Today is The Tenth Sunday after Trinity, ten weeks into the main block of Ordinary Time in the Church’s liturgical calendar. In the great Seasons, Advent, Christmas, Lent or Easter, we focus on the key Christian events. In Ordinary Time we explore the richness of Christ and Christianity in all their aspects. And today, I think this Collect touches on one of the most important aspects — hope.

But what is this hope, the Christian hope, we’re praying that we’ll never lose?

Christian hope doesn’t mean living in the clouds while we dream of a better life. It isn’t just a projection of what we would like to be, or what we’d like to do. Because of the identity of our God, and because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Christian hope leads us to discover seeds of a new world already present today. It’s a source of energy to live differently, not according to the values of a society based on the thirst for possession and competition.

Hoping means first of all discovering in the depths of the present a life that leads forward and that nothing is able to stop. It also means welcoming this life by a “yes” spoken by our whole being. As we embark on this life, we’re lead to create signs of a different future here and now, in the midst of the difficulties of the world, seeds of renewal that will bear fruit when the time comes.

In the face of an ever more sceptical secular society it will take patience and courage to truly live that life, to truly live the Christian hope. Patience to wait for the seeds of renewal to appear and to germinate. And courage to live differently, and opt out of the thirst for possessions. But that is, I believe, where our true calling as Christians leads us — to live the Christian hope in today’s world.

Lord of heaven and earth,
as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,
give us patience and courage never to lose hope,
but always to bring our prayers before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Tenth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

The clocks went back last night, at least here in the UK, which means the darkness closes in around us earlier, and the nights seem so much longer. Tomorrow is the 1st November, All Saints’ Day. At Godmanchester, along with many Churches, we always transfer this important festival to the nearest Sunday. I’m doing the same here too.

November can be a time of despair; fallen leaves, rain, dampness and fog, with little else ahead but the dismal winter. But the festival of All Saints’, which we celebrate today, shines like a ray of sunshine at the beginning of these dark days.

All Saints’ Day brings to mind the ordinary people down the ages who were friends of God. The people who didn’t hold important positions in life. Their names don’t appear on the Church’s official role of honour. They’re not canonized saints. But God remembers them.

They’re the common people from all walks of life, who in their day tried to live the Christian life to the full. They’re our family, and our friends. And, like us, they experienced the trials of growing up, the tensions of living with others, and all the normal difficulties and uncertainties of life. They had to cope with their own personal problems and weaknesses. However great their difficulties and faults, they accepted that God loved them and relied on the strength of that love more than anything else.

As we follow in the steps of our friends and family, saints, who have gone before us; we also get a glimpse into our own glorious future, our eternal destiny. As we honour the vast army of God’s friends, we also ask God’s favour, that where they are now, so we too may be in the future. We pray that one day this will be our feast as well.

God of holiness,
your glory is proclaimed in every age:
as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,
inspire us to follow their example
with boldness and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for All Saints’ Day
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

This post is another one of Fr. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations. In this one he reminds us that we are already living our eternal lives; and our earthly lives are not all we’ll experience.

How do I define my life?

Brothers and sisters, remember that your life situation will not last. It is only that which you fall through so that you can fall into your actual Life, and that Big Life ironically includes death (which is the falling). For Paul the word for that Life Force field is “Christ.” Yes it is personified and summed up in Jesus, but he also says it is everywhere and always available to all who “fall through” (read “are transformed”).

Everybody takes their present life’s situation as if it is their one and only life. It is not! So wait for those moments when you fall through your life’s situations into your real life, which is Christ, or Christ Consciousness (1 Corinthians 2:16), if you prefer. What you are doing in prayer is consciously choosing to let go of your grasping mind and its identification with passing life situations so that you can fall into your Real Life which is always much bigger and better than you, and shared by all. It is the Eternal Life of Christ.

From The Great Themes of Paul

Mantra:
What am I to do, Lord?

I find it all too easy to forget, as I cope with the various trials and tribulations I face, that this earthly life is not the be all and end all of my existence. It’s good to be reminded that this life is only a small part of my existence in Christ.

The email this came from was one of Fr. Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations. If you would like to subscribe too, and I can recommend them, the website is here: The Center for Action and Contemplation. It won’t cost you anything.

I am something of a worrier. Now that wouldn’t be so bad, but, I know, there are times when my worrying will have an adverse effect on my life. But I also know, that that is very definitely not how God wants me, or us, to live our lives each day. There will be concern for other other things and events in our own lives, that’s a part of what makes us human, but we should try not to let those natural concerns become worries that overtake us, and dominate our lives to the exclusion of all that is good. No, God wants us to live our lives with confidence, full of love and joy and happiness. He calls us to a ‘fullness of life’.

