Jack’s Winning Words 9/30/21

“You came here empty-handed, and you will leave here empty-handed.”  (Hindu Quote)  Last month my great-grand daughter came into this world empty-handed, just as each of us did.  The Hindu proverb says that as we came, so will we leave…empty-handed.  There’s a saying: “There are no pockets in a shroud.”  I like to concentrate on the beliefs my friends and I have in common, no matter what our religion might be.  Is there some person in your circle of friends who has a “religion” different from yours?  Is there something that you’ve learned because of that relationship?  ;-)  Jack

FROM WILLMAR REV:   I’ve got a number of friends I’ve learned from with religious differences in the same religious faith…some of my Catholic friends  will say when you Protestants can’t get ever get your doctrine straight you form another denomination?! 0:-)===JACK:  I learned from you that the Assembly of God really has a goal of helping people to know that there's a God who cares about them.===REV:  It's been a very welcomed journey sharing our pastoral finds, experiences and wisdom learned over these many years!! 0;-)===JACK:  Sometimes it takes many years to learn the simple lesson...We are on this journey...together! 

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  i always like thoughts that help me understand the stewardship of life.   no pockets in a shroud.  we don't take it with us when we leave this world.  you never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer:):):)===JACK: i always like thoughts that help me understand the stewardship of life.   no pockets in a shroud.  we don't take it with us when we leave this world.  you never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer:):):)===JACK:  People can immediately visualize the U-Haul trailer.  A shroud with no pockets takes some thought, but it's not wrong to aske the congregation to think once in awhile.

FROM YOGA TEACHER:  It has been my privelege to work with many persons from India in my positions in IT.  Although a lot of those persons do not believe in a monotheastic God,  the level of piety and respect is hard to match in the western culture.  It is perplexing to a great degree!  The learning lesson is piety.===JACK:  I'm currently reading a book of Essays on Hindu Theology, and I'm learning the Hinduism in America is adapting more to the western style of "doing religion" that most people realize.

FROM MY LAWYER:  So many! And, so much!!!===JACK:  One of the advantages that goes with having a wide circle of friends is...to learn from each other.  I have learned much from you and others like you.  I attended my first Shiva at your house.  Before that, I never knew what a Shiva was.

FROM SR IN SJ:  My beautiful lawyer-friend and former student, Mike. . .who left the Catholic church momentarily because he expected acceptance of his gayness. . .but he has not left his faith and teaches me continually how to live with an open  heart!  Do pray for Mike, if you will!===JACK:  We learn from each other.  Also, prayer not only helps the one prayed fpr, but the pray--er, too.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I like the comment:"There are no pockets in a shroud."!  My Muslim friend (she was actually Iman of the Springfield Congregation) , stressed loving and serving our "neighbors" and encouraged community service, just like we Christians do. When we'd occasionally meet for lunch, she had a good sense of humor, and was up to date on what was going on in the world. She has moved to CA, and I miss spending time with her!  When Sarah taught English in Japan, I spent 3 weeks there (during Cherry blossom time...GORGEOUS!) and her friends and co-teachers were very interested in her Christian Beliefs,  and very loving and loyal in their relationships. Some keep in touch to this day, and that was many years ago. Two have actually visited Chicago, and stayed with her! Japanese are slow to invite you to their homes, but one they trust you, and get to know you, they are very warm and as Sarah marveled, "just like us!"! :-)===JACK:  The concept of missionary work has changed drastically, since I was a child.  And...in those days I don't think I knew what a Muslim was, let alone, an Imam.  I don't think thst I'm comfortable today singing that old-time Gospel song:" "Give me that old-time religion."

FROM GUSTIE:  :Good one and congrats on the great-great grandchild.  I don’t even have a great grandchild yet!  Ha===JACK:  ...and I've been asked to conduct her baptism on Oct 17.  If you were there, you could sing: "Borning Cry."  I like that song. ===G:  I love that song.   

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Have I already recommended (or sent) the book “Holy Envy”?  The Episcopal? Methodist? author left her role as pastor in parish ministry to instead teach at the college level.  She’s given the section on World Religions and decides to teach from the inside out rather than outside in, i.e. let’s meet and learn from people who are actively practicing the faith, going to the house-of-worship and hear what it means to hem and how that observance enriches their lives.   She says that Christianity is “the home to which she will always return” but respects, even envies certain practices of other faiths.  I enjoyed the book, “Life of Pi” for the same reason; Pi practices Hinduism, Christianity and Islam and does not understand why people compel him to make a choice when each one has aspects he finds helpful and beautiful.  To my mind this fosters something very different than “tolerance” of the beliefs others hold dear. ===JACK:  If there is one God, then this god is God of all.  We are the ones who have segmented ourselves into groups.===BB:  One of my fave parts of Holy Envy was a requote where she says something like, “we are dipping our ladles into different sides of the river but the water springs from the same source”.