"Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted [God's] people, and will have compassion on [God's] suffering ones." - Isaiah 49:13
"To walk alone is possible, but the good walker knows that the trip is life and it requires companions." - Dom Helder Camara
God, help me to bear the fruit of kindness daily -- with both strangers and friends. Help me to live out your love, exemplified by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
She bit her bottom lip first, then lifted her gaze to my unassuming face. When she started looking at me softly, like I was some sort of oft-beaten puppy, I knew what was coming.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, “but your card’s been declined.” I offered a solution.
“Huh. Want to try it again?” Unsurprisingly, nothing changed, save her face, which only contorted more.
“Weird,” I said. The steam tauntingly danced on my cheeks. “Let me go check with my bank and figure it out.” I walked to a table, leaving the coffee, and pulled out my computer. After entering my username and password, my statement appeared on the screen.
“Available Balance: -$10.41,” it read.
“You may not agree with religion, but at the end of the day, religions are so subtle, so complicated, so intelligent in many ways that they're not fit to be abandoned to the religious alone; they're for all of us.” — Alain de Botton in his "Atheism 2.0" TED Talk
Watch de Botton's "Atheism 2.0" talk inside the blog ...
Author Melissa Harris-Perry recently appeared on “The Colbert Report” to speak about her new book, Sister Citizen, which examines a number of stereotypes of African-American women. As he often does, Colbert teed up a common conservative talking point about “going back to he good old days.” Perry’s response kept ringing in my head for days afterward.
She said that there is no time in American history you would want to go back to as a black girl.
The point is simple but compelling. Those in the position of privilege to write history are the ones whose story is most prominently told. So when we talk about going back to some better time, it’s with the lens of that same privilege that we’re looking back.
The fact is that, unless you’re a white, Christian, straight male, there’s little to look back to and say, “Yeah, I was better off back then.”
Dear Mr. President: Another Chance To Fight Poverty (OPINION); Elections Morning Digest: Gabby Giffords Will Resign From Congress; This Week Occupy's Latest Target: Citizens United Where Money And Politics Collide; How The World Could—And Maybe Should—Intervene In Syria; Is Our Economy Healing?; Brown, Warren Agree To Anti-Super-PAC Pledge, Other Candidates Could Follow; Florida Primary 2012 Likely To Shift GOP Candidates' Focus To Environment; Candidates' Stance On Immigration Reform Scrutinized Ahead Of Florida Primary.
Lord Jesus, you teach us to love God and neighbor, and identify yourself in a special way with the most needy people; hear our prayer. Grant us courage and wisdom so that the we may practice fraternal charity, according to your word and example. Amen.
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you." - Matthew 5:38-42
"The good news of the resurrection of Jesus is not that we shall die and go home to be with him, but that he has risen and comes home with us, bringing all his hungry, naked, thirsty, sick prisoner [brothers and sisters] with him." - Clarence Jordan