Now I’m not for one minute saying that I don’t have any love, joy and happiness in my life; I most certainly do. But I think, sometimes, I manage to take the edge of those things and spoil them by fretting and worrying about other things — far too much.

I have, in the past, experienced a time when I became extremely ill (mentally) because of anxiety. But that turned out to be mostly down to a rare side-effect from some medication I was taking, and still have to take at a lower dose. However, it certainly wasn’t helped by my natural tendency to worry.

Jesus tells us that we shouldn’t worry about the future in the Sermon on the Mount, that great block of our Lord’s teaching:

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today” Matthew 6.34.

I’m a great one for telling others not to worry. I even suggested in a sermon once that people should give up worrying for Lent. But I always think that the first person I’m preaching to in my sermons is me.

I’m sure there are many things we should be doing to truly live the lives that God wants us to. But one thing we shouldn’t be doing is worrying.

Are you listening to yourself Paul? Yes! Will it stop you worrying? To be honest, probably not. It’s a part of what makes me, me. But I will try to keep it from overtaking my life; and to live each day with confidence.

God, our judge and saviour,
teach us to be open to your truth
and to trust in your love,
that we may live each day
with confidence in the salvation which is given
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

In today’s Collect, for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, we’re reminded that we are called to fullness of life. But what is it, what is the “fullness” we are all promised in this Collect and in the words of Jesus, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10)?

It’s a gift of God. It’s the love of God revealed in Christ (John 3.16). It’s the call of Christ to be his disciples (John 1.35ff).

Fullness of life enables us to live as one of the flock of the good shepherd, Jesus Christ. Contrary to the popular way of thinking, fullness of life isn’t the increasing accumulation of rights, freedoms, joys, resources, and opportunities, although it’s true that it may lead to some of these. Fullness of life isn’t an add-on operation.

Fullness of life is rather an invitation to faith in the midst of, and in spite of, death and limitation. It is a confession of our sins, but it’s mainly the confession of our faith, which leads us to believe in the One, “who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead; on the third day he rose again…” (from the Apostles Creed).

Fullness of life is in Christ and through Christ and “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1.16). It’s Christ’s coming to us that allows us to work towards a better life for everyone. With his fullness we’re empowered to give breath to the exhausted. With his fullness we’re able to be in communion with each other. With his fullness we’re given the spirit of celebrating life, despite all threats and forms of death.

With Christ’s fullness we can look for new ways of working together, both locally and globally, while accepting our differences in a spirit of faith, love and, honesty. Our unity is found in Christ Jesus, who is our peace and has broken down the dividing wall, and the hostility, between us.

With Christ’s fullness our anxieties can be banished. And we can revel in the liberating love that is Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gracious God,
you call us to fullness of life:
deliver us from unbelief
and banish our anxieties
with the liberating love of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

Today is The Tenth Sunday after Trinity, ten weeks into the main block of Ordinary Time in the Church’s liturgical calendar. In the great Seasons, Advent, Christmas, Lent or Easter, we focus on the key Christian events. In Ordinary Time we explore the richness of Christ and Christianity in all their aspects. And today, I think this Collect touches on one of the most important aspects — hope.

But what is this hope, the Christian hope, we’re praying that we’ll never lose?

Christian hope doesn’t mean living in the clouds while we dream of a better life. It isn’t just a projection of what we would like to be, or what we’d like to do. Because of the identity of our God, and because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Christian hope leads us to discover seeds of a new world already present today. It’s a source of energy to live differently, not according to the values of a society based on the thirst for possession and competition.

Hoping means first of all discovering in the depths of the present a life that leads forward and that nothing is able to stop. It also means welcoming this life by a “yes” spoken by our whole being. As we embark on this life, we’re lead to create signs of a different future here and now, in the midst of the difficulties of the world, seeds of renewal that will bear fruit when the time comes.

In the face of an ever more sceptical secular society it will take patience and courage to truly live that life, to truly live the Christian hope. Patience to wait for the seeds of renewal to appear and to germinate. And courage to live differently, and opt out of the thirst for possessions. But that is, I believe, where our true calling as Christians leads us — to live the Christian hope in today’s world.

Lord of heaven and earth,
as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,
give us patience and courage never to lose hope,
but always to bring our prayers before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Tenth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

Do you have a philosophy of life? I imagine many of my readers on this blog will have a philosophy that they try to live by; probably many will be be couched in Christian terms. That’s certainly been the case for me. But, in this post from Lou Tice at the Winners Circle, he talks about a much more closely defined philosophy of life — 25 words or less — than many of us will follow.

Philosophy of Life

Do you have a philosophy of life, for yourself? Could you describe your philosophy to someone else, in 25 words or less?

I spent time this past week with my good friend, Pete Carroll. He happens to be an NFL football coach, but that’s not why I mention this. We were talking with a group of business and community leaders, and Pete asked the group to raise their hands, if they had a philosophy of life. Everybody raised their hands. Then he asked them if they could write it down in 25 words or less. Only two hands went up. Surprised? I wasn’t, and neither was Pete.

You see, while each of us probably does have a core philosophy to live by, very few of us could describe it to another person. We don’t take the time to write it down. Words, whether on paper or in an electronic file, put substance to our beliefs. The words provide a touchstone that we can go back to, when life presents us with difficulties.

Our behaviour, every day, is a reflection of our beliefs. It is the way human beings are built. No matter what we might say, it is our actions that reflect our core beliefs, our philosophy of living. Everything that we do flows from this philosophy. If it doesn’t, that is where stress and anxiety can be found.

Now you may ask, “Lou, if I write down my philosophy, what happens if things change, if I change? Do I doggedly follow my ‘philosophy’?” That’s the beauty of writing things down – the words can be crossed out, erased, and re-written! We are all going to change over time, as we learn the lessons that living teaches us.

So, I will ask this again: Do you have a philosophy of life? Can you describe it in 25 words or less? This weekend, I challenge you to find some quiet time for yourself, and to create your own philosophy – and write it down.

Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute

I found this particularly interesting, and, as with so many of the emails from the Winners Circle, very thought provoking. I don’t have a philosophy of life that could be expressed in 25 words or less — it would take far more. And I wonder if it would have helped me in the last week or so if I had, and think it may well have done. I’ve been feeling quite sorry for myself, to put it mildly, since my recent hospital stay. Not sure what I was expecting, some sort of miracle I think, but I didn’t get it. The therapy I’ve started on is going to take some time to adjust to before I really start to feel the benefits, and the tests I underwent didn’t really show anything. So I’m in much the same place as I was before I went in, and I’d built my hopes up too much that I wouldn’t be — so I’ve been feeling sorry for myself.

If I’d had a more tightly defined philosophy of life, one that could be expressed in 25 words or less, and if I really lived that philosophy, perhaps I could have skipped this horrible low spell. Perhaps it’s even time to go right back to a much more basic, and biblical, philosophy to live life by; one that contains just three words. Jesus is Lord! Jesus is Lord, and everything else can flow from that one simple statement. If I could really live that, then I wouldn’t need to feel sorry for myself — because Jesus is Lord of the bad things as well as the good things; and maybe the bad things aren’t really bad at all.

I have a lot of thinking and praying to do about the way my thoughts have gone as I’ve written this post. Thanks Lou, for another great thought provoking post from the Winners Circle. Do consider signing up to receive the daily emails yourself — they’re well worth reading.

When life knocks you flat, as it will now and then, how do you go about bouncing back up again? In this post from Lou Tice at the Winners Circle he talks about how we might speed the process of bouncing back after adversity up a bit.

Bouncing Back from Adversity

As we move through this season of renewal – at least here in the northern hemisphere – and expectations of new beginnings are as vibrant as the daffodils and camellias, setbacks can seem overwhelming. Today, I want to talk about how to bounce back from adversity.

When adversity strikes, whether it be loss of your job, an illness, a natural disaster or when you take a big hit that really knocks you off your feet for a while, how fast you get up again depends on a number of things, such as: how good your support network is; how solid your self-esteem is; the extent to which you believe that you can control your own destiny, and your experiences at overcoming adversity in the past.

If you want to shorten the time it takes to get back on your feet, try this: Ask yourself how it will look when you no longer have your current problems. Spend time visualizing yourself in that picture and imagining how you’ll feel; do it over and over, day after day, week after week. In addition, list your strengths and past accomplishments and add to this list on a daily basis.

At the same time, set and prioritize some immediate, short-term goals to improve your situation; and write a detailed plan of action for the top three, including day and time.

Once you’ve accomplished a few short-term goals, you may feel ready to do some long-term visioning and goal-setting. Finally – and this is so important – no matter how much you’ve lost, take time to help someone else who is struggling. Even the worst adversity can be used to learn and grow.

Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute

I’ve never been very sure about the whole ‘visualization’ thing. But I have tried some of the techniques Lou Tice advocates in a small way recently. Perhaps it’s time to try them with something bigger, and this might be a good place to start. Life has certainly knocked me flat recently, with the way my health has been. But I think I might be starting back on the upward journey after what has been a long and protracted downward spiral. In that time, there have been a few times when I’ve thought I could detect signs of recovery, only to have hopes dashed again. I hope, and pray, that this time will be different. And, maybe, if I’m successful with Lou’s techniques, I might be back on my feet a little quicker.

Another great post from Lou Tice at the Winners Circle, one that has given me some ideas for how I might get back on my feet a little quicker. His posts are always a great help, and encourage me to think differently about things: If you think you might be helped my reading many more of them, do please consider subscribing for the daily emails yourself.

