Something to Contemplate
From the beginning of my memory, attendance at Sunday Service was a family event, and I was destined to be a Christian. Christ would be my catalyst to a Higher Power, God, Mysterious One, Creator, Love. I remain grateful to my parents who opened a door that exposed me to the Spirit realm. As I learned through Christ about a God who is Pure Love, accepting, compassionate, full of grace, I began to question, is it possible that maybe there is more than one path to the Kin-dom? Marcus Borg thought so.
Stay safe. Stay connected.
Blessings and the strength of Love be with you.
Rev. Mary,
revmjwhite@hotmail.ca
Reading Excerpt
from “Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings” by Marcus Borg
Jack Kornfield tells one of his experiences…
While studying Buddhism I had the privilege of visiting a monastery in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. It was built on an island by a master of peace known as the Coconut Monk and filled with monks during the war years. Passing along the waterways in the midst of active fighting, our boat arrived at the dock where Buddhist monks greeted and escorted us around. They explained to us the teaching of nonviolence and forgiveness on which they had staked their lives. We ate together.
Then they took us to the end of the island where, on top of a hill, there was an enormous fifty-foot-tall statue of a standing Buddha. Next to Buddha stood an equally tall statue of Jesus. They had their arms around each other’s shoulders, smiling. While helicopter gunships flew by overhead and the war raged around us, Buddha and Jesus stood there like brothers, expressing compassion and healing for all who would follow their way...
They both taught the Laws of the heart, the eternal fragrance of virtue, the path of generosity, the power of faith, contentment, and compassion. They both inspired their disciples to turn from the materialism of the world and live a life of the spirit, to come to know the timeless truth, to awaken to the undying. “There is one truth, not many,” say the Buddhist texts. It is open to all. “See and know this for yourself,” said the Buddha. Jesus pointed in the same openhanded fashion when he said, “The Kingdom of God is within you.”
Prayer
Creating Spirit open our hearts to hear the still small voice within as we discern questions such as what is God inviting me to see and hear? May we feel Your embracing bond and Love that links us one to the other and may we be attentive to the common Love within each other. We pray in the name of Christ our Teacher, our Brother.
Amen