THERE are two kinds of journalists: the one who lives captivated by the vortex of immediate events, always ready to provide an opinion about the last recent issue; and the one who, somehow immune to the demands of immediacy, tries to keep some distance from the events and makes more calm analysis. Journalist who are enslaved by novelty usually cannot be read after a few days or weeks. What they wrote becomes quickly outdated. But the second kind often provides insights and reflections that can be pleasantly read after many, many years. One of those rare analysts of Philippine society was Teodoro M. Kalaw, an intellectual I have written about several times before.

What attracted me to Kalaw from the beginning was the fact he wrote a very modern travel account in the modernista style that was in fashion in the Spanish-speaking world at the beginning of the 20th century. In the company of the young Manuel Quezon, who explicitly chose him thanks to his encyclopedic knowledge, he did not only make some controversial comments about neighboring Asian countries. He also traveled on the just recently inaugurated Tran-Siberian train, from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg, and even met a very prominent political leader in Moscow. Having read the novels of Leo Tolstoy, Ivan Turgenev and Fyodor Dostoyevsky, he came to realize that the political and social situation was extremely unstable and rightly predicted the Russian revolution a few years before it started. The title of the 1908 book is Hacia La Tierra del Zar (Toward the Land of the Czar) and deserves to be translated into English or Filipino. Kalaw was not the typical bourgeois trying to show off about a trip that very few Filipinos could afford to make: he was an engaged intellectual who observed the reality of other nations to bring lessons to the Filipino people. By observing and analyzing what other countries were experiencing, he wanted to bring some ideas to improve the material life of the Filipino people and eventually become free of United States control.

During 1926 and 1927, he wrote a collection of articles in the most important newspaper of the period, La Vanguardia. Only after the insistence of his wife, the leading feminist Pura Villanueva Kalaw, did he compile the articles and publish them in 1930. There he included one of those texts that Filipinos should remember forever. Let me quote from it at length, in the wonderful translation by Nick Joaquin:

What should you do to contribute to the liberty and felicity of our land?

Find a piece of land, if you dont have any, that you can cultivate and make productive.

Practice a profession, craft or manual job, where you can demonstrate the ability and artistic genius of our race.

Cultivate your intelligence, your ideals, your sentiments, in such a way that they give glory to the good name of our nation.

The title of this article is What Should You Do?

In another one, titled Intolerance, he wrote:

You can have the pretension that your ideas are excellent and its possible they are; what you cannot do is punish others because they have contrary ideas, even if you are convinced that those ideas are bad. One thing inherent in a free government is that there are men involved in the truth but those who believe they have reason on their side cannot be the judges of the unreasonable.

In another one, titled Obey and Hope, he wrote:

One must obey authority, but one must not enshrine despotism, legalize usurpation or perpetuate slavery.

One must hope for welfare and happiness, but through the means of honest work, virtue and perseverance.

To fold ones arms and attribute to government or Divinity all the good or all the bad, is to sanctify indolence, reward loafing, mistake the nature of government, offend the God we adore and declare the futility of individual effort towards improvement.

This is, so far, the more solid criticism of the bahala na attitude I have ever read.

Unlike so many jewels of Philippine literature in Spanish, this book is available in translation. And, if I am not mistaken, the publisher, Anvil, still has some copies. For reasons unknown to me, the translation took out some of the last articles but, anyway, Spiritual Register is one of those rare books whose articles seemed to have been written yesterday despite the fact they are 90 years old already.

I will finish with another wonderful quote:Combat vice, ignorance, indolence, fanaticism and immorality.

Support every civic reform to improve our citizenry.

Choose good candidates for the government and work for their triumph against the bad, the immoral and the inept.

Think as a Filipino.

Feel yourself a Filipino.

Be proud of being Filipino.

Destroy the myth of racial inferiority with meritorious acts.

Next semester I will be happy to teach again Philippine Literature in Spanish at the University of Santo Tomas. Needless to say, this book will be mandatory reading.

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The Spiritual Register of TM Kalaw The Manila Times - The Manila Times

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them? -- Psalm 8:3

Look at up the sky. Look up at the night sky. And then lose yourself, for just a moment, in the wonder and the miracle that is the universe.

Look for comet NEOWISE.

No, its not the most romantic nor roll off the tongue kind of name for such an amazing celestial object. NEOWISE is named for the NASA spacecraft and mission that discovered the comet March 27: Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. This speeding heavenly object that is dropping by to visit planet Earth, is one of only a handful of comets that will be viewable by the naked eye this century.

I know I need something like NEOWISE to give me perspective on the times we are living in, a break from the intensity of the news cycle, and a chance to just pause and breathe and remember how wonderfully mysterious and mystical Creation and all that is within it, truly is. Ive read enough and then some about COVID and the roiling of Americas social fabric and the ugly general election right around the corner and the economy and so on and so on and so on.

All important, certainly and yet, even in the midst of these intense days, NEOWISE teaches us that we little humans living on this little blue ball hurtling through space in an unfathomably huge universe we are just one of so many worlds in the heavens. Scientists report that there are more than 10 septillion planets in our observable universe, and thats only counting planets that are orbiting stars.

The gift of something like NEOWISE reminds us of the relative short stay of humankind in the universe and of each of us on this earth. Our lives matter, absolutely, but we are also just one generation among a vast parade of life, human and otherwise. NEOWISE is actually a remnant from when the universe was created and came into being, which means it is upwards of 13.77 billion years old. It wont return to our solar system again for 6,800 years. And so, me complaining about turning 60 next year: I might want to rethink that!

NEOWISE also reminds us of just how awe-inspiring Creation can be: from comets moving at 40 miles per second or 144,000 miles per hour, to viruses that seem to come out of nowhere, to a species like homo sapiens, who have found some way to adapt and thrive in our environment. A people who for tens of thousands of years have faced into wars and pandemics and revolutions and somehow come through on the other side of that history, sometimes come through the worst, even better than before.

So, heres the way to see NEOWISE. Pick a night very soon when the sky is clear. Find a part of your community relatively dark and free of light pollution: a hill, a field, a dark corner to camp out in, any time after dark. Bring a telescope or a pair of binoculars. Look towards the northeast sky and search out the Big Dipper. Then look just below that constellation and NEOWISE should be visible.

Then look up at the sky. Look up at the night sky. And watch what may be the greatest show both on earth and off earth. Remind yourself that you are a part of the universe, that you are meant to be here, that you have been made by the same power that hurled NEOWISE racing across the cosmos. Let all the anxiety and worries of the day recede. Remember that folks were here before you and that folks will follow you too, and so our job while on terra firma is to do our best and maybe even leave this planet a little better than when we found it.

As Max Ehrman, the author of the poem Desiderata once wrote, Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

It is a beautiful world and universe. Thanks, NEOWISE, for reminding us of this eternal truth.

The Rev. John F. Hudson is senior pastor of the Pilgrim Church, United Church of Christ, in Sherborn (pilgrimsherborn.org). If you have a word or idea youd like defined in a future column or have comments, please send them to pastorjohn@pilgrimsherborn.org or in care of The Press (Dover-Sherborn@wickedlocal.com).

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Spiritually Speaking: Look to the sky and behold its wonders - Wicked Local Walpole

(RNS) The Rev. Kimberly Jackson remembers the disappointment and devastation that erupted after the execution of Troy Davis nearly 10 years ago in Jackson, Georgia.

Years of canvassing and protesting ended with activists weeping and embracing outside the prison after Davis was put to death by lethal injection. Davis, a Black man who maintained his innocence, was on death row for two decades after being convicted of murdering a Savannah police officer.

Not In My Name and I am Troy Davis slogans emblazoned T-shirts and protest signs in Georgia.

During that time, Jackson, who was freshly ordained as an Episcopal priest, found herself serving as a spiritual companion to Davis supporters and those involved in the movement against the death penalty.

She did traditional clergy activities like leading a prayer vigil or a pray-in. A chaplain for Morehouse, Spelman and Clark Atlanta, she also guided students who sought to get involved in the cause.

After the execution, activists approached Jackson with urgent questions, asking her Where do I find hope? or Why isnt God doing something here?

These are folks who didnt go to my church. Many of them dont go to church at all, but they needed a person who they understood to be somehow connected to something much bigger, said Jackson, vicar of Church of the Common Ground.

Jackson embodied an emerging vocational role thats now being referred to a movement chaplain, whose purpose is to provide spiritual and emotional care to activists and organizers before, during and after demonstrations.

Chaplains who perform ministerial duties apart from a house of worship have long been familiar faces at airports, hospitals, colleges, military bases and prisons. They do ministry in the midst of everyday life. Its not uncommon to see them in homeless shelters or in New Yorks subway stations.

As fewer people identify with a specific religion or attend religious services, Americans may be more likely to meet a chaplain than a local clergy person at a congregation.

RELATED: As Americans become less religious, the role of chaplains may grow

In recent years, movement chaplains have become more visible in protests for immigrant rights, at rallies against white nationalist groups and in demonstrations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

Movement chaplaincy, as Micky ScottBey Jones described it, is in the lineage of something that has been happening for a long time.

Micky ScottBey Jones serving as a movement chaplain in San Diego during a 2018 rally held by the social justice group Mijente. Courtesy of Micky ScottBey Jones

We just didnt have a name for it, said ScottBey Jones, the director of healing and resilience initiatives at Faith Matters Network, a Nashville, Tennessee-based group that equips faith leaders and community organizers with wellness resources.

ScottBey Jones has big aspirations for movement chaplains. She envisions students in divinity schools being ordained into the role. Shed also like to see grants made available to fund movement chaplain teams.

So far, more than 300 people have gone through movement chaplaincy training and workshops hosted by Faith Matters Network. The training involves people who are atheists, Indigenous, Jewish, Buddhists, Christians and Muslims.

Movement chaplains, ScottBey Jones said, differ from protest chaplains who emerged during the Occupy Wall Street movement that stood against economic inequality.

They show up to protests, yes, but they also embed themselves in movements by attending meetings where organizers are planning the rallies. Theyre at the side of activists after a demonstration to help them vent or debrief.

ScottBey Jones said this role is critical to address the activist martyrdom syndrome that can lead to compassion fatigue, health problems, burnout and even suicide.

She noted Ohio Black Lives Matter activist Marshawn McCarrel, who died by suicide in 2016. His death shed light on the struggles with depression many activists in the national protest movement face.

We deal with the stress and the trauma that people go through when they engage oppressive forces, ScottBey Jones said.

On July 29, Faith Matters Network, in partnership with Odyssey Impact and Chaplaincy Innovation Lab, is hosting Movement Chaplaincy: Meeting Spiritual Needs in our Struggles for Justice. The online conversation will touch on how faith leaders are using their pastoral skills in a time of social change.

And this upcoming October, Faith Matters Network will offer a 12-week online training for movement chaplains to learn de-escalation and mediation practices. It will cover ways to respond to stress, burnout and trauma.

So far, clergy, lay leaders and spiritual practitioners have been among those filling this chaplaincy role. Not all are ordained or wear their collars. Many are women and include LGBTQ and people who identify outside a gender binary.

RELATED: 'Chaplains' documentary follows nontraditional faith companions to battlefield, prison

To ScottBey Jones, these demographics make sense because they represent communities and identities on the front lines of disparities and discrimination.

Movement chaplains have been seen at protests wearing fluorescent vests or signs to identify their roles. In a recent demonstration in Philadelphia, a group pinned white patches on their backs with the words MVNT CHAPLAIN.

And, theyre not to be confused with other clergy at rallies who, ScottBey Jones said, tend to assume positions of authority either by standing between police and protesters or even getting arrested in solidarity with activists.

Instead, movement chaplains can help create ceremonies and prayers for protests and meetings. They offer bodywork and herbal remedies. They accompany people of all or no religion. They use spiritual practices, sacred texts and physical comfort as ways to include healing in movement spaces.

This is a way you can still offer support, love and care without having to be that upfront and in-charge person, ScottBey Jones said. I think both are necessary.

This makes sense to the Rev. RJ Robles, an ordained Christian minister with the Disciples of Christ.

To Robles, 28, this is one of many ways to show up for people in need.

After George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police in May, Robles and other movement chaplains attended a protest that reached several thousands of people in Nashville. Robles took water bottles to distribute and also kept a wary eye in case any protesters felt unsafe and needed somebody to walk with.

Movement chaplaincy takes on many forms.

Robles, who identifies as a trans nonbinary organizer, recently accompanied a friend who had a stillbirth and experienced a risky surgery.

Demonstrators participate in a healing circle at a Mijente-led rally in 2018. Photos courtesy of Micky ScottBey Jones

The family sought Robles, whose upbringing, identity and cultural understanding mirrored theirs. The hospital chaplain, Robles said, wasn't somebody the family connected to because that person was white and cisgender, a term for people whose gender identity matches the sex they were given at birth.

Being brought in and called by my friend to be there for her and her family ... I put on my hat as a pastor, as a healer and as an organizer so I could move in that space to be their chaplain in that moment, Robles said.

In Philadephia, the Rev. Margaret Ernst, an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ, is working on building ties with activist groups who may be in need of chaplaincy care as they continue to organize around racial justice and the movement to defund police.

Ideally, we believe its best when movement chaplains are in real long-term relationships with people who are leading protests,said Ernst, 31, an associate pastor at Chestnut Hill United Church.

Ernst, who also works for Faith Matters Network, said some organizers dont know who chaplains are or what they do. She often describes her group of chaplains as healing or care teams that can help de-escalate any conflicts that may arise.

As she works to build those relationships, Ernst has found herself fulfilling varying roles as a movement chaplain. In one rally, Ernst wound up having to block a street so people could safely cross.

The way Ernst sees it, I cant care for peoples spiritual needs, if they are not physically safe, she said.

Recently, Ernst called an organizer, who was behind a big rally in Philadelphia, to introduce herself as a movement chaplain who was ready to serve.

She was like, Wow, Ernst said. I could hear in her voice a sound of relief that there are people out there who can just care about us as organizers and who we are in our fullness as humans.

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In emerging role, chaplains are providing spiritual care for activists in movements across the nation - Religion News Service

By Sheri McIntosh, Saturday at 1:27 pm

I am part of a group on Facebook that supports each other with our fitness goals. The group has almost 43,000 members and I have not read a troll on there yet. I enjoy how supportive the women are to each other. It does not matter if the woman posting is 120 pounds or 200 pounds, she will receive encouraging words or likes. I usually scroll through and give likes or if there is a question that I have an answer for I will respond.

Last week a lady posted a picture of herself and she looked totally fit to me. She was complaining about how other people who were her same height and weight looked better than her. She stated that she could not be great. I had to respond and tell her she was great, and she should not compare herself to other people. She said she was just stating facts.

I am not sure what she sees when she looks in the mirror. I am convinced she has a distorted view of herself. I am not judging her because I feel that many of us have distorted views of ourselves. We have let the opinions of others dictate how we feel about ourselves.

If you want to be healthy physically you need to be healthy mentally. I am convinced that the two go hand in hand. You need to have a healthy mindset. Stop the negative self-talk. Do not continually go over your flaws. We all have them. Do not rehearse your failures. We all have them also. I like this quote from Dr. Maya Angelou. "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." Negative self-talk with sabotage your success. You have heard the term you are what you eat. You also are what you think.

You may have had people speaking negative to you from childhood into adulthood. You must not let the words spoken to you by other people control how you think about yourself. You are beautiful, intelligent, and great! Find a place of calmness and peace where you can take hold of the person you are meant to be. Find positive people to be around. Realize that God created you and He does not make any mistakes. Declare that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

A lot of times, I write in my blogs that if you feel that you cannot deal with your circumstances seek professional help. I am writing that in this blog. Seek professional help if you are overwhelmed. There is nothing to be ashamed of in seeking professional help. Search the Internet there are some places that offer free online counseling if your insurance does not cover it.

