Just One

October 18, 2015 Leave a comment

Just One

I am putting the Agenda for an Interfaith Prayer Service, entitled, “Just One,” up for viewing on my blog site. For well over one month, I have been promoting this idea in my local community, but so far nothing all that substantial has occurred. It is my understanding that for some the idea is too radical. I have sent it to a couple of international organizations also, whom I thought may be interested. So far, I have no response, and it is getting cold for the refugees who are still homeless and moving in mass across Europe. I thought if I would share it on the internet, someone might want to pick up all or part of the ideas and use them, even to help Just One refugee family.

From my point of view, all the wars, nationalism, and military solutions to the world’s problems have failed and now is the time to consider a kinder and gentler solution to Evil, that of loving one’s enemies, of doing good to those who despitefully use us, and sitting down together at the same table in the presence of our enemies.

I know I am just an activist radical, to think like this, but if it is beneficial to just one homeless refugee family, that is enough. Please feel free to take any or all of what I have written, and use it with or without permission for human good and decency’s sake.

Below is some background concerning the process of trying to get this implemented, which has not yet happened, then the Agenda for the Interfaith Prayer event itself. If you would like a Word formatted document with color highlighting, please contact me via commenting on this document on WordPress.

Thanks,

John Cooper

Hello _____________________________

Thanks for asking me to further explain my plans for Tuscaloosans FOR Refugees. I capitalize FOR because that is the acronym which the Fellowship of Reconciliation goes by. I am a member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the oldest Interfaith Peace and Nonviolent organization in the world, which is this year celebrating its 100th anniversary. This action is an action I am proposing partially stemming from my association with FOR, and also my long time, since 1969, beliefs in Peace and Nonviolence and social justice for all.

I proposed this event to be hosted by ______________Church, where I attend. Although the Elders at _______________ Church decided it was beyond the mission and vision of _______________ Church, as I proposed it, ________________ Church was moved to action from my suggestions and prepared a video and commentary, and had corporate prayer at ______________ Church for the refugee crisis. It is possible some of this preparation from _______________Church could be helpful in this proposal.

I realize what I am proposing is a pretty big plan, even for _____________________, but I remind you of Pope Francis’ call for every European Catholic parish to host one refugee family. What if every city in the United States and the world took in just one family? What if every faith based organization in the United States, and the world, including Christians of all persuasions, the Jewish Synagogues, and the Moslem temples, took in just one family… Just one, and Just one, starts with each of us, where we are, in our Faith based Trek. Notice that I deliberately capitalized “Just.” It is a matter of Justice, which all believers in the three great faiths care for the stranger, and the texts of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim, and if one believes “just” in humanitarianism, which I have quoted in the proposed prayer service, indicate this very thing.

I envision this as just not a Silent Prayer service, but as a seed that could grow into other cities, communities, and nations. I believe that Mercedes Benz, especially, as a major corporate presence in our community, whose Motherland is so graciously hosting many of the refugees, should participate eagerly, asking to bring in at least One refugee family and providing a job for the head of that household, even if the family cannot yet speak English, or German, even if it is just washing windows at Mercedes, cleaning bathrooms, or mowing the lawn. I believe that the University of Alabama should do the same, Just one family. I believe that the City of Tuscaloosa should do the same, Just one. I believe that ___________________ Church may wish to do the same, Just one. Other churches in Tuscaloosa may have the financial or Spiritual resources to do the same Just one. In fact, due to ___________________ asking me to clarify my request, my Vision of this is growing even greater. I believe our slogan should be “Just one.” I believe there is a “Just” God who is watching us to see if we have a heart for those for whom he had a heart, the wayfaring stranger, coming out of Egypt, the early displaced Christians, and millions and millions of poor, rat upon, sat upon, spat upon refugees who were at one time welcomed into this nation, the United States, who cried out to the world to “give us your poor.” What has happened to us? Can mankind repent of the hatred, war, and injustices which have never worked, and realize mankind’s mission is to care for the earth, to dress and keep it, in terms of the book of Genesis, and to be our Brother’s Keeper, also a concept from the book of Genesis?
My prompting is to assemble a team of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and Muslims, and humanitarians, to plan this event. Perhaps _______________ who is pretty good at putting together teams, might want to lend his expertise and name to this event. I believe it absolutely crucial for Mayor _______________ to be a part of this event. I have already been in communications with him and he has asked what time it would occur. I believe Mayor __________________will do this. If so, what an example that would be to the world, especially considering how our community was devastated by the tornado a few years ago, and how many came to help us in our crisis. We could also have a Sister City in Germany, who is hosting refugees.

