Here's to a cup worth drinking

What can one add to the words and spiritual thoughts of Henri Nouwen?
I re-read his book “Can you drink the cup?” yesterday and I was moved deeply by his spiritual perception and knowledge of he human soul. What I appreciated most was the call to drink our life’s sorrows and joys to the bottom of the cup. Through inner reflection to decipher our identity, through fellowship with those we trust with our deepest life issues and the ability to act out our call and nothing else we drink life to the full. This book will make an excellent Lent series for congregations based around the question Jesus asked – “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” Matt 20:20-23.

No Longer Jew or Greek - Boomer or X

Yes, we are all one in Christ. Should that not reflect in our Worship on a Sunday? We have been 'called' out of a secular divided world to eat around the same table, mindful of our relationships one with another. I find it helpful to divide the generations into categories to understand their needs, issues and expectations. The Silent, Boomer, X, Millennial and all of that. However it can be another excuse to keep us separate and divided if it is not seen as a tool to keep us together because we understand each other. Are we really that different? And surely we have much to learn from other generations. A wasteful, spend thrift, globe burning Boomer generation need to learn from the Silent who know how to conserve, look after, and cherish their resources. We need each other.

Bird logic

They walked with bird like astuteness down the lawn toward the house. Three well adorned ring neck doves. They had found some bread crumbs that were thrown out the night before and were enjoying the early morning breakfast. Then in succession they took to flight and disappeared over the roof of the house. I was unaware of the lesson I would learn when they returned. It was not ten minutes later and with a rustle of wings they landed near the bread but this time there were six well adorned ring neck doves with prestigious collars and well groomed chests. It could not be helped, the thought that in this simple avian moment the truths of the Church lay exposed. At the table of the God-man their lies a broken loaf of bread, a loaf shared, a life shared, a message waiting to be devoured. The earlier worshipers having eaten their full went off fulfilled to share the news with all. They returned with more, and each day the Church grew double score.