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Healthy Mindset | Spiritual and Physical Wellness - ChicagoNow

Have you ever stopped to consider which spiritual gifting God has given you, or why these gifts matter?

Maybe you havent because you dont consider yourself to be an advanced Christian. You might think these gifts are only reserved for people who seem to have life all figured out.

But you should never discount yourself this way. Whether you consider yourself a devout Christian or not, be careful not to underestimate Gods calling on your life. He created every person with a special assignment in mind, and spiritual gifts are a part of that.

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Discovering which gifts God has uniquely placed in you is an exciting journey I believe everyone should pursue. To begin this search we must first ask: What are the spiritual gifts?

The Apostle Paul explained the nature of Gods spiritual gifts in great detail in several New Testament letters, but Romans 12 is a great place to start.

He writes in verses 6-8, We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with yourfaith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

If after reading this list you feel at a loss, Id point you to 1 Corinthians 12:27 where Paul again writes about spiritual gifts saying, Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

There you have it! Every believer is meant to play a role and use their God-given gifts.Though Paul was writing to the first Christians who lived more than 2,000 years ago, the Spiritual gifts he describes are just as real, accessible and relevant today as they were then.So the question then becomes for each of us, Where do I fit into all of this?

I had to ask myself this question not long ago when I took a class on leadership through my church, C3 NYC. During one of our sessions, the group leader asked us to try to remember a time when we were hurt or rubbed the wrong way by an experience at church. Not your every-day prompt! Her next point amazed me.

She shared that oftentimes, as they relate to the church, the things that annoy or upset us should actually be treated as guideposts pointing us to our innate passions. In other words, we are bothered by the things we care about the most. She went on to explain that the passions often serve as signs of our spiritual gifts.

For example, a person who is frequently frustrated by a lack of substance in their churchs sermons could possess the spiritual gift of teaching. In another sense, a person who feels neglected by their church community could possess the spiritual gift of encouragement.

Though this is a counterintuitive method, we should keep in mind that many things about Gods kingdom are in fact counterintuitive due to the broken state of our sin-filled world.

Why can we gain insight into our spiritual gifts by considering areas of our spiritual walk where we feel either hurt or inadequate? Because the enemy often uses not just our weaknesses, but our strengths against us.

Jesus warned us, the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy; (John 10:10). The areas where God plans triumph for His Kingdom are the same areas in which the enemy will try to tear down--and we are a part of that equation. That is precisely why God gives us Spiritual gifts, to develop our individual spiritual journeys and to advance His Kingdom.

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Ultimately, we have to pray about these things and ask God to reveal our spiritual gifts to us because, just like any other gift, they were not ours first. Most importantly, they are called gifts because they are not earned. As Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 3:7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

God is gracious and His love for us is beyond our comprehension. Every good thing comes from Him, and though we dont deserve them, we receive them by faith alone.

Our spiritual gifts are a way for us to more richly experience Gods love and to empower us to contribute to His greater plans. Jesus said later in John 10:10 that He came to give us life, and to give it to the fullest.

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That is why He not only saves us but gives us an opportunity to partner with Him and participate in His beautiful plans. No gift is greater than that!

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work (1 Corinthians 12: 4-6).

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Christen Limbaugh Bloom: How to uncover your God-given gifts in this unlikely way - Fox News

Join us on Sunday, July 26th at 12 PM on WRTI 90.1 to hear Episode 3 of This Week with Yannick, an eight-week radio series, hosted and curated by Yannick Nzet-Sguin.

The series offers listeners an intimate radio experience through music and storytelling. Each episode centers around a singular theme, from love and friendship to spirituality and hope, and explores the myriad ways that the deepest connections in our lives can be expressed through music. More about the series.

Episode 3:

Through the ages, music has been associated with faith, with liturgy, and with ceremonies of various religions. Many timeless pieces have been inspired and written for religious purposes and spaces. But for Yannick, the spirituality inherent in this music goes beyond religion and acts as a bridge, bringing all of humanity together regardless of belief or affiliation.

This week, Yannick explores music that celebrates spirituality and its power to nourish and connect. Featuring composers ranging from Poulenc to Verdi to Bach, we learn how this music reflects the depth of the biggest questions we face, and how it enriches us as we seek the answers.

Program:

Poulenc: Stabat mater, I. Stabat mater dolorosa, Yannick Nzet-Sguin and London Philharmonic OrchestraBruckner: Symphony No. 8, II. Scherzo, Yannick Nzet-Sguin and Rotterdam Philharmonic OrchestraVerdi: Otello, Ave Maria, Leontyne Price, from her album Verdi HeroinesBach: Mass in B minor, Crucifixus-Et Resurrexit, Jonathan Cohen and ArcangeloMahler: Symphony No. 3, Finale, Yannick Nzet-Sguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra (excerpt)

You can hear the show for up to two weeks after the initial broadcast on WRTI's Two-Week Music Archive. Just click here!

"This Week with Yannick" airs Sundays from 12 noon to 1 PM, July 12th to August 30th on WRTI 90.1, and is presented by WQXR, New York City's classical music station and WRTI. The series is produced by Merrin Lazyan, producer of the critically acclaimed podcast Aria Code.

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This Week with Yannick on WRTI 90.1: Episode 3, Music that Celebrates Spirituality - WRTI

The Jewish people of Jesus day were living under the occupation of Rome. There were soldiers with weapons on every street corner of Jerusalem. There were whispers of a violent uprising to come in which Israel would purge their land of their Roman oppressors. Jesus comes into this culture with admonitions for people to love their enemies, turn the other cheek, and to carry their oppressors backpack two miles instead of the one mile required by law.

In a culture of fear and violence, Jesus preached a way of love and peace.

Jesus knew that a violent uprising against the most powerful empire on the face of the earth would result in Israels desolation (which it ultimately did in 70 A.D). He urged His followers not to be consumed with fear but to be led by love-even for their enemies.

The way of fear is the broad path that leads to violence and destruction. They bomb us. We bomb them. They kill our soldiers. We kill their citizens. We repay evil for evil taking an eye for eye until the whole world goes blind. Following the way of fear will always and only lead us to pain.

The way of love is the narrow path-taken by only a few-that leads to peace. To a world living in fear, Jesus teaches us to live out of peace within. The cycle of violence must end somewhere so Jesus taught His followers to be that ending point. He taught them to be ready to absorb violence but to never return it. This is, of course, the philosophy that got Jesus Himself killed along with several of his followers as violence cannot stand the presence of one who owes it nothing.

Jesus suffered no delusions that everyone would join the movement to form some sort of utopian society built upon love and peace. He specifically warned that following the way of love would divide brother against brother and even parents against their own children. There is always a price to be paid for choosing peace in a world addicted to violence. Manymaybe even mostpeople will not understand. They will call it pacifism. They will quote Edmund Burke emphatically reminding us that all it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. They will remind you that Jesus told His followers to buy swords and swear that Jesus wouldnt actually expect us to sacrifice our own lives to live non-violentlybut thats exactly the life He calls us to.

Following Jesus isnt about saying a prayer so that we can live forever in a mansion in the sky after we die. Its not even about following Biblical principles so we can have a successful, happy life here on earth. And it certainly isnt even about being a patriotic citizen of whatever country we happen to be born into. Following Jesus is about loving God, our neighbors (including our enemies), and all of creation. Its a new way to be human. Its about living together in peace. Its about choosing to see the image of God in every member of the human family. Its about choosing love over fear and finding peace within no matter what is happening around us.

Every personand every generationmust choose its own path. Humanity has generally chosen the way of fear and destruction for most of the last century. But its never to late to plot a different course. The choice remains ours to make. We can choose the narrow way of Jesus or the broad, bloody path of empire.

Which will you choose?

