Tag Archives: bible

Teachers.

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Daily writing prompt
Who are you most inspired by?
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Some days, following communion service or mass, I run into a man that is busy replacing all of the entrance mats in and around the church. For lack of a better term, he always has this air of “being totally into it” about him. We exchange “good mornings”, “looks like a great day” and “take care”. Who knows how many he does in the course of the day. That is not easy work. But he does. And he is into it. Making things just right for all those coming and going.

A young man I got to know through coaching football is starting a podcast. His mission is two fold. First, to invite athletes to discuss their personal side, what they are about, what they have had to overcome, who they truly are and what they intend to become. Through growing that audience, he hopes to generate the support that will help those that are less fortunate overcome, be who they truly are and begin the work to become all they were intended to be. When I watched him talk to this teammates on the field and in the locker room, you could literally see the passionate concern flow out and touch those all around. It was was never about him. Always them.

Those that I support via job development and coaching have their own burdens to overcome, and yet they show up for work, on time, do their best and look out for their teammates. One in particular simply leads by example. Parts of the establishment are now cleaner than ever before, he addresses stocking issues when he sees them, makes the aisles customer friendly and will help any customer that approaches him looking for the chrome go faster or the platimunm ectawhatsit. He knows where everything is and will take every lost soul where it can be found.

There are other folks in my life that simply put themselves out there for others. Most times small, Sometimes medium, and once in a while, in a big way. They all understand in a deep and genuine fashion that it really isn’t about them. It is all about those in their universe. Without accolades, a million or so clicks, likes or followers, they just go about life putting the other guy first. Because they can. Because that is how they are built. Mostly, just because.

So you want to discuss influencers?

These are three off the top of my noggin that change the world every day through their intention, their effort and genuine love for the other.

True inspiration.

Teachers.

Well said indeed.

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Daily writing prompt
What’s your top tip to be successful in life?
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For most of my life, I have been my harshest critic. Choosing to look back, dissect myself, my value worth, esteem. Yada yada. Also, becoming a cultist, so to speak, following the assessment of others about me as the gospel truth.

This would in turn lead to the development of a scathing personal critique, followed by a self absorbed Teams invite involving me, myself and I, in the proverbial, but sarcastic form of a “come to Jesus” meeting. The type ego driven micro managers inflict on those lesser than themselves.

Get all that?

Then, God forbid I look ahead, destined to set the stage for yet another poor performance where lines are forgot, entry is on the wrong side and cues are never recognized or followed. I was convinced I had to live in the past, but abhor the future because, hey, I couldn’t do anything right and it would simply end up like before. But this time, not just FUBAR. But now, SAPFU. (those sterling acronyms just happened to raise their hands in my cranium. So I called on them….)

I have since embarked on a different path. One not bound up in this type of toxicity. I respect thee past and how it brought me to this point in my life. And the future? Not in my hands.

Affirming this perspective and the health that it brings across all levels, this appeared towards the end of a reading at mass the other day. Witnessed and shared by St. Matthew:

“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.”

Followed by a closing sentence, “Sufficient for a day is its own evil”, something to the effect that each day has with it trouble of its own.

Two things strike me with a poignance all its own about his witness of Jesus and what He taught.

First, Levi was a Hebrew tax collector. The worst of the worst in that world. Unethical, ego driven, lording over others in any way, shape or form to ensure Cesar gets what he is due.

But then, their paths cross. No such thing as coincidence. Just that He is present. Then two words shared changed everything.

“Follow me.”

No need for Levi o gather up and carry a long a past. Definitely no clue or promise of what was yet to come.

Simply “Follow me”.

Maybe I am wrong, but sure seems like he felt it before it was ever said. And he became an exemplar of what He did say. For he chose to become Matthew. Knowing that would simply take care of itself.

Top tip?

“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.”

Well said Matthew.

Well said indeed.

For these reasons.

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It floors me that something initially written by an apostle and shared around the first century still has a clarity and resonance to this day, without the need of reformatting it into our current language.

Perhaps some of you upon seeing the word “apostle” within will be urged to click away. I hope not. Though this was penned by one who would later be martyred for his beliefs, the progression of the thoughts behind these words truly leads one to what life can all about.

And become.

Ttoday, they could be fashioned into some business or athletic team mantra. Perhaps a personal daily devotion, of the secular, or the non variety. The construction of his thoughts just happened to sit just right within me earlier this morning for some reason. While the prompt then didn’t really appeal to me, sharing my thoughts on this did.

“…make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,

virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control,

self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion,

devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.”

Peter

Wow.

Faith can be directed towards and embraced in a higher power, as you understand it to be. And virtue is simply how you abide by the direction-of-travel-arrow within your personal moral compass. An inculcation of knowledge, knowing both yourself and the world in a deeper understanding works back towards the supplementation of faith and virtue while feeding the growth of self-control and its twin sibling, self discipline.

