“Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.”
– Saint Patrick –
“There would be no need for sermons, if our lives were shining; there would be no need for words, if we bore witness with our deeds. There would be no pagans, if we were true Christians.”
– St. John Chrysostom –
In the light of much that is happening around me and in our country … and also listening to stories and identifying with the pain and frustrations which cannot be denied … I needed to hear the above two quotes tonight (i.e. a prayer and a challenge) … I’d also adapt the Christ before me prayer to Christ before ________ (fill on the blanks of someone’s name, and/or others who are in desperate need )
[thanks Sherman]
I’m not used to having the word Christ mentioned so often in my presense anymore ..
tee hee!
Great prayer & challenge!
I will be there this sunday for the class… hehe…
kitty, I think the prayer & the challenge brings me/us to a place of self-examination which is so necessary. On one hand, I have much to “complain” about the failure of the church (as institution or structure) in many respects, and yet on the other hand, I also see myself part of the institution (or structure) too and it’s important to ask what is my/our role in moving forward.
zewt, looking forward to see you. For me, “going for the classes” may seem on the surface is going to a place where information is imparted. But in actual fact in my mind, I’m thinking more of “giving ourselves some space” to reconsider and re-work our faith and beliefs in a way that’s authentic, and faithful to what it’s supposed to be. It’s more about transformation as the ultimate goal.
scorkes, I remember at one stage I shuddered when I heard “over-religious” talk when I wasn’t sure whether when people mouthed out words like “Christ” and “Praise the Lord”, or “The Lord told me … ” .. because of so much pretending going on around us.
Then, later .. I felt too many are trying too hard to distance themselves from the “pretenders” that we land up almost dry from authentic faith and detached from God’s genuine presence (whether or not in or outside of “church”)
Now, it’s not whether I use or not use these words .. it’s more like, how do I understand the way I use them, and whether I mean it or what do I mean by it … I found that liberating and much more exciting. 🙂