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Choosing The Way of Peace | Messy Spirituality-Choosing The Way of Peace - Patheos

Kalki Jayanti 2020 will take place on July 25, Saturday.Kalki Jayanti remembers the expected arrival of Kalki. Kalki, also known as Kalkin, is the tenth incarnationor avatarof Lord Vishnu. It is believed that his birth ends theKali Yuga, the final of the four eras (Satya Yuga,Treta Yuga,Dvapara Yuga, andKali Yuga)in the eternal cycle of living within theSanatan Dharma. This processafterward, starts a new cycle with Satya Yuga.Check out the history and significance of the day.

Also Read |Gayatri Jayanti images to send to your friends and family and wish them on this day

Kalki Jayanti marks the birth of Lord Vishnu's tenth avatar Kalki. As per Hindu texts, theGaruda Puranaliststen avatars. Kalki isdescribed as the avatar who appears at the end of theKali Yuga. This incarnation of Vishnu is believed to endthe darkest, decaying and uncontrolled stage of the Kali Yuga (period) to removeadharmaand ushers in theSatya Yuga, while riding a white horse with a fiery sword.

He restarts a new cycle of time andis described as a warrior in the Puranas.The divination of the Kalki avatar is not only believed by the followers of theVaishnavismsect of Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma) but bySikhismas well, as the last Avatar inDashavatara, the ten avatars ofVishnu, who is the chief deity in Vaishnavism.Devotees of Lord Vishnu consider that the event will take place on the sixth day in the Hindu calendar inShravan month. Lord Vishnu puja is done on this day and people observe fast too.

Also Read |Gayatri Jayanti meaning, significance, and celebration in 2020

Kalki Jayanti is celebrated in several different religions in Hinduism. According to some writings Kalkiwould be taking birth in the village of Shambala, to a devoted Brahmin named Vishnuyasha. This event will happen 427,000 years from now as the Kali Yuga nears to an end. In some holy writings, Kalkiwould also symbolise the eight supreme virtues of the Godhead.

On this day, devotees are expected to observe fast. They also reciteand chant Vishnu Sahasranama, Narayana Mantra and other mantras 108 times. Believers perform pooja starting with the chanting of Beej mantra which is then followed by offering a seat to the Lord (asana).

In the further process,the Lord's idol is washed spiritually with water and panchamrit. 108 recital of Lord Vishnu's name is observed with the offering of flowers, lamps and incense. Devotees also donatefood to Brahmins as well as to the needy ones.

Also Read |Gayatri Jayanti quotes you can send to your friends and family

Also Read |Dhumavati Jayanti 2020: Meaning, Significance, and Celebration

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Kalki Jayanti 2020: Know history and significance of the spiritual day - Republic World - Republic World

In unsettling times like these, where does one turn? What can one do to help?

My favorite scripture gives me guidance. Jesus said, I give you a new commandment: - love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another (John 13:34 NAB).

Instead of the Golden Rule found in the Synoptic Gospels wherein love of ourselves is to be our guide, in Johns Gospel we find the standard for love of others to be Gods love for us.

I do not have a medical background, so I cannot offer any help there. However, I know that Jesus had a preference for the poor.

As I write this article, Lycoming Countys unemployment rate is at 12.7%. Locally schools, food pantries, and others are valiantly striving to provide food for those in need including children, adults, and seniors. What more is to be done?

Fortunately, fifteen years ago my wife, Mary, and I attended an advocacy summit hosted by Bread for the World in Washington, DC.

Currently Bread is urging people of faith to focus on passage of an emergency increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called food stamps) benefits.

SNAP is vital in supporting the most vulnerable, but also has a strong economic impact as every $1 increase in SNAP benefits generates more than $1.59 in economic activity.

Additionally, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that the $1 billion in new SNAP benefits issued during a recession raised Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $1.54 billion and supported 13,560 jobs. During this pandemic, we should ensure vulnerable people who are hit the hardest do not fall between the cracks of society.

I urge all you who to contact by email, mail, or phone Senators Casey and Toomey, as well as Representative Keller. Tell them that you want them to fully fund and support the Pandemic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (P-SNAP) as they continue efforts on future stimulus packages. More broadly, ask that they include enough funding to assist all those hit by this crisis here at home and abroad.

What else is to be done? Begin each day with Love your neighbor as Jesus has loved you. Then act accordingly. Together people of faith can make a difference.

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Spiritual editorial: Guided by faith in the time of a pandemic - NorthcentralPa.com

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them? -- Psalm 8:3

Look at up the sky. Look up at the night sky. And then lose yourself, for just a moment, in the wonder and the miracle that is the universe.

Look for comet NEOWISE.

No, its not the most romantic nor roll off the tongue kind of name for such an amazing celestial object. NEOWISE is named for the NASA spacecraft and mission that discovered the comet March 27: Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. This speeding heavenly object that is dropping by to visit planet Earth, is one of only a handful of comets that will be viewable by the naked eye this century.

I know I need something like NEOWISE to give me perspective on the times we are living in, a break from the intensity of the news cycle, and a chance to just pause and breathe and remember how wonderfully mysterious and mystical Creation and all that is within it, truly is. Ive read enough and then some about COVID and the roiling of Americas social fabric and the ugly general election right around the corner and the economy and so on and so on and so on.

All important, certainly and yet, even in the midst of these intense days, NEOWISE teaches us that we little humans living on this little blue ball hurtling through space in an unfathomably huge universe we are just one of so many worlds in the heavens. Scientists report that there are more than 10 septillion planets in our observable universe, and thats only counting planets that are orbiting stars.

The gift of something like NEOWISE reminds us of the relative short stay of humankind in the universe and of each of us on this earth. Our lives matter, absolutely, but we are also just one generation among a vast parade of life, human and otherwise. NEOWISE is actually a remnant from when the universe was created and came into being, which means it is upwards of 13.77 billion years old. It wont return to our solar system again for 6,800 years. And so, me complaining about turning 60 next year: I might want to rethink that!

NEOWISE also reminds us of just how awe-inspiring Creation can be: from comets moving at 40 miles per second or 144,000 miles per hour, to viruses that seem to come out of nowhere, to a species like homo sapiens, who have found some way to adapt and thrive in our environment. A people who for tens of thousands of years have faced into wars and pandemics and revolutions and somehow come through on the other side of that history, sometimes come through the worst, even better than before.

So, heres the way to see NEOWISE. Pick a night very soon when the sky is clear. Find a part of your community relatively dark and free of light pollution: a hill, a field, a dark corner to camp out in, any time after dark. Bring a telescope or a pair of binoculars. Look towards the northeast sky and search out the Big Dipper. Then look just below that constellation and NEOWISE should be visible.

Then look up at the sky. Look up at the night sky. And watch what may be the greatest show both on earth and off earth. Remind yourself that you are a part of the universe, that you are meant to be here, that you have been made by the same power that hurled NEOWISE racing across the cosmos. Let all the anxiety and worries of the day recede. Remember that folks were here before you and that folks will follow you too, and so our job while on terra firma is to do our best and maybe even leave this planet a little better than when we found it.

As Max Ehrman, the author of the poem Desiderata once wrote, Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

It is a beautiful world and universe. Thanks, NEOWISE, for reminding us of this eternal truth.

The Rev. John F. Hudson is senior pastor of the Pilgrim Church, United Church of Christ, in Sherborn (pilgrimsherborn.org). If you have a word or idea youd like defined in a future column or have comments, please send them to pastorjohn@pilgrimsherborn.org or in care of The Press (Dover-Sherborn@wickedlocal.com).

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Spiritually Speaking: Look to the sky and behold its wonders - Wicked Local Westwood

When I first decided to watch The Midnight Gospel, a colorful, adult-oriented sci-fi voyage into the multiverse co-created by Pendleton Ward of Adventure Time, I strapped myself in for a goofy, bingeable Netflix comedy. My expectations were met, but I was caught off guard by the shows artistic experimentation, nuanced spiritual message and deeply moving season finale.

At first glance, the show seems like just another psychedelic adventure show that you might find on Adult Swim. The show follows Clancy, a podcaster who owns a virtual reality machine with thousands of simulated worlds that he visits to interview simulated beings.

