Paul Gonyea


Fly Your Freak Flag High!


Soul of our souls, Spirit of our spirits,And the One embracing All,Divine One, of infinite names and none:Powers of East, South, West and North,And all who weave the Universe:I call to you, within and without -This night, this rite.
Divine Air - bring imagination and creativity to the world.Like the far-seeing hawk,May we see this situation as the whole complex tapestry that it is,And be in-spired with fresh and virgin weavings.Like the unfettered winds,May we be freed from old assumptions and patterns in how we respond,And breath in new possibilities.
Divine Fire - bring clarity and compassionate passion to the world.Like the bright light of the Sun,May we see clearly the way-forward of "what is necessary" for all life,And the time to come.Like the transforming flames,May our grief, fear and rage be transformed into compassion for all -All victims and perpetrators alike.
Divine Water - bring yielding and wisdom to the world.Like the gentle erosion of water upon stone,May we release our personal and cultural biases,And acknowledge the 'wrong-thinkings' that we may harbour.Like the deepening twilight upon the earth,May we remember the lessons of the past,And contemplate their meaning for the future.
Divine Earth - bring greening and surety to the world.Like the stretching branches of the tree,May we stretch ourselvesInto the life-affirming paths of reconciliation and healing.Like the deep peaceful dome of night,May we stand firm in the Goddess and the God,Through this 'dark night' of confusion and fear, and false 'stars'.
May our souls be strong, steady and revealing.May our spirits be en-lightened, faithful and sure.May our choices be wise and enduring, for the generations to come.
By all that is Sacred and True,So Mote It Be.
pashta marymoon -


The prophet Mohammed understood:
What actions are
most excellent?
To gladden the heart
of a human being.
To feed the hungry.
To help the afflicted.
To lighten the sorrow
of the sorrowful.
To remove the wrongs
of the injured.
That person is the
most beloved of God
who does most good
to God’s creatures. (Roberts, 109)



Make of your life an offering
Make of your life a prayer
…to be awake to the life that is loving you
and sing your prayer,
laugh your prayer,
dance your prayer,
run and weep your prayer


Oh God give me strength to be victorious over myself,
for nothing may chain me to this life.
O guide my spirit.
O raise me from these dark depths,
that my soul, transported through your wisdom my fearlessly struggle upward in fiery flight.
For You alone understand and can inspire me.

Ludwig von Beethoven (when he realized his deafness was incurable)




From the cowardice that dare not face new truth,
From the laziness that is contented with half truth,
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
Good Lord, Deliver us.

Modern prayer from Kenya