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I went to the Cincinnati Celtic Music and Cultural Festival yesterday, and had a wonderful time. I'll tell about most of it on The Scriptorium later today sometime, but one of the better things I did while there I thought would fit better here.
I attended an interesting but far too short lecture entitled, "Anam Cara: A Life's Journey", given by Rev. Andrew MacAoidh Jergens (I assume he is a Rev. somewhere in Cincinnati, but am not sure where). The lecture was only a half-hour long, and didn't begin to cover all that was in the accompanying handout. I could have listened to this for an hour or two, at least. Anam cara, for those who aren't familiar with the concept, means "soul friend" in Irish gaelic. Rev. Jergens' definition is, "A friend who is an equal who shares your spiritual journey."
Here, from the handout, are the Seven Qualities of the Soul Friend Tradition:
1. Great affection; a personal relationship, rather than a professional or technical one.
2. Mutuality, non-hierarchical, a relationship of mutual blessing. Sometimes there were elements of the master-disciple relationship, but the persons involved considered themselves as companions along the way.
3. Common values and common vision of reality.
4. Challenge, or accountability. A willingness to challenge one another, springing from the trust and affection of deep friendship, rather than from an unequal relationship.
5. God-centered, God being the soul friend in whom all other friendships are united. True soul friends do not depend on each other alone, but root their relationship in God.
6. Transcends geographical separation, the passage of time, even death. For the Celt, who saw the border between this world and the next as very thin indeed, even death could not break the bond established in soul friendship.
7. Value both companionship and solitude.
Does any of this sound familiar?
| posted by #Debi | 2:18 PM | |
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Just in case anyone is not aware of it, today is Alan's birthday!! Everyone visit his blog and give him a shout out on the big 3-6. Dude, you're catching up with me! (OK, not really, but it's fun to think of that way.) We're having our potluck tonight and I suppose there might be a cake or something.....we'll see.
| posted by #Debi | 5:32 PM | |
Friday, September 13, 2002
Matt, Debi, Liz and I (and my whole family) are here in Cincinnati tonight - at Vineyard Central getting ready for tomorrow's regional worship event, super allgroup, whatever you want to call it. It has been great just hanging out, meeting people, eating, working, getting ready. It's a very cool thing to do something together with many other parts of the Body. We are NOT alone you know. Tomorrow we'll be really acting like we're not separate. We will be demonstrating that we are one. I think we're all excited about it. Our family is suffering the great hospitality of the Brownhouse tonight - I don't know if we can stand it. It infects you with the desire to go and do the same - to invite people to come stay with you and serve them. I want to do that. I'll blog more tomorrow night and let you know how things go. Pax vobiscum.
| posted by + Alan | 9:58 PM | |
Thursday, September 12, 2002
OK, our community meets together on Wednesday nights - that was last night - the 11th. Here was out interesting topic of conversation:
I want to do something a little different tonight. This is a signigicant date - sept. 11. A terrible thing happened today, one year ago. Terrible things happen every day. Things happen to us, to our families, to our friends. People do evil things to other people. It's the way of things in this sick and fallen world. You'd think we would be used to that.
What are we about though? Are we about those evil things? As children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus - are we about getting back at those who do evil things? We should think about that very seriously. We should be very serious about what we think the Kingdom of God is all about.
I want us to go over a few scriptures on this significant day and talk about them. I'm not sure if many people will be focusing on these scriptures today, but we are.
Romans 12:17-21
Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all. Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." Rather, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head." Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.
Matt. 5:38-48 (Lev. 19:18 > love your "countrymen", hate your enemies)
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Ephesians 6:12-13
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
> How hard are these sayings to you?
> What do we do with these principles?
> What might need to change in your outlook upon deeply considering these things?
| posted by + Alan | 11:29 AM | |
Thursday, September 05, 2002
Had a good time last night. We hung out as usual, prayed a shortened version of the evening prayer from the liturgy of the hours (only one Psalm - 62 - and the Reading - 1 Peter 5:5b-7). That went well. We prayed in choir style, reading it back and forth to each other - males one stanza, and females next. My daughter Katey did the reading. We went around in intercession at the end of the office.
We then talked about a great article by Brian McLaren that several people were linking to yesterday - Dorothy on Leadership. Amazing article - one of the best on leadership that I've ever read I think. We talked about that and what we saw as desirable in a "leader" - good discussion. Then we ended in the Eucharist - Conor, 8, and Meaghan, 11 distributed the host and cup. It was a good time. Brian, who will soon have a computer, actually stayed till like 10pm! Boy usually is home in bed by then. He's on vacation.
| posted by + Alan | 9:37 AM | |