Published 11-7-11    The Religion Network publishes every Monday

ON TODAY'S SITE:
Book of Luke, Pueblo blessing, Isaac of Nineveh, Sarah Young, Native American proverb
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Photo by Chuck Bowman            All rights reserved

And (Jesus) came down with them and stood on a level place,
with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude
of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of
Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of
their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean
spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him,
for power came forth from him and healed them all.

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
"Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied.
Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh." ...


Luke 6:17-21
Revised Standard Version


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Hold on to what is good
Even if it is a handful of earth
Hold on to what you believe
Even if it is a tree that stands by itself
Hold on to what you must do
Even if it is a long way from here
Hold on to life
Even if it is easier to let go
Hold on to my hand
Even if I have gone away from you.



Pueblo blessing

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... "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they
exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name
as evil, on account of the Son of man! Rejoice in that
day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great
in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets."

Luke 6:22
Revised Standard Version

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Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth
will be at peace with you. Enter eagerly into the treasure
house that is within you: you will see the things that are
in heaven; for there is but one single entry to them both.
The ladder that leads to the Kingdom is hidden within
your soul...Dive into yourself, and in your soul you will
discover the stairs by which to ascend.

St. Isaac of Nineveh (aka Isaac the Syrian) (d. circa 700)
Ascetic priest of the Eastern Orthodox Church

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Rejoice in this day that I have made,
trusting that I am abundantly present
in it. Instead of regretting or resenting
the way things are, thank me in all cir-
cumstances. Trust Me and don't be fearful;
thank Me and rest in My sovereignty.


Excerpted from "Jesus Calling,"
by Sarah Young
Integrity Publishers, 2004