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In the first episode, not long after Clancy sets up his camera drones to interview a simulated president of the United Statesduring that worlds zombie apocalypseI realized something was different about the show. The conversation felt too fluid to be scripted, and not all parts of the conversation were coherent with the world within the show. It was strange that Clancy and the president could have a relaxed conversation about drug use while fighting hordes of zombies, but I was quickly sold on this experimental style of storytelling.

Halfway through the episode, I had to Google exactly what was going on, and my suspicions were confirmed. The Midnight Gospel takes audio from a real podcast: The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, with Trussell as the host and voice of Clancy. The audio is edited, animated and supplemented by new dialogue from Trussell and his guests to fit the conversation into an adventure in Clancys simulated multiverse. The guests are not voice actors but real-life doctors, spiritual advisors, writers and other experts. They all play their roles seamlessly and help sell the world Trussell and Ward have built.

The result is a new TV experience that can be enjoyed as both a podcast and an animated adventure. It brims with silliness and seriousness, depth and superficiality, all magically coherent thanks to its disciplined pacing and free-associative style.

Trussell selected clips from his podcast that cover a range of topics, from drug use and magic to spirituality and death. But all of these topics seem to be organized around different ways to manage or even transcend suffering.

Clancy, a proxy for Trussell or at least an aspect of his personality, seems to be in the business of simulation for this very reason. He finds refuge in this immaterial world from the suffering he experiences in the material worldto the detriment of his real life, as he ignores both calls from his sister about money he owes her and the glitches in his computer.

Besides using drugs and virtual reality, Clancy takes on the spiritual practice of meditation as a kind of escape, both from his suffering and from his worldly obligations. At one point, Clancy emerges from one of his adventures and kicks back, proclaiming, Im enlightened now! after a mere five-minute discussion with a spiritual mentor. He tells his computer to call me Clancy, the Enlightened One.

This moment is genuinely funny because of Clancys complete lack of self-awareness. Clancy thinks of enlightenment as an instant fix: no more work, no more need for self-improvement, no need for help from spiritual leaders, community or a higher power. For Clancy, the important thing is that he can say hes enlightened.

This self-delusion quickly backfires. Reassured that he has done all the work he needs to do, Clancy fails to address his underlying problems. His bad habits worsen, his relationship with his sister deteriorates, and his escapism deepens. He discovers that spiritual enlightenment is not a one-and-done, Eureka!moment. Human beings are not perfectthere is always more work to be done.

A recent episode of the Vox podcast Future Perfect uses a term that diagnoses Clancys very problem: spiritual materialism. The shows host, Sigal Samuel, explains: If all one is after is a temporary refuge from suffering, there is a term for that trap: spiritual materialism, where youre just getting into meditation because you want some temporary material benefit or attainment. This term, coined by Chgyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a major transmitter of Buddhism to the West in the late 20th century, was meant to apply to Buddhist spirituality (a recurring focus on The Midnight Gospel), but it seems applicable to other spiritual disciplines as well.

This is precisely how Clancy uses virtual reality, drugs and meditation. He can ignore his sisters calls and his computers problems since he retreats from the material world for most of his waking hours. Paradoxically, Clancys hunt for immaterial transcendence becomes a kind of materialism, since it is grounded in his dissatisfaction with reality.

Clancy acts this way in spite of the advice from the guests he interviews. In Episode 5, an avian psychopomp offers advice about trying to use spirituality for other purposes. Any spiritual practice thatstrying to get to somethingIm going to become more spiritual, Im going to become more loving, and Im gonna make some change, Im getting points somehowis comparable to grinding in World of Warcraft. Youre adding experience points to a character that doesnt...exist. (In video games, grinding is a term for meaningless, repetitive tasks.)

In other words, if we think that the purpose of spiritual practice is to improve our condition in this life, we are mistaken. In Buddhism, this is because the separation between the self and others is illusory. But the advice is relevant for Christians as well. Using spiritual practice merely to make our lives better now distracts us from the life to come.

The final episode of The Midnight Gospel moved me in a way I was not prepared for, pushing this new medium to its emotional limits. It features Trussells late mother, written and animated around audio from when she was a guest on Family Hour. Trussel and his mother age and transform in the course of the episode through a cycle of life, death and rebirth. This provides a deeply personal look into their real-life relationship and the ways they dealt with her terminal cancer. (Her advice for Clancy/Trussell on coping with her death: You cry.) By the end, it seems Clancy has made some progress away from spiritual materialism.

The crudeness of the shows dialogue and animation may be difficult for some viewers to watch. But behind all the zombies, sentient pie monsters and parasitic robot clowns, there is a deeply relatable spiritual journey rooted in the hope of avoiding suffering. The show delivers a surprisingly mature message through its immature packaging, reflecting Clancys own path of growth.

True to its name, The Midnight Gospel is a show best watched at midnight, when your mind is more receptive to trippy animation and life advice from talking birds, hippo-sized deer-dogs and ground meat.

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Netflix's 'The Midnight Gospel' on the trap of spiritual materialism - America Magazine

A scene from the video game 'Halo Infinite.'(Photo: Microsoft/343 Industries)

The last time video game players witnessed an Xbox launched with a Halo game was nearly 19 years ago. So, it's only fitting the latest chapter in one of Microsoft's most important video game properties draws inspiration from the original.

On Thursday, Xbox unveiled the first footage of the campaign for Halo Infinite, slated to launch this holiday season along with the Xbox Series X console. It not only marks the comeback of Halo, but of its signature star, Master Chief.

In an interview with USA TODAY, Halo Infinite director Chris Lee describes the game as a "spiritual reboot," centered on continuing Chief's story while paying tribute to where it all began: 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved.

Lee says the team at 343 Industries developing Infinite wanted togo to the roots of Halo, bring those elements forward, and then modernize them for gamers today. Thats really been a key creative inspiration for us."

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As Thursday's demo shows, Infinite appears to offer far more opportunities to explore. Lee said Infinite is "the most open and expansive" Halo campaign they have created to date.

"Youll be able to choose how youre going to approach things, and youll end up having this freedom to be able to experience the story and to be able to choose your path through it," he said.

Among the key features in Infinite is a tactical map, where players can view different installations to explore. Also new: a "grapple shot" where Chief can reach higher points, grab items in the environment or even pull enemies closer.

"We spent a lot of time thinking about what is iconic Halo," said Bonnie Ross, head of studio 343 Industries. "And then how do we take what we can do with a next-gen platform and a brand new engine and maybe bring what we only dreamed of to life before."

A scene from 'Halo Infinite.'(Photo: Microsoft/343 Industries)

Halo, created by video game studio Bungie, has been a pivotal franchise for Xbox since it first arrived.

"We probably wouldnt be here talking about Xbox if not for Halo: CE," said Phil Spencer, head of Xbox. "It really gave our console an identity at launch."

Since then, Halo has become "the most important franchise in Microsoft's gaming portfolio," said Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter. Several flagship Halo games have launched on various Xbox consoles since, as well as spinoffs including the strategy game Halo Wars. To date, lifetime sales of Halo games have reached 77 million.

The franchise has also spun off to various other mediums, including books and TV shows. Two years ago, Showtime confirmed it picked up a 10-episode season of a live-action series based on Halo.

Ross said Microsoft has tried for years to bring together a new Halo with the launch of a new video game console, and have been working in parallel with designers of Xbox Series X to match the vision they have for both the game and console.

"We have teams collaborating on what do we want to do, how do we want to bring this world to life, how do we build the platform for the next 10 years, not just Halo but how the whole ecosystem is built," she said.

Because the original Halo was a new franchise, Spencer said there was some uncertainty whether it would generate buzz for Microsoft's first console in 2001, let alone become the blockbuster franchise it is today.

"As we got closer to console launch, and we got our hands on it, you really got the connection not only what the game was, but what the character and the lore was," he said, "and its really great to see in Halo Infinite the team returning back to some of those core pillars that makes Halo what it is."