Here is the proposed Mission and Vision:
We believe that to bring Thankfulness for what has been done for us in the community of Tuscaloosa after our devastation, and to share our prayers and concerns as a community for the refugees, and to garner funds to donate for those actually doing the ground work of providing for the refugees, that we as Just one city, Just one Person, should take this action, to pray and share our resources as we are prompted, even if it is to Just one.

Please let me know when you both would like to discuss this proposal. The proposed Agenda is below:

Agenda

Mayor’s Welcome:
Mayor __________________________welcomes all Faith’s and even non faiths to our humanitarian event in his own words and explains the Agenda.

Formational Jewish Testamentary readings:

Ex 12:37-42

37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. 39 With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.

40 Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD’s divisions left Egypt. 42 Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come.
NIV
Reader: “This is the Word of God.”
Audience, in unison: “Thanks be to God.”

Interlude: Three minutes of silent Prayers by audience.

Second Formational Testamentary Reading:
Jer 7:1-8
7:1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Stand at the gate of the LORD’s house and there proclaim this message:

“‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. 3 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.
NIV

Reader: “This is the Word of God.”
Audience, in unison: “Thanks be to God.”

Interlude: Three minutes of silent Prayers by audience.
Deut 10:12-11:1

12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

14 To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. 16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. 20 Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. 22 Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
NIV
Reader: “This is the Word of God.”
Audience, in unison: “Thanks be to God.”

Interlude: Three minutes of silent Prayers by audience.

Third Formational Testamentary Reading:

Deut 26:12-13

12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.
NIV
Reader: “This is the Word of God.”
Audience, in unison: “Thanks be to God.”

Interlude: Three minutes of silent Prayers by audience.
Offertory with Musical interlude: (Pianist or violinist, or both. A woman Dressed in Blue with long dress and headscarf brings bushel basket to front and each participant brings their own and their organization’s gifts…
Woman: “These are the gifts to God!”
Audience, in unison: “Thanks be to God.”
Interlude: Three minutes of silent Prayers by audience.
Formational Christian Testamentary Readings:
Matt 25:31-46
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 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, 36 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.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
NIV

Reader: “This is the Word of God.”
Audience, in unison: “Thanks be to God.”

Interlude: Three minutes of silent Prayers by audience.
Formational Islamic Quaranic Readings:

59:9. And (in this wealth there is also a share) for those (Ansâr, the Helpers) who had settled in the city (of Madînah) and had embraced the Faith before these (Refugees arrived there). They love those who migrated to them for refuge and (who) even though poverty be their own lot, found no desire in their hearts for that which is given to them (- Refugees) but they gave them (- Refugees) preference over themselves. And (bear in mind that) those saved from the covetousness of their souls are the ones to achieve the goal.

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كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ مِنكُمْ

59:7-10 The statement: “That (wealth) should not circulate among your rich people” lays down the basic principle of social economics and justice. The less privileged groups of a society are described in this and the following four verses. The wealth is in the hands of few, but this wealth has been created through the labour of both the rich and the poor, therefore the less privileged should also benefit from the wealth of the rich. This social justice was introduced by Islam in the teachings of the Holy Qur’ân and not by any western revolutionary like Marx, or Lenin, who taught corrupted forms of this basic principle. It is significant to note that the wealth of the rich is neither condemned nor are any limitations laid on them.

Reader: “This is the Word of God.”
Audience, in unison: “Thanks be to God.”

Interlude: Three minutes of silent Prayers by audience.

Formational Humanitarian Readings:

There are many challenges facing the international community today but few, in my mind, are more pressing than those of finding humanitarian solutions to refugee problems. We talk of regional conflicts, of economic and social crises, of political instability, of abuses of human rights, of racism, religious intolerance, inequalities between rich and poor, hunger, over-population, under-development and. I could go on and on. Each and every one of these impediments to humanity’s pursuit of well-being are also among the root causes of refugee problems.
Reader: Quoted From: — Poul Hartling, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 1978-1985
Audience, in unison: “Thanks to all who Love and care for the world and each other.”

Interlude: Three minutes of thought and reflection audience.

Benediction: (Mayor) “Let us go out into our community, with love, peace, and good will for all!”

Announcement of Fellowship Meal: (Host Pastor_________________)
[Tables in front containing 5 loaves of bread in a basket, and 5 fishes, One Cup with wine, and One Cup with Grape Juice, One cup with Milk, a plate of dates, and a plate of Matzos]
All are welcome to come to the table row by row and eat and drink from common food and common cup, each taking a small sip and breaking off a small piece of the food.
[This will take volunteer cup hearers, and others to replenish supplies – young men and women of different Faiths recommended…]
People are welcomed to stay to fellowship as long as desired, or to come back to the table if food is left.

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Oh Comma, Where Art Thou?

September 8, 2015 Leave a comment

Oh, Comma, Where Art Thou?

Life changing decisions can be made as a result of how one reads texts. At least it was, in my case….

Christians are to derive joy from their association with and walk with Christ, but as a Christian, or non-Christian, for that matter, who is one spiritually grounded, one eventually realizes that the trek in this life can suffer from challenges and pain.

So it is with a Christian’s walk with Jesus, which includes a walk to the cross, which includes carrying the cross, which includes suffering with those we love, as well as joy with those we love, including Jesus.

I am reminded of my formational period of Christian conversion, a time around 18 or 19 years old when my belief system was being changed and formed into the person I eventually became. At that time, I was attending Samford University, a private Baptist college in Birmingham, AL. This was in 1967 or 1968, soon after the Civil Rights Movement was active in that city. It was also during the time of the Vietnam War, and my foundational beliefs in Peace and Nonviolence, which I hold to this day, were being formed as a part of my conversion experience.

One of the classes I was taking was, I believe, a survey of the New Testament taught by Dr. Aubrey Lunsford, if I recall his name correctly. It came time to talk about Heaven and Hell, the cross, and such subjects. Dr. Lunsford believed that upon death one immediately goes to heaven, into the presence of God. At that time I was beginning to believe in a doctrine called “Soul Sleep,” which essentially states that at death, the soul returns to God, and is resurrected at a future time along with everyone else who has died, then some go to live with God in his Kingdom, and some go to Hell, which was in my view at that time, to suffer annihilation, not to cruelly suffer for all eternity, as was the predominate belief then.

Dr. Lunsford and I were discussing such matters in class one day, and as proof of his belief that one goes immediately to heaven when one dies, he presented the Scripture, Luke 23: 39-43:

39.)”And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If you be Christ, save yourself and us. 40.) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Do not you fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? 41.) And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss. 42.) And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 43And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, Today shall you be with me in paradise.”

I knew exactly where he was going with this, and piped up in class that there were no commas in the original Greek text and the Scripture should actually be read as “Truly I say to you today, you shall be with me in paradise.” Dr. Lunsford knew there were no commas in the original text, and it seemed he had never heard such reasoning back then, in 1967 or 1968. My reading at that time would put the resurrection of the body at some time in the future, which it may be, but what about the Spirit that returns to God at death? What about the Soul, and when it returns to God? Will it be awake, or will it be asleep? Dr. Lunsford did not know what to say back then, and my opinion was not changed, nor was his. Nowadays, one can easily research the comma matter using the internet and make one’s own decision.

In conjunction with how one reads this verse, and where on places the comma, I would like to bring up this question, “When does the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Jesus, begin?”. Did it begin immediately after Jesus’ death on the cross? Does it begin when Jesus returns? Is the Kingdom in us now, or among us now, or in the future, or both?

How we read things and were we put commas can drastically change our lives. When do we want to enter God’s Kingdom, and to be with Jesus? Do we want it to be today? Do we want it to be immediately after we die? Do we just want to sleep for some intermediate number of years, a thousand or so? Do we not want any of this and say there is no God, no resurrection, no Kingdom, no hell, no way to be with Jesus, not today, tomorrow, at death, after death, and just leave me alone, thank you?

Oh comma, where art thou?

Grace and Peace,

John Cooper

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Bare Feet

July 12, 2015 Leave a comment

BARE FEET

On my trip back to Illinois this week, “purportedly” to celebrate the fourth of July, 2015, which would be better spent celebrating the Kingdom of God, Wink, my aunt Joan McCulley, and I trekked to the Amish country in Arthur, Illinois, as is our habit on trips up north, where I was born and raised. We went to shop at Beachy’s, an Amish grocery store, and at another Amish Salvage Store, and I purchased some tools at an Amish tool store to help replace some that were stolen…etc.

 
This reflection is not about buying things, food, tools, or whatever one needs. This reflection is about bare feet. Bare feet, lightning bugs, corn and soybeans growing silently, horses hooves clock, clocking along the road, Amish believers in peace and nonviolence, and a God who loves. That is what this reflection is about, a portrayal of the Kingdom of God…..and bare feet.

 
It is about little girls, young women, little boys, all in touch with God’s beautiful creation, dressed in pale blue, a peaceful color, silently walking on God’s earth with bare feet. I see no reason men cannot participate in bare feet, shod in the Gospel of Peace…

 
When is the last time you saw people walking with bare feet? When is the last time you walked with bare feet, with mud and perhaps horse or cow manure squishing up between your toes? Bare feet….. I used to do it. You can do it too….. Bare feet touching God’s green earth, bare feet touching the bicycle pedal as I witnessed today a young Amish girl of 8 or 9 years old, riding her bicycle to the Amish grocery store with a little wagon behind to purchase some needed goods from the store for her family an haul it back, in bare feet, we smiled at each other, knowingly, believing in my imagination, and hopefully in hers, that God is in us, in all creation, and the Kingdom of God is coming, hopefully soon, very soon.

 
Bare feet, a family in line at the grocery store, all excepting the male, (whom I am certain was working,) mother in shoes, four or five little girls in line behind her, all in bare feet.

 
Given that there is a God in heaven, a God who loves all mankind and all his creation, I really and truly believe we all need to get out of our fine clothes, suits and ties, military uniforms, shoes and such pretentious “adornment” and get down to bare feet with each other, touching each other, smiling at each other, looking each other in the eye, letting our bare feet feel the earth God gave us all to dress and to keep.

 
Do some walking together with each other, friends and enemies, in bare feet. It is good, it is good for the soul to walk on bare feet!

 

 

Grace & Peace,

John Cooper

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Mary Magdalene

April 8, 2015 Leave a comment

Mary Magdalene

Today is Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday. Our St. Ignatius reflections today focused on John 20 and the resurrection event.
My personal focus today was on all of this in relationship to Mary Magdalene. What I write is mainly out of my imagination. I think when one dies it would be good to have at least one person who really loves you, more would be better. I imagine Mary Magdalene loved Jesus the most, perhaps even more than Jesus’ mother, Mary, or even more than the Apostle John. It was a different kind of love for each of these people.

