2nd Day of Thanksgiving: Alive

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”
~ Thornton Wilder

Here’s to seeking consciousness this Thanksgiving and thus finding myself awake and really alive!

Moving

“The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” (genesis 1:2)

“Though the earth was formless and void, God was busy. The universe was static, but His Spirit was not. He wasn’t waiting for administrative approval to take an active role in the grand, defining moment of history. He was in motion. Even in the darkness, God was making His presence known.”
~ Vernon M. Whaley, Called to Worship (2009)

You know how I love words, and I’m always curious about their origins. So… I looked up the Hebrew word used here, seeking more on the mysterious nature of this “moving” of God’s Spirit. It is transliterated rachaph, and the lexicon I read defined it as “to be moved, affected, specially–with the feeling of tender love, hence to cherish.”

Yes, that’s quite moving.

In Memoriam

“Today our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature, and we responded with the best of America.”

~ President George W. Bush
September 11, 2001

Respect

“I am an American and a Catholic; I love my country and treasure my faith. But I do not assume that my conception of patriotism or policy is invariably correct, or that my convictions about religion should command any greater respect than any other faith in this pluralistic society.”

“When people agree on public policy, they ought to be able to work together, even while they worship in diverse ways. For truly, we are all yoked together as Americans, and the yoke is the happy one of individual freedom and mutual respect.”

“I hope for an America where no president, no public official, no individual will ever be deemed a greater or lesser American because of religious doubt — or religious belief.

I hope for an America where the power of faith will always burn brightly, but where no modern inquisition of any kind will ever light the fires of fear, coercion, or angry division.

I hope for an America where we can all contend freely and vigorously, but where we will treasure and guard those standards of civility which alone make this nation safe for both democracy and diversity.”

~ Ted Kennedy
“Faith, Truth & Tolerance in America”
Liberty Baptist College
October 3, 1983

In Memoriam: Thank you, Sir, for your years of undaunted service. For those, you have earned my respect.

Fruit

“In judging others a man labors in vain, often errs, and easily sins, but in judging and examining himself, he always labors fruitfully.”
~ Thomas a Kempis