We

Humber Valley United Church 55, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


The word we names our sight-lines.
We refers to the boundaries of a way of seeing.
It's true, each of us can only live life in the first person.
But we is not neutral. We share with some other a lens
that may be built into every frame of reference.
Experience, categories, personality, gender, language, 
race, culture combine to form why and how we see.

Mark Labberton, The Dangerous Act of Loving your Neighbor: Seeing Others Through the Eyes of Jesus

Action

East Plains United Church 3, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


     All that is necessary for evil to triumph is
     for good men (and women) to do nothing.

         Edmund Burke

Reflection Questions

La Cage Aux Folles 2, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


What words capture your social and spiritual location
in the world? Which aspects of your social or spiritual location do you think are the most influential in your life? 

Mark Labberton, The Dangerous Act of Loving your Neighbor: Seeing Others Through the Eyes of Jesus

Faith

Iona Cross 3, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


     Faith is an indispensable component or dimension
     of every human life and has to do with the absolute source
     of meaning and values. 

        Juan Luis Segundo, Faith and Ideologies

Political Theology

DSC_8765, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


Political Theology.
This does not mean reducing theology to politics;
it does mean making theology more conscious of
and intentional about its political function,
bringing out the political meaning and implications of every aspect of faith.

Harold Wells, A Future for Socialism?

Journey

Rosetta McClain Gardens 6, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


     If you only walk on sunny days,
     you will never reach your destination.

        Paulo Coehlo, Aleph

Love of Neighbour

Face 1, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


Love of neighbour is especially love for those who are most oppressed and most in need.

Harold Wells, A Future for Socialism?

Songs

Rosetta McClain Gardens 13, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.

I teach my sighs to lengthen into songs.

Theodore Roethke

Grateful

Lamp (2012,11.7), a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


There is always something to be grateful for.

Rhonda Byrne

Path to Reconciliation

Cenotaph, Paris, Ontario, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


     It is when you can feel your opponent's pain that you begin
     the path to reconciliations.

        Jonathan Sacks

Silence

Rosetta McClain Gardens 11, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


Silence is the home of the word. 
Silence gives strength and fruitfulness to the world.
We can even say that words are meant to disclose
the mystery of the silence from which they come.

Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart

Generosity

Stained Glass Window (2012, 11.6), a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.

All people give in the same language.

 

Michael Powell,

A Thousands Paths to Generosity

Hope

Play Ground, Christian Island, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


Pity would be no more
If we did not make somebody poor,
And Mercy no more could be
If all were as happy as we.

William Blake, The Human Abstract

Mutuality

Reflection (Oct. 24, '12), a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.

We mutually belong to one another.

Alan Ryan

Courage

Bethesda Cross, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


The cave you fear to enter
holds the treasure you seek.

Joseph Campbell

Truth about Myself

Beauty by a window 1, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


     O God
     help me
     to believe
     the truth about myself
     no matter
     how beautiful it is!

     Macrina Wiederkehr

Dance for Joy

Heading South 1, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.


May all things move and be moved in me
     and know and be known in me.
May all creation
     dance for joy within me.

       Chinook Psalter

Freedom

Applewood UC 1, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.

In that tiny space between all the givens is freedom.

Sue Bender

Loving Circles

Purple in Autumn, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.

Open your fists

into embraces

Open your arms' length

into loving circles.

James Broughton

All in One

Light, AUC, a photo by rchoephoto on Flickr.

Great knowledge sees all in one.

Small knowledge breaks down into the many.

Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu