Spiritual Seekers Welcome - Living the Solution

Apart From Me

2012-05-06T17:42:06Z

Article by Tom Gilbert © Living the Solution

When it comes to being around others do you feel a part of or apart from?

A Part of…OR…Apart From?

No matter how much we may convince ourselves that we don't need or want fellowship God knows that's not true. We were created for each other, for community. God desires a relationship with us, so much so that He sent Jesus to bring us back to Him and to make it possible for us to have the rich reward of eternal life with God. Part of the beauty of God's fellowship with us is how it is accomplished by our interaction with other people.

In John 15:5 Christ tells us, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing".

This scripture verse is incredibly rich. What does it tell us? For one, Jesus is telling us the secret of unity. When we are united to God in three persons, we are part of the answered prayer to "be one just as you and I are one". Being part of the divine consciousness makes us whole. No longer are we isolated and operating on our own power. We are part of the great stream of living water!

Divine Vine

Another significant revelation of the verse is that God desires to work through us. Again the mysterious power of the Trinity expresses itself. The Holy Spirit comes and dwells in us and empowers us with gifts that bring about good. We are branches connected to the divine vine.

Why be connected? Look to Psalm 16. Verse 2 states it plainly: "I said to the LORD, 'You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing'." Encouraging words follow in verses 7-9:

"I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken."

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,"

We need this unity with God, and also with others. Going it alone is dangerous. Proverbs 3:5 reminds us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight".

Slip Sliding Away

Not only does God desire the most intimate relationship possible with us, He also has the power that enables us to live life to the fullest. As soon as we stray even the tiniest bit from Jesus then we are relying to some extent on our own knowledge, our own power. Compromise is subtle. It can also be deadly. Our independent choices that are life threatening, such as addictions to alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex, can kill us spiritually and physically.

The key to living is to stay connected, in good times and bad. No wonder we are instructed to rejoice always, give praise and thanks and to keep our eyes on Jesus.

Don't be a part from. Be apart of.

Peace and Rest and Grief

2012-04-19T02:08:09Z

One of the facts of life is that the longer you live the more encounters you will have with death. People live, people die. Sure as the sun rises and sets.

We Christians hold on to the Son also Rises. Jesus Christ was raised from death and the glory of Easter is something to live for everyday. But you can't have Easter without Good Friday.

We are still in the Easter Season and yet news of death continues to swim around me. Just today two prominent entertainers died. Dick Clark, often called "America's youngest teenager", died at age 82. A lot of people remember him as a host for many New Year's Eve celebrations from Times Square in New York City. But as a longtime music lover and veteran of many years in the radio industry I remember Clark for his lengthy broadcasting career and as host of American Bandstand. Baby boomers like myself remember countless bands who found fame and exposure thanks to that long-running television program.

More of an impact to me was the passing of Levon Helm, drummer and singer of the legendary The Band. That musical group was a band in the truest sense of the word and so their name was apt. Each of the musicians were multi-talented and so many of them, Levon included, sang honestly and from the heart. The passion was always evident and their songs could make you whoop for joy and cry...often in the space of a few beats. Levon Helm battled cancer and also died today.

Helms and Clark were people I knew "of", but didn't personally know. Just last week my family lost another member. My Aunt Lois Anne, my father's sister, passed away in Florida. I was saddened, of course, but grateful that she had family members with her as she made the journey to the other side, just as my Dad did. Lois Anne was the last of the immediate family unit on my father's side. Grandpa Tom, Grandma Mabel, and younger brother Uncle Fred all preceded them in death.

My aunt was always robust, healthy and full of life. A great smile, a wonderful heart. I didn't get to see her much in recent years. She and my Uncle Arnie and their children (my cousins) are mostly East-coasters. Our paths have not passed much over the years. However, we had a wonderful family reunion in 2001 at their beautiful lake home in upstate New York on the occasion of my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. Now our communicating by email and cards since the deaths of my dad and aunt are bringing many emotions and prayers to the surface. We all yearn for peace and rest. We all need time to grieve.

There is no special spiritual message in this post. I am merely letting the words pour out and sharing with you my thoughts today. I am sad. My heart is heavy. Yet, I am also grateful that life is so much more than what it sometimes seems. The Spirit stirs us and invites us to share our grief. The Spirit also invites us to share our joy.

So there you have it - peace and rest and grief. Just letting it be, Lord, letting it be.

Listening for God

2012-04-16T00:57:04Z

Many spiritual masters emphasize the importance of taking time each day for quiet contemplative prayer. Our world is so full of noise that in order to hear God's voice we need to go someplace where we can "be still and know" (Psalm 46:10).

image © Adrian van Leen for openphoto.net CC: Public Domain

I am still, after some years, learning to do this. I truly do value my quiet time in the morning. I usually read from a few daily meditation books I have as well as from the Scriptures. But having the quiet-let-go-of-my-thoughts-and-agenda praying still needs some work.

Part of the challenge is realizing that this is not something to be perfected. It does indeed take discipline. But I am not going to "master" it. The very counter-intuitive process of letting go and letting God is what is necessary.

I've been reading Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly and he emphasizes many things I've been taught over the years. It is always good to get the message rephrased and fresh from another clear voice. I recommend this book. Kelly wants Catholics to discover that there is so much to our religion and that we need to get past our criticisms and open our hearts to the great gift that comes to us from Jesus Christ wonderfully expressed through the rich Catholic tradition and sacraments.

One of the profound things Kelly repeats throughout the book is that God wants us to be the very best version of ourselves. God has created us for this purpose. This is what it means to be a saint. Be the best person God created you to be. That means discovering your talents and your purpose. Kelly suggests something simple and profound.

Ask God what that is.

