A Mother Teresa Story
One day Mother Teresa was writing a letter to her fellow laborers in Calcutta, the Missionaries of Charity and their Co-Workers. Her goal was to inspire the workers as they performed their acts of mercy with people in need. She quoted from one of Cardinal Newman’s prayers and added her own thoughts. Pray with me today:
“Help me to spread thy fragrance everywhere I go—
let me preach thee without preaching, not by words but by example—
by the catching force;
let the sympathetic influence of what I do
be evidence of the full love my heart feels to thee.” (Newman)
She then continued saying, “Our works of love are nothing but works of peace. Let us do them with greater love and efficiency—each in her or his daily work both in your home and with your neighbor. Listen to the cry: I was hungry – not only for food, but for peace that comes from a pure heart; I was thirsty – not for water, but for peace that satiates the passionate thirst of passion for war; I was naked – not for clothes, but for that beautiful dignity of people for their bodies; I was homeless – not for a shelter made of bricks, but for a heart that understands, that covers, that loves.”
A prayer: God, may I act with mercy today. Amen.
--Ben Keckler
06.30.11
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Daily Devotion - Wednesday, June 29
New Opportunities
“May God be gracious to us and bless us,
may the face of the Lord shine upon us
and all the ends of the earth will honor our God.”
--From a Psalm of God’s people,
Chapter 67, selected verses
God’s grace comes to us in a variety of ways. As new opportunities come our way, we gain new understanding about the awesome nature of God’s holy presence among us. Recently I was privileged to enjoy the opening festivities at our newest campus, the Hendricks Regional Health YMCA. There are many folks around our nation who are intrigued with this new adventure into the world of healthcare and physical fitness. I do believe we are on the growing edge of something wonderful.
As the YMCA develops, new jobs will be created and we will have expanded opportunities to “treat people better”. It will be important that we help welcome and integrate these folks into this health care community. As these new folks with their hopes, dreams and goals blend with the “seasoned” staff, we will all discover God gracing us and blessing us in refreshing ways.
A prayer: Gracious God, continue to bless the work of our hands as we join together in providing health care services. Amen.
--Ben Keckler
06.29.11
“May God be gracious to us and bless us,
may the face of the Lord shine upon us
and all the ends of the earth will honor our God.”
--From a Psalm of God’s people,
Chapter 67, selected verses
God’s grace comes to us in a variety of ways. As new opportunities come our way, we gain new understanding about the awesome nature of God’s holy presence among us. Recently I was privileged to enjoy the opening festivities at our newest campus, the Hendricks Regional Health YMCA. There are many folks around our nation who are intrigued with this new adventure into the world of healthcare and physical fitness. I do believe we are on the growing edge of something wonderful.
As the YMCA develops, new jobs will be created and we will have expanded opportunities to “treat people better”. It will be important that we help welcome and integrate these folks into this health care community. As these new folks with their hopes, dreams and goals blend with the “seasoned” staff, we will all discover God gracing us and blessing us in refreshing ways.
A prayer: Gracious God, continue to bless the work of our hands as we join together in providing health care services. Amen.
--Ben Keckler
06.29.11
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Daily Devotion - Tuesday, June 28
Vertical Listening
“God said to Moses,
I AM who I AM.”
--From the life of Moses, Exodus 3:14
Yesterday we examined the theme of listening, talking about the horizontal nature of active listening. By that I mean the listening we do when relating to others whether they be family members, friends or persons we meet in our work. Today I want to encourage us to spend a few moments thinking about the vertical nature of active listening. By that I mean the listening we do as we practice our spirituality, regardless of our religious background.
When Moses heard the words, “I AM who I AM” he probably spent the rest of his life struggling with understanding the fullness of those words. Active listening to divine leading can empower us in the tasks and routines of the day. Several months ago I wanted to grab a CD to listen to on the way to work. I grabbed one, but after taking a couple of steps, was compelled to go back and pick up a different one. While listening to this a capella group, my pager went off and I called the hospital. As I listened (horizontally) to the staff person, I realized that I had received a vertical prompting in my choice of CD for the morning. Coincidence? Listening to my gut? Maybe.
To take time with the great “I AM”, to actively listen to the inner prompting and to respond without needing all the answers is what vertical listening is all about. Henri Nouwen writes these words about our horizontal and vertical listening: “As long as we live on this earth, our lives will be marked by compassion.”
