Typically I am busy writing about all things spiritual, especially at this time of year. However, due to over-busy-ness, not feeling well and assorted other things, I am just not posting as much. It is hard to step back but I am learning something about my limits. This is a good thing, but a challenge.
Today I found these two videos. Well, I watched one of them the other day. At first glance, they do not seem related at all. One is haunting and the other is funny. However, I think that both are actually haunting in the end.
The first video is from Bjork and called Prayer of the Heart.
I found it on the Facebook page of Janine Economides, who blogs at Daily Exegesis. Janine says that this is in Greek, Coptic and English. I could work out the Greek and of course the English, glad to know about the Coptic. I am reminded of the unity in diversity that is at the heart of the Trinity.
Somehow, for me today, crying out “O Adonai!” and crying out “God have mercy” are the sounds of my longing. The light is coming as we end this 3rd week of Advent and head into the final week. Come Lord Jesus, please and have mercy upon me.
This other video switches gears – a pretty Jesus-y thing if you ask me. It was on Facebook and elsewhere last week. Lindy on Facebook and Brother Dan at Dating God, among others, posted it. Jesus was always turning things on their end and using what he had at hand to do so. It is from Stephen Colbert and I have to tell you, initially the title of it had turned me off a bit. This is why being judgmental is a problem – what might we keep out?
You see, I really truly find it loathsome when Jesus is identified with any political party. Momentarily I forgot the irony factor, I guess and did not watch the video. Well that and I was busy. In any case, Colbert is not saying that Jesus is truly a liberal Dem, but he says some really important things. These things are also a prayer of the heart.
Stephen Colbert appears to know more theology than most people. He, ever in the role of court jester, sharing challenging truth through humor, says so many things in this piece. I think he makes his point well.
Of course it feels good to people both on the left and on the right to claim Jesus for their camp. However, even just a little analysis shows the flaws in that; Jesus was not here to mediate politics but rather to redeem humanity. Which he did, politics aside. He catered not to the Romans or to the established religious hierarchy of his time.
That said, Jesus was very clear about the essence of unqualified and unconditional love and charity and that does sort of trump all other matters. And it would make him more like a Democ… well, you know.
I read a quote the other day, from John Kenneth Galbraith, who said, “Faced with the choice between changing one’s mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.”
Isn’t that what we all try to do? Get busy on the proof?
However, what are we called to do is change. Whoever we are, whatever our stand. Christianity, change, transformation. What proof?
The act of change in and of itself is the proof. That might be why so few of us are capable of it. I know I have a record of epic (to use a word my stepdaughter coined) fail-ization.
That is the prayer of the heart, to cry out to God for mercy. That is the point of giving without limit. To change.
It is that simple.
Change. Transformation. Hope.
Be born in us this coming season. Please. Again and again and again.
There Will Be Bread 
yeah. proof that we don't need to change. that is such a profound thought, Fran! wish I could get it into my sermon!
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Fran, I saw the Colbert video posted somewhere, too, and didn't watch it for similar reasons! But I found this post to challenge me – am I always on to the proof?? Good question. A very good question!Thanks for some bread for thought before I go down to make dinner….
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Colbert is my kind of Catholic!
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Again you say some great things. I have not seen the videos but heard about the Colbert one. I just wish all the politicians of whatever stripe would try to remember who they serve and make that their first priority. Have a great Christmas!
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