Community & Interdependence
Community is the basis of much spirituality around the world . . . [a]and yet so much sense of community has been lost in the modern world. Loneliness in its many guises replaces community. Loneliness often speaks its sad story through addictions of alcohol, drugs, shopping, food, sex. For the human heart was not meant to be cut off from other hearts, either human or other than human.
- Matthew Fox
The loneliness of the seeker for community is sometimes unendurable.
- Howard Thurman
An individual reaches the level of personhood only in social relations, a person grows and develops through social relations with other persons.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I really want to underscore the next two because of the beauty and wonder I felt when I first read them - I hope they are as moving to you as they were to me.
There is one who sings the song of his soul . . . who sings the song of his people. . . . Together with her, he sings her song, feels her anguish, delights in her hopes. . . . There is one whose soul expands until it extends beyond the borders of Israel, singing the song of humanity. . . . further until he unites with all of existence, with all creatures, with all worlds, singing a song with them all. There is one who ascends with all these songs in unison - the song of the soul, the song of the nation, the song of humanity, the song of the cosmos - resounding together, blending in harmony, circulating the sap of life, the sound of holy joy.
- The Kabbalah, a Jewish mystical text/way
A Jew never worships as an isolated individual but as a part of the Community of Israel. Yet it is within the heart of every individual that prayer takes place. . . . every act of worship is an act of participating in an eternal service, in the service of all souls of all ages.
Our kinship with nature is a kinship of praise. All beings praise God. We live in a community of praise. The cosmos is a congregation in need of a Cantor. . . . It is man who is the Cantor of the universe, and in whose life the secret of cosmic prayer is disclosed. When we sing we sing for all things. . . . The universe is a score of eternal music, and we are the cry, we are the voice.
- Rabbi Abraham Heschel
We have, in my view, created a society in which people find it harder and harder to show one another basic affection. In place of the sense of community and belonging, which we find such a reassuring feature of less wealthy (and generally rural) societies, we find a high degree of loneliness and alienation. Despite the fact that millions live in close proximity to one another, it seems that many people, especially among the old, have no one to talk to but their pets.
- The Dalai Lama
All believers are brothers; so make peace between your brothers, and be mindful of your duty to Allah that you may be shown mercy.
The Believers are like a single man; if his eye is affected, all of him is affected, and if his head is affected all of him is affected. . . . None of you have believed until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. . . .All creatures are God's children, and those dearest to God are the ones who treat His children kindly. He from whose injurious conduct his neighbor is not sage will not enter Paradise.
- The Qur'an
I'll post my thoughts on these quotes later on today - right now, it's time for a late breakfast - my family & I are hungry! :-)
Blessings & Peace,
Hugo
No comments:
Post a Comment