Finding the Way...

Opening Reflections:

Not everyone who says to me,
'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only he who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven.
(Bible, Matthew 7:21) (2)

Better to have your own view, however small,
than to live for another's view,
however grand it may seem.
(Bhagavad Gita, 3:35) (5)

Woe to you experts of the law,
because you have taken away the key to knowledge.
You yourselves have not entered,
and you have hindered those who were entering.
(Bible, Luke 11:52) (2)

Scripture Reading:

Once the Exalted One was staying at Kosambi,
on the bank of the River Ganges. 
When he saw great log being carried down the Ganges' stream, 
he called to the brethren, asking whether they could
see the great log being carried downstream. 

Yes Lord, they replied. 

Now, brethren, if a log does not ground on this bank
or the further bank, if it does not stick fast on a shoal,
if it does not fall into human or non-human hands,
if it is not caught on an eddy, or if it does not rot inwardly-
that log, brethren, will float down to the ocean,
will slide down to the ocean, will tend towards the ocean.
And why? 
Because brethren, Ganges' stream floats down to the ocean,
tends toward the ocean.

In like manner, brethren, if you do not ground 
on this shore or that shore, if you do not sink in
midstream, if you do not stick fast on a shoal, 
if you do not fall prey to beings human or non-human,
if you do not rot inwardly- then brethren,
you shall float down to nirvana.
Because, brethren, perfect-view floats, slides,
tends toward nirvana. (1)

  

Moment of Reflection: 

(moment of quiet reflection)

Scripture Reading:

Therefore, as God's chosen people,
holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances
you may have against one another.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love,
which binds them all together in 
perfect unity.
(Bible, Colossians 3:12-14)

Moment of Reflection

(moment of quiet reflection)

Sermon

The religion of Jesus is not gained by following a religion about Jesus.
Belief without holiness, faith without works, is like being
a fruitless, leafless dead tree.
The Way is a journey, not a destination.
It is means to salvation, not a magic bullet.
The Dharma is about aligning with the will of God,
resonating with that universal and eternal Truth
that is somehow already known in the deepest part of our being.

...getting people to align to the will of Father is the
main purpose of Jesus having taught. (5)

Memory Verse for Today:

The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful,
to be honorable, to be compassionate, 
to have it make some
difference that you have lived, and lived well.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Closing Prayer:

Oh God, Allah, Great Spirit, 
you are everything to us,
giving us life, filling it with love,
and settling us free from sin 
that we might live in love.
Take the work of our hands this day,
and let good come from it;
take our lives this night,
and let good come to us.
Amen. (6)

(1) Biddulph, Desmond and Flynn, Darcy. Teachings of the Buddha: The Wisdom of the Dharma, From the Pali Canon to the Sutras. London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 1988.

(2) The Holy Bible(NIV). Colorado Springs, CO: The International Bible Society, 1984.

Dalai Lama and Cutler, Howard. The Art of Happiness. New York: The Penguin Group, 1998.

(3) "Pearls of Wisdom." Last modified 2012. Accessed November 19, 2012. http://www.sapphyr.net/natam/quotes-nativeamerican.htm.

(4) Gammard, Ibrahim. Dar-Al-Masnavi, "Thanksgiving from the Islamic Perspective." Last modified 2002. Accessed November 19, 2012. http://www.dar-al-masnavi.org/thanksgiving.html.

(5) Ragland, Thomas. The Noble Eightfold Path of Christ- Jesus teaches the Dharma of Buddhism. Victoria, BC: Trafford, 2003.

(6)  Daily Prayer. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1987.