I'm approaching this from two directions...
We in the U.S. are rich beyond imagining for the majority of the world's population. This was brought home to my heart on a mission trip to Uganda in 2005. My group built a simple brick home for a house mother and eight orphans in the Watoto village of Suubi. Watoto has done an extraordinary job of rescuing women and children and fulfilling their mission of creating leaders for their communities. The solid foundation of their work is a faith-based community built on the teachings of Jesus. The power of Spirit is mighty among them. This is true of the many indigenous peoples who have been able to maintain their cultures.
We in the U.S. are tragically poor spiritually, despite our material wealth. This is summed up by Father Richard Rohr:
We are finding it is nearly impossible to heal isolated individuals inside of a culture as unhealthy and unhealed as the USA, and inside any version of Christianity that supports exclusion and superiority. Individuals who remain inside of an incoherent and unsafe universe soon fall back into anger, fear, and narcissism. I sadly say this after 46 years of giving retreats, conferences, and initiation rites all over the world. Only people who went on to develop a contemplative mind could finally grow and benefit from the message that they heard.
A contemplative mind enables one to embrace and integrate their personality, shadow, woundedness, family issues, culture, and contextualizing life experiences under The One. . . .This is a truly integral spirituality.
The power of Spirit is not mighty among us. We are missing the "truly integral spirituality," and that is true wealth beyond imagining.
Accepting daily the challenge of living in love,
Leta
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| Astronomy Picture of the Day, Nov. 23 X-ray photo of our steadfast sun |
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