If you do you need to be prepared to hear God's answer. This is why it is important for daily quiet time to listen for God.

I know that I sometimes get messages that seem to be divinely inspired from prayer, reading and from other people. Apparently God uses us to be messengers of good will and inspiration and encouragement to others.

What are your dreams? Your desires? Are you happy? Are you living an authentic life? These questions are discussed in Rediscover Catholicism. They are big and timeless questions. Ask them. Then listen and pay attention. The answers will come if you are earnestly and humbly seeking them.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

How Inspiring Thou Art

2012-04-09T03:03:45Z

Joseph Campbell had a wonderfully perceptive and insightful mind and his excerpt on the Campbell Facebook page yesterday about Jesus, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection certainly had me thinking and nodding my head.

I believe that the death of Jesus of Nazareth on a cross was much deeper than some cosmic transaction to square humanity with God. Yes, Jesus was sinless and died for our sins, but more importantly he was a great Transformer - holding our sins, taking the hate and abuse and refusing to repay in kind. Forgiveness is what he offers. And God (Jesus) suffers along with us, showing us that God is not aloof from our suffering.

God loves all of creation and is constantly at work redeeming it, even bringing good out of evil.

Here's the excerpt posted on the Joseph Campbell Foundation Facebook page:

"If we think of the Crucifixion only in historical terms we lose the reference of the symbol immediately to ourselves. Jesus left his mortal body on the cross, the sign of the earth, to go to the Father with whom he was one. We, similarly, are to identify with the eternal life that is within us. The symbol at the same time tells us of God's willing acceptance of the cross - that is to say, of participation in the trials and sorrows of human life in the world. So that He is here within us - not by way of a fall or a mistake, but with rapture and joy. Thus the cross has a dual sense - one, our going to the divine, and the other, of the divine coming to us. It is a true cross-ing.

"What has always been basic to resurrection, or Easter, is crucifixion. If you want to resurrect, you must have crucifixion. Too many interpretations of the Crucifixion have failed to emphasize that. They emphasize the calamity of the event. And if you emphasize calamity, then you look for someone to blame. That is why people have blamed the Jews for it. But it is not a calamity if it leads to new life. Through the Crucifixion we are unshelled, we are able to be born to resurrection. That is not a calamity. We must look freshly at this so that its symbolism can be sensed.

"St. Augustine speaks of going to the Cross as a bridegroom to his bride. There is an affirmation here. In the Prado is a great painting by Titian of Simon of Cyrene as he willingly helps jesus with the cross. The picture captures the human participation, the free, voluntary participation we all must have in the Easter-Passover mystery."

Joseph Campbell, Thou Art That, p.112 - 113

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

Three Days Revisited

2012-04-06T14:03:55Z

I wrote the following article back in April 2007 and in reading it again and contemplating my own journey the past five years it still resonates with me. The journey Jesus took to Jerusalem to fulfill his mission is full of drama and many lessons for all of us. And, of course, the mission that redeems us and call us to live in a new freedom and join Christ in changing our world is the outcome. The Kingdom of Heaven is indeed at hand!

Article by Tom Gilbert · April 2007

The three most sacred days of the Christian liturgical calendar are upon us. Holy Thursday celebrates the final Passover meal when Jesus gathered with his disciples prior to his crucifixion. At this meal the Lord has some very important information to share. The Passover meal was already a special time of Jewish religious observance. But at this meal Jesus revealed a New Covenant. He is offering himself up, body and blood. He knows he is about to undergo a great passion, but he freely offers himself and even more incredibly, tells his followers we are to eat his flesh and blood to receive the strength and grace of God.

Here is the birth of the Eucharist. It is not an easy thing to accept and believe. John's Gospel records that Jesus declares he is the bread of life. All who believe in him will never go hungry or thirsty and the Father's will is for all to look to the Son and believe in him to have eternal life (John 6:35-40)

At the Last Supper of this Passover meal Jesus also showed us much more of what God is like. God is a loving servant. I think so many of us forget that. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples to demonstrate this servant heart.

Love as a Response to Hate

After the Passover meal Jesus went to pray before his passion, after which he was arrested, condemned, suffered and was crucified. He died on Calvary Hill, but he refused to respond with bitterness or hate. He forgave his executioners and all those who ridiculed him. The religious leaders and Roman soldiers taunted him. "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." (Luke 23:35 · NIV).

But the end of the story is not the death of Jesus of Nazareth. On the Third Day he rose again. God's power resurrected the Son of Man - the Son of God.

These three days are important. Any believer will testify to that. I find it fascinating that so much of God's revelation to us comes in threes.

Threefold Revelations

The Trinitarian nature of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our own makeup - body, mind and soul. The three prime elements of the earth - fire, water, air. There is the threefold love commandment - love God, love others and love yourself. Even the cycle of life is three parts. We are born, we die and we have life after death.

The power of three is weaved all through life. On these three holy days ask The One who has all power to help you live in union with Him, yourself and others.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

Death of My Father, a Holy Time

2012-03-14T16:34:48Z

It has been two months to the day since my father, Thomas Marshall Gilbert, Jr. passed away. There has been time to reflect, time to grieve and time to ponder his life and his death. Inevitably, it has led me to ponder my own life, and yes, my eventual passing from this life.

Dad had turned 83 on Christmas day. He lived a full and interesting life that included growing up in New York, getting a last minute opportunity to attend Harvard (thanks to several men who were friends of the family and pooled their resources), meeting the love of his life (Mom) and marrying her the afternoon of June 14, 1951, having officially entered the Air Force that morning. He had an illustrious flying career with many adventures and following retirement he engaged in other various activities. His spiritual journey was also an adventure. The obituary I posted on legacy.com covers most of those details.