 
Mary Magdalene is said to be a sinner, but we are all sinners and need to know how big of sinners we are, just like Mary Magdalene. Some say she was a prostitute, but there is no evidence of that being true that I know of. There are other ways to sin. Mary was rich. She gave lots of money to support Jesus. She loved Jesus. Jesus was broke. All He had worked for all his life physically was gone. He had some good years too, and had money at times in his life when some wealthy people around Capernaum would hire Him. One time Mary hired to make a chest of drawers for her clothing. She had some nice clothes. Some people said she should have worn more of them sometimes, but she wanted to look good to the men and be compelling to them. She was about 30 years old, a beautiful woman with long red hair. Oh, the chest Jesus built had dovetail drawer joints, hand cut ones too. The drawers opened smoothly on wood runners one would put a little wax on occasionally to make them slide easily. The air would whoosh out just right as one closed the drawers. Jesus always remembered making that chest for Mary. She paid him well and gave him a hug when delivered it to her home. Jesus loved Mary.

 
After Jesus died, Mary cried all night. It was the Sabbath and she knew she should be sleeping and resting, but she just couldn’t do it. All she had ever believed in Jesus and other “religious” stuff and how He said one should overcome the evil and sin she had done, and overcoming evil with good, which to her was the Goodness and presence of Jesus in her life had been taken away.

 
Mary did not know what to do. Mary was a “true believer”. It was cool that Sunday morning and Mary got up very early, having tossed and turned all night, and slid out one of the drawers in the chest Jesus built for her as she gently wept in the subdued light of the blood moon that year. There aren’t many years the moon looks like that, but the Jewish sages had talked about blood moons before and Mary wondered if maybe God had caused something to make the moon look that way, just because Jesus had died. She put on more clothes than normal, heavier ones, but not her best because she would be out in a garden area close to where the tomb was. Most everybody knows the story about Mary and how she went to the tomb and the angels were there and the tomb was empty. Jesus was not there. I read it again and I cried as Mary realized it was Jesus, really, alive again and she loved him so much and hugged him again, a long time, just like when Jesus built the chest of drawers. Jesus had to tell her to let loose, it was getting too emotional for both of them. But all of us who know Jesus want to cling to him too…

 
Most everybody knows about these things; her story has been told and retold for thousands of years. I am just filling in some details of how it could have been, how I imagine it and how Mary ran with long hair flowing, and danced as she skipped along the Judean hills to go to tell Peter. Mary was the very first Evangelist, telling this good and wonderful news. A woman was not supposed to be a witness back then, but she did it anyway because Jesus, whom she loved, told her to do it. “Go and tell” Jesus said.

 
Let us go and tell it too…

 

John Cooper

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One Cup

March 23, 2015 Leave a comment

One Cup

In asking for the grace to understand and appreciate the Eucharist’s as Jesus’ self-gift, my meditations today were on Matt. 26: 26-29.  This is where Jesus instituted the symbols that are elements of this observance.

“Take, eat, this is my body”. ..….

“Drink of it, all of you.”…..

Jesus stated “this is the blood of the covenant”.

I thought of ways people are remembered after they die, tombstones, pictures, stories, buildings, etc., but none of these things last like the living symbols and an ordinance or Sacrament Jesus gave us by which to remember Him.  I thought back to Psalm 22, which has been on my mind this week.  The Psalm which starts “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”, this Psalm was on Jesus’ mind too as he died on the cross.  Some think, and I have heard Fr. Joseph Tetlow say, that Jesus recited the whole Psalm on the cross.

 

The final verses of this Psalm are (v. 30-31).

“Posterity shall serve Him;
men shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation,

and proclaim His deliverance to a people yet unborn,

that He has wrought it.”

