For Sunday December 25th, 2016

Hello everyone and Merry Christmas, as we celebrate 'the one' whose spiritual job is not yet finished let us work toward the Oneness which is within our reach. Here's a connective process:

Step one; get the hands busy, find or join an activity which can be done with a group. 

Step two; the community spirit which is built during the activity is the engagement of hearts. 

Step three; it is the engagement of people's hearts which changes the brain and thereby the thinking.

May we sit this Christmas Sunday in the unity which is promised but we have not yet delivered. May we reach out and make the connections we can. May Thy Will be done in all things.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday December 18th, 2016

Hello everyone, Edgar Cayce said, "Let thy words and thy meditation be, as ye present thy bodies, thy lives, thy activities before others: "Lord, use me in whatever way or manner that my body may be as a living example of Thy love..." - reading 262-84"

As the saying about Buddhism goes, "It's not about what you believe, it's about what you do." Let us live our highest ideals in the of tiniest ways, even with the least people.

May we sit tonight for our opportunities; to be kind, to be helpful, to show our truest selves, to fulfill the commandment of 'Love One Another' in all we do.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday December 11th, 2016

Hello everyone, two thoughts come together this week. Fr. James Martin says that Jesus didn't come down to us as a book, he came as a human to meet us where we are – with all human frailties intact. 

And Edgar Cayce says, "Know thy ideal, and live to that. For, each soul must give account for its own self." 

As we approach one another; if we can bring our best self forward, if we can meet others where they are, perhaps we can connect. And it's that connection which holds the future for the world.

May we sit tonight for these ideals. May they be foremost in our hearts. May we build the future moment by moment throughout our lives.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday December 4th, 2016

Hello everyone, may we sit this Sunday for all those affected by the wild fires in Tennessee and North Carolina. I don't know why with all the other things going on in the world right now that this would call me but that's what's happening. 

May we ask that God's will be done for the highest good of all.

Thank you,

Richard

Re: For Sunday November 27th, 2016

Hello everyone, when kids ask Walter Krehling, "Are you the real Santa?" He answers, "I'm the real Santa Claus that's here right now. There is a Santa Claus that I work for, but he can't be here right now. I'm here. Right here, right now, I'm the real Santa Claus."

Never mind that I cried for ten minutes when I read that, the lesson couldn't be more clear. We are all ambassadors for the 'Big Guy'. However you wish to interpret that term, we are all empowered to be a representative of spirituality in physical form, right here, right now.

May we sit this Sunday in thanksgiving for this great gift, that we each can bring the best of spirituality forward into the physical. May we be cleansed in our soul, even as we stuff ourselves bodily. May we all grow to fulfill our full potential on Mother Earth.

Thank you with Blessings,

Richard

Re: For Sunday November 13th, 2016

Hello everyone, compassion is a universal component of humanity. However, it can be easily lost beneath fear and anger, which ultimately brings pain. And one of the quotes often heard this week is "Wisdom rides on the coattails of pain." 

The fear, anger, and scapegoating which was employed to enact personal gain in this election has already overshadowed compassion in some people. 

Just as pain eventually cracks open the heart's door, it is compassion which fuels the greatest wisdom.

May we sit this Sunday for the quick return of compassion. We can develop compassion within ourselves. We can share it with all others we contact. And by doing so we create more of it in the world.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday November 20th, 2016

Hello everyone, it is possible to love someone who is in a state of fear. It's also possible to love someone when they are angry. It's even possible to love someone despite whatever 'wrongs' they may have committed.

This is useful to keep in mind. You can call it the beginnings of unconditional love when we reach out to others. But it may be far more essential when we look at ourselves. 

The self-honesty which brings an awareness of our own internal difficulties is also a loving doorway for viewing the same difficulties in others. Then the forgiveness we wish for ourselves, once given to us, can be extended.

May we sit this evening for our own forgiveness. May we extend it to others. May we begin to touch upon Unconditional Love.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday November 6th, 2016

Hello everyone, as the various irritations of this year's presidential election come to a head let's look at some basic understandings. Souls do not enter into a material existence just to have a good time or to magnify the ego. There can be spiritual reasons for any particular person to come into a position of leadership. Material success can be an enormous stumbling-block for soul development. And all lessons, however difficult, lead toward Oneness.

This Sunday may we set aside all our mentally preconceived notions, biases, and justifications to find Divine Will. May we face this process and all it's outcomes with courage, strength, and self-honesty. May the truth of Oneness shine through us as we deal with one another in the coming days.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard

For Sunday October 30th, 2016

Hello everyone, in our political strife having anger at the other side is not only common but often encouraged, and used for great effect.  Yet if we hold to the truth of Oneness then we have to ask, "Is anger ever justified?" The moment we are moved to protect an idea, a belief, dogma, something you demand, or something you hold, that very protection indicates anger. And our level of anger is a pretty good measurement of our personal distance away from living Oneness. 

Is it possible see anger under the heading of 'it just is' – that is, without defending or condemning it? Can we get enough distance to see it as an indicator of our own personal awareness?

May we sit this Sunday for 'clear vision', the ability to see without bias or limitation; to see ourselves as we are; to see society as it is; to see ourselves lovingly despite all frailties. 

Respectfully submitted,

Richard

For Sunday October 23rd, 2016

Hello everyone, it's tempting to look upon the problems of today and wish for them to be made better. Our politics, the Middle East, our society, all have their own set of difficulties. In our humanness we often pray for the problems to be fixed or resolved. Yet prayers for the courage, the strength and the wisdom with which to complete the learning process, to gain the spiritual growth, even through the difficulties, may be more appropriate.