But what I want to write about here is what it meant to be with Dad in those final hours. It brought together family, especially my sister and brother, to a vigil at his hospital bedside. My brother had flown in from Virginia; I came in from Albuquerque. My sister, a longtime resident of Kansas City, was already there. Dad and Mom had retired in KC many years prior and Leslie had already made it her home as she embarked on her career as an occupational therapist right out of college.

Dad had been pretty active and independent until just a couple of months ago. It was in November that he had his first incident with trouble breathing that resulted in a hospital stay. After that he was on a rollercoaster and in and out of the hospital a few times. His lungs were giving out, and as a result of that stress and his age, the rest of him began to deteriorate.

There at his bedside in the intensive care unit it was peaceful and we were blessed to be present – Leslie, Doug and I. As the hours ticked by Doug had remarked several times that “this is a holy time”. And indeed it was.

We had all planned to visit Dad at the skilled care facility he’d been in following his last hospital stay. Instead that morning he had been brought to the emergency room. When we arrived he was on a face-mask for oxygen and was semi-conscious and agitated. His breathing was labored. He sensed we were there (even opened his eyes one time and looked at us), but I knew this was really serious. We spent some time at his side comforting him and praying. After a bit they moved him up to ICU and we went for some lunch and then returned.

It was becoming clearer that maybe this was his time to go. It can be difficult to know and it is up to God, but also up to Dad to let go. We let the physicians know that we didn’t want special means to keep him alive and to give him palliative care. We wanted Dad to be as comfortable as possible in his final time.

So began a vigil. The staff at the hospital was very accommodating. Dad was kept medicated and so was basically asleep or comatose, but I am pretty sure he was aware we were with him. The face mask was off and he was breathing, albeit it with difficulty, on his own. It was remarkable, really, that he was able to do so for several hours. It gave us time to be with him and to tell him we loved him and to go with God and Jesus.

About 8 PM it seemed like it was getting really close. The nurses came in to adjust him and make him a bit more comfortable and give him more pain medication. At about 8:45 Dad was breathing his last and passed away peacefully five minutes later.

Just as it was when Mom passed, we had the blessed opportunity to be with Dad as he left this world. That is very special. How many children get that opportunity on separate occasions with both parents? I can’t just chalk that up to coincidence. It requires Divine Intervention for it to occur.

It is now more apparent than ever how important it was to take the time before Christmas to drive out to visit Dad. At that time we could talk and spend time together. Yes, it was at times frustrating because of Dad’s opinions and politics. But we could rise above that and the one day I spent alone talking with him in the hospital is something I will always remember and cherish. He opened up a bit at my prompting and shared about some of his past growing up, in college, meeting Mom and their early days as his career developed in the Air Force. I was hoping for some time like that and it happened – an answer to prayers.

Authenticity. It is rare in people. God calls us to live authentic lives. Dad, despite his challenging personality, was authentic. He held to his beliefs and had an innate sense to do what was right. I also want to be authentic and do what is right. That is one of the key suggestions of living a meaningful life – do the next right thing.

When a loved one dies there are many things to attend to. This includes the funeral arrangements and burial service. It can hard but I found that my sister, brother and I made a good team. We agreed on a prayer card with a St. Francis image on the front and on the back the refrain from the song, “On Eagle’s Wings”. Dad’s love of flying and spiritual flight, plus the beautiful Christ-like values of Francis made this an appropriate choice.

Dad did a good job with his finances and his legacy planning. He wasn’t wealthy, but he took care of things and he was wise to create a trust to disperse his belongings to family. This is a blessing to us. Aside from things we will receive from Dad’s estate, however, the real gifts we are receiving are happening as we spend time together. We are involved in remembering Dad’s life and celebrating it. We have memories to share. We deal with the reality that each of us will someday die, but also go to a life everlasting in the presence of a very real and loving God. Jesus brings us, leads us, and helps us in our daily lives to reach this goal. I can feel the presence of God as the Holy Spirit works in us, with us and through us.

We don’t know our future will bring, but we can be part of what God wants for us by following his promptings. I can only do what I can do with His help one day at a time. But it is an exciting and meaningful thing to approach each day this way.

We Are All Addicted - Book Review of Breathing Under Water by Richard Rohr

2012-03-13T16:10:28Z

Book Review of Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps by Richard Rohr

Review by Tom Gilbert – March 13, 2012

We are all addicted. For some it is more obvious. It could be alcohol, drugs, sex, food or money. For others it is more subliminal. It could be the way you spend your time. Or maybe it is your patterns of thought. Have you ever considered how you process information and what you do with it? Do you find yourself analyzing and rehashing in your mind what is happening in your life? Are you obsessing in a negative way over anything? Alcoholics call this stinking thinking.

If we are all addicted it follows that we all need a recovery program. The genius of Richard Rohr’s book Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2011- available here) is how he takes each of the twelve steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program and applies them to our need for true spiritual growth.

Recovery for millions has meant freedom from the bondage of self. People today are certainly tied up in their addictive ways of thinking, feeling and living. We need freedom, but more importantly, we need transformation. This is what the Gospel intends for us. We must die to self to be born anew. Every addict in recovery knows this truth. The old ways don’t work; the new way is to let go of self and live for others.

Breathing Under Water started years ago as a talk by Richard Rohr. Later he turned it into a workshop presented by the Center for Action and Contemplation (website). I had listened to the tapes from the talk and spoken personally with this Franciscan priest who gave it. Later I attended the workshop because the subject resonates with me. My personal path of spirituality has resulted from running down the slippery slope of addiction and awakening to the realization that my life was a mess and change needed to occur. When I hit bottom I knew nothing of twelve steps or recovery programs. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I was on what some refer to as “Step Zero” – this crap has got to stop!

The workshop, as well as my discovery of the previous Rohr talk, reaped great benefits for me in my growth. By the time I had discovered them I was already in recovery and doing my best to put the twelve steps into my life. Now with this updated book Rohr has found a way to reach us with a message so clear and integral to our spiritual life that I find myself referring to again and again. As the author likes to tell it (and has said so to me on more than one occasion) “The twelve steps of A.A. are really the Gospel in code.”

Our culture is an addictive one. The metaphor of water rising above our heads and the need to learn to breathe under water is apt. We can’t stop the water from rising, but we can learn to face our own addictions and find a new way to breathe, one that is counter-intuitive, yet frees us to let God live and breathe through us.

The idea of powerlessness leading to surrender is a starting point. It should lead us to the realization that it takes a power greater than ourselves to solve our problem. This is classic Christianity. In the book each of the twelve steps is unpackaged and the parallels with the A.A. program are deftly explained.

We must take stock of ourselves (inventory), confess our shortcomings, face our character defects and ask for the help to change. This is our personal housekeeping. Then we make amends and commence to live our lives in the new way – love and tolerance of others and service (Rohr calls it participation) in the life God intends for us. What an amazing society we could become if we awaken to our addictions to self and learn to live in true relationship with a Higher Power. Isn’t that what real religion should be? It surely is true spirituality.

This all takes time and lots of hard work. But it is worth it. This book is another way for you to discover that the mind of Christ is attainable to us all. Our culture may be addicted, but you don’t live that way. Learn a new way to breathe, to live, and to love.

You can purchase this book through the Living the Solution store/Amazon.com.

Questioning Christianity

2012-03-04T16:37:39Z

Posted by Tom Gilbert

There are a number of things that Christians take as a matter of faith. That is part of the way God works; certain things are not supposed to be "figured out". We accept them on faith because they are beyond human understanding. The Mind of God (Mind of Christ) contains much knowledge and wisdom, but also great mystery.

This doesn't mean we don't ask questions. Questions are essential to learning. Questions also help us wrestle with matters of faith.

I know from my own journey that there have been many times when I've wanted to throw up my hands in despair. I just don't get it! At times I have wanted to scream out, I can't accept this! But through prayer, contemplation, discussion with others, reading insights from others who've also wrestled with faith, I've come to a place of greater acceptance of the things I don't understand.

One of the things of which I am convinced is that GOD IS GOOD. The God of my understanding firmly asserts this in my mind, heart and soul. God is perfect and unconditional love. I believe God is working in and through all things, even bringing good out of bad. Suffering, evil, disasters and hurt - all of these can and are being transformed by God for the benefit of all Creation. God is constantly renewing - constantly creating.

This topic is one that can be discussed endlessly. But for today I am merely wanting to share my assertion that I believe Christianity is the revelation of God's plan and purpose for us. Through Jesus Christ the plan of redemption for all of us is completed. Regardless of whether you are a Christian, I believe this to be so. I believe that God manifests this Truth in many ways. How we come to recognize this and to believe it is an individual journey for every person. But I know for myself the trap of trying to come to this decision in isolation from others. I need to bounce my questions and ideas off of others.

So, having questions is good. I'd like to recommend a book I read last year that may help those of you who are wondering how Christianity may be relevant today, especially in light of how so many people interpret Christianity by looking at how many professed Christians have acted through history.

The book is A New Kind of Christianity by Brian McLaren. The author points out that many people have misread the Bible. We have often failed to look at the overarching storyline of the Bible and we've interpreted it with a mindset that owes more to trying to understand God and the fulfillment of our destiny through Christ Jesus as a hero's march, a climb to achievement, a legalistic justification for actions, and a lack of personal conversion and transformation. McLaren isn't the only one who has discovered our mistaken interpretations and offered an alternate way to read the Christian message. But he does so in a very valuable and meaningful way that utilizes what he calls "ten questions that are transforming faith".

A New Kind of Christianity is widely available, including online here.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

I do believe, help my unbelief

2012-02-20T15:23:32Z

Like all seekers of God's wisdom I find myself at times over analyzing my spirituality. Our Truth and Reality, however, is that we are already in and with God. We must merely believe and recognize it!

The hard part is our busy society keeps us churning and distracted. Letting go of our personal agenda is very difficult.

When we think that maybe it was easier in earlier times perhaps we should consider the demands on Jesus during his ministry. Once he started healing others, preaching powerful wisdom, being available to all he met, word got around and he was constantly besieged with crowds.

This morning I was reading, reflecting and praying over a Gospel reading from Mark (Mk. 9:14-29). Jesus has just come down from the mountain following the amazing Transfiguration experience. He had with him three of his disciples - Peter, James and John. They come upon the other disciples, some teachers of the Law and a crowd. Everyone is animated. A boy "possessed by a spirit" is the center of the attention. The father of the boy desires healing. The boy has always been mute because of his condition and frequently has seizures that cause him to foam at the mouth and roll around on the ground. It must be a frightening and disconcerting sight. It sounds very much like epilepsy.

In those days I'm sure many such conditions were attributed to possession by a demon. And maybe the boy really was possessed by something evil. Regardless, it was troubling and the father must have heard about Jesus and his followers and was desperate for a healing. Unfortunately, the disciples couldn't cast out the demon.

When Jesus is confronted by the situation he is distressed, complaining about this "unbelieving generation" and "how long will I be with you?" Sounds a bit odd, eh? But remember, Jesus keeps telling people to have faith, to be loving and kind, to help others. And people instead usually want someone else to solve their problems. That doesn't sound too different from today.

