Soul Scribe

If we pray, we will believe.
If we believe, we will love.
If we love, we will serve.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

The etymology (fancy name for where a word comes from) of the word vocation takes it back to the word voice.  I love the idea of that relationship.

My vocation is my voice in the world.  It’s what I’m charged to do every day.  My voice is my vocation.

As a writer, voice is that all-important, yet unexplainable thing that makes great literature.  It’s all about the voice.  No one can slap a real definition on what voice actually IS, but they sure try – sorta like God.

We try to define God, but we really only capture the smallest essence.  That’s part of the evolution of faith – we understand a bit more each day of what God has revealed to us.  But try as we might to define God – God will never be contained by us.

God is so much more than we can imagine.  It’s the greatest mystery of all time.  Keep up the sleuthing and we’ll be rewarded with a glimpse of the truth.

I’m settling into my vocation.  It can be difficult to throw thoughts out there into the world, because it contains my voice – my soul is in everything I do.

So despite my trepidations, I’m sharing my vocation/voice/soul with the world.  Maybe one day, I’ll hear back from you about it.

Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.

Thomas Merton

Better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.

Chinese Proverb

We get so caught up in the nitty gritty of rules and judgments that we forget.

 It’s not about the rules.

It’s about how you treat people.  It’s about finding that person in the corner and finding out who they are.  It’s walking the talk and how you live each day.  What kind of good did you do today?

You can be the most conscientious follower of religious practices and still not be who God wants you to be.

Don’t get me wrong.  Religion is important, but it’s not for show or the motions.  You’ve got to live it, not just attend it.

Religion is making our path to a relationship with God, as individuals and also community.  Everyday religion requires commitment that less and less people have time for nowadays.

We marginalize people for many reasons – they look different; they act different; they live different; they don’t look, act or live how we want them to live.  We forget that some people are even there.

Open your eyes and see all those around you as God does.  God sees each of us.  He really sees – not just the surface, but deep down into the soul.

If we really look at one another and see, we can make a difference.

If  you want others to be happy,
practice compassion.

If you want to be happy,
practice compassion.

The Dalai Lama

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels  unaware.

Hebrews 13:2

Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what it wants.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers,
“Grow, grow.”

 The Talmud, a collection of ancient Rabbinic writings

on Jewish laws and traditions

Do something good for someone you like least today.

St. Anthony of Padua, 1195-1231