Monday, September 6, 2010

Jesus of Nazareth: The Man, The Mortal, The Revolutionary





THE SEARCH FOR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY
Matthew. 5/13
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid"
Matthew. 5/34
“But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 
Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; 
Nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from evil.” 
Matthew. 6/1-6
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
Mathew 6:22
"The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."
Morm 8:15
"For none can have power to bring it to light save it be given him of God; for God wills that it shall be done with an eye single to his glory, or the welfare of the ancient and long dispersed covenant people of the Lord."
John 8:8
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Mark. 2/27 
 "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. "
Luke. 7/7 (The Secret)
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 4/22
“For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
FORGIVENESS AND LOVE
Mathew 7:12, Matthew 22:39, Luke 6:31
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 
Mark 12:28-31 (The Greatest Commandments)
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Luke 10:25-28
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
 He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
John 13:34
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Matthew. 5/42.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Ye resist not evil: but If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your cloak, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Matthew. 5/43
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
Luke 6:36
"Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."
Luke 17:3 
“So watch yourselves.
If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.”
Luke 23: 34
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do."
THE EIGHT VIRTUES
Mathew. 5/3-10
"Blessed are the poor in spirit
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are they who mourn
for they shall be comforted. 
Blessed are the meek
for they shall inherit the earth. 
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness
for they shall be satisfied. 
Blessed are the merciful
for they shall obtain mercy. 
Blessed are the pure of heart
for they shall see God. 
Blessed are the peacemakers
for they shall be called children of God. 
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
THE CURE FOR ANXIETY
Mathew. 6/25-34
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 
“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
  
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
NON JUDGEMENT
Matthew. 7/1-3
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"
Luke. 6/38
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your bosom. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
John. 7/24 
Judge not according to the appearance , but judge righteous judgement. 
John 8:7
"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone..."
DISCERNMENT OF RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
Luke. 7/13-20
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."
Luke 6:43-45
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
ON GREED AND HUMILITY
Matthew 23:11 & Luke 14:11 & Luke 18:14

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 12:15

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
Matthew 25:35-36 

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Matthew 19:16-26 (The Rich Young Man)

 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
 "Which ones?" the man inquired.
   Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Matthew 24:46

“Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing, - 42. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your lord doth come.”
Luke 22:24-27 
“Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.”
Matthew 6:6
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
GIVING TO THE POOR AND PRAYER
Mathew. 6/1-5
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
      “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
      “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the heathens do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way:
       
       ‘Our Father who is in heaven,
         Hallowed be Your name.
         ‘Your kingdom come.
         Your will be done,
         On earth as it is in heaven.
         Give us this day our daily bread.
         And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our   debtors.
        And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 
        For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." 
Luke 9:62 (The Power of The Present)
“Jesus replied, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
Matthew 18:4 (The Wisdom of The Child)
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
John 10:11 (The Greater Good)
 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
Matthew 22:32 (Unity)
'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
Matthew 26:52 (Non Violence)
"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 
Luke 6:40 
A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher”.


Mark 14:60-62
" 60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
   Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
   62 “Iam,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”


Sunday, September 5, 2010

The Fall



The greatest gift
you ever gave
was the heart you saved
with the whisper;
“You inspire me”
That night I fell
entranced by symmetry
into the well
you had dug for me.
How sweet the fall
how timeless the space
the eternity,
of the stillness…
...silence
between our breath imbues
as the wind rushes by
whistles in my ears
pulls open my eyes
to shed the tears for you.
I fall too fast
into you.
but I know this is real
this is true.
And I’ll give it all
I'll fight the past, 
to hear the call,
once more.
Poem by Lewin D.H
Photo by Dan Winters, Falling Man, 2000

Thursday, September 2, 2010


Ruffled tragic notes.
scraps of paper scrawled
scattered across the bedsheets
crumpled sprawled.
How you sing my truth
greater than any, all
that i’ve known 
which have sung this call. 
You are me, 
Iam 
inside these lines.
Infinite, expansive 
Beyond decline.