The father asks Jesus to have pity on them and, if he can, to help them. Jesus replies, "if you can?" (emphasis mine).

Here again we see that Jesus is telling us that God is available and working in, with and through us - if only we have faith. Believe it!

How does the father respond? "I do believe, help my unbelief!"

Oh, that resonates with me. Yes, Lord, I believe. But so often I struggle. Help me have faith. Help my unbelief.

Jesus commands the spirit to come out of the boy and it does. The child lays on the ground, very still. Some of the crowd murmurs. He's dead, they think. But Jesus takes him by the hand and lifts him to his feet. What a metaphor for us! Jesus has his hand extended to us here in our life. Take it!

At the end of this dramatic story the disciples come to Jesus in private and want to know why they could not cast out the demon. This kind only responds to prayer is the Master's reply.

Prayer. And what is prayer? That's a big subject. But it merely starts with becoming quiet and setting aside our agenda, our worries, our busyness, and letting God speak to us. Our prayer life is a relationship that must be cultivated and we must live it. I am grateful that God spoke to me through this Gospel reading today. I do believe. But I need help in my unbelief. Jesus is telling me that the help is with me, in me and readily available. Thank God for that!

Passing Through and Passing On

2012-02-03T01:48:05Z

My father passed away just over two weeks ago. I am working on a tribute article to post that will include spiritual insights and a recognition of all that happened during his holy death.

But for this brief posting I am hoping to convey to you the importance of living each day of your life to the fullest and to appreciate that we are but passing through before we pass on. We don't know how many days we will have in our lifetime; each one - each moment, truly - is precious. I would even say sacred.

When death comes I want to be ready. The only way to do that is to prepare by acknowledging that God has given me a beautiful gift. I have life! Despite the daily struggles, the challenges and the drama, this should not be underestimated.

What is life? That's a big question and a profound one. Do you contemplate it? Questions like that deserve to be "sat" with.

I'm grateful to be alive. I think my gratitude comes primarily from life experiences that taught me that my way was the wrong way. At one time my life was spinning out of control. I thought I was doing well. I was advancing in my career and had more money and prestige than ever before. But when that came crumbling down because of a "self imposed crisis" (you can read between the lines) my fall brought me emotionally and spiritually to my knees.

It has been many years later and the growth has been sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but always progressing.

My experience is like many others. Be alive and be joyful! Even though we are but passing through before we pass on we have much we can contribute to the dance of life.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

Taking Christmas Into the New Year

2011-12-28T15:51:49Z

The days between Christmas and the New Year often are days of reflection. If you have some time off from school or work you can take time to recharge yourself and prepare for the next year. You can get refreshed and re-motivated.

Unfortunately, too many of us spend the time in a blitz of shopping, bustling, and partying. This can cause us to miss the very message of Jesus' birth. The incarnation is God's entry into a time and place in history that is both specific, real and endless.

Why did God choose to become one of us? Why does the Creator continually create through creation? What is the message of God becoming both human and divine and completely vulnerable and dependent on others as a little baby?

Furthermore, what can we learn from this? How dependent are we on God? Are we only trying to get by in life, pushing our personal agendas upon the world? Or are we letting go to the amazing grace that trusts that the Higher Power wants only our good spiritual development and transformation through love and service?

Jesus came as a baby. Scripture tells us that those called to visit him during his infancy were simple shepherds and wise men from the East (some today might consider them pagan new agers!). The religious leaders of the day didn't come around. The King of the Jews at the time, Herod, was so paranoid and afraid of losing power that he tried to kill Jesus. Not knowing which baby he ordered a wholesale slaughter of all baby boys two and younger in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). The horror!

Anyone who has truly traveled a personal spiritual journey will testify to the changes that happen as a result of the journey. You must have your own conversion. It will feel like dying before it will feel like living. That is the pattern set by the Christ.

Go forth into the New Year by first taking stock of where you are, then giving thanks, and then doing for others. It is amazing how often I resist these directions. Yet every time I give myself to this simple recipe for living I grow closer to God and more appreciative of each day...each moment.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

IN-Sight by Gerald Webster - book review

2011-12-23T20:33:09Z

(NOTE - I read this book when it came out in 2010 and it is a very well written, entertaining and award-winning first novel by Gerald Webster. His followup, Soul Reader, was recently released and a review is forthcoming when I finish it)

Author · Gerard D. Webster
Publisher - Outskirts Press
www.OutskirtsPress.com

Review by Tom Gilbert · © May, 2010

Any well written action thriller has fully developed characters, plot twists and some unusual event as the hook to the story. Such is the case with the fine debut by Gerard Webster. IN-SIGHT revolves primarily around Ward McNulty, a syndicated columnist who seems to have what he wants in life - fame, a beautiful woman and some powerful friends. He lives to please himself, but as the story unfolds he discovers he is caught up in something frightening. There's corruption, drugs, alcoholism, egotism and people hurting from the lack of meaning in their life.

A legal battle over the potential development of a middle-class residential area into a high-rolling resort destination has many in Jacksonville, Florida choosing sides. For Ward McNulty the kicker is he and his father are on opposite ends of this fight. Ward is in favor of the idea and he uses his column to promote it. His girlfriend, anchor of a local TV station news show, is also drumming up public support. But Ward's dad and mom still live in the area that would be completely renovated. They aren't about to give up their home without a fight. Dan McNulty is true to his Catholicism and traditional values while the son has more in common with the young man who took and wasted his father's inheritance in the story of the "prodigal son".

The elder McNulty has something that helps him "see" into the true motives and character of others. His special gift is a spiritual insight. Not too many people know about it. His parish priest does and some of his closer friends suspect he has some kind of fine-tuned ability to read people, but they don't really know what it is. Dan McNulty is also a recovered alcoholic and he's carefully worked the steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. The combination of his special spiritual insight (resulting from a combat war experience) and his true care for the welfare of others makes him a strong protagonist in the story.

