Pacem. In Terris pt 3 / What Matters - the Art of Rediscovery

 "To objectify spirituality , to  make it the object of "study" 

is almost equally absurd : it is the very well spring of all

valid art, culture, science and all humanly valid political 

and economic structures."

- Frederick Franck

"Make your work your payer and your prayer your work."

- Pope John XXIII

"Art is neither a profession , nor a hobby,

It is a way of being."

- Frederick Franck 

The Inspiration:

It was 16 years ago today that sergeant taught the waiting desperado 

to play. "Courage", the "sarge" said. He added a story about an infamous humble

neighbor of his who listened to a deeper calling .That neighbor, a trained

oral surgeon, who assisted Albert Schweitzer on an African mission,

would become a. famous philosopher - artist and the only

lay person and artist invited by a Pope John XXIII to be 

invited to the inner sanctum of the Vatican Council . 

The result  of the council was the publishing of

the encyclical " Pacem In Terris." The dentist/artist/bridge-builder

philospher became so inspired he wrote 

about the journey and observations while creating a 

non profit transreligious ( any sacred philosophy or consideration that leads to

love, peace and a relationship with the holiness ) without desire for harm,

the subjugation and control of others,

space created for reflection and peace, "Pacem In Terris."

It is a living museum of nature and art for promoting peace,

contemplation and meditations.

frederickfranck.org

The desperado recently rediscovered books 

authored by Franck gifted to 

him by his sergeant. Suddenly the words , ideas and pictures

began to flourish - 

a new life , rekindling the flame.

The Writing:

Pacem In Terris pt 3/ What Matters- The Art of Rediscovery

Surmising and suppositions speculate the purpose of everything.

Do oceans exist for their own benefit?

What of the streams and rivers who disappear as they

converge with the lakes and the majestic oceans of mercy?

Do they care?

Are the blackbirds and their feathered family friends

aware of how their sweet songs deliver serenity

for all ears who dare to hear?

Why do artists paint? How can the sculptors

squeeze a most realistic presentation out of

solid hardened blocks of stone?

Many poets and authors mysteriously 

capture right words consoling lost pilgrim souls.

And the mystical music maker somehow rediscovers the 

the essence of tranquility and , when needed,

lifting up spirits to dance and wipe away tears.

Maybe the mystics , priests and monks need to retreat 

or retire to some isolated sanctuary for a few centuries

as many of their vocation often get out of control

or lost seemingly incapable of

herding the sheep down the right path.

It seems it is time to sing a new song.

- JF Sobecki

------------

Poetry:

The Bell and The Blackbird (excerpt)

The Sound

of a bell

still reverberating

or a blackbird

calling

from a corner

of a

field

Asking you

to wake

into this life

or inviting you

deeper

to one that waits.

Either way

takes courage,

either way wants you

to be nothing

but that self at all,

wants. you to walk

to the place

where you fund

you already know

how to give

every last thing

away.

- David Whyte

Music:

A few pieces for your consideration and contemplation:

Click on links - below the picture

The Maker - D. Lanois

https://youtu.be/w-JtAcpKtYQ?si=TCfvRGQxSsZpWC-D

Change Myself - T. Rundgren

https://youtu.be/dCU4P5EQNFs?si=OBivrQY8W_oU6w1T

U2- Peace on Earth

https://youtu.be/fdXT7L7i880?si=eIj2XHddbnOS-YFX

Give Me Love ( Peace) - G. Harrison

https://youtu.be/8LqCMF-nr8s?si=46r5klMFoowsrZFI

Coda:

Some additional info for your contemplation:

The Art Of Being Human - Frederick Franck( Interview

https://youtu.be/X6mqVUbSpO4?si=G-s2zO7dg9txK9ya

Words of Buddha "Let Your Love Flow" : Chant

https://youtu.be/DFREqIr6aD0?si=iyu8Q5Rs-dGnBSqA

Think it's Going to Rain Today - R. Newman

https://youtu.be/7zDt8xyVKtw?si=4tTmQIexkcZafxte

40 - U2 ( Live at The Sphere)

https://youtu.be/wUSB3gdHHZE?si=7IKPXkaubLh1tzwe

Note Bene:

(150 million people are homeless worldwide,

1 in 10 , 828 million people , in world suffer from hunger,

8 million die annually from lack of quality health care,

100's of thousands die from organized violence (war)

worldwide annually,

infant mortality worldwide remains about 2 million/year and 

120 million people are forcibly displaced as a result of persecution,

conflict , violence or human rights violations.

A tragedy is that the world has the resources and technology

to end all of this with compassion.)

AMDG

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved JF Sobecki LLC

A Simple Matter of Trust...

dis·cern·ment

diˈsərnmənt/

noun

noun: discernment

1               
the ability to judge well."an astonishing lack of discernment"





2. 
(in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to
 obtaining spiritual direction and understanding."without providing for a time of 
healing and discernment, there will be no hope of living through this present 
moment without a shattering of our common life"

co·in·ci·dence

kōˈinsədəns/

noun

noun: coincidence; plural noun: coincidences; noun: co-incidence; plural noun:
co-incidences

     1 
a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without  

       apparent causal connection

2      correspondence in nature or in time of occurrence.

OK, Let’s see if we can make some sense of this and that it doesn’t get too confusing. 
This pilgrim was going through the exercise of planning to outline the purpose and 
approach to the next blog post. Eventually, somehow, the proposed topics were
 narrowed down to a select three. So, as this exercise has gone in the past, an outline
 was drafted for each of the topics and possible approaches were thought about for
 each. Just as the stage of preliminary drafting was to commence the worldly distractions
 began like the rains and floods of early spring.It seemed that all the ideas and potential
 narratives had become flotsam and jetsam that could never be retrieved.

