"In our fallenness we continually turn in upon ourselves to seek fulfilment without self-offering. Worship makes costly demands on our time and energy. It calls us from the inertia of self-centeredness."
"Left to our own devices we will develop a comfortable spirituality that fails to challenge us. Perhaps it will be perfectly crafted for our own needs, but leaves out those of others."
- Debra K. Farrington. Living Faith Day by Day.
".... the study of Scripture properly results in doxology and praxis - that is, in praise to God and practical application in the lives of believers."
- Richard D. Phillips - Philip Graham Ryken. Editors of Reformed Expository Commentary
- Wayne Jacobsen. Beyond Sundays
"Am i as spontaneously kind to God as I used to be, or am I only expecting God to be kind to me?"
- Oswald Chambers. My Utmost For His Highest
"This is what the Lord says: “‘I remember the devotion of your youth..." Jeremiah 2:2 (NIV)
- Richard Rohr. Everything Belongs.
"I am getting to visit beautiful churches all along the Way:They are gorgeous. And inspiring. And yes, I feel the sacredness when I stand inside of them, look up into those vaulted ceilings and listen to the Mass.
But here is the question I am asking myself: Are these ancient monuments to worship fundamentally different than say… my dining room back home? Are they?
Both have walls that are soaked with stories. Both have floors that are soaked with tears… and hopes. Both are filled with symbolism. Both are arranged around a table where “families” and friends gather. Both are the place where divine work takes place.
You see, the problem with me is not that I need to go out into the world and find more sacred places. The problem with me is that I am too often blind to the sacredness and divine narratives that saturate every facet of my life…
… if I am only awake enough to see it."
- Tony Kriz. Blog
"After Stalin’s death, the Central Committee began to implement a policy of explaining concisely and consistently that it is impermissible and foreign to the spirit of Marxism-Leninism to elevate one person, to transform him into a superman possessing supernatural characteristics, akin to those of a god. Such a man supposedly knows everything, sees everything, thinks for everyone, can do anything, is infallible in his behavior.....
Because not all as yet realize fully the practical consequences resulting from the cult of the individual....."
- Nikita Khrushchev On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences"
(Speech to 20th Congress of the C.P.S.U. Speech Delivered: February 24-25 1956; At the Twentieth Congress of the CPSU February 24-25 1956, Khrushchev delivered a report in which he denounced Stalin’s crimes and the ‘cult of personality’ surrounding Stalin. This speech would ultimately trigger a world-wide split)
"Historically, most people naturally presumed that they would come to God by finding unique spiritual locations, precise rituals, special priests or shamans, or unique sacred words. Our correct behavior or morality around these manifestations would bring us to God or God to us. The majority of us began by looking for the right maps or laws, hoping to pass some cosmic test. The assumption was that if you got the right answers, God would like you. God’s love was highly contingent, and the clever were assumed to be the winners.
But the Bible does not make transformation dependent on cleverness at all; rather, transformation is found in one of God’s favorite and most effective hiding places: humility."
~ Richard Rohr
"I think that we are afraid of the incarnation. Part of it, the fear that drives us is that we have to have our sacred in a certain way. It has to be goldplated and cost of millions cost of thousands, there is something.... i don't know.
And so we have wrestled the cup out of Jesus' hand and replaced it with a chalice. Becuse who doesn't know that a chalice is more sacred than a cup. Never mind that Jesus never used a chalice."
(Father Greg Boyle. Interview woth Krista Tippett. On Being podcast nov 22)
“I'm extremely concerned that we've become experts at the activities of church - to the point that we can do them without God. No matter what our favorite emphasis might be: worship, the gifts, making disciples, the lost, the poor, social justice, liturgy, unity, theology.... There's one thing that’s vastly more important than all of those activities combined – it’s Him. Intimate relationship with Him; with the Father who is rich in mercy and loves us with a great and lavish love.”
~ Tom Zawacki
“There is no mountain, sacred place, or church building where God expects to be worshipped."
Jim Palmer. Notes From Over The Edge
