Our Jewish beloved celebrate the festival of Purim today and tomorrow.
Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire and the courage of Queen Esther, who revealed that she was Jewish in the face of mortal threats. It is celebrated in many ways, among which is generosity to those who have less resources.
Be generous with your resources today.
“If you agree with me that we are interconnected, then we must accept the diversity that represents, which is the diversity of the universe.” -Marta Valentin
How do you honor the diversity of the universe?
“We seek our place in the world
and the answers to our hearts’ deep questions.
As we seek, may our hearts be open to unexpected answers.”
-from a chalice lighting by Julianne Lepp
When have you received an unexpected answer to your deep questions?
I have often heard more computer-savvy people make the delineation between hardware (the physical parts of the computer), software (the programs we run) and wetware (the humans running things). From time to time, we appreciate your grace and forgiveness when the Daily Compass wetware malfunctions. We appreciate that this daily touchstone is an important part of your spiritual practice, and we are sorry when our brains don’t keep up with the schedule.
When have you needed forgiveness for your own “wetware malfunctions?”
My penpal and I don’t have much in common. He has been imprisoned for many years for a long-ago crime, spending most of his day in a cell with a concrete floor. He’s young, Mexican, loves watching basketball, and has little to occupy his time. I am old enough to be his mother, white, work full time, and have an abundance of opportunities for entertainment–but watching sports isn’t one of them. I have never been confined.
Add to these great divisions the fact that we don’t share photos of each other. Therefore, letter writing was a challenge for me, as I usually envision the recipient when I write, picturing them smiling at the good news or sighing at the frustrations, just as my words intended to convey….
New differences between us are revealed with each letter; we may never agree on some. These differences are softened by the things we have in common: the taste of oranges in winter, the pleasure of a good run outside, travel—and emoticons. And the emoticons help heal our differences by filling our minds’ eye with the emotions of the other.
-From a “Braver/Wiser” reflection written by a pen pal in the CLF Worthy Now Prison Ministry
When have you found surprising things in common with someone else?