There's danger when money, power, sex, drugs and corruption mix. The plot weaves these variables into a tight and tingling storyline. There's redemption ahead - but also loss. Webster writes with deep care for his characters and paints them as real humans, faults and all. But he has a message in the story that is positive without being preachy.

IN-SIGHT was released in 2009 and has earned recognition as the 2nd place winner from the Creative Arts Council 2009 book awards.

This book is available at the Living the Solution Amazon.com store.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

Local Service in Your Church Community

2011-12-11T17:04:44Z

Going to church is something many people do. But in order for your life to be full you need to do more than just attend. You have to get involved. One of the best lines I've ever heard related to this has to do with how we create real change in our lives. The expression is "You can't think yourself into right living; you have to live your life into right thinking."

There is much truth in this. We often fail to see it because we are too often obsessing over our concerns and needs. That leads to a lot of projection into the future, much needless worry and often fear that limits our actions. When you are worried and afraid you tend to stick to what you know. That makes it hard to step out in faith and take action, especially in areas where you feel reluctant. However, God is inviting you to participate. Who knows what meeting someone new might lead to? Sharing some time with another, listening and encouraging them, can be just the medicine your soul needs. You help them, as well. Maybe it lifts some mental or emotional burden on their part. Or perhaps you help them with a basic necessity, such as a ride, a meal, or just a helping hand.

After early mass this morning I went to our parish hall and enjoyed a tasty breakfast served up by the men in our local Knights of Columbus Council. These men do a lot for the people in our community. Today's breakfast was a fundraiser for the upcoming Christmas party they will hold for local children. I was certainly satisfied with the eggs, red and green chile, hashbrown potatoes and tortillas, but it was even more gratifying to know that these men are doing a good service.

It usually doesn't require special theological training to step in and help with various ministries in your parish. I like to read and study scripture, and my years in radio broadcasting have helped me cultivate a strong speaking voice. It's a natural extension of that job experience to be a reader/lector at mass. Whenever I have that opportunity it also makes me feel more involved in church. There are many others who are Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, choir members, ushers and so on. The participation is needed to meet the needs of our church community. But it also gives you a great opportunity to minister in a very real way with others. One to one interaction is a powerful way to carry a message. And a message is more powerfully carried by the example of your actions.

At the breakfast I sat down with a couple of gentlemen I didn't know and we had a delightful conversation. It turned out that one man, Ernest, had spent many years as an educator, both here in New Mexico and also helping with many Latin American schools. He'd been a teacher at various levels, an administrator and a consultant. This was serendipitous. I am in my first year as a full-time teacher, a new profession that I've been training for these past two years. I enjoyed hearing about his experiences. If I had not taken the action to attend the breakfast after mass I would not have met these men.

I hope you are reaching out to others with the love that God has placed in your hearts. Jesus extends an invitation. He says, "Follow me." Where is he leading? The Gospels give us some insight. Jesus traveled about and spent time with many people of all types. He spoke, dined, healed and prayed. He was involved.

Where are you headed today? Think about it...but then do something.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

Richard Rohr on PBS Religion and Ethics Show

2011-12-09T03:55:57Z

It was about a month ago that Judy Valente in Portland, Oregon did an interview with noted Franciscan author and speaker Richard Rohr that has been featured on the PBS Religion and Ethics program. I've been an admirer of Rohr for several years and I'm blessed to live in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he is based with his Center for Action and Contemplation. I've met and talked with Richard a few times and I've done some work there at the CAC. The spiritual growth I've gained from his insight has helped me a great deal.

So I am always interested in Richard Rohr's new books and any interviews or coverage he receives. This PBS interview is one of the best I've come across. It shares in a short amount of time many of the profound points that Father Rohr often shares through his talks and books. These include the need for us to let go to the Holy Spirit and not get too caught up in doctrine. We also need to recognize our failings and that often God gets to us through our faults and our "falling down" - in other words, the whole "dying to self" in whatever way that occurs. Many people discover the spiritual rebirth after battling alcoholism, addiction, life threatening diseases or traumatic life changing events.

Our culture needs badly to move away from building and protecting our self-image whenever that is just ego justification. We need to do more than learn about God and Jesus. We need to have real change, what the saints and mystics would call transcendence.

This change often takes a lifetime and usually in the second half of life. But not always; some connect the dots earlier, like Francis of Assisi and St. Therese of Lieseux. I pray you discover this path. Check out the article and perhaps you'll have an "a-ha!" moment.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

A Day of Thanks for Daily Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T17:45:17Z

posted by Tom Gilbert

One of the more profound lessons I have learned in life is that gratitude is not simply a feeling. Many miss that. A warm feeling when you are grateful is good. I'm not discounting that. But feeling grateful is not the fullness of gratitude. Gratitude is a state of being and it is best expressed in action.

On this Thanksgiving Day many gather with family for a traditional meal. Turkey, stuffing and all that goes with that make for a wonderful dinner. And it is good to sit at a table with family and count our blessings.

How we carry that tradition of being grateful on one day - Thanksgiving - into our lives each and every day is the key to both an attitude of gratitude and gratitude in action.

Give fully from your heart to others, especially those most in need of that generosity. A kind look, smile, word and action goes a long way. Surely you realize that for those who you see are in need, the poor, hungry, homeless and infirm. Look closer at those around you. Some of the people who need the gift you can bring on the outside appear fine. Inside they are hungry for something. They might not even recognize that it is the love of God carried to them by someone like you.

