Anita Lustrea

This is a weekly release of the spiritual practice Lectio Divina. I hope you’ll listen and ponder the scripture passage offered and let me know your thoughts. My email address is [email protected]. Also, feel free to share this podcast on your social media or tell a friend about it. 

If you’d like to support this podcast you can do so through a gift to PayPal using the email address [email protected].

If you enjoy the beautiful guitar music, you can learn more about Steve Wick and how to purchase his music on his website.

The post Lectio Divina 69 – Matthew 2:1-6 appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

I’m Anita Lustrea and I’m privileged to be a spiritual director. Each time I begin a session, I use a quote or poem or prayer.  As I share one of these with you, see what might catch your attention. Maybe there’s something here for you today.

The post Poem/Prayer 15 – Jan Richardson appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

This is an audio version of Mike Murphy‘s Friday rumblings. This is a regular post on Facebook that I’ve turned into a podcast. I decided Mike’s words needed a wider audience. You may agree or disagree with what he says, but there is certainly much food for thought contained here. You can friend Mike on Facebook for the printed version or read it below

Rumblings 9.8.23

1.  ‘Melodramatic me’ says we’re in a war for the heart and soul of our country. ‘Realistic me’ says to ‘melodramatic me’ – “I think you’re right.”

2. “Some people have a hard time recognizing privilege, saying “I work hard. I don’t get things handed to me.” I understand that. Here’s how I respond: privilege isn’t bonus points for you and your team. It’s unfair penalties the other team gets that you don’t. Privilege isn’t the presence of perks and benefits. It’s the absence of obstacles and barriers. That’s a lot harder to notice. If you have a hard time recognizing your privileges, focus on what you don’t have to go through. Let that fuel your empathy and action.” ~ Marie Beecham

I’ve witnessed what obstacles and barriers can do to people both in the here and now and over time. And I’ve watched ‘privileged folks’ fall over themselves denying that their privilege had anything to do with their success. Of course, there are those who fully admit their ‘privilege’ and the advantages that came to them as a result. I rather like those who are honest about it. It tells me they have character. Often, they become a prophetic voice, willing to remind their peers that the obstacles they create and  curate  do significant  damage.

3.   “I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me?

I love reading scripture from the Message. I especially love this take on the passage in Amos. The words on the page come alive. The meaning is clear. There’s a call to action and  a firm reminder to resist any temptation to replace real faith with a caricature of it.

 4. The good Jesuits at Pray-as you-Go commented on the murder of John the Baptist in one of their daily devotionals. They said:  “A life of commitment was called to an abrupt, terrifying halt on the whim of a wealthy dysfunctional family playing a sordid game.”  

The family named Herod already had a disgraceful history. John the Baptist’s murder just added another layer of yuckiness to their legacy.

Power + dysfunction + jealousy + saving face + no conscience = Disaster 

Apply where necessary. You won’t have to look very hard.

Always remember. Vengeance is not a virtue. 

5. “And Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: You shall not oppress the stranger, for you were strangers once yourselves in Egypt. And the people grew angry and said, “O Lord! Why are you teaching us critical race theory? And Moses replied: “Do any of you know what critical race theory is? And none of them knew.” ~ source unknown

What’s irritating these days are the legions of people who have deeply held opinions but little or no knowledge. 

6. In James Bryan Smith’s excellent book, “The Good and Beautiful You” I ran across this gem: 

“Two questions haunt every human life” Andy Crouch writes. “The first: What are we meant to be? The second: Why are we so far from what we were meant to be?” 

This is worth pondering. 

7. “I don’t know

how to make the world 

A better place. 

So I played a board game 

With a trans teen.

And hopefully,

For just a moment

It made this world 

a better place.” 

~ J. Warren Welch 

8.  “The Christian faith is not primarily about beliefs and practices; it is primarily about what kind of people Christians become.” ~ The Good and Beautiful You

I’ve been privileged to know a whole lot people of deep faith who live it out with grace, love  and sincerity, trying to become more and more like Jesus. I also know Christians in name only, who don’t know how to walk their talk and really aren’t that interested in learning how.