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

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'Halo Infinite' is the 'spiritual reboot' for Xbox's signature franchise - USA TODAY

Read your Bible. Pray. Go to churchtwice on Sundays. And dont sin. Be sure not to sin.

This was the extent of my spiritual formation.

Of course, no one talked about spiritual formation when I was growing up. Reading the Bible, fasting, and prayer were part of my devotions, not part of a package of historic spiritual disciplines. These were just the things we did to grow our faithto become holy, as God is holy.

And the simplicity of these activities served me well. Untilwhile in collegethey didnt.

Thats when I encountered Richard Fosters Devotional Classics, soon followed by Dallas Willards The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives, and his Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ. These books opened my heart and mind to broader streams of Gods life-giving water. They led me down Gods ancient paths of transformation.

As for so many, discovering this wider tradition of spiritual disciplineswhich included practices like meditation, fasting, and Sabbath restwas a revelation and a relief. I no longer had to cut my own path with God, each day, alone. Now an ancient way stretched before me that I could walk with others.

Jim Wilders new book, Renovated: God, Dallas Willard and the Church That Transforms, integrates these ancient pathways with findings from brain science about our neural pathways. Wilder shows how contemporary neuroscience transforms our understanding of spiritual formation.

(Before Willards health began to decline, Wilders goal had been to co-write this book with him. As a witness to their original collaboration, Wilder alternates his own chapters with chapters by Willard, based on transcripts of the lectures he gave at the 2012 Heart and Soul Conference. These chapters, which summarize his thoughts on human life and the process of spiritual maturity, are the perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with his work.)

After a couple of years spent zealously practicing spiritual disciplines, two realizations emerged. First, it seemed many of my friends either resisted them or could not engage with them. They were not experiencing transformation like I had.

Second, these practices didnt fix everything in my own life. I still struggled with sin. I would often go through the motions. And I fell into a new legalism just as my spiritual maturity plateaued. I wondered why my growth had stalled out.

I soon found that other church leaders were wondering the same things. Why do some people benefit from spiritual disciplines while others seem to flounder? Why do some people embrace them wholeheartedly while others just shrug them off? And why, after these disciplines help us grow for a time, does the fruit sometimes begin to fade?

Renovated speaks to these very questions. Wilders book is for those feeling stuck in a spiritual-formation rut, for those longing to see others grow spiritually, and for those interested in how brain science transforms our understanding of spiritual growth.

Wilders book recommends three main shifts in how we understand the process of spiritual formation. The first is a shift from thinking about God to thinking with God.

A. W. Tozer famously said that what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. Yet Wilder, leaning on what we know about the brain, argues that thinking about God is too slow of a mental process to actively transform our lives. He calls it a slow-track mental process that can only focus on one thing at a time. Thoughts that develop on this slower track appear in our minds too late to inform actions in real time.

This slow-track process is great when there is time to pause and reflect on complex problems. Its less helpful, however, amid the stress, fear, and disappointment of everyday life. As Wilder observes, our slow-track thinking focuses our attention just in time to see our sinful reactions, but not in time to follow Jesus at the speed of life.

A better alternative, Wilder argues, is thinking with God, which utilizes fast-track mental processes that can focus on (and react to) multiple things at once.

Have you ever reacted to a dangerous situation without thinking? Have you ever responded to someone in a way you regret? This is your fast-track brain at work. Wilder explains that our fast-track brain produces a reaction to our circumstances before we have a chance to consider how we would rather react.

These instantaneous reactions will probably go awry if our fast-track brain has been trained the wrong way. But they can be useful if it has been trained in a good way. A fast-track mind trained according to Gods will is able to think with God in the midst of real-time interactions.

Thinking with God is like how a sports team wordlessly works together to achieve its goal. Or how a jazz band spontaneously flows together. When a team or a band practices togetherstopping and starting over again until everything is flowing smoothlythis is like thinking about God (slow-track). The game or the performance is like thinking with God (fast-track).

But the difference between thinking about God and thinking with God is more than just the difference between practice time and game time. We might be tempted to assume that a shift toward thinking with God would focus on our actions more than our thoughts. And in a certain sense, programs of spiritual formation do tend to emphasize our practices more than our underlying beliefs.

But even spiritual practice only gets us part of the way toward spiritual maturity, because true spiritual transformation requires a change in our fast-track brain. And changing our fast-track brain is connected to growing our relational skills and capacities.

As Wilder explains, our spiritual maturity is directly related to our relational maturity. And unfortunately, most spiritual disciplines do not focus directly on growing relational capacity. They arent meant to do that. However, since God is a Trinity, and therefore relational, it makes sense that our relational capacity would be connected to our spiritual maturity.

Relational skills (like shared gratitude, calming the body when stressed, understanding nonverbal cues, and practicing emotional attunement) grow through relational exercises. And when our relational skills and capacities grow, so does our ability to connect to our relational God.

When we reach a spiritual wall or plateau, we often either double down on our spiritual practices or cast them aside. But brain science tell us that the better answer is working to grow our relational skills as a means of growing our relational and spiritual capacity.

The third shift Wilder describes is from a form of discipleship rooted in me to one rooted in we.

From our first cries to our final breaths, the necessity of being attached to someonefirst to our parents and then to a larger groupmeans that my sense of me is always built upon an established sense of we. Our semi-automatic reactions to life are marked indelibly by the people we spend the most time with, the group we identify with. At the most basic level of our brains, we become like the ones we love.

Growing up, we all receive a fast-track pattern (or a program file, as Wilder calls it) that tells us how my people act in a given situation. And because this program file is buried in our fast-track brain, it is incredibly hard to override when we are tired, stressed, afraid, or angry.

Because of this, Wilder argues that true transformation comes through changing our understanding of who my people are and how they act. As he writes, transforming our character depends on becoming attached by love, joy, and peace to a new people. And this is why discipleship is fundamentally a we, rather than me, activity.

By ourselves, it is nearly impossible to change the assumptions of our fast-track brain and the actions that flow out of them. Instead, our character changes in and through community as a process of trial and error, which involves learning how the people of God act in various situations. We first see how more mature disciples behave in the crucibles of everyday life. Then we imitate their reactions as best we can. And eventually we spontaneously act in a way that witnesses to our identification with a new peoplethe people of God.

Spiritual practices done alone will not change our character. They may help a little. But relational skills grown through community will lead to lasting transformation.

The goal of all spiritual formation is being conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29), who was fully human as well as fully divine. So it only makes sense that a deep understanding of our humanityincluding our brainsshould inform that process. Renovated is a gift to the church, to all who long to understand the impact of neuroscience on spiritual maturity, and to all who were blessed by the work of Dallas Willard.

Geoff Holsclaw is a pastor at Vineyard North church in Grand Rapids, Michigan and an affiliate professor of theology at Northern Seminary. He and his wife Cyd are co-authors of Does God Really Like Me?: Discovering the God Who Wants to Be With Us (InterVarsity Press).

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Stuck in a Spiritual Rut? Neuroscience Might Have the Answer. - ChristianityToday.com

By my reckoning I have been in total, impenetrable darkness only once in my lifetime.

Kathleen and I and our children were returning from a camping vacation in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri to our home in central Illinois. As we sped toward the Mississippi River, signs began to announce that we were approaching the famous Meramec Caverns that draw many thousands of visitors each year.

Why not have one more thrill before we get home, we suggested to the children. There were cheers all around. We were soon parked and quickly entered the anteroom of a large cave. Our group of tourists was ready for the march inward.

We followed a string of lights high above our heads deeper into the cave. It was an unfamiliar, weird and wonderful world of several giant rooms. The path sloped slightly downward, and as we moved along, our guide pointed out the wonders of stalactites and stalagmites (and more) before us.

At the deepest point in the tour we were taken into the final room carved out of the earthen depths, with twenty chairs arranged in two rows. Our guide told us that he would turn off the light for a few seconds, preparing us to feel utterly isolated and almost disoriented by the absolute lack of light. Kay and I sat shoulder to shoulder. When the one ceiling light was switched off I could still feel her shoulder against mine. But turning toward her I could not see the outline of her head or any features of her face. The darkness was abject. I felt surrounded by a curtain of thick, inky darkness.

