Monday, April 18, 2011

Brian’s Reflection: Tuesday, April 19, 2011


A 41-inch bust and a lot of perseverance will
get you more than a cup of coffee - a lot more.


Vera Jayne Palmer (Jayne Mansfield), va-voom
bombshell, born on this day, 1932, in that cradle
of American main-line chic, Bryn Mawr, PA
( She died at age 34 in a car crash.)

While you have the light, believe in the light,
so that you may become children of light."

John 12; for Tuesday in Holy Week


Truth. As Pilate is reported to have intimated, Truth isn’t easy to figure out! So, you may see why I paired ~ like aged Stilton and a crisp not-too-flowery Riesling ~ Jayne and Jesus.

Jayne understood the Reality of American “culture”, sex, straight men (excuse my stereotyping), and patriarchy. I live in eternal optimism that we will “get over” this! Gay men are the antidote; look at all my straight women friends who have told me how they wish their men could be like “us”!)

In the Gospel reading for Tuesday in Holy Week, Jesus says, “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

Reality. All we humans most deeply long for will be found in living a Life of outpouring Love. This Life is made possible by knowing that we are unconditionally loved – and that is why we have created a God of Unconditional Love, and why parents are to love us so. Alas, many parents were mis-loved, so their work is hindered. All the more important that God is not mis-represented, as God so often is these days ….. especially by American politicians, who should be keeping their noses out of business they know nothing about.

I find these to be dark times in our World. All the more important, then, to “believe in the Light”: Love, Compassion, Generosity, Justice, Gentleness.

I find it hard, I really do. I rage at the hardness of heart of so many in our World.

But I choose to believe in the coming of the Light. This is Faith. Which is Hope. And I understand that I must add to the Light. As Jayne said, perseverance will get you a lot more than a cup of coffee.

Brian+

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