#432. 2010/03/21.
Rama said: "(...) You have shown me how many things are
illusions. But in your way of looking at the world, is there anything
that you believe is real?"
Valmiki said: "Certainly, Rama. There are three things
which are real: God, human folly, and laughter. Since the first two pass
our comprehension, we must do what we can with the third! (...)"
The Ramayana (as told by Aubrey Menem)(1954). NY: Charles
Scribner's Sons. P.275-6.
#433. 2010/03/28.
As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of
Olives, the whole mutlitude of the disciples began to praise God
joyfully, and with a loud voice (..), saying: "Blessed is the king who
comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest
heaven!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order
your disciples to stop." Jesus answered, "I tell you, if these were
silent, the stones would shout out!"
Luke 19: 37-40.
#434. 2010/04/04.
"Do not be worried and upset," Jesus told them. "Believe
in God and believe also in me. There are many rooms in my Father's
house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. (...)" "I am telling
you the truth: whoever believes in me will do what I do - yes, he will
do even greater things, because I am going to the Father."
John 14: 1-2, 12.
#435. 2010/04/11.
Bless the Lord, my soul, and forget none of his benefits.
He satisfies me with all good in the prime of life, and my youth is
renewed like an eagle's. The days of a mortal are as grass; he blossoms
like a wild flower in the meadow: a wind passes over him, and he is
gone, and his place knows him no more. But the Lord's love is for ever
on those who fear him, and his righteousness on their posterity.
Psalm 103: 2,5,15-17
#436. 2010/04/18.
For We perceive the fragrance of the Day whereon He Who is the Desire of
all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen
the splendour of the light of His most excellent names, and enveloped
them with the radiance of the luminaries of His most gracious favours --
favours which none can reckon except Him, Who is the omnipotent
Protector of the entire creation.
#437. 2010/04/25.
I am beautiful because I love. If you want to be
beautiful, love. There is no one in the world who does not desire
beauty.
Our Lady of Medjugorie, March 25, 1985. Words from
Heaven, P.380.
#438. 2010/05/02.
Work which is regulated and which is performed without
attachment, love or hatred and with no desire for fruitive results is
said to be in the mode of goodness. Work performed with a desire for its
fruits, with great labor and under a false conception of the ego is said
to be in the mode of passion. Work performed in illusion, without
consideration of future bondage and without dependence on scriptual
injunctions, work which is violent and distressing to others, is said to
be in the mode of ignorance.
Gita 18:23-25
#439. 2010/05/09.
Having wasted much time on frivolous things, and having
sacrificed virtually my entire youth to study the teachings of a wisdom
that God made foolish (cf. 1Cor 1:20), I woke up, as if from a deep
sleep, and beheld the wondrous light of truth of the Gospel (...).
Shedding a flood of tears over my wretched life, I prayed for a guide
who might form in me the principles of piety. Above all, my concern was
to make some amendment in my character, which had been corrupted by long
association with people of low morals (...). Having read the Gospel, I
saw that a great means to attaining perfection was the selling of one's
possessions (cf. Mt 19:21), and the sharing of one's wealth with those
in need; along with the refusal to take any thought for this present
life, so that the soul should not be attached to the things of the
world; and I prayed that I might find someone who had taken this path,
so that with him I could cross the deep and troubled sea of life.
St. Basil of Caesarea. Letter 223 (written in 375).
Quoted after: Fr. Maximos of Simonopetra. (2010). Roads to Damascus:
Crisis, Conversion and Community in the Lives of the Three Hierarchs.
Unpublished manuscript.
#440. 2010/05/16.
The whole universe is ever in his power. He is pure
consciousness, the creator of time: all-powerful, all-knowing. It is
under his rule that the work of creation revolves in its evolution, and
we have earth, and water, and ether, and fire and air. His being is the
source of all being, the seed of all things that in this life have their
life. He is beyond time and space, and yet he is the God of infinite
forms who dwells in our inmost thoughts, and who is seen by those who
love him.
Svetasvatara Upanishad
#441. 2010/05/23.
"(...) Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have
called you by name, you are Mine! When you pass through waters, I will
be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. (...)."
Isaiah 43:1-2.
#442. 2010/05/30.
(...) The great light which illumines the mind gives me a
knowledge of the greatness of God; but it is not as if I were getting to
know the individual attributes, as before - no, it is different now: in
one moment, I come to know the entire essence of God.
Faustina Kowalska, The Diary, 770.
#443. 2010/06/05.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny
matters compared to what lies within us.
Attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882).
#444. 2010/06/13.
Bring a hundred sacks of gold and God will say, "Bring
the heart."
And if you bring a dead heart carried like a coffin on your
shoulders, God will say, "O, cheat! Is this a graveyard?
Bring the live heart! Bring the live heart!"
Rumi, quoted in: Helminski, Kabir (2000). The Rumi
Collection. P.95.
#445. 2010/06/27.