I do not think these symbols, the Eucharist; this Sacrament should be closed to anyone.  It should be shared with all who want and need Spirituality, and want to hear of this living story.  The Eucharist is exactly how Christians have told Jesus’ story as a living memorial for thousands of years to the coming generations.  Also I think there should be one cup, and we all drink out of it.  I am about tired of those little plastic Protestant types of cups 🙂 🙂      Oh, and for me, make that “real wine” 🙂 🙂

 

In addition to the above, which was a part of my St. Ignatius, 19th Annotation, Exercises today, I think these thoughts fit into the theme of Peace…  I understand that Islam is a religion of Peace, that it is really bad if a Muslim does not show hospitality to a stranger or a friend.  One of my Muslim friends, a Sunni, (one of those Pharisee types,) in fact, came with me to eat at a Hooligan’s , a Mediterranean restaurant here in Tuscaloosa, and brought his own tea, and cups, in a little kit with a thermos to keep it hot, and we drank together, and ate together.  He even attempted to evangelize me to the Muslim way.  I appreciated that he cared for me…    If it were up to me, which mostly it isn’t, but it used to be, and I were serving the Eucharist, I would offer the bread and the wine to him, but warn him first, if you take out of this One Cup, unworthily, you might die…  I think he would respect my beliefs, as I respected his, and we would continue to be friends, not enemies…

 

Love & Peace,

 

John Cooper

Filed under blood, Catholic, Christ, Christian, Communion, Cross, Death, Easter, Eucharist, Lord's Supper, Palm Sunday, Peace, St. Ignatius, Uncategorized

My Sin

March 1, 2015 Leave a comment

My Sin

Before I get going on my reflections for this morning, day 166 of my St. Ignatius exercises, let me tell you about what happened to me last night when I woke up one time. I realized I had sinned. Let me tell you about it and confess it…..

 
It was on Monday, after I had gone to my Chiropractor, Dr. David Hitt, on a special visit because my back had been killing me and I had numbness in my right leg, and still do for that matter. I went into the post office to get my mail and on the way back to my truck noticed an older looking slightly blue, faded out car. I walked by it and suddenly the door popped open and a woman, perhaps a widow, or at least she had no husband with her, popped her head out in the cold air. I think I noticed a little child in a car seat in the back. Oh no, I immediately thought, I am about to be scammed, as she smiled a toothy smile that indicated she could use some dental work.

 
“Could I get a jump?” she asked with eyes looking up pleadingly. In my haste, thinking I was to be taking it easy according to my Chiropractor, I felt a sense of relief that it was not money she was asking for, but out of my mouth came the words, “I can’t do that”, as I continued to walk on. “Oh well, thanks anyway”, she politely said. I felt a little bad about it, hoping someone else would help her but I did not. I lied. I could have and probably would have if she had perhaps not surprised me, or had been a little more presentable, or perhaps had a lower cut in her dress or some other way. I sinned and will have more to say about it later.

 
Today in my Ignatian reflections I chose to meditate on Luke 21 verses 1 through 4, the text you will recognize about Jesus watching the poor widow give two copper coins into the Temple Treasury. That was all she had, Jesus said, and that had given more than all those rich folks who gave out of their plentitude.

 
Well, I got to thinking I had done something similar a couple of times in the past, but not really, because it was not really everything I had, but it was a sacrifice to me. Then “DING”, I realized the connection between my waking in the middle of the night in guilt, worried about my sin against the poor person in the car who only wanted a jump, not everything I had. Had she asked me for money too, as I suspected she would, I should have given her some. This woman was the Temple. Jesus was living in her and Jesus was watching me.

 
I was given a gift of repentance this morning as I confessed my sin and I confess it to you. Let me quote below:

 
“If you’re going to care about the fall of the sparrow, you can’t pick and choose who’s going to be the sparrow. It’s everybody.”

Madeleine L’Engle

 
Father, forgive me, for I have sinned. Also, I will be watching for this same person again. Maybe I can apologize, and listen to her story… Let me, let her, tell me, her story…

 
Epilogue:
Most of my writings on this blog site are promoting Peace and Nonviolence. Actually, this one does too. Confession and self-purification is a principle of Peace with ourselves and others, of not doing violence to ourselves and others in that we should confess our sins to one another. We should do it as Nations, as people groups, religious systems, and as individuals to set ourselves free of the interior black holes in our lives that close in on themselves if we do not.

