You might want to wait until you read and post on a chapter before reading the post of others but that is, of course, up to you. Please remember we are all different and come from all different backgrounds, faith formation and experiences. Please don't worry about measuring up to each other or not knowing what to say. Just pray before you read and post and be yourself. It will be fun getting to know each other in this fashion.
Ok.... My first book post:
The title of this book, from Micah 6:8, has been a desire of my heart. …. I will be thankful if this book helps me “Walk Humbly with our God”. I feel that just as Adam and Eve walked with the Lord, as the apostles and first disciples walked with the Lord so we are called to walk with our Lord through our love for and communication with the Lord, by our interaction with others and through “praying unceasingly”. We can break down that phrase into three parts all worth meditating on: “walk humbly", walk with God” and “our God”.
The author refers to the Franciscan Friar’s of the Renewal in the Bronx, which is the religious order he belongs to. I actually have a friend who is now a postulant for that order. They are a great group of men who serve the poor in New York City. My friend is from a small town so it is quite an adjustment for him. Fr. Benedict Groeschel, a popular conference speaker, is also part of the order.
The theme of Fr. Apostoli’s introduction certainly surprised me. It was not what I expected. Not wanting to give it away for those who don’t have their book yet I wont post on any specific details of it.
Two phrases however jumped out at me (page 6). The first is “It is the presence of the cross that gives all this any meaning.” And “I believe we have to trust that God would not permit an evil to happen except to draw a greater good from it.” When I see suffering in the news or among friends and neighbors I am so thankful for the ones who have faith and saddened for those that don't. Not that it is necessarily easier for them but they can see a higher purpose and have hope. I guess this introduction makes me reflect on the blessing of our Christian faith. This weekend I heard a conference speaker tell how, as an instruction in New Age spirituality (Course of Miracles, etc.) she taught people how to be detached from those suffering so as not to attract the suffering to oneself. So rather than having empathy and helping they would avoid them (Law of attraction – if I understood the speaker correctly.). So the “cross” and our Christian faith call us to see how the Lord can work in and through all the situations we encounter.
Ok. Let's see who the next brave soul is who posts.
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