"Freedom from dominion, freedom to live one's own
spiritual life, freedom to seek the highest truth, unabashed by any
human pressure or any collective demand, the ability to say one's own
"yes" and one's own "no" and not merely to echo the "yes" and "no" of
state, party, corporation, army, or system. This is inseparable from
authentic religion. It is one of the deepest and most fundamental
needs of man, perhaps the deepest and most crucial need of the human
person as such: for without recognizing the challenge of this need no
man can truly be a person, and therefore without it he cannot fully be
a man either."
Merton, Thomas, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, P.
77 Submitted to Center-L Discussion Group by Gary Horn <ghorn@uswest.com>
#446. 2010/07/04.
This is a message; the righteous have deserved a
beautiful destiny. The gardens of Eden will be wide open for them.
Relaxing therein, they will enjoy many fruits and drinks. With them will
be the most magnificent spouses. This is promised to you on the day of
reckoning. Our provisions to you will never end.
Quran 38:49-54
#447. 2010/07/11.
The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any
double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and
spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together.
Hebrews 4:12.
#448. 2010/07/18.
He should see himself as belonging to the heavenly realm,
and all the people residing in this world should seem as of little
importance, for this entire world is like a grain of mustard against the
heavenly realm; and it should be all the same to him whether people like
or dislike him, for their likes and dislikes are of no consequence.
Ba'al Shev Tov, quoted after: Miriam Bokser Caravella,
The Holy Name. P.235.
#449. 2010/07/25.
It is in love that religion exists and not in ceremony -
in the pure and sincere love in the heart. Unless a man is pure in body
and mind, his coming into a temple and worshipping Shiva is useless.
(...) External worship is only a symbol of internal worship, but
internal worship and purity are the real things. (...) This is the gist
of all worship: to be pure and to do good to others. He who sees Shiva
in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worship Shiva. And
if he sees Shiva only in the image, his worship is preliminary. (...) He
who wants to serve Shiva must serve His children - must serve all
creatures in this world first. (...)
Vivekananda, quoted in: Harvey, Andrew (Ed). (2001).
Teachings of the Hindu Mystics, P.109-10.
#450. 2010/08/02.
"(...) The man who loses hope, Bariona, is the man who
will be hounded out of his village. People will curse him and the stones
on his path will be harder and the thorns sharper and the burden he
carries will be heavier and all the bad things will swarm down on him
like stirred-up bees and everyone will mock him and shout at him. (...)"
Bariona, or the Son of Thunder. [In]: The Writings
of Jean-Paul Sartre. Vol.2. P.110.
#451. 2010/08/08.
"O you who believe, fasting is
prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that
you may guard against evil."
Holy Qur'an 2:183
#452. 2010/08/15.
When all belong to this whole universe, where is the
place for "I" and "mine"? We must unite as one universal family and
march forward in unity. By this means only will the world be
benefited. This is not the concern of one individual but the whole
universe. The only true man is one who practices "humanism". Every man
must cultivate the qualities of "humanity" - this is the only way to
success in life.
What does one mean by humanitarian rules and humanity? Babaji says
one should not have hatred towards anyone; one should try not to let
down other people; one should try to help others; one should try to love
all.
Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984). Teachings of Babaji, P.99,
16.
#453. 2010/08/22.
God makes the rivers to flow. They tire not, nor do they
cease from flowing. May the river of my life flows into the sea of love
that is the Lord. May I overcome my impediments in my course. May the
thread of my song be not cut before my life merges in the sea of love.
Guard me against all danger, O Lord. Accept me graciously, O King of
Kings. Release me from my sorrows, which hold me as ropes hold a calf. I
cannot open my eyes without the power of your love. Guard us against the
grief that haunts the life of the selfish. Lead us from darkness into
light. We will sing of your love as it was sung of old. Your laws change
not, but stand like mountains. Forgive me all the mistakes I have
committed. Many mornings will dawn upon us again. Guide us through them
all, O Lord of love.
Rig Veda, II, 28:4-9
#454. 2010/10/03.
Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante no hay camino
sino estelas en la mar.
Wanderer, it is your tracks
which are the road,
and nothing else.
Wanderer, there is no road,
walking makes the road.
By walking,
the road is made,
and when glancing back,
you contemplate the trail
which will trample
no more.
Wanderer, there is no road,
only the wakes on the sea.
Antonio Machado (1875-1939). "Proverbios y cantares" in:
(1912) Campos de Castilla.
#455. 2010/10/11.
When you lie down on your bed, remember with thanksgiving
the blessings and Providence of God. Thereupon, filled with this good
thought, you will rejoice in the spirit and the sleep of the body will
mean sobriety of the soul; the closing of your eyes, a true knowledge of
God; and your silence, brimming with the good feeling, will
wholeheartedly and with all its strength glorify Almighty God, giving
him from the heart praise that rises on high.
Saint Anthony,
Hundred and Seventy Texts on Saintly Life, quoted in: Pennington, Basil.
(1978). O Holy Mountain! Journal of a Retreat on Mount Athos. P.191.
#456. 2010/10/17.