9.  It’s been said that if you want to fix a problem you need to understand who’s profiting from the problem. That’s an important factor. If you don’t know who’s profiting, ask someone who’s suffering as a result of it. They know full well who needs to be held accountable and they have  keen insights as to what the remedies need to be. They’re just waiting to be asked.

10. WAPO reported:

“Rid yourselves of any thought that only a handful of extremists on January 6 were on hand to be goaded by Trump into behaving dangerously. Let’s do some stocktaking, courtesy of the Justice Department:

Some 140 police officers were assaulted at the Capitol — about 80 from the Capitol force and about 60 from the D.C. police.

About 370 people have been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers or employees. That includes about 110 charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer.

Roughly 630 people have pleaded guilty to a variety of federal charges, including some 200 to felonies and about 430 to misdemeanors.

A total of 110 people have been found guilty at contested trials, including three in D.C. Superior Court.

About 600 federal defendants have had their cases adjudicated and received sentences.”

When I look at the mug shots of all those who have been implicated and indicted for matters related to the 2020 election and the subsequent attack on the Capitol, I see folks who made a willful decision to place the rule of law, truth, and the peaceful transfer of power on a trash heap They chose, instead, a deceitful, threatening, and violent path. 

The bottom line is that a whole lot of harm was done and is still being done. There is no persecution happening. It’s just the wheels of justice starting to turn. They’re moving too slowly to my way of thinking but they are moving. 

One more thing. It looks like Hunter Biden will be indicted. That means evidence has been presented that makes an indictment necessary. That’s the way it works in America. Please note that President Biden is not on cable news shows whining and complaining. 

The post Mike’s Rumblings – 09-08-23 appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

This is a weekly release of the spiritual practice Lectio Divina. I hope you’ll listen and ponder the scripture passage offered and let me know your thoughts. My email address is [email protected]. Also, feel free to share this podcast on your social media or tell a friend about it. 

If you’d like to support this podcast you can do so through a gift to PayPal using the email address [email protected].

If you enjoy the beautiful guitar music, you can learn more about Steve Wick and how to purchase his music on his website.

The post Lectio Divina 68 – James 2:14-19 appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

Melinda Schmidt joins me as we continue our conversation about surprising shifts in this season of our lives. We may be quite startled to find that relationships to ourselves, God, and others may be changing. The stability we assumed and even longed for hasn’t been there and we can feel alone, wobbly, and even wonder if something is wrong with us! On the podcast we share some of the supportive voices we are finding in these days of shifting. From Frederick Buechner’s thoughts on authenticity to poetry from Joyce Rupp, to the wise voice of theologian Brian McLaren. We also share some listener emails. If your life is shifting, come join us on the journey!

Frederick Buechner – Listening to Your Life, August 30 entry

Joyce Rupp – Rest Your Dreams on a Little Twig, page 65

Brian McLaren podcast – Learning How to See with Brian McLaren (Season 4, episode 2 with Barbara Brown Taylor, Include and Transcend)

Note: When clicking through on links to products on Amazon, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Melinda Schmidt – episode 371 appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

I’m Anita Lustrea and I’m privileged to be a spiritual director. Each time I begin a session, I use a quote or poem or prayer.  As I share one of these with you, see what might catch your attention. Maybe there’s something here for you today. I’m reading Patient Trust by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ.

The post Poem/Prayer 14 – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

This is an audio version of Mike Murphy‘s Friday rumblings. This is a regular post on Facebook that I’ve turned into a podcast. I decided Mike’s words needed a wider audience. You may agree or disagree with what he says, but there is certainly much food for thought contained here. You can friend Mike on Facebook for the printed version or read it below

Rumblings. 9.1.23

1. “I don’t deny that there should be priests to remind men that they will one day die. I only say that at certain strange epochs it is necessary to have another kind of priest, called poets, actually, to remind men that they are not dead yet.” ~ GK Chesterton

“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. 

