Two Fools on the Road to Emmaus Podcast – Continuing from last week, the guys talk about the renewing of the mind, the spirit of the law vs. the letter or the law, and how relationship with Jesus can heal the way we see Him, ourselves, and the world around us.
Podcast: Download (Duration: 22:46 — 10.4MB)
I thought this was a great talk about learning to flow in relationship with Jesus. Reflecting on the Latin term: Magis (greater, best) is an important term in Ignatian expression of Christian life. Paul Coutinho asks whether it means doing more or being more. Those who are used up, burnt out or frustrated in ministry, it is worth a watch. Thanks to dotMagis for the video.
Magis: Doing More or Being More? from SLU Mission & Ministry on Vimeo.
News reports in Canada have been surfacing lately about people jumping the H1N1 vaccination queue. (Note: for you Americans, that means they are cutting to the front of the line). In particular, a professional hockey team in Alberta and their families received the vaccine in private, while sundry at-risk people were turned away at public clinics after waiting for hours in line. The ensuing public maelstrom has already resulted in the loss of one government worker’s job.
I find this fascinating for a whole host of reasons, not the least of which is how unfounded our shock and outrage seem. In a culture that has elevated celebrity to a cult of worship, and made it clear that we value our celebrities above ourselves (the everyday people who make the real world go round), is it really shocking that special treatment is doled out to them? Do we really have grounds to cry foul, when we are getting exactly what we clamor for?
Two Fools on the Road to Emmaus Podcast - “The well is deep and you have nothing to draw with” said the women at the well. Jesus smiled and looked at her with love in his eyes and said “Everyone who drinks of the water I give will never thirst again. In fact , the water I give will cause an artesian well or gushing fountains of life to over flow from your life!”
The life of Jesus is at work in us and the over flow is ministry. It seems however that sometimes we lose sight of living water and settle for the substitutes, the aggrandizement of self – fame, fortune, popularity, etc. Then once attaining these wonder why we still feel as “thirsty” as we did before! What if the things we have been drinking, with their promise of life, don’t deliver? What if… rich or poor, famous or obscure we could drink of the living water and be truly satisfied regardless of the situations of life?
The key seems to be to lay down the complicated doctrines designed to entice and manipulate the hand of God into giving us something that in fact He already has. It seems that as we approach God with empty hands, trusting in His love and goodness we experience the profound presence and we are satisfied.
In simplicity of the DEEP but simple revelation of the love of God for us and all of His creation, we discover true identity. It is from this place we discover healthier mission, gifts, community, discipleship, evangelism and so on.
Podcast: Download (Duration: 25:08 — 11.5MB)
Two Fools on the Road to Emmaus Podcast - “We” want our McJesus! and the difference of Child-like and childish – the guys continue discussing structure and how healthy structures can facilitate healthy faith. Even “non-structures” are in fact structures themselves and can be just as dysfunctional as the most institutional ones. As always they guys bring it all back to Jesus suggesting the structures themselves can cease being healthy when in fact they become an idol – when we identify ourselves and our clan by them.
The guys also share after years of examining different models and lots of history, the common denominator in it all is human beings, so perhaps… just perhaps we need to examine why that is and some ways of growing beyond them! Guess what? We are back to Jesus! and around the mountain we go!
Podcast: Download (0.0KB)