It wasn’t that the distractions were necessarily bad but they did interfere with the standard
plan and approach. Discomfort was first to surface and then a sense of anxiety increased. 
What to do? The words always seem to appear once that flame of inspiration is mystically
lit. Then it is a matter of human knowledge that attempts to arrange the words in a 
meaningful, grammatically correct and maybe even an impactful way. No words were 
conjured and the flame was barely visible by that inner eye.

Three topics remained….a good ole standard for the beginning of November  -
“Gratitude.”Another topic surfaced addressed the “After Glow of Pope Francis’ visit to
the United States.” Then there was a related topic about “Compassion, Mercy and serving 
the poor.” Still, nothing!

So when in doubt…that inner voices continued to whisper “let go.” There is an 
Ignatianexercise (The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius) on the discernment of the spirits
that proposes letting go three days and let God, that magnificent miracle of the universe
somehow mysteriously,provide the answer. In other words, don’t worry about it, don’t pray 
about it, stop trying to force it…just trust God. If you believe and you trust - the answer will 
become obvious. There is this story where a father of a sick boy wants the disciples or Jesus 
to heal his son. Jesus says to the man,“All things are possible for those who believe .” 
This is where the pilgrim completely
identifies with that boy’s father as it is reported that the father responds “I do believe;
it is trust I lack (help my unbelief.”) Mark 9:24.

So, the pilgrim went on with trying to be present to the moment. The topics and outlines
for the forthcoming blog post lay dormant on scraps of paper and in a word document 
on hiscomputer. The weekend came filled with creative energy that was directed at 
another passion, the writing, performing and recording of music. This activity filled the 
moments and hours for three full days. On the night of the third day he was drained, 
exhausted as all energy was spent on the music projects. He hoped that it was all 
worthwhile as he went to bed there was a memory flash about the blog. Without 
thinking about it any further he decided to focus his attention to
the writing of the post in the morning.

The next morning the routine of making coffee and grabbing his journal as he settled in  his
“quiet time” was a mechanical response to waking and rising. Before settling into serious 
reflection, meditation, prayer and writing in his journal he would always like to “warm up “ 
with a smile by reading the online comics (cartoons from the daily newspapers) that he 
received automatically on his computer and smart phone.

These are what he saw immediately that morning … 

 He thought "Sometimes we need to just trust our own hearts."

The rest of words fell into place, as it was this brief journey that is his story.

…. Enough said

Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous
                    - Albert Einstein

We Sanctify all we are grateful for
                   - Anthony De Mello SJ

                                      Looking For My Life - G. Harricon ( Smart Phones click on link)

                                                        https://youtu.be/zcXN-nAJ2R8

                                  Any Road – George Harrison (Smart Phones Click on link)

                                               from G. Harrison's last live TV performance

                                                          https://youtu.be/BldrJGDhIME

Suscipe (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory, my understanding

and my entire will,

All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace.

That is enough for me.

amdg ….. 

Copyright 2015 JF Sobecki

A Brief Anniversary Reflection on Passion, Bliss and Purpose

“Everybody knows you don’t find your passion. It finds you. Usually because you are in the wrong place at the right time.”

      - Michelle Satilla, Editor in Chief, Gardenista

 "The goal in life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with nature."

                    - Joseph Campbell

"And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God."

 

                             -  Ecclesiastes 3:13

 And now a few words from the former Coordinator of Counseling Services for Undeclared Majors at Montclair State University:

Just days away from the eighth anniversary of the birth of the Second Chance, that moment when the heart was reborn, a flood of “coincidences” with common values at their core occurs.

Number one had returned to her work after a short “maternal leave’ only to labor longer than long hours and wondered if her dedication and diligence is recognized as she remains concerned if it is all worthwhile. Without a hint she is suddenly surprised by a nice token of appreciation. But, just as importantly someone from behind a curtain in her organization reaches out asking if she would consider a new and somewhat more responsible position. Somebody has a heart.

Meanwhile that same week number two has been having a tough go of things at her own work where every decision and action is a matter of life and death. Without any indication she too is surprised with a national recognition for her caring, dedication and compassion. Her heart fulfilled.

Then there is the pilgrim who encounters another old friend who echoes the invitation of his oldest companion to get back to where he once belonged. Suddenly he was on stage again wondering why he ever got off. “It’s not for the money,” he thought, “it’s the joy that matters”

And there was the news today of another suicide , this time friend of the extended family. It is said that they found a letter in his briefcase saying his services are no longer needed. A quiet prayer for his spirit and his family as the first one reflects, ”So sad, it is just a job.”

                                          Follow Your Bliss – Joseph Campbell

                                              https://youtu.be/QHBBplGmLbM

                                          

                                          Follow Your Dreams – Jim Messina

                                            https://youtu.be/HOMypivzLns

                                         Night Riders lament - Jerry Jeff Walker

                                                          https://youtu.be/FxyAv4trk_I

(From )The First Principle and Foundation - St. Ignatius

All the things in this world are gifts from God,


Presented to us so that we can know God more easily


and make a return of love more readily.


As a result, we appreciate and use all these gifts of God


Insofar as they help us to develop as loving persons.


But if any of these gifts become the center of our lives,


They displace God
And so hinder our growth toward our goal.


 
In everyday life, then, we must hold ourselves in balance


Before all of these created gifts insofar as we have a choice


And are not bound by some obligation.


We should not fix our desires on health or sickness,


Wealth or poverty, success or failure, a long life or a short one.


For everything has the potential of calling forth in us


A deeper response to our life in God.
  

 

                                                              

_______________________________________________________________________

Blog post written and posted July 31, 2015 - The Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola

amdg

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Second Chance Dance

Copyright 2015 JF Sobecki LLC