To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?” Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?” Mr. Keating, Dead Poets Society

Unleash the poet within you and write your verse. Then write another, and another, and another. When it is time, pass on your verse and your stories to someone who needs to be reminded that life is worth living.

 2. “Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.” ~ Eric Hoffer 

We live in a society where ‘rudeness’ has become a form of performance art for the weak and unprincipled. ‘Tis a spectacle they make of themselves. But they know that not, for they have no sense of shame. They have misplaced their consciences and shattered their moral compass. And so they blurt nonsense, scrunch their faces tightly, extend their middle fingers, and pretend they’re hot stuff. The ‘rude’ lack poetry, and dance, and interesting art and are at a loss when conversations have depth and layers of meaning. 

3. “I hate when the discussion turns to helping people, there’s always someone who takes the most ungenerous, contemptible stand toward others. If by helping legitimately needy people, I accidentally help some lazy people, so what? How is that worse than helping no one?” ~ source unknown

I’ve discovered that those who look for an excuse not to give, not to care and not to love are far less interesting than those who do give. They are, however, louder. That’s much to my dismay and to the detriment of our society.

4. “I’ll miss being able to represent our country. I think, a lot of times, that gets lost, when people talk about me in particular: Oh, you guys don’t sing the anthem, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You don’t love America. But we do love America. It’s just more in a James Baldwin kind of way, not in a bald-eagle-on-your-shoulder kind of way.” ~ Megan Rapinoe, United States Women’s Soccer Team

When Colin Kapernick took a knee during the National anthem much of America went ballistic. Megan Rapinoe gets the same kind of reaction from the same people. 

Patriotism has many faces. It is expressed in a variety of ways. Sometimes those ways have an edge to them, cutting against the grain. 

Every once in a while, I’m in a gathering where the Pledge of Allegiance is recited. I bow my head and after the words “with liberty and justice for all” I quietly, but audibly say “May it be so Lord, may it be so.” It’s a ‘for real’ prayer and it’s also meant as a respectful, verbal protest against those people and policies that hold  people back, keeping them from  experiencing the same level of liberty and justice I do. 

I might not be your version of a patriot but I do care deeply about our country and its people. All of the people. And I certainly resonate with those who show their patriotism in a James Baldwin kind of way. I’m a fan of all those who agitate for the sake of making this a country that lives up to its hype. 

5. “The biggest communication problem is that we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply. We must first seek to understand, then to be understood. ~ Stephen Covey

Guilty as charged. I can speak way too quickly, forgetting that God must have had a reason for giving me two ears. 

6. “The church is not being persecuted in America. 

The church is being challenged to act like Jesus, held accountable for not sounding like Jesus, and losing a generation who wants to follow Jesus.” ~ The Happy Givers 

I know that in other locales around the world the persecution of the church is real. Not Here. But a challenge to walk our talk has been issued and it makes us squirm a bit. But that’s not persecution, only a wake up call. When and if we do wake up we should heed Jimmy Carter’s call to action:  “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.“ Jimmy Carter

Then we let the chips fall where they may. 

7. The biblical text mirrors our own human consciousness and journey. Life itself—and the Scriptures, including the prophets—is always three steps forward and two steps backward. It gets the point and then loses it or doubts it. Our job is to see where the three-steps-forward texts are heading (invariably toward mercy, forgiveness, inclusion, nonviolence, and trust), which gives us the ability to clearly recognize and understand the two-steps-backward texts (which are usually about vengeance, divine pettiness, law over grace, form over substance, and technique over relationship).” ~ Richard Rohr

I desire to be a man bent on taking three steps forward, which means I must develop the courage to go to battle with my backpedaling inclinations. 

8. Bonhoeffer once said that “Your ‘yes’ to God requires your ‘no’ to all injustice, to all evil, to all lies, to all oppression and violation of the weak and poor, to all ungodliness, and to all mockery of what is holy.”