That aspect of this journey was not designed to be a sprint, but instead a marathon. Thus, endurance in every aspect – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – needs to be enhanced and built over time in order to reinforce the journey. This act lends itself towards a genuine devotion towards this path.

Then, once this level of change begins to embrace and transform you, its presence within your being becomes increasingly evident. As such, you cannot help but share this evolution with both the world and those all around you. It will never affive asdirectives or directions, but moreso in the form of you as exemplar.

Through compelling honesty and open vulnerability, an affirming level of intention will generate trust and a burgeoning fellowship withn all your interactions. As it matures, true mutual affection will emerge towards others. Wanting what is best for them.

And when this occurs, ultimately, all that was before, will then become. love.

Wow.

Whether 64 AD or June 1, 2026, his words remain and ring true.

To this man.

For these reasons.

Drydock can be a blessing.

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Something dawned on me a day or so ago regarding an oft used expletive.

It seems to explain a sense of dismissal, mockery and ultimately degradation regularlybencountered of late. Well, not of late, pretty much for decades. It is just that now, this particular perspective may help create a path not just toward deeper understanding, but avoidance on multiple levels. A deeper honesty in the context of thought, word and deed.

Six letters in total, the first being “F” and the last being “U”, constructed to create two words generally employed to incite, demean, diminish, create an aura of false bravado and shock others. These days, seems like that combination is thrown about in a perpetual motion, no matter the setting. Wonder what those in the field of semantics have to say about that. Heck, the language I grew up knowing? It is pretty much gone.

Sorry, back to the point.

When I would tell someone I was committed, going to do it, take care of it, follow up on it, handle it , assume responsibility for it and make it happen – but didn’t – I was essentially conveying those two words back to the receiver. Indirectly. Yet purposefully. With the warmth of purpose.

Same with saying I would listen, would try to understand, be patient, work with them, remain in contact, stand with them, help in any way I could – but didn’t. Subtly, yet delivered in a falsely comforting and empathetic manner.

How about acting like I knew it all, was never wrong, had the best way through and out, had done it all before, you cannot handle this and you need to get out the way so I can again? A flagrant confirmation of those two words, but now illustrated through some machismo theatrics.

So what brought this to mind?

Finally realizing and appreciating what it was like to be on the receiving end of it. I now find it to be the best way to describe a thought process designed to dismiss, mock and degrade another, through your “well intentioned” promissory thoughts, words and deeds, meant to inflate you while deflating the other.

Indirectly, subtly, flagrantly, in action. In person. It is essentially, F – – – Y- – . But with a smile and a comforting arm around the shoulder.

Stealing the wind from their sails, so you can drive your misguided adventure.

Drydock can be a blessing.

And therein lay the healing.

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This morning’s gospel John 5:1-16, was broken down into an amazing insight.  At least for this guy.  You can always read the words but unless deeper perspectives from others are offered and shared in a meaningful way, you may find yourself living in quite the linear manner. 

The intention within this biblical discourse is apparent.  But when other ways of looking at this particular interaction at a healing pool in Bethesda are provided, the connection takes on a whole new mass.  It truly reflects what the name literally means, “house of mercy, or grace.” 

“Do you want to be well?”

The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”

Father pointed out that the man, invalided for thirty-eight some years, did not answer His question.  Instead, he went on to describe his life, wrought of isolation, abandonment and hopelessness.  Not just that I have no one to help me into the pool, but pure and simple, “I have no one”.  

Father suggested that perhaps when he was younger, family may have helped him move about to partake in some of these healing moments in the water.  But now, approaching the middle of his life, he is essentially by himself. 

Alone.  

“While I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me”, emphasizing the utter disregard of others and his worthlessness to society. 

Imagine that.

Not just crippled for life, immovable and unable. But deemed unneeded, untouchable and unloved.  Being so crippled by that horrific experience that he didn’t even hear the question posed.

And it wasn’t asked a second time either.  He just healed him and sent him on his way.  Too bad some of that healing didn’t waft its way over to the clerics admonishing him for having the audacity to carry his mat, for the first time in his life, on the sabbath. 

Crippled may carry with it the connotation of strictly physical limitations.  But it may come to impart its will on one’s mental or emotional state.  Perhaps even spiritually.  It can be an all inclusive state.

So while He mended his body, He truly mended the man’s spirit.  Giving him life in more ways than one. We are all asked to do the same.  To be there for others.

One way alms were described to me was to simply give of yourself.  Your time.  Your empathy and compassion.  And therein lay the healing. support.  Your love.  Your presence. All forms of personal wealth we can access and share abundantly without ever breaking the bank.

So when you find yourself in a house of grace, do your part to offer alms of healing as best as you can.

You will never be expected to say ““Stand up, take your mat and walk.”

That is what He does. 

But you can definitely listen with true compassion, offer them support and love, and help them to rise from defeat and isolation.  

Simply be present for them, in that house of mercy.

For He would want you to.  

And therein lay the healing.