Enjoy listening to the great “I AM.”
--Ben Keckler
06.28.11
“God said to Moses,
I AM who I AM.”
--From the life of Moses, Exodus 3:14
Yesterday we examined the theme of listening, talking about the horizontal nature of active listening. By that I mean the listening we do when relating to others whether they be family members, friends or persons we meet in our work. Today I want to encourage us to spend a few moments thinking about the vertical nature of active listening. By that I mean the listening we do as we practice our spirituality, regardless of our religious background.
When Moses heard the words, “I AM who I AM” he probably spent the rest of his life struggling with understanding the fullness of those words. Active listening to divine leading can empower us in the tasks and routines of the day. Several months ago I wanted to grab a CD to listen to on the way to work. I grabbed one, but after taking a couple of steps, was compelled to go back and pick up a different one. While listening to this a capella group, my pager went off and I called the hospital. As I listened (horizontally) to the staff person, I realized that I had received a vertical prompting in my choice of CD for the morning. Coincidence? Listening to my gut? Maybe.
To take time with the great “I AM”, to actively listen to the inner prompting and to respond without needing all the answers is what vertical listening is all about. Henri Nouwen writes these words about our horizontal and vertical listening: “As long as we live on this earth, our lives will be marked by compassion.”
Enjoy listening to the great “I AM.”
--Ben Keckler
06.28.11
Friday, June 24, 2011
Daily Devotion - Friday, June 24
Prayer from Mother Teresa
“A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink
and find great satisfaction in their work.
This too, I see, is from the hand of God
for without him, who can find enjoyment.”
--A wisdom saying Ecclesiastes
Chapter 2:24, 25
One of the daily prayers that Mother Teresa used as she delivered her care to children in India seems most appropriate for the work we do in this hospital.
“Dearest Lord, may I see you today and every day
in the person of your sick, and,
while nursing them, minister unto you.
though you hide yourself behind the unattractive disguise
of the irritable, the exacting and the unreasonable,
may I be still long enough to recognize you in them….
“Sweetest Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity
of my vocation and its many responsibilities.
Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way
to coldness, unkindness, or impatience….
“Lord, increase my faith,
bless my efforts and work,
now and forevermore.
Amen.”
Have a good Friday in your labors. And may your weekend be filled with divine grace notes that refresh and restore your soul
--Ben Keckler
06.24.11
“A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink
and find great satisfaction in their work.
This too, I see, is from the hand of God
for without him, who can find enjoyment.”
--A wisdom saying Ecclesiastes
Chapter 2:24, 25
One of the daily prayers that Mother Teresa used as she delivered her care to children in India seems most appropriate for the work we do in this hospital.
“Dearest Lord, may I see you today and every day
in the person of your sick, and,
while nursing them, minister unto you.
though you hide yourself behind the unattractive disguise
of the irritable, the exacting and the unreasonable,
may I be still long enough to recognize you in them….
“Sweetest Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity
of my vocation and its many responsibilities.
Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way
to coldness, unkindness, or impatience….
“Lord, increase my faith,
bless my efforts and work,
now and forevermore.
Amen.”
Have a good Friday in your labors. And may your weekend be filled with divine grace notes that refresh and restore your soul
--Ben Keckler
06.24.11
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Daily Devotion - Thursday, June 23
Already Thursday
Good morning God.
The week is traveling too quickly!
I admit that I have gotten pretty busy, pretty harried,
pretty preoccupied with the details of an unraveling week.
Slow me down enough that I can feel
the wind of your renewing Spirit.
There are times when I wish everything could slow down.
Perhaps it could help me on my troubled Thursdays.
Perhaps I could be more aware on my twisted Thursdays.
Perhaps …
What I do know is this:
It is already Thursday and I need your Divine touch.
Thank you.
--Ben Keckler
06.23.11
Good morning God.
The week is traveling too quickly!
I admit that I have gotten pretty busy, pretty harried,
pretty preoccupied with the details of an unraveling week.
Slow me down enough that I can feel
the wind of your renewing Spirit.
There are times when I wish everything could slow down.
Perhaps it could help me on my troubled Thursdays.
Perhaps I could be more aware on my twisted Thursdays.
Perhaps …
What I do know is this:
It is already Thursday and I need your Divine touch.
Thank you.
--Ben Keckler
06.23.11
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