Have a quick look here for a load of truth, maybe even a road map for the nation.
Showing posts with label redemptive community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label redemptive community. Show all posts
Monday, February 24, 2014
National grace; redemptive hearts
Have a quick look here for a load of truth, maybe even a road map for the nation.
Sunday, January 06, 2013
The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.
from The Mood of Christmas
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Failed tour, but incredible conversation
A couple of weeks ago I was sitting at the corner on "the porch" and I had a good visit with my homeless friend, Buck.
He asked me what we did at CitySquare and I tried to answer him.
As we talked, I threw out the offer, "Buck, I need to take you on a tour of CitySquare so you could see firsthand what we do!"
Last week, Buck reminded me of my offer.
"When are we going to do that tour, Larry?" he asked.
I pulled out my calendar.
"How about next Wednesday at 11:30?" I offered.
"I'll be here," he said. And, as he was leaving about an hour later, he reminded me of the tour date.
So, on Wednesday at 11:30, I show up. Ironically, I left the offices of one of the wealthiest men in Dallas to connect with Buck, one of the poorest.
No Buck.
No telling what happened to delay or block him. I'm sure I'll find out when I see him next. I pray he is okay.
As I waited on him to show up, another gentleman who I know approached me. In 5 minutes he poured out his heart.
"I need you to know that I'm working hard to get my heart right to get away from this corner," he explained.
"I'm working at my church to get my soul strong so I can pull away from all of this," he went on.
We talked for a good while. I offered him the housing resources of CitySquare and we made plans for him to come by our offices Downtown to get his name on the "waiting list" to get into an apartment. I really believe he will follow through. He is such a good man.
And, he understands respect and community and the role of faith in life.
I know I'll see Buck again. We will have our tour.
But, the visit I had with my other friend was a visit that was supposed to happen.
Know what I mean?
He asked me what we did at CitySquare and I tried to answer him.
As we talked, I threw out the offer, "Buck, I need to take you on a tour of CitySquare so you could see firsthand what we do!"
Last week, Buck reminded me of my offer.
"When are we going to do that tour, Larry?" he asked.
I pulled out my calendar.
"How about next Wednesday at 11:30?" I offered.
"I'll be here," he said. And, as he was leaving about an hour later, he reminded me of the tour date.
So, on Wednesday at 11:30, I show up. Ironically, I left the offices of one of the wealthiest men in Dallas to connect with Buck, one of the poorest.
No Buck.
No telling what happened to delay or block him. I'm sure I'll find out when I see him next. I pray he is okay.
As I waited on him to show up, another gentleman who I know approached me. In 5 minutes he poured out his heart.
"I need you to know that I'm working hard to get my heart right to get away from this corner," he explained.
"I'm working at my church to get my soul strong so I can pull away from all of this," he went on.
We talked for a good while. I offered him the housing resources of CitySquare and we made plans for him to come by our offices Downtown to get his name on the "waiting list" to get into an apartment. I really believe he will follow through. He is such a good man.
And, he understands respect and community and the role of faith in life.
I know I'll see Buck again. We will have our tour.
But, the visit I had with my other friend was a visit that was supposed to happen.
Know what I mean?
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Human mediation to loving God
It is not enough to say that love of God is inseparable from the love of one's neighbor. It must be added that love for God is unavoidably expressed through love of one's neighbor. Moreover, God is loved in the neighbor: "But if a man says, 'I love God,' while hating his brother, he is a liar. If he does not love the brother whom he has seen, it cannot be that he loves God whom he has not seen" (1 John 4:20). To love one's brother, to love all persons, is a necessary and indispensable mediation of the love of God; it is to love God: "You did it for me, . . .you did not do it for me."
We find the Lord in our encounters with others, especially the poor, marginated, and exploited ones. An act of love towards them is an act of love towards God. This is why Congar speaks of "the sacrament of our neighbor," who as a visible reality reveals to us and allows us to welcome the Lord: "But there is one thing that is privileged to be a paradoxical sign of God, in relation to which men are able to manifest their deepest commitment--our Neighbor. The sacrament of our Neighbor!" (pages 114, 115)
We find the Lord in our encounters with others, especially the poor, marginated, and exploited ones. An act of love towards them is an act of love towards God. This is why Congar speaks of "the sacrament of our neighbor," who as a visible reality reveals to us and allows us to welcome the Lord: "But there is one thing that is privileged to be a paradoxical sign of God, in relation to which men are able to manifest their deepest commitment--our Neighbor. The sacrament of our Neighbor!" (pages 114, 115)
Gustavo Gutierrez
A Theology of Liberation
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