Eye on Faith

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Mary Oliver: Praise poet

Praising Hands (by Bastique)

When Mary Oliver sat down to talk with Maria Shriver for an Exclusive O Interview in 2011, both literary ladies extolled the poet Rumi.

Oliver (whose favorite words are "love, mirth, praise, constancy…") emphasized Rumi's ability "to contain both the spiritual life and the life in this world."

This ability is also Oliver's great strength. She told Shriver that if you skimp on either the spiritual or the "real world," then "you're not getting the whole show."

For Oliver, spirituality is essentially mysterious. She has written that God has "so many names" - and she is prone to "praising the world and whoever made all these things." In fact, she identifies strongly with being a "praise poet."

When asked at then-age 75 what she has done with her "one wild and precious life," Oliver replied: What

I have done is learn to love and learn to be loved… And I learned to consider my life an amazing gift.

Spoken like a true praise poet of Earth and Sky…

Resources

http://www.oprah.com/entertainment/Maria-Shriver-Interviews-Poet-Mary-Oliver

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Marriage as a spiritual practice

(Photo by Krish Dulal)

If you want to discover just how spiritually challenged you really are, it might be time to get married.

However, do not take this crucial step without first reading the "instruction manual": The Seven Spiritual Practices of Marriage by psychologist Kevin Anderson.

According to David Yonke of The Blade, Anderson believes that failed marriages have one major thing in common: The couple does not maintain a daily commitment to treat one another in a kind, loving, honoring way.

This lack of commitment is not surprising since people don't usually view marriage as something that requires practice. Although willing to spend time mastering a foreign language or a musical instrument, spouses often put their marriage on automatic pilot.

Sheila Otto of sdiworld explains Anderson's use of the Asian greeting Namaste (meaning "the God within me salutes the God in you"). He uses it as an acronym for recalling these seven recommended marital practices: "Need a shared vision; Always stay connected; Make conflict a path to intimacy; Accept and affirm my spouse "as is"; Stay focused on working on the "I" in marriage, not trying to change my spouse;

Treat sex as a sacred gift exchange; and Extraordinary grace is hidden in the ordinary."

Resources

http://dev.sdiworld.affinitybridge.com/publications/presence-journal/bonus-media-reviews/7-spiritual-practices-marriage

http://www.toledoblade.com/Religion/2005/04/30/Sacred-way-of-marriage-taught.html

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Self-nuptials: Being the one

There now... (Photo by CLW)

With all this talk about different paradigms of marriage, there is one that is almost always overlooked: marrying yourself.

Therefore, Jeffrey Levin and Bonnie Powers decided to fill that void. While marrying one another, they "conducted a self-marriage

ceremony for all of their 120 guests." Just so no one would go home lonely that night…

Natasha Burton of Cosmopolitan explained that this fits right in with the couple's marital philosophy: The best time to work on your twosome marriage is before it occurs. In other words, be the one before finding the one.

So how does one go about arranging for this momentous celebration of self? Easy. Simply shell out the $300 that the couple's DIY kit costs, and you're good to go.

Included in the kit are the following items: a gold ring and some accompanying verbiage. Don't have the $300? Not to worry. You can get the silver-ring version for $45.

Don't have the $45? Perhaps you need to save a bit more before taking this huge step…

Resources

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/news/i-married-me?link=byline&dom=glo&src=syn&con=slide&mag=cos

Nostra Aetate: Quit persecuting Jews

Pope Paul VI in 1963 (Public Domain)

On October 28, 1965 a most remarkable proclamation was made by Pope Paul VI.

Known as Nostra Aetate ("In Our Age"), this declaration affirmed, in no uncertain terms, the fraternal relationship between Christians and Jews. In so doing, it also condemned the persecuting displays of anti-Semitism that have been so rampant for centuries.

Part Four of this "Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions" clearly states: True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ; still what happened in His passion cannot be

charged against all Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today… the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures.

This Declaration was presented to the world almost half a century ago. Nevertheless, The Huffington Post reported that more than one-quarter of Americans who were recently surveyed by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) "still believe that 'Jews were responsible for the death of Christ.'"

Such prejudices die hard, as do their victims. It's long past time to quit scapegoating and begin loving all God's children.

Resources

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html

http://wwrn.org/articles/41095/?&place=north-america

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Thanksgivukkah: First time since 1888

The First Chanksgiving? (Public Domain)

If you're thinking of skimping on Thanksgivukkah this time around, you might wish to reconsider. Let's just say that after this year's rare convergence of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, it might be another 77,798 years before you get another mouthful of pumpkin latkes.

Lauren Markoe of The Washington Post points out that there are some striking similarities between these two beloved holidays. Both celebrate religious freedom: Ancient Jews from the regime of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and Pilgrims from the Church of England. Both also emphasize gratitude for miraculous outcomes.

So don't be a worry wart like Stephen Colbert, who is afraid that kids might start believing that "the Wampanoags sat down with the Maccabees and the yams lasted for eight months."

Instead, get out there and purchase a "menurkey" ("turkorah"?) before it's too late.

After all, Halloween's already over…

Resources

http://wwrn.org/articles/41065/?place=united-states

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Vatican polls hot-button issues

(Photo by Edgar Jimenez)

Not only has Pope Francis raised eyebrows with his unexpected phone calls and visits, but now he is also following through with his intent to lessen the "Vatican-centric" approach that has been prevalent for so long.

Rachel Zoll of the Associated Press reports that a poll was recently distributed to "every national conference of bishops" in order to elicit vital input from "local church leaders." Hot-button subject matter mentioned within the context of this poll includes the following: same-sex marriages, living together out of wedlock, separated or divorced couples, remarried couples, single-parent families, the use of artificial contraception, polygamy, surrogate motherhood, and interfaith marriages.

Although the pope has "made clear his support" of traditional Roman Catholic values, he has also been urging pastors "to focus upon being merciful and welcoming rather than emphasizing only such divisive issues as abortion, gay marriage and contraception."

It will therefore be interesting to see whether any "far reaching changes" occur as a result of this pope's overall efforts at reform.

Resources

http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-polls-parishes-birth-control-marriage-002845280.html

Friday, November 1, 2013

Belgian euthanasia: Growing concerns

Euthanasia Device (Public Domain)

It isn't enough that the Belgian Parliament has already deemed euthanasia (not assisted suicide - which has enough of its own moral questions to contend with - but outright euthanasia) to be legal for certain citizens over the age of 18.

Maria Cheng of the Assocated Press reports that the Belgian government is now also thinking of instituting legal euthanasia for

specific children - "something that no other country has done." Along with that, Belgium is considering the legal possibility of euthanasia for some "adults with early dementia."

There are those who are intensely opposed to such practices and proposals. Catholic Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard had this to say: It is strange that minors are considered legally incompetent in key areas, such as getting married, but might (be able) to decide to die.

Oxford University's Charles Fostr stated: Children, like everyone else, may not be able to anticipate how

much they will value their lives if they were not killed.

Penny Lewis of King's College London concluded: If the Belgian statutes go ahead, this will be a key

boundary that is crossed.

Resources

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20131101&id=17061841