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Sunday Thoughts
Sunday, February 1, 2015 15:21
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Sunday Thoughts
The meaning/moaning of Life!
I watched a bit of the interview on RTE, of Stephen Fry, on the “Meaning of Life.” It was predictable, depressing also in a sense. Here is a man given a platform, due to his celebrity status, who presents his theodicy for God in terms of “dismissive dislike.” He delights in using words such as hatred, stupidity, meanness, when describing his understanding of God, and this is expressed in oblivious arrogance. He presents a hate fuelled vision for life, demanding an absence of God, ridiculing faith as clap trap, or mumbo jumbo. This is not free will, but a tyrannical ideology which wishes to send faith to the past, and to bury faith as useless and not a thing for the intelligent modern person to be seeking after. To me this is not very inclusive or equal, which are the must use, mantra words for modern right thinking individuals, or so we are told by being bombarded with it. Blaming God for bad things is so last century!
All of which says much about him, and little about God, and his nature. For someone who dismisses God as nonsense, Stephen has rather a lot to say about God! Perhaps he has a gentle reflective side, and that may endear him to millions. He is a celebrity, so he gets publicity, I am sure he will come in for much criticism as he does praise. I don’t dislike him, but I find some of his opinions unpalatable, tedious and agenda driven. He may not like my beliefs either, but I suppose that bodes well for the goodness of God, who watches over an eclectic mix of different people. What a diverse bunch humanity are! If only we could be more tolerant!
Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Matthew 6:21
I am reminded when I see our celebrity obsessed culture of the words from Matthew’s gospel, “Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be”
I read a few quotes from various sources examining the heart and its nature in our living.
“Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but – I hope – into a better shape.” Charles Dickens
“Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.”
― St Augustine of Hippo
― St Augustine of Hippo
“Listen to God with a broken heart. He is not only the doctor who mends it, but also the father who wipes away the tears.” Crris Jami
“Hearts Live By Being Wounded”
― Oscar Wilde
― Oscar Wilde
The heart plays a huge part in who we are and what we like or search for, what we pursue in life. If life is perceived as a gift, then the heart delights in discovering the pleasure that gift can be. If life is perceived from the perspective of the cross of Christ, as one poured out for others, then the heart engages in the gift through the pursuit of humility, in service, gentleness, in the compassion shown for another.
If life is an understanding of the truth of God, then it becomes a source of the hearts pleasure to delight in human nature, to live life to its fullest. In this vison of the world the heart strives to celebrate what is good and noble, what is spiritual, what is kind and loving. Belief in God is not pursued because of what happens in the future, but is about the here and now, the engagement in the sphere and arena of the everyday. This engagement is not about hatred, or violence or arrogance, it is about mutual respect, compassion, kindness and love. These are ideals that are difficult to strive for, and often flounder in weakness, and yet are redeemed by Christ, the loving word of God, that has already pierced the fabric of the world, and this treasure resides deep in the heart of a person.
A few days away!
A short break awaits, and this is a precious time to stroll about quietly, to walk, and feel the ground beneath me and to look upwards and revel in the wonder of the God’s creation.
Source: http://humblepiety.blogspot.com/2015/02/sunday-thoughts.html