Most people would think theyve experienced total darkness, but a few photons here and there are almost always available. Even closed eyelids are rarely able to screen out every vestige of light. And of course, in the modern world, anywhere inhabited by humans will have a bit of illumination from the lights on porches, shining from windows or the headlamps of cars.

Experiences of extreme darkness are much better known in the world of the Bible, before the availability of artificial light. And, notably, the Scriptures begin with knowledge of a primordial utter darkness that had to be dispelled as the first step toward creation: Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, Let there be light (Genesis 1:2-3).

Later, the Bible treats darkness also as a symbol, using the absence of light to represent evil or mystery or wickedness. It is opposite to the goodness of light.

Old Testament Job, in spite of his perplexity at his profound suffering, says: Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face (Job 23:17).

Jeremiah warns the stubborn people of Israel that they must repent of their unfaithfulness to avoid being visited by darkness: Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings the darkness (Jeremiah 13:16a).

The Apostle Paul uses darkness as an analogy for a willful lack of knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 4:3-6).

And perhaps most famously, the Apostle John in the New Testament makes great use of this analogy to teach and caution the young church. He writes: This is the message we have heard from him and declared to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:5-7).

When we have inner darkness our every step is cast in gloom. The darkness diminishes our hope. The darkness of which the Apostle John speaks is often of our own doing and our shame. But it does not need to be so. The Gospel light is available to all.

The Apostle Paul writes of the Lord Jesus: For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13).

Jesus is still the light of the world offered to all who will believe.

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Just Call Me Pastor: There is no life without light - La Grande Observer

By Paul W. Dennis

The nationwide move to continue closing churches, as part of the broader effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus has encountered resistance for several weeks now.

Pastor Charles Kasibante, the vision bearer of Destiny Matters, is among several born-again preachers who have stepped up and disregarded claims that Churches in Uganda are not essential.

The preacher recently encouraged government to reopen churches noting that their role goes beyond the physical, to dealing with spiritual matters.

The word of God has been sustaining people for the longest time. Governments of the world do not even know half of what the church has done. I pastor a Church. I meet all kinds of people that come to me at the altar. And they share problems that the government cannot solve, he said.

I laugh at people that think church is not essential. If churches are closed for the next one year, you are going to see the people that will run into depression, he noted.

Pastor Charles went on saying that the country must understand the reality of the spiritual world. The spiritual world is real. It is not a myth. It is not an ideology, he said.

Your physical world is a reflection of your spirit world. When there is a spiritual connotation to an issue, you cannot solve it with a physical approach, he continued.

In Mark 5:9, readers are introduced to a man possessed by a legion of demons living inside of him. The scripture reveals that he kept screaming night and day among the tombs and on the mountainsides, and kept cutting himself with stones.

As the people of the nearby village found out, Pastor Charles explained, the impulse to self-harm couldnt be healed by shackles and chains (Mark 5:4) only Jesus could.

From this bible story we find a revelation that the man was under the influence of something spiritual. Many people in the modern world try to alienate the fact that someone can be spiritually bound, that is why they are going to use all Kinds of names like mental health issues and are going to recommend therapy, he said.

It is important for you to understand that you can treat a situation of which a demon has left but you cannot treat a situation that still has a demonic bondage. That is why when it comes to matters of sickness, healing is from God, but treatment can be by doctors, he said.

When the light comes to a place, demons have to leave. One of the things Jesus did mostly was that he cast out devils. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8), he said.

I know so many people who are in incarceration that have been locked down, but the truth is, their situation is spiritual, and when demons leave, those men will change, he continued.

Somebody needs God to deliver them, and we are going to minister deliverance at the altar. So many people are wrongly positioned in matters of destiny not because they are not hard working, because there is a spiritual opposition. Matthew 12:29 says, Or again, how can anyone enter a strong mans house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. he stated.

Many people think that you can solve a demonic situation by going to a shrine. That is false. You cannot solve a demonic situation by visiting another demonic entity. You have got to find a place that carries another spirit, he noted.

There are things we can do that hospitals cannot do. When the church of Jesus Christ operates fully at its power and level, we can deal with issues that marriage counselors cant, he said.

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Is the government an authority in spiritual matters? - Uganda Christian News

The Locke family watches Jehovah's Witness programming on July 12, 2020.(Photo: Courtesy of the Locke family)

Though it was chosen more than five years ago, the theme for this year's Jehovah's Witness convention is timely always rejoice.

The message came at a perfect time for 17-year-old Tessa Locke, who's been lamenting not being able to go to school or see her friends because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last weekend was the first of six online sessions she'll participate in as part of the organization's annual convention. They're typically held in massive sports stadiums that can accommodate tens of thousands of worshipers, but now she participates in a more intimate setting her living room, joined by only her family.

Locke said it's "easy to become sad or anxious" because of the circumstancesbut that her faith and the ongoing virtual convention has helped her recenter.

"I liked the point that true joy is a quality of the heart," she said. "Many people spend years trying to find happiness and be happy. This program, and the Bible, lays it out simply for us how we can do that is through Jehovah."

Locke's 55-year-old mother, Lilia Locke, echoed her daughter's statements and called the convention "super encouraging."

She said this year's theme reminds her and others of spiritual truths to help them see hope despite widespread fear.

"He sees the suffering that humankind is undergoing with the pandemic, with people losing their lives because of this virus and it pains God to see these things," she said. "The Bible guarantees us and reminds us that He will act and correct these matters and bring about better conditions so that people can enjoy life to the fullest, enjoy life without dealing with any of these ailments and suffering that we have."

Both Lilia Locke and her husband, Tom, have been Jehovah's Witnesses for most of their lives, with Lilia becoming a member of the organization in 1978 and Tom being baptized in 1982.

They've regularly attended the annual conventions since their respective baptisms, making their shared faith a priority as they raised children together.

"It's helped ... to really cement our bonds as a family together in a spiritual setting and helps us draw closer to the God we worship and each other," he said. "It's really a family tradition that we love and we enjoy every year."

Though the family wishes they could greet, hug and worship in person with other members of the organization, Lilia Locke said the loving atmosphere she's experienced at conventions in years past is transmitted even through this year's virtual format.

"The positive is we still felt the atmosphere of being in a worldwide brotherhood, and in unity with everyone, everywhere," Tom Locke said. "We don't worry about borders, race, skin color, anything we're just all together viewing this."

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He said they still made the first day of the virtual convention a "special day" by having breakfast together as a family and participating in a study of The Watchtower, a Jehovah's Witness magazine, with their congregation via Zoom.

He added that the virtual format of the session allowed them to pause, digest and discuss the message with one another, calling it "really upbuilding."

Tyler Locke, 18, had much of the same takeaways from the convention's opening weekend as his parents and sister.

"The world is so uncertain, people don't know what to believe, what's going to happen, if things are going to get worse or better," he said. "Listening to these programs and having faith in God's word, we know the outcome. We have hope and faith for a better future."

Robert Hendriks, national spokesman for the organization, said this year's convention isa "spiritual shot in the arm" amid a backdrop of widespread fear and distress.

"The message is basically, joy is a product of the heart, if you will," he said. "It's an inside job. It's something that doesn't depend on what's happening externally it really is a quality of the heart."

Hendriks said the convention's topics are selected several years in advance to allow time to develop the videos and other materials necessary, and that leaders consider current events and biblical prophecy when choosing the theme.

"We have a world that's more divided, a world that's more at war than at peace these things are to be expected," he said. "For Christians to be able to walk in this time period, to be able to not only just survive but endure and do it joyfully, that's something we can project some years out because we know we're going to need to have love, to have joy, to be peaceful, to be courageous as the years go on."

Hendriks said the organization canceled all public meetings and conventions back in March. Though he said everyone misses physically being with each other, he said the organization is in no rush to return to its Kingdom Halls or convention venues.