How are you managing with the trials of living in today’s world? In this post from Lou Tice at the Winners Circle he talks about the various trials we face in different stage’s of our lives.

I once heard that, “Old age is not for sissies.” The fact is, life itself is not for sissies.

When you think about the trials of old age, it is easy to agree that old age is not for sissies. But you know, every age has its trials. When we’re young, we face difficult decisions about education, career and marriage. We struggle to come to terms with our emotions, hormones, and identity issues.

Later, we agonize over raising our children, gaining financial security, and retirement. Life, if we are living it fully, never ceases to present us with challenges and problems to solve. The secret to successful living is not in finding an easy, carefree existence, but in being adequate for the trials that life brings.

Stanley Jones once said that we don’t break down from overwork, but from “under being.” I agree. Most of us are not given too much to cope with. It’s just that sometimes we feel as if our inner resources are low.

A camping supply company slogan puts it this way: “See us for supplies so you can rough it smoothly.” To rough it smoothly through life, you need to be well equipped, too. You need good values, a good support system of people who care about you, a purpose you believe in strongly, an optimistic spirit, respect for others, and respect for yourself, as well.

Just like a well-supplied camper, if you have these things, it won’t matter much if the weather turns bad where you set up camp. You will come through just fine.

Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute

We all face different trials at the various stages of our lives. Sometimes I imagine we can feel we have to cope with more than our share. With my health the way it is, I must admit I probably feel that way far more than I should. A couple of sentences that spring out for me, though, and I hope they will assist me in the future, are, “Most of us are not given too much to cope with. It’s just that sometimes we feel as if our inner resources are low.”

My inner resources are very low at the moment. I’ve been going through a really bad patch with my health for a couple of months now, and I am really struggling. Various changes that have been made to my medications haven’t worked out as was hoped. And we’re now going back to where I was before Christmas, because the thinking is, now, that the changes we made have possibly triggered, and certainly exacerbated, this bad patch. But it is going to take a while to get things stable again. In amongst all that’s been going on, they have discovered something else that’s wrong. I’ll be going into hospital in early May to, hopefully, get that sorted and start some therapy.

So my inner resources are very low at the moment. But I’m hopeful that, with some help, they will be building up again over the next few weeks. And then, I hope, I will be better equipped to cope with the trials of life. In the mean time, I hope to keep things going as normal on this blog, but I have, now, used all of the posts I’d got in reserve in draft form, so could miss occasionally.

Another great post from Lou Tice at the Winners Circle: one that has reminded me that I’m not the only one facing the trials of life, and to think more positively about things. I always find his post a great help; if you think you would benefit from more, do, please, consider subscribing to the daily emails yourself, it won’t cost you anything.

Anybody who reads this blog at all regularly, will know that I’m quite a fan of Lou Tice at the Winners Circle. He has written some amazing stuff; much of it that I’ve found to be a huge help to me on a very personal level. But, I think this one probably surpasses most of what I’ve read before. This time he is talking about happiness, something I’m sure we could all appreciate more of.

Everyone wants to be happy, but not everyone knows how. Today, I will tell you about two ways to be happy.

How do you define “happiness”? Some people think happiness is getting all or most of the things they want. They always have lists of new things they want or are about to get: cars, vacations, fancy clothes, new furniture, or the latest electronic toy.

But often these people are deeply discontented, for no matter how much they acquire, they never seem to have enough. A new acquisition brings them pleasure, but only for a little while. Happiness is always in the future, always appearing, and then disappearing.

Someone once said that there are two ways to be happy: the first is to have all the things you want; the second is to have the wisdom to enjoy the things you have.

When you practice the second way, you are able to appreciate the beauty that exists in the simplest elements of life. Even in hardship, you’ll find many reasons to feel joy on a daily basis. Sure, you’ll feel good when you acquire something new, but your real and lasting happiness will be found in relationships, in simple pleasures, in nature, and in actions that show love.

If you remember that the time to be happy is now, and the place to be happy is where you are, you’ll find a joy that no amount of money can buy.

Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute

It’s so simple, so obvious, and yet so often forgotten — by me as much as by the next person. Whenever I think, consciously, about my own happiness, I always think the second method, and that is what I want to strive for — to find happiness in what I have, where I am. But too often, when I take stock of my life, I find that I’ve actually been trying to find happiness by the first method — but never actually getting anywhere near having all that I want.

As I read this post from Lou Tice, I realized I’ve been doing it again, and getting things all out of perspective. That’s one of the worst things about following the first method of finding happiness, always wanting more, throws everything out of perspective. When in reality, things might not be perfect, but I do have a pretty good life, with much to be thankful for. I should be counting my blessings.

Once again, a posting from Lou Tice at the Winners Circle has helped me to evaluate my life in a good way. I’m usually helped by the daily emails I receive. If you think you might be too, please consider subscribing yourself — it doesn’t cost anything.