The inside of the cup - inner transformation comes first

Ironically, even the Franciscan concept of “poverty” can be turned into self-aggrandizement. In St. Francis’ teachings, “poverty” is really his code word for not seeking status and upward mobility. Poverty for Francis was not about a material end in itself, but a strategy for the relinquishment of all false power. It seems to me that even some Christian radicals have too strongly identified with material poverty as an end in itself (although we could all stand to simplify our lives), and sometimes sought poverty as another form of superiority!

If you don’t have interior poverty, but need to look good and be admired and think well of yourself, then material poverty is not anything admirable at all. It is just another ego stunt. I have met too many rigid radicals and also very comfortable people who are genuinely and completely poor in spirit. The best is to be both simple in lifestyle and fully open-hearted too.

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Inner world outer world

Inner poverty, outer poverty

Inner righteousness, outer righteousness

It really is all about what happens in side

At our Center

Where we and the Sacred connect

It really is all about being permeated by love

So that we can live love

So that we can be love

Sometimes we get very humbled by this reality

I talk love and acceptance a lot

I think, except when I see people with power abusing power

I do pretty well at not being judgmental

and at other times

sigh

last night I was reading an article about some Arizona fans getting wild and upset

after a NCAA Tourney Game

the pepper spray had come out

and so of course did the comments

A respondent said something very negative about Arizona

And I type a one word response

Jerk

And I got called on it

By at least three people

And they were right

I had gotten so tired of all the negative crap,

of all the people cutting down other people,

that I responded by cutting down another person

not classy

I am sure I do this all the time when I run into things, and people, I disagree with

“Blind Pharisee!  First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” (Matthew 23:26)

sigh

sigh again

It is tricky, this journey we are on

very tricky indeed

we often stumble

and fall

and get pretty muddy and messy down there in the mire

and all we can do is get up

and start the journey again

and go inside

and connect with the sacred

and take care of the inside of our cup!

Blessings on this Sunday