Musings from one of the women: July 2009

Gifts of the Spirit

There are different gifts but the same Spirit; there are different ministries but the same Lord; there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one the Spirit gives wisdom in discourse, to another the power to express knowledge. Through the Spirit one receives faith; by the same Spirit another is given the gift of healing, and still another miraculous powers. Prophecy is given to one; to another power to distinguish one spirit from another. One receives the gift of tongues, another that of interpreting the tongues. But it is one and the same Spirit
who produces all these gifts distributing them to each as he wills.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
May we all live the gifts that we have been given in humble service to God and others.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Why I chose to write under a pseudonym

I chose the pseudonym, Persis, (see Romans 16:12, more on that in a future post), not to protect myself, but to protect those whom I work for and my friends and family from being harassed by well-meaning, yet totally misguided individuals. All of the thoughts posted on this blog are mine and mine alone. I do not want it to be misconstrued as me speaking for any organization or institution. I believe that the only way to get beyond our differences is to discuss them, and that is what I am hoping to do with this blog. I will be respectful to all in my blog entries and in my comments to other posts, all I ask is for the same courtesy.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Into the unknown...

My first blog.

About time I came into the 21st century!!

This is my attempt to share the gifts that the Holy Spirit has bestowed on me.

I am a Roman Catholic woman from the Diocese of Rochester. I am saddened by the outright hostility that other bloggers in the DOR have exhibited towards Bishop Clark, much of the clergy and pastoral staff and anyone who happens to think that the reforms of Vatican II are a good thing. What saddens me even more is the mean-spirited, vicious comments posted on many of these blogs by so-called "Christians".

I did not start this blog to be berated, threatened or condemned to hell! I have started this blog to share my insights and feelings about about spirituality and religion.

Feel free to do so also, whether you agree or disagree.

The only thing I ask is that you are respectful.

Peace to All!

AMDG

Her Name

There is a lot I don’t know
about courage.
I think I would have been
hiding with the rest,
Or alone, crying.

She was crying too,
just three days after he died,
as she came to the tomb
to tend to the only needs of his
there were left to tend to.
And when she found him gone
it was too much,
And all she wanted to do
was to find him,
And cling to what was left of her life.

She must have heard him
say it so many times,
and maybe it always made
her think of the first time
He had spoken her name
and driven out the demons,
when he had saved her
and changed everything.

So maybe the others could hide,
but she had to be near him,
she had to care for him
even if it was too late.

And then she heard, “Mary, “
her name, in His voice,
and it was unmistakable,
and it wasn’t too late:
His voice could still calm storms
and shatter hearts of stone
and cast out every demon
of fear and loneliness from her heart.

She heard him say her name that day
and she had the courage to
let him change her life again.

Thomas Flowers, SJ
Walking Humbly: Scripture Meditations in Verse

Musings from one of the women

Gifts of the Spirit

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Why I chose to write under a pseudonym

Friday, July 10, 2009

Into the unknown...

Followers

Credit where credit is due