Living in the solution that daily gratitude brings yields much fruit. At Thanksgiving we traditionally celebrate the end of the harvest season. God is sowing seeds of love among us. Happy are you who hear the message, embrace it and carry it someone else.

God bless you and keep you. The grace of Christ Jesus be with you always!

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

Life Participation in Life and Not Just Of Life

2011-10-23T18:15:51Z

By Tom Gilbert

There is a difference between being in the world and of the world. In the Gospel of John (Chapter 17) Jesus prays for us. He knows we will face evils, hardships and seductions of the world, but he still wants us to be here so that we can be his agents of love, his hands and feet. Yet we so easily can get lost in a life that is all about our own interests. What can life do for me? That’s often our motto.

Being of the world means getting caught up in everything that happens and worrying about how it affects us. Being in the world recognizes that we are here. But we don’t have to obsess over what happens. There is a distinction.

I was reading from Henri Nowen’s excellent daily meditation book Bread for the Journey (HarperSanFrancisco, 1997 – link) and today’s entry (October 23) compares the above with the idea that we can also be in the Church without being of the Church. Nowen remarks that this may be a more difficult challenge.

If we get too caught up in church matters we miss what the Church is all about. We are made up of the human and the divine. We, the followers of Jesus, are the Body of Christ. There are things to attend to, but if we focus too much on Church matters we miss what it is all about. We are to be a living community dedicated to the life of Christ in all our affairs. So being of the Church (committees, positions, prominence and busyness) can distract from being in the Church and living lives of kindness, compassion, forgiveness and love.

The daily walk of a Christian is indeed spiritually challenging. How wonderful, for it is through these challenges that we grow. I believe in a faith that grows in both mystery and understanding.

The Power of a Little Flower

2011-10-02T17:18:36Z

By Tom Gilbert

St. Therese of Lisieux is often referred to as the Little Flower. She was a very devout young woman who became a Carmelite nun at an early age and during her time there she wasn't famous. But she was drawn deeply to the heart of Jesus and her prayer life was rich and intense.

She put up with disdain and mean-spirited actions from some of the other sisters and she had to learn to let go of her self centered thoughts and behavior. Her little way has inspired countless others and her wonderful autobiography, The Story of a Soul (available online here), is a great account of her love for God and her spiritual growth.

This soul so dedicated to spreading the love of God died quite young. She was just 24. She is another example of how God uses people in surprising ways. We don't expect young girls to have such insight. But God takes each of us and plants a desire in our hearts. If we listen and follow that desire amazing things can result. Therese of LIsieux is now a famous and influential saint and a Doctor of the Catholic Church. The Feast of St. Therese is October 1. I found myself thinking about her yesterday and this morning I pulled out my copy of The Story of a Soul and read again from it. In her chapter "The Way of Love" she speaks of being drawn by Jesus and how she longed for Christ to live and act in her. Indeed he has and does!

This love and grace is available to all of us. As Therese writes, "We will run, indeed, all of us, for souls on fire cannot remain inactive."

Links to some sites about St. Therese of Lisieux:

Therese of Lisieux official site - www.sttherese.com

St. Therese of Lisieux - Mystic, Patroness of the Missions, Doctor of the Church - www.thelittleflower.org

St. Therese of Lisieux - Saint of the Day - www.americancatholic.org

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

Just Be With Them

2011-09-16T02:34:48Z

On September 11, 2011 - this year's 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy - I was informed of the untimely death of the son of a friend I work with at a hospital. Ian was only 27, far too young for his life to end, and he passed away on September 9. I don't know the cause of death, but it was sudden and the shock to his mother is severe. As you might imagine it would be.

Jackie, the suffering mother, is a normally outgoing person. She's full of enthusiasm and fun, even when she deals with challenges, problems and the headaches one encounters at a big hospital she usually keeps her sense of humor. She would often ask about my nearly two year old grandson and coo over pictures of him. More than once she expressed her great desire to some day be a grandma. I like her and I like working with her.

Right now it hurts every time I think of the immense suffering she is going through. What do you say or do for someone at a time like this? Well intentioned condolences pale beside her pain.

Jackie has another son who is just two years younger than his brother and he is distraught as well. He started working at the same hospital just a few months ago. It's hard to hear about such tragedy and grief. Harder still when it is someone you know. Hardest if it happens to you.

Some people rail against God under these circumstances. And God is big enough to take it. But I don't think God is insensitive to our suffering; I believe God feels our pain. Certainly Jesus (God the son) did and does. Remember how he wept at the death of Lazarus when he encountered the suffering of Martha and Mary?

Does God ever turn away or leave us alone? I think God is everywhere and so ever near. But perhaps there are times God allows us to feel separated so that we can recognize our need for God. The comfort and support we need comes from this Divine Source. A source that, by the way, works in and through people.

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. It's impossible to measure the pain Mary must have felt at the foot of the cross as her son died an excruciating and humiliating death. The Gospel tell us Jesus looked down at his mother and gave John, the beloved disciple to her. And she to him. Maybe that's what I need to remember. That my friend has others who care and we can be there. Just be there.

Sometimes the best way to help someone grieve is to just be with them.

Always Remember - 9/11 Memorial to Open September 11, 2011

2011-09-08T23:40:19Z

Ten years later. It's hard to believe that a decade has passed since that fateful day when we awoke to a September morning that forever changed our world.

9/11 is a day when many lives were lost in horrific terrorist attacks on U.S. soil - mainly the collapse of the World Trade Centers in New York City when hijacked airliners were flown into the buildings. But there was also the attack on the Pentagon and another hijacked plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania when the passengers learned of the days events and fought back against the hijackers (Flight 93).