 

Grace & Peace,

 

John Cooper

Filed under Catholic, Christ, Christian, Nonviolence, Peace, Sin, Uncategorized

A Christian Response to Beheading

February 20, 2015 Leave a comment

“A Christian Response to Beheading”

What have I done to you?

I love you…

I believe there is good in you…

Eli, Eli, Allah, Abba, Father, what have I done to this person..

Please forgive their sin…

We will meet again…

I am just a seed that will grow,

My blood, out of the ground, again…

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Filed under blood, Christian, Death, Isis, Peace, Uncategorized

Look Up

October 24, 2014 Leave a comment

I have been in operation on one of my  St. Ignatian pledges for the day for a couple of days, basically the same one, which is this:

Seek, Identify, and feel God’s presence in myself and in others, and share it….

This is a step in self-trancendence, as I see it…

I came upon this link today:  http://go.sojo.net/site/R?i=kGXv9bb2-_pkyJzTcM6w_w

Just to think… Whatever tragedies hit our lives, just to pick up our eyes to look into the eyes of another beautiful human being created in God’s Image, is one step to Eternity.. It is a step outside of ourselves, into the I Am of another..

Love & Peace,

John Cooper

Filed under Christ, Christian, Holy Spirit, Identity, Nonviolence, Sandy Hook, Uncategorized

Brother’s Blood

August 26, 2014 5 Comments

Brother’s Blood

In this terrible world of the past month and a half, let us not let Evil creep up on us and invite us to partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…

Accepting what is evilly inspired…

Let us hear the cry of our brother’s blood rising up from the earth,

Let us be aware that a major culprit of the violence and killing of the past few weeks is religion…

Let us walk in the Garden with God, as did Adam, and Eve, before religion…

Let us believe in God, as did Abraham, before religion…

Religion is a temporary phenomenon in this world’s history…

Religion is created by man in his own image as a bridge to reach the One God whose Kingdom already lives in us, and we in Him…

Relationships with God, and each other, and the supernatural ability to hear our brother’s blood cry from the ground are primal gifts we should strive to possess….

Not to strive against each other,

I think we are our brother’s keeper, all of our brothers…

Listen to your brother’s blood, and the survivors of our brothers’ blood who have bled under the altar of Evil, and have gone before us…..

Grace & Peace,

John Cooper

Filed under blood, Christ, Christian, Cross, Death, Grace, Holy Spirit, Kingdom of God, New Covenant, Nonviolence, Peace, Politics, Uncategorized

Kingdom Come

July 20, 2014 Leave a comment

KINGDOM COME

In the process of forming my thoughts, in mid-July, 2014, regarding the Gaza – Israel conflict, I believe we should be concerned, very concerned, about the state of ethics in today’s world. Is it possible for mankind to look beyond its own little kingdoms to a greater kingdom than one that serves our own particular selfish ambitious and conceitful needs as individuals, as families, as tribes, and nations?

Some believe the mantra for peace in the world is to overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love. The much more predominate view has historically been to overcome evil with force, or more evil, not with good. This view is known in some circles as the “Myth of Redemptive violence”. It is known by thinking people as a “myth” because it has never worked and has never been proven in thousands of years.

Likewise, the myth of the “Just War” theory, developed over thousands of years of Roman Catholic thinking processes has never been proved, has never worked, and even more amazingly, even though proclaimed and sacrificed for, and died for, has never been followed. Just one of the tenants of the “Just War” theory is the ethic of proportionality, meaning if your enemy pulls out your fingernail on one thumb for instance, you do not have a right to cut off your enemies’ hand. Another tenant of the “Just War” theory is that non-combatant civilians are to be protected and not attacked and killed for militaristic purposes.

