Saturday, October 08, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Learning Humility ~
How it hurts to think back fifty years and remember clearly all the stupid faux pas one has made.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
So Early ~
A classmate of my son died today. He was 41.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
General Petraeus ~
I liked one of his lines about fighting in asymetrical combat: "a soldier has to be comfortable in chaos".
Friday, August 19, 2011
Time Passing ~
Spotted the red tinge at the top of the maple tree--first saddening signs of autumn.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Happy Birthday ~
We uncorked a bottle of champagne and lifted our glasses and wished President Obama a Happy 50th Birthday.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Wise Old Monk ~
Understand this, he said: it is not what you do, what you achieve. I is what you are.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Freedom ~
The Wise Old Monk told me that freedom does not consist in ridding myself of pain and suffering but said that I would be free when I learn to accept them and let them give meaning to my life.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Women's World Soccer Tournament ~
Yesterday in Dresden, Germany they made it to the semi-finals winning over strong Brasil.
Never-give-up spirit.
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
What Others Think ~
What must a Muslim think when he walks into a church and sees a cross above the altar with a naked man hanging on it?
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Perspective ~
What does the farmer think when he drives out to inspect the harvest? Does he think it is his achievement?
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Wise Old Monk ~ When Calamity Strikes
We were talking about Japan and Alabama and I asked where God was. He said something like true, deep faith is arrived at by way of doubt.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Rebellion ~
How can you do the same job constantly, year after year, without at some point rebelling?
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Municipality ~ Easy Money
They have come up with a clever new tax scheme:
1. Take aerial photos of our roof.
2. Calculate the size of its surface.
3. Levy a tax on the amount of water that flows off it into the municipal drain.
1. Take aerial photos of our roof.
2. Calculate the size of its surface.
3. Levy a tax on the amount of water that flows off it into the municipal drain.
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Destroying Beauty ~
Aren't there enough high tension masts streaking through the beautiful German landscape? No, they are planning 3,000 kilometers of new high tension wire masts as a result of the planned shutting down of nuclear power plants. No one mentions that we should cut back our usage.
Friday, April 22, 2011
De Diligendo Deo ~
The Wise Old Monk told me: "Don't rely on the community in your search for God. You must learn to search alone."
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Reaching for Perfection ~
In the local competition they gave her the first prize but they didn't make much of a fuss about her in the local newspaper, as if this were nothing remarkable.
Friday, April 01, 2011
Wise Old Monk ~
During a conversation I asked him where he found all the wisdom he imparts to others. He was embarrassed but said: maybe one has to suffer.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Now ~
Earth -- Europe -- Germany -- State: Baden Württemberg -- County: Waldshut -- Town: Höchenschwand -- Waldshuter Strasse 6 -- in my study -- at the window -- Saturday -- 4:38 p.m. -- I look out -- snow on the ground -- the sky is gray -- I hear a car passing -- then silence. . .
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
German Defence Minister ~ Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
They are at him for plagerizing on his Ph.D. dissertation. The Opposition is calling for his resignation, but the ruling CDU is out to keep him in office despite the heated fray he has caused here in Germany. Behold -- according to the latest public opinion polls he has risen to the top of the list of most admired German politicians.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Mysteries of Love ~
Maybe God loves us so much because we are always hurting Him and because of that He can't get us off His mind.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Saturday, January 08, 2011
De Diligendo Deo ~
I was a young seminarian who asked the Wise Old Monk how I could best learn to love God. He said: first learn to love a girl. I looked at him and creased my brow.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas 2010 ~
I am a Jew at the time of Christ's coming. I am steeped in the Bible that has given me detailed information about the God of Abraham and Moses, images of the Messiah I am waiting for. If someone had told me about Jesus of Nazareth being the Messiah and I would have looked the other way.
Friday, December 03, 2010
Lost Key ~
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Accepting ~
I will not be mad at You if there is no life after death.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Praying ~
As an altarboy -- I was nine or ten -- I said these words at the foot of the altar every day an didn't have the slightest idea what I was saying: . . .
". . . quia tu es Deus, fortitudo mea, quare me repulisti . . ."
[". . . for You are God, my strength, why do you keep putting me off . . ."]
Now sixty years later these same words keep returning. I have finally come to understand them.
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Wise Old Monk ~
I told him it has become hard to pray. He said the slightest calling to mind to pray is a prayer in itself.
Friday, October 08, 2010
Monday, October 04, 2010
St. Francis of Assisi ~
He snatched the eternal fire and brought it down to us.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Paleontology ~
Two hundred and sixty million years ago dinosaurs roamed the earth. Looking ahead two hundred and sixty million years from now what significance will the fleeting moment of my life have?
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Offender-Victim Relationship
In Munich last year Dominik Brunner tried to protect a group of children at a subway stop from being robbed by two teenagers. In a scurry the teenagers promptly hit and kicked him and ended up killing him.
The law says that a such a courageous person can attack molesters only in self defence. But Dominik Brunner did actually attack the teenagers first, which in the eyes of the law makes his case legally questionable.
Nevertheless, the judges sentenced the young boys to long prison terms. Their verdict demanded about as much civil courage as that shown by Dominik Brunner. For people in Germany Dominik Brunner is truly a model of civil courage. He received the Distinguished Medal of the Federal Republic of Germany posthumously.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Autumn ~
It is the early reddish tinge on the leaves of the oak tree that make for melancholy.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
To Solve Problems ~
Virginia Wolf toyed with the idea of death as a problem solver in her novels. In the end she committed suicide.
I wonder if the saints ever tinkered with the idea of self-imposed death as a way to solve their loving longing for God.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
World Soccer Tournament ~
Friday, July 16, 2010
De Diligendo Deo ~
Why do You drive me crazy by planting Your love in me and then frustrating me by not even letting me know who You are? Let alone not being able to get close.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Argentina 0 ~ Germany 4
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
De Diligendo Deo ~
The notion of Jesus Christ, a man, as being God deprives me, blurs out, a conception of God as the Father, Creator, Love Itself. That idea of God as God lifts me away from this world, from history, to a higher, mysterious realm where I naturally place Him and sensibly long for Him.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Suffering ~
Those on crutches would look me in the face and greet; the healthy ones would pass me by.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Words ~
She turned to me and said: did you ever notice? Flowers don't speak.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Searching ~ Finding
Look for Him not in books, nor in discouse. Look in your heart.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
For Us to See ~
This night I looked out my window and saw beauty on a stretched out bed of black clouds: the full moon.
Monday, May 24, 2010
De diligendo Deo ~
To live constantly in the presence of God. That is the monk's high aspiration. In so far as he does this he is never alone.
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