A weekly collection of inspiration and resources for the journey, gathered from websites, books, and pass-alongs that have been shared with us. From The Wisdom Years – Spirituality for the Last Third of Our Lives.
Dignity
We need to pray our lives, acknowledging both the dignity of our own life and the dignity of other people. We need prayer to discern how to steward this gift of life entrusted to each of us. And we need a practice, how then to live in a world filled with God’s children in need. -Br. Curtis Almquist, SSJE
Last Call – Sign up Now for
Overflowing with Gratefulness
An online study from The Wisdom Years.
For four weeks,
starting April 15, 2021
4 to 5:15 p.m. (Central time)
When we are grateful, says Brother David Steindl-Rast of The Network for Grateful Living, our hearts fill up and overflow like a bowl with joy and contentment. Our culture teaches that we should fill our bowls with material goods, and when the bowl is full we should get a bigger and better one and buy more goods to fill it. But then it never overflows.
There is a better way. A way that recognizes that enough is enough and true joy consists of being grateful for what we have.
In our four-week study, we will
– consider how we can live knowing that what we have and what we are is all we need
– learn to “hold space” for the possibilities for joy and contentment our God reveals to us
– look at practices that open us to awareness of blessings that call forth grateful living
To learn more and sign up for the study.
or send an email to Marjorie George at marjoriegeorge62@gmail.com.
On Friendship
From the Center for Action and Contemplation
In two reflections recently, Richard Rohr of CAC looks at friendship, what he calls a “sacred relationship.” “A friend is medicine for life,” says Rohr. “What a striking metaphor! No remedy is more powerful, effective, and distinctive in everything that fills this life than to have someone to share your every loss with compassion and your every gain with congratulation.”
In “Sacred Relationship,” Rohr defines true friendship and mourns the way friendship is often devalued in our current society.
Read Sacred Relationship
In “The Gift of Wise Friends,” Rohr and Mirabai Starr look at the friendship between Francis of Assissi and his dear friend Clare, founder of the Poor Clares. It is a sweet remembrance of these two extraordinary people who influenced Christianity.
Daily Resurrection
By Fr. Ron Rolheiser
“What the resurrection of Jesus promises is that things can always be new again. It’s never too late to start over. Nothing is irrevocable. No betrayal is final. No sin is unforgivable. Every form of death can be overcome. There isn’t any loss that can’t be redeemed. Every day is virgin. There is really no such thing as old age.”
The Seasons Of Life
From Sunny Skyz
“There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly,” begins a modern-day parable. “So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.” This parable reminds us to not judge our lives by whatever may be happening in this current season of life, but to remember that all seasons of life have much to teach us.
Reopening with Intention
By Scott Stoner
From Living Compass
“I was unaware, back before Covid, of much I was idealizing busyness. Hurrying from one thing to another, I failed to realize how unable I was to be fully present and attentive to what I was doing.”
Judaism’s “Inner Path” of Aging
A webinar
From Sage-ing International
Tuesday, April 20, 12:00- 1:30 pm ET
There is a wealth of wisdom within traditional Judaism that guides the individual along the evolving spiritual path of aging. “With aged men comes wisdom, and understanding in length of days” says the Talmud. This short webinar will include teaching and small-group discussions.
For more information and to register.
Practicing Spirituality at Home
An e-course
From Spirituality and Practice
Sunday, May 2 – Thursday, June 10
This e-course consists of 40 daily emails that offer practices, rituals, reminders, and prayers to help you bring more focus and intentionality to the ordinary things you do at home. S&P will share some of the attitudes and actions recommended by 40 of their favorite writers.
For more information and to register.
Cultivating Contentment
An e-course
From Spirituality and Practice
Sunday, May 2 – Saturday, May 22
Contentment begins with satisfaction with who you are and where you are in your life. It is not a word that we hear used much these days. But deep inside many of us is a yearning for this path which takes within its embrace simplicity, gratitude, equanimity, being present, and freedom from wanting.
For more information and to register.
If you have something to add to Gathered Wisdom, send it to Marjorie George at
marjoriegeorge62@gmail.com
Gathered Wisdom is from The Wisdom Years, a ministry that invites older adults to deepening spirituality in the last third of their lives. If someone forwarded this to you, learn more about The Wisdom Years and subscribe to the site at
ww.wisdomyears.org.
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