As we think back through history, including and especially including the history of the Americas, and Medieval Christianity, including the carpet bombing of Europe, and the vaporization of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the decimation of the American Indians, etc. We can readily see that proportionality and protection of non-combatants do not apply at all to so called “Christian” militiamen who may subscribe to the “just war” theory. I do not subscribe to this theory at all, nor did the early martyrs of the real Christian Church.

There are other rules mankind has adopted of a similar nature s in the “Rules of War”. The “Rules of War” are also not followed. I do not subscribe to the “Rules of War” either. But both the “Just War” theory and the “Rules of War” theories offer some less than totally barbaric principles that are better than having no principles at all. However, these principles are not followed either. Israel is definitely not following them in the current crisis and should be Internationally sanctioned, in my view for the disproportional, unjust devastation of innocent lives of men, women, and children.

Concerning the Gaza-Israel conflict today, is it okay for Israel to bomb civilian targets if they give prior warning for Palestinians to leave? Where are the Palestinians going to go, anyway, since they are fenced in? Is it okay for Hamas to launch rockets into Israel not knowing where they will land and who they will kill? Hamas is guilty too, and so is the United States for supplying Israel with weapons of mass destruction, and so is Iran for supplying Hamas with lesser weapons of mass destruction. It is also unconscionable for Israel to possess nuclear weapons, as well as the United States, Russia, and all others who possess them.

I am thinking of all these kingdoms and how all these kingdoms fight and war against one another, all of them whose citizens consist of precious human flesh and blood, including the precious flesh and blood of the Americans, British, German, Russian, Japanese, etc. Flesh and blood beautiful people have died with their women and children. Likewise, American Indians, Black slaves, Chinese, Syrians, Iraqis, and Somali’s, Sudanese, Nigerians, Colombians, etc. have died, due to brutal and inhumane force.

Kingdoms of the world fight against each other, which is just the way it is, the way it has always been. However, is that the way it will always be? I can think of one human being, at least one, who said NO! That is not the way it will always be. There is a Kingdom to come that will not be like the other kingdoms. This Kingdom was mentioned in Hebrew scripture (and rejected by Jews). This Kingdom was mentioned in Christian scripture (and rejected by Christians). This Kingdom was mentioned in Islamic scriptures (and rejected by Muslims).

It is a Kingdom NOT of this world. It is a Kingdom that comes after the laws and the prophets, including what some view as the final prophet. Yet, it is a Kingdom here now, which we can join. It is a Kingdom of God, which we, all human beings, need to become citizens of, a Kingdom of grace and peace. A Kingdom of religion without compulsion, without forcing laws because we willingly love and care for one another, and care for our beautiful earth. Anybody can join this Kingdom now, from any religion, or final religion. It is a Kingdom to be ruled by self- governance, which is ruling over ourselves internally, firstly. and loving others externally, including our enemies.

Here is a link of the Christian Theologian, N.T. Wright being interviewed by Gary Deddo, an official of Grace Communion International, the old Worldwide Church of God, which I was a member of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MblLTC75KOc. I believe this video will give all of us a broader perspective of the Kingdom of God. In the interview, please notice how references to nonviolence are spoken of as being signatory of the Kingdom of God. I hope you will watch and listen…..

The Christian Church, Militant and Triumphant, the Jewish religion, Militant and Triumphant, and Islamic religion, Militant and Triumphant, are not exemplary of the Kingdom of God as God, NOT of this world, God intends his Kingdom to be. To me, the Kingdom of God consists of

One Human Family

One God

One Kingdom

We are members of each, all of us, and all of us members of each other, brothers and sisters, in One human family, created by One God, and members of One Kingdom of God. To be in submission to this threefold principle of being one with each other, one with God, and each, regardless of our religion at this time, participants in one Divine Kingdom, to me, is a key of Peace.

Our enemy is our neighbor. Believe it – love him. This is the Kingdom in you and in Him, and in me.

Grace & Peace,

John Cooper

Filed under Christ, Christian, Grace, Jersulem, Kingdom Come, Kingdom of God, Nonviolence, Peace, Submission, Uncategorized

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