What I want to remember is how people - many of them ordinary citizens - turned into heroes through acts of courage and kindness. It wasn't one day; it was days, weeks, months and years of dedication. Providing comfort. Clearing away wreckage. Dealing with the heartbreak; processing the anger; trying to find acceptance and understanding.

A beautiful memorial is about to be dedicated at the former site of the World Trade Centers. On 9-11-11 two reflection ponds built on the footprint of the two iconic buildings that collapsed will open to the public. They feature the names of the victims and the largest manmade waterfalls in the country. It is a very tasteful and respectful memorial titled Reflecting Absence. You should most definitely view the video - here.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved

Book Review – 9/11 Memoir - Let's Roll!

2011-09-05T01:19:25Z

After 9/11 Lisa Beamer wrote a book about her husband, one of the passengers on board Flight 93. That plane was also hijacked on September 11, 201 and it eventually crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

It is now ten years since 9/11. I wrote this review back in 2002 and I post it, the tale of Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage, to remind us to always remember and to find ways to face tragedy with faith in God and love for others.

Review by Tom Gilbert © 2002 LivingTheSolution.com

Life defining moments. They can come at any time in each of our lives; sometimes they turn our world upside down. When the world as we know it changes instantly and forever. We may not be prepared for the loss of innocence that comes with sudden tragedy.

How any of us will respond when it happens to us is hard to predict. If you believe in God and Jesus and the promise of eternal life then your take on tragedy will be different from those who don't have that faith.

September 11, 2001 will be forever etched into the history of America as a day of infamy. It was a defining moment in our lives as we watched the World Trade Centers collapse in New York City along with the destruction and death at the Pentagon, both the result of terrorist acts by religious extremists. The hijacking of commercial airliners and turning them into weapons of mass destruction flown into buildings was both shocking and horrific.

But not every plane hit its intended target. A group of terrorists were foiled in the attempt to fly another airliner into either the White House or the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. This was Flight 93. A few of the passengers banded together and battled to take back control of this plane. In the end it crashed into a field in Pennsylvania and all the passengers died. One of them was Todd Beamer, a loving husband, father and Christian. In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy his wife, Lisa Beamer, wrote a book. Let's Roll! Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage (written with Ken Abraham and published in August 2002 by Tyndale Publisher) became a national bestseller. The book captures the heroic character of Todd Beamer. It tells of his involvement, along with other brave passengers, in preventing Flight 93 from becoming an additional weapon of huge destruction on September 11, 2001. This book, however, is much more than a gripping account of the events surrounding the ill-fated flight on 9/11. It's also a tale of two people very much in love, with each other and with God.

Let's Roll! became a rallying cry after 9/11. In the book we learn from Lisa Beamer, wife of Todd, that this was a phrase he often used with his family. It was Todd's way of saying, "C'mon, time to get a move on" or "let's do it". That it became the final recorded words of this hero is fitting. Todd Beamer was not the only hero of the day. There were other passengers on board who joined in the fight. But after reading the book I conclude Lisa Beamer is every bit the hero he was. She has bravely faced the tragedy. She continues to live with the challenge of raising her three children, one of whom was born three months after that fateful day. She'·s coping with the loss of her beloved husband. She's showing through her story that courage and faith in God do shine forth in so-called ordinary people.

The book begins with that fateful day in September, but the first chapter leaves you on edge. Todd Beamer had taken a very early morning flight out of Newark. He'd left the home before the rest of his family was up. By the time Lisa awoke and had turned on the TV the tragic events of the day were unfolding. The World Trade centers were in flames, followed soon by the Pentagon being hit. Our country was under a surreal terrorist attack. The book takes you back to it in a flash.

Before continuing on with the events of that sad day we're presented with the story of Todd and Lisa, their stories along with background on their parents. We come to know and love them for the young, vibrant and caring couple they were. Like so many of us, they were pursuing the "American Dream". Their very real faith in God set a foundation that held strong when the winds of a tragic storm hit them in a very personal way.

As I was reading this middle part of the book I found myself at times impatient to move on with what happened on Flight 93. I wanted to know more details about the struggle and the heroism. I was looking for the action.

What I discovered was that the stories of Lisa and Todd, of their growing up, their college years, their courtship, marriage and life together were really necessary to appreciate this story. For the book is much more than a recounting of what happened on Flight 93. It's more than those acts of heroism in the face of certain death. It's about dealing with life's tragedies and making it through because of a real faith in God and the acts of support and love that come about when fellow believers bond together. Those acts of love took place that day on Flight 93.

There were tremendous acts of love and support from others, too. Lisa Jefferson, a call supervisor for GTE Airfone, talked at length with Todd Beamer during the hijacking. Her conversation has been a source of comfort for Lisa Beamer as well as family members and friends. Certainly it was a source of comfort for Todd that morning. He made sure to convey the importance of his wife knowing how much he loved her. He also shared his faith and prayed the Lord's prayer with Ms. Jefferson.

Lisa Beamer has had to deal with some extraordinary events. She has bravely, yet humanly, faced the loss of her husband. Her thrust into the heat of the media limelight was not something she shied away from, but rather she let God work through her to find the words to say, to respond to the many painful questions.

Since that fateful day life has gone on. For Lisa Beamer, and others who lost loved ones that day, it has been challenging. The way Lisa Beamer bears up under the immense pressure and grief is very admirable. Her humility, however, shines through. She shows us through her recollections that with God we can face anything, even tragic loss, and survive and help others in their struggles. It's a classic example of God working to bring good out of the seemingly unfair bad in this world. In the book's final chapter Lisa Beamer says as much. When you read this book you, too, can come to appreciate the Beamer family rally: "Let's roll!"

Let's Roll! is available online at our Amazon.com e-store.

Copyright Living the Solution 2011 All Rights Reserved