Being a person of faith is a full contact way of being. It cost Bonhoeffer his life. To stand up for what’s good and beautiful and just always attracts attention. Often, that spells trouble. It’s what happens to anyone who’s trying to follow Jesus.

9. Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 without a single Republican vote.  No surprise is it? That law permits the government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies over drug prices the government will pay. This week President Biden announced that he used that law, took on Big Pharma, and won an important victory for Americans on a budget, who just can’t afford spiraling drug costs. I pray it’s only the beginning. 

Let’s keep rolling.  The NRA, the rest of the gun lobby and the GOP which caters to it, needs a come to Jesus moment. May it be so. Common sense gun laws have to be enacted.  Too many lives are being lost. And for what? Profits? A nonsensical interpretation of the 2nd Amendment? No, that’s stupid. Guns for hunting. Let’s do it.  Automatic assault weapons? No way. 

10. “Soon after the people of Israel enter the land God had promised them, Joshua sums up their history as a people. He interprets all that has happened over the centuries as the work of God with them. This history has not been easy. It has plagues, battles, curses and destruction. Yet none of this shakes Joshua’s confidence. Their entry to the Promised Land is a sign for the people of God’s fidelity to them.” ~ Pray As You Go

It’s worthwhile, I think, to periodically  spend time mulling over our personal  history of faith. 

As you think about your faith journey, what’s  been easy about it?  What’s been hard? Where were you disappointed? Who played or is playing a key role?

Has your confidence in God and/or the People of God ever been shaken? How did you work through it?

What signs and symbols of your faith journey are near and dear to you? 

The post Mike’s Rumblings – 09-01-23 appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

This is a weekly release of the spiritual practice Lectio Divina. I hope you’ll listen and ponder the scripture passage offered and let me know your thoughts. My email address is [email protected]. Also, feel free to share this podcast on your social media or tell a friend about it. 

If you’d like to support this podcast you can do so through a gift to PayPal using the email address [email protected].

If you enjoy the beautiful guitar music, you can learn more about Steve Wick and how to purchase his music on his website.

The post Lectio Divina 67 – 08-30-23 appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

I’m Anita Lustrea and I’m privileged to be a spiritual director. Each time I begin a session, I use a quote or poem or prayer.  As I share one of these with you, see what might catch your attention. Maybe there’s something here for you today. Today’s offering is a poem titled Sweeping the Threshold by Bob Holmes.

The post Poem/Prayer 13 – Bob Holmes appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

This is an audio version of Mike Murphy‘s Friday rumblings. This is a regular post on Facebook that I’ve turned into a podcast. I decided Mike’s words needed a wider audience. You may agree or disagree with what he says, but there is certainly much food for thought contained here. You can friend Mike on Facebook for the printed version or read it below

Rumblings. 8.25.23

1. Roland Martin, author of the book “White Fear”, believes that a good chunk of White America is running scared, knowing that the clock is ticking and in 20 years or so people of color will be in the majority. So, what do people do when they are afraid? The smart ones decide to find out why fear is taking over. Is this fear rational or irrational?  Others (not so introspective)  just reactively grab on to their fear, head to a rallying area, and go on the attack.

Martin is convinced one of the rallying points is CRT – Critical Race Theory – which he describes as “a boogeyman” term to refer to any discussion in school about the history of systemic racism in America and the contemporary reality of ongoing systemic racism.” He believes fearful white people simply do not want that analysis provided because they don’t have a rebuttal to it.

He’s right. CRT is a rallying cry for anything and everything having to do with race. Bad actors in a variety of intertwined movements love using it because they know it scares their peeps and when the peeps tremble in fear, that’s a good thing.  It helps cement their power and influence. Pretty sick, huh?

2. “If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there’s shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.” ~ Harriet Tubman

I want what this woman said and experienced taught in schools. 