Solitude is the garden for our hearts, which yearn for
love. It is the place where our aloneness can bear fruit. It is the home
for our restless bodies and anxious minds. Solitude, whether it is
connected with a physical space or not, is essential for our spiritual
lives. It is not an easy place to be, since we are so insecure and
fearful that we are easily distracted by whatever promises immediate
satisfaction. Solitude is not immediately satisfying, because in
solitude we meet our demons, our addictions, our feelings of lust and
anger, and our immense need for recognition and approval. But if we do
not run away, we will meet there also the One who says, "Do not be
afraid. I am with you, and I will guide you through the valley of
darkness."
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996), Bread for the Journey. P. Jan.
21.
#457. 2010/10/24.
Seeing beauty in a
flower could awaken humans, however briefly, to the beauty that is an
essential part of their own innermost being, their true nature. The
first recognition of beauty was one of the most significant events in
the evolution of human consciousness.
Eckhart Tolle (2006). A New Earth. Awakening to Your
Life’s Purpose. Plume Books. P.2.
#458. 2010/10/31.
- (..) How many loved your moments of glad grace,
- And loved your beauty with love false or true,
- But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
- And loved the sorrows of your changing face (..)
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939).
#459. 2010/11/07.
I want to weed out the prevailing non-violence in the world. It is a
cause of apathy and idleness. This non-violence has cooled the blood of
men so that it has become like cold water. This attitude of non-violence
produces a lack of discrimination between good and evil. Everyone should
lead a life of bravery and courage. A man without courage is like a dead
man. Life without courage is no life. At present, many atrocities are
being committed in the world. Human beings are treated like animals. No
one has had the courage to stand up against these atrocities but
everyone should be brave and resist them. Everyone must be of firm
determination and stick to what he believes to be true. Be constant in
your actions and dutiful.
Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984). Teachings of Babaji, P.55.
#460. 2010/11/14.
Your wealth and your children are but a temptation. God's reward is
great. Therefore fear God with all your hearts, and be attentive,
obedient and charitable. That will be best for you. Those that preserve
themselves from their own greed will surely prosper. (...) If the debtor
be in straits, grant him a delay until he can discharge his debt; but if
you waive the sum as alms it will be better for you, if you but knew it.
Quran, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World's Wisdom,
P.301.
#461. 2010/11/21.
The Gurus rejected any form of asceticism. To deliberately make
oneself suffer was futile. Instead they preached purity of heart and
sincerity in our dealings with our fellow mankind. The Gurus also
rejected the need for celibate or mendicant orders such as monks and
nuns. They said that a person should live or remain in the common real
world. Indeed one should endeavor to lead a healthy married life. Also
one should be hardworking. This forms a sacred guide/ethic for a Sikh.
Simply lead a healthy, cheerful and hopeful life with a balanced
restraint on animal passions, always relying on God for help and
success.
A fragment of a selective/annotated summary of:
Philosophy of Sikhism' written by Sher Singh, Gyani M.A.
M.O.L. (Pb). PhD. (London), Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee,
Amritsar.
Summary written and submitted to Merton-L Discussion Group by Anand
Dev Singh.
#462. 2010/11/28.
Rinah, [joy, bliss] is the revelation of the Soul's great yearning,
where it longs and pines to attach itself to God, and to include itself
in the Infinite Light (...).
Rabbi Schneur Zalman (1745-1813) of Liadi, Poland,
founder of the Habad school of Hasidism, quoted after: Miriam Bokser
Caravella, The Holy Name. P.256.
#463. 2010/12/05.
There are among the People of the Book some upright persons who all
night long recite the revelations of God and worship Him; who believe in
God and the Last Day; who enjoin justice and forbid evil and vie with
each other in good works. These are righteous people: whatever good they
do, its reward shall not be denied them. God knows the righteous.
Quran, Medinan Sura 2, quoted after: Novak Philip, The
World's Wisdom, P.292.
#464.
2010/12/08.
December
8 - Thirties anniversary of the death of John Lennon.
#465.
2010/12/12.
Human desire differs from animal desire in that it is at root
insatiable. Man is characterized by a hunger for the infinite, for an
eternity of life, love and joy which, whether he knows it or not, can
be nothing other than God. (...) man is often mistaken as to the goal
of his life, desiring wealth, power or physical pleasure instead of
God. But his real appetite continues to be God, for which these lesser
goals are always unsatisfactory substitutes. Those who set their
hearts on finite goals are always discontented; they must always have
more and more and more of what they desire, and failing this are
frustrated and miserable. Profound contentment is only enjoyed by
animals and primitives, in which infinite hunger has not been
awakened, and by the saints and mystics who have realized union with
God.
Alan Watts, Behold the Spirit, Submitted to
L-Center Discussion Group by Gary Horn, P.65.
#466.
2010/12/19.
We are not born perfect. Every day we develop in our personality and
in our profession until we reach the highest point of our completed
being, to the full round of our acomplishments and our excellences.
This is known by the purity of taste, the clearness of thought, the
maturity of our judgment, and the firmness of our will. Some never
arrive at being complete - something is always lacking. Others ripen
late. The complete person - wise in speech, prudent in act - is
admitted to the familiar intimacy of discreet people and is even
sought out by them.
Baltasar Gracian (1601-1658), The Art of
Worldly Wisdom, No.6, P.4. Baltasar Gracian was suggested to me by
Magdalena Armata.