"That sentimentality isn't going to move us to get together physically, because at the end of the day, spirituality has nothing to do with a building or a place it has to do with the connection we have with each other."

Local spokesman Jamie Dunjey said 47,000 Jehovah's Witnesses were set to descend on Phoenix and Tucson for the convention this summer before the pandemic hit.

Convention sessions are free to watch on theJehovah's Witness website.

Reach the reporter at bfrank@arizonarepublic.comor 602-444-8529.Follow her on Twitter @brieannafrank.

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Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2020/07/17/jehovahs-witness-online-convention-focuses-joy-despite-coronavirus/5420318002/

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'A spiritual shot in the arm': Jehovah's Witness convention spreads 'Always Rejoice' message amid coronavirus - AZCentral

Swami A. Parthasarathy, the 93-year-old spiritual leader, will deliver his first online discourse on July 26 in what would be a delayed Guru Purnima lecture to his followers.

The live webcast about Personal Rehabilitation From Concern to Composure, will be transmitted live across the globe. The one-hour session by the founder of Vedanta World will focus on helping individuals deal better with the pandemic.

During his seven-decade journey as a spiritual devotee, Parthasarathy has authored 12 books. Besides having featured in renowned publications in the world, he has addressed premier institutions, including Harvard University, Oxford University, NASA, Young Presidents Organisation, and the Indian cricket team.

Devotees can register for the session online.

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93-year-old spiritual leader to deliver online lecture - The Hindu

By Fr. Mike ParaniukSt. Mary Catholic ChurchHillsboro

You know what scares me the most about this COVID-19 virus? It is not the physical pain the virus causes. It is the spiritual pain.

I believe the devil is using the virus to spread discord, chaos, division and anger among Gods people. Peoples emotions are frayed and frustrated. Money is tight. Benefits for those laid off will be ending soon. If schools do not open, how can a family afford day care?

St. Mary School will open in August with plans in place to protect children and our teachers. But there are no guarantees against a future disruption. The flu season in October combined with a resurging COVID could close all schools again.

An old Cherokee told his grandson: "My son, there's a battle between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It lives off fear. The other is Good. It lives on love."

The boy thought about it and asked: "Grandfather, which wolf wins?"

The old man quietly replied: "The one you feed."

The devil is tempting us to feed the evil wolf with fear. Fear is the fertilizer that will make the seeds of weeds grow in our soul. The devils weeds will try to destroy the good seed.

God plants in us the good seed of His Love. He put it in your soul when you were baptized. Every act of love you do feeds the good wolf. Two things happen when you chose love. First, the good seed God put in you will grow. It will produce the good fruits of patience, tolerance, forgiveness, and gentleness.

We need those fruits now more than ever. What I see is a spreading spiritual disease of us versus them. People different than me are to be feared. This way of thinking feeds fear, produces separation and fosters hate. The devil loves this. I can just hear him whispering, Be very very afraid

So how do we get rid of fear? The second thing that happens in choosing love is that it can defeat fear. 1 John 4:18 says, There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. Perfect love is complete love. It is a love that trusts God completely.

When you trust God, you refuse to give into fear. If you really believe that God is good, then you believe that God has no desire to punish you. He doesnt have a computer with a smite button on it. There is no reason to fear. You dont have to be afraid of the storm in your life. I love this line from Mark 4:37-38 Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a pillow. Trusting God means you believe God can take the worst thing in your life and make it right. God says Sleep well. Be at peace. Ill take care of it.

Do not be fooled. We are now in a spiritual warfare. The devil is using this virus take you away from God. The devil wants to destroy your trust in God. A battle is raging for your soul. You have two choices: fear or love. If you chose fear, you feed the devils weed of separating your soul from God and one another. If you choose love, you feed the flower of Gods Spirit that will give you solace in the midst of woe.

I close with a thought about hummingbirds. Last year, I fed three hummingbirds. One male and two females. I enjoyed their chirping with wings buzzing over my head. Before migrating back to Mexico in October, the male hummingbird flew right up to my face. He stayed there for a while, suspended in air. It was like he was saying, Thanks, but gotta go.

With that, all three birds were gone. I heard that hummers would come back to the same feeder they left in the spring. I waited through April and May. No hummers came to my sugar water feeder. Sixty percent of these birds die while flying over the Gulf of Mexico. I guess mine didnt make it.

On Fathers Day June 21, I sat on my porch watching an empty feeder. A male hummer slowly glided up to the feeder, sticking his long black tongue into the little plastic flower to slurp the sugar. He flew around my head as if to say, Glad to be back.

Then the two females came right behind him. I could tell by their distinct mannerisms my peeps had returned to daddy. I was so happy. Then I thought, If these three hummers like me so much they traveled 4,000 miles to come back to me, how much more does God love me who traveled billions of miles across the universe to be with me now during this difficult time?

I truly have nothing to fear.

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God's grace can ease the spiritual pain of COVID-19 - The Highland County Press

I never thought that I would ever write a letter to the editor, but I am so disgusted with our country and the world, I feel like I must say something. I am deeply saddened and concerned with the division in our country.

I am sick and tired of hearing about Republican versus Democrat; black versus white; male versus female, etc. The truth is that it is GOOD versus EVIL. Nothing more nothing less. Our country/world is in spiritual warfare. It is time to wake up.

My earthly father taught me at an early age, Trust, but verify. In other words, it is alright to believe what you see or hear, but then do your own research to verify and confirm the truth. My heavenly Father taught me, My people will be destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6. Knowledge is the key; always seek knowledge.

My heavenly Father also taught me, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 6:12. Know this for a fact we are in spiritual warfare.

It is time (past time) for the silent majority to speak up! Forget the term political correctness. As Christians we are chosen and called to speak the TRUTH. The truth is I believe black lives matter. As a Christian I must believe this. I also believe all lives matter. In my opinion, any person offended by the statement that ALL lives matter is wrong and being deceived, and the king of deception is satan/devil/lucifer.

In my opinion, based on research and discernment, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) ORGANIZATION is not about black lives, but truly is a terrorist organization meant to divide the country even more than it already is. Dont trust me OR doubt me, verify this or dispute it with your own research and facts. BLM is not a non-profit, it is a corporation. ALL the money BLM raises goes to Act Blue. Do your own research and see where those millions and millions of dollars go (it is not going to black lives). Read the BLM official Mission Statement; does that sound like a Christian Mission Statement?

As a Christian, I am concerned about the world my children and grandchildren are facing. As a Christian, I am concerned about the EVIL in this world. As a Christian, I will no longer be silent or silenced, but will shout that we are in a spiritual warfare and it is a tough fight. But even satan knows, God wins!!

Please forget politics, race, sex, creed, etc. and remember it is all about GOOD vs EVIL. What team are you on? Will you play ball or sit on the bench? It is your choice free will.

Your brother in Christ,

Jeff Branch

Paragould

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Letter to The Editor: Spiritual warfare | Opinion - Paragould Daily Press

LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Author LouisBelmontannounces an urgently neededexploration and revelation of what can only be called the "Spirituality Industry."Beginning as a series of articles that will developinto a book, the project will examine inner workingsof enterprises that are outwardly spiritual but are also -- and even primarily -- million dollar cash cows for gurus,"thought leaders," "influencers,"shamans of all kinds, Ayahuasca retreat centers, Iboga retreat centers, and mushroom retreat centers.

Most importantly, this series will rely on the first-hand experiences of individuals who have been emotionallyharmed, financially exploited, or both, by improper business practices under the guise of spiritualenlightenment. If you or someone youknow has had this experience, contact LouisBelmont at:

belmontlouis4@gmail.com.

https://louisbelmontwriter.com/

LouisBelmontis a widely published editor andghostwriter -- author of "Kabbalah For Teens" and many other books and articles. He is anauthority on all aspects -- good and bad -- of the Spirituality Industry.

SOURCE Louis Belmont

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Author Louis Belmont announces new article series on the Spirituality Industry - Benzinga