giving thanks

...for so many things, for life, for sobriety,for my beloved wife, my wonderful enlightening children,for family,for health, for my senses,to see to hear to touch smell taste to experience.Most of all to be a very very small servant of my Lord,one that screws up much more than not, still, who is loved beyond any possible imaginings. God bless and a wonder filled thanksgiving.

how then to live?

This is the question that faces us, me, in the 21st century. How to live a faith filled life in opposition , as it were,to societal values. Whatever the original intent upon the founding, this experiment in democracy has warped into something that is barely recognizable . Look at the people who frame this debate,look at what and for whom they speak;billionaire oligarchs ,multi national corporations who are faceless,nameless, and never ever held accountable. The Powers and principalities that Paul spoke of , are here and now in control. No secret there.What then can one poor middle aged man do?I can refuse getting involved in their madness, playing their political games, turning their hatred around with steadfastness and humility. I can read the Bible and listen to the revelation,right here and now, not simply from millennia past. I can live accordingly, which does not mean to act is if the past 1500 years have not occurred, as is the case in a recent book.Living like Jesus means going inward,not outwards.It means living a life of unlimited mercy,of forgiveness, of difficult choices .of love and understanding.All of these words are bandied about with such utter contempt that they have lost their flavor,love becomes a greeting card or a movie, instead of,to quote Dostoevsky" a harsh and dreadful thing." harsh and dreadful because we love the difficult, the street person, the drunk, the junkie,the exploited and abused[they run hand in hand] woman,the kid with no adult around,the old person who is as needy and dependent as an infant,and who smiles much less.And to do these things, not for some personal glory,or because there is a reward,simply because our Lord demanded it of us, and gave us this as our calling. To have the son of God strip down to his waist and perform the duties of a servant by washing the feet of his assembled friends is an act of humility and sacredness that is beyond any comprehension.Yet,paradoxically ,that is what we are charged with,to live our lives in emulation of HIS SERVICE.We may need a revolution, the revolution that Jesus calls for is one of love and mercy and service.The world is not yet ready, we,I need to sow those seeds.Today.

brothers

 

getting ready

 

Siobhan and himself

 

Melis and Chris

 

DAD

 

again

 

The greatest love

 

Knock knock

 

three generations

 

himself

 

Grandmas redux

 

Grandmas

 

Liam and Fr. Jim Krisch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

`more communion

 
 
 
 

a theology of friendship

It is a formidable title for such a natural thing.I was struck,years ago, by a comment by a Dutch worker priest, Egide Van Broeckhoven,who said"My vocation is to teach men the mystical depths of friendship." I have held onto that quote,held it deep and close by,and have haltingly tried to live by it. A few years back, someone took offense at something that I did not say but was attributed to me.Either way, it caused a fissure that was unnecessary and caused great pain.I made a vow/promise that from then on I would only speak well of others, so that I would never again run the risk of misquote or be the cause of this kind of crap.Being a true friend is infinitely more difficult than being a buddy or a pal. I realize this sounds trite,however,the mystical depths of friendship means [to me] that we meet in the Lord, in that place which exists in the point vierge`,and THAT is what makes it special.Or maybe it is the example of Will D. Campbell ,when we believe what he said "We're all bastards, God just loves us anyway." Amen

non -posed

 

The Word of the Lord

 

Preparation