3. I just finished the book, “Wild by Nature: From Siberia to Australia: Three Years Alone in the Wilderness On Foot”  by Sarah Marquis, a National Geographic Explorer,  who solo walks long, long distances in all kinds of interesting and potentially scary places. Her definition of adventure is  “Any enterprise where the risk is considerable and the chances of success, dubious.”

Wow. Most people’s understanding of an adventure doesn’t include the words ‘considerable risk with dubious chances for success.’  

That’s why we need ( at least I do) people like Ms. Marquis who do extraordinary things and seek out  maximum adventure. She stirs my heart and imagination. And that stirring prods me to be braver, to risk a bit more, and to dream bigger dreams. I’m never going to be her. I just need to be the best version of me I can be. 

4. Catherine of Sienna lived in the 1300’s. The Center for  Action and Contemplation tells us that “She called on men to recognize the God-given mission of women affirmed by Jesus, enshrined in the Gospels, and confirmed by the history of women in the church. She called on  women to refuse rejections, to demand equality, to speak their spirituality, to give their God-given gifts, whether these gifts are called for or not, called holy or not, legitimated or not because no one, not even the church, has the right to deny the gifts of God or the God who works through the gifts of women….” 

What a voice. Talk about bravery, huh? It is both fascinating and discouraging that the denial of the gifts of women is still front and center in many parts of Christendom. 

5. Pigpen in the Peanuts comic strip is a lovable character who is known for the cloud of dirt and dust that follows him wherever he goes. He just can’t seem to stay clean. He makes us smile. After all, we either were Pigpen or knew someone who was.

Our ex-president is kind of like a weird, alternate universe version of Pigpen. He has a whole long history filled with clouds of dirt and dust. He never outgrew it. Instead, he chooses to monetize it,  manufacture it, immerse himself in it, throw it around and then blame others for it. 

I’m reminded of Maya Angelous’s famous quote: “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.” 

6. “… people don’t seem to leave the church because they no longer believe in the beauty of Jesus. People leave the church because  they believe in Jesus so much that they can no longer stomach being part of an institution that says it’s about that, and so clearly is not.” ~ Nadia Bolz Weber

That happens. 

I also think people leave the church because they start to realize that they can’t get their own way as often as they like. So they pick a fight (usually it’s much to do about nothing) and leave in a cowardly huff. I’ve seen that happen a lot.

7.  “The Hebrew prophets did not care if others looked on them as conservative or liberal. To some, they looked like “conservatives” preaching old-time religion. To others, they looked like “liberals” questioning the status quo.” ~ Richard Rohr  

Those prophets didn’t care about the labels. They made themselves available to God and became a ‘presence’ – sometimes welcomed, sometimes not.  They just kept on keeping on, being true  to God, true to themselves, and letting the chips fall where they may. It wasn’t an easy gig. 

8.  “I don’t preach a social gospel. I preach the gospel. Period. The gospel of our Lord is concerned for the whole person -when people were hungry, Jesus didn’t say, “now, is that political or social?” He said, “I feed you.” Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.” ~Desmond Tutu.

Tutu was a prophetic voice.  Yes, he was. 

9. “…Remember that to be happy is not to have a sky without a storm, a road without accidents, work without fatigue, relationships without disappointments. To be happy is to find strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in the stage of fear, love in discord. It is not only to enjoy the smile, but also to reflect on the sadness. It is not only to celebrate the successes, but to learn lessons from the failures. It is not only to feel happy with the applause, but to be happy in anonymity. Being happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves. To be happy is to stop feeling like a victim and become your destiny’s author. It is to cross deserts, yet to be able to find an oasis in the depths of our soul. It is to thank God for every morning, for the miracle of life…”  Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese Poet

Beautiful isn’t it?

10. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.” ~ Robert Frost

I do think that we’re at a point of divergence most everywhere we look these days. So where will our steps take us? Which road is ours? Which one will make all the difference?

The post Mike’s Rumblings – 08-25-23 appeared first on Anita Lustrea.