This Sunday may we sit for such courage, strength, and wisdom to come down to us and to those in difficulty in the world. May Divine Light show the way, whether by giant leaps or tiny steps. And, may we have the humility to listen.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday October 16th, 2016

Hello everyone, we are told that songs existed long before there were any singers to give them voice. If this is true then every wonderful thing that is to happen is simply waiting for the right time, place, and people to bring them forth. We find ourselves alive now, in this time period. So the question becomes, "Are we listening?"

We all 'sing' in our own way, each adding our part to the fullness of the concert.

May we sit tonight with the internal quietness which allows us to hear the whispers of wonder. May we bring forth that which is given for us. My all join the tune in time.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday October 9th, 2016

Hello everyone, a sad pitfall of our current climate of polarization is the adoption of an attack and defend mentality, as if division and control were the highest callings of humanity. Yet ancient spiritual teachings, from the Hawaiian reconciliation and forgiveness of Ho'oponopono to the Jewish reminder to put your own house in order when trying to save the world, tell us that the future is an inside job.

Whatever we find disturbing in the world can also, with deep enough self-honesty, be found within us – and that is where we have the greatest influence.

May we sit this evening for the ability to see ourselves clearly, without bias or justification. May we identify that which bears release. May we be the change we wish to see.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday October 2nd, 2016

Hello everyone, ten years ago a gunman walked into a small Amish schoolhouse in rural Pennsylvania and began shooting children, finally killing himself. The shooter's funeral was a very small, private affair until a large number of Amish appeared. The Amish formed a partial circle around the funeral scene then began emanating love.

Whatever anger, fear, or retribution they may have felt was set aside in recognition of the abject pain experienced by all, and the much needed healing power of love. While no one would ever wish for such devastation in their community the relationships formed in the healing afterward are priceless to those involved. 

May we sit this Sunday in search of where we need healing. May we forgive. May we offer love. Whatever our current position and attitude, may our future be brighter than our past.

Respectfully,

Richard

http://www.npr.org/series/4516989/storycorps

For Sunday September 25th, 2016

Hello everyone, we live on this Earth in relationship, relationship to each other, relationship to our environment, relationship to ourselves. When seen correctly these relationships are our greatest mirrors because the way we look at anything tells us exactly who we are while observing. Whether we look upon something or someone with anger, fear, paranoia, or love – that is exactly where we are at that moment.

Whether we believe our internal justifications for how we see things or whether we use them as a process of self-examination, of measuring how far we are from being unconditionally loving, will make a huge difference in our spiritual evolvement.

May we sit this evening for self-honesty, courageous, unflinching, and always in search of the greatest overall loving perspective. 

Respectfully,

Richard

For Sunday September 18th, 2016

Hello everyone, the ancient phrase "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me" is the backbone of spiritual life. Whether we are working on personal psychological obstacles or world spiritual transformation it releases responsibility from our small ego-self, freeing us to be clear channels for the Divine. 

Spirituality can make good use of bodily-incarnated humanity when we are clear. We can be excellent conduits for passing energy from the spiritual to the physical.

May we sit this Sunday for our clarity. May we set aside our biases, our obstacles, all of our thinking. May we hold a knowingness of perfection beyond ourselves. May we simply be within it.

Respectfully,

Richard

For Sunday September 4th, 2016

Hello everyone, due to our common human frailties we get caught up in judging, comparing, ignoring, disliking, mistrusting, and even hating. And yet our highest calling is also our most difficult – Love one another. 

The change we want to see in the world, the long prophesied spiritual transformation, is dependent upon loving one another.  

Please understand that we may disagree with others while loving them but love them we must. 

May we sit this Sunday for the insight and self-honesty to see where we may miss the mark. May we find the strength of heart to love when we are disappointed. May brittle lines soften toward Oneness.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday August 28th, 2016

Hello everyone, it has often been said that extreme times call for extreme measures. Or stated in other words, the more intense the difficulty we find ourselves facing, the more intently we must search for a loving response. Whether we're staring at an unwanted election outcome or a life-changing medical issue, our spiritual responsibility is to respond from an honestly loving intention. 

To do so requires a deep self-honesty and a true compassion for others. The ability to love outwardly - no matter what - rather than become absorbed in and distracted by our own internal processes is essential.

May we sit this Sunday for the strength and courage to see our own frailties clearly, and set them aside. May we sit for the ability to focus intently on the depth of compassion, and allow its true expression. May we ask that Divine will be done within us and outside of us. And may we find the Grace which carries us through.

Reverently submitted,

Richard

For Sunday August 21st, 2016

Hello everyone, watching people as we approach our national election we find anger, mean spirited humor, unyielding beliefs and attitudes, and massive mistrust. Not only would this election benefit from media literacy that we may see through the numerous spin tactics in use but it also cries out for the ancient phrase "Blessed are the Peacemakers."

Those who speak quietly, who search for wisdom, who see a human family artificially divided by itself are too often lost in the din of rolling, tumbling, ambitious political rancor. 

May we sit this Sunday for the peacemakers. May we give them our hearts. May we give them our time. May we find them to be ourselves.

As Above, So Below,

Richard

For Sunday August 14th, 2016

Hello everyone, all of our lives, the difficulties, the wonderfulness, the chaos, the charming, every minute and second of our lifetime is intended to be a pathway toward rediscovering the truth of Love and the beauty of our spiritual origin.

May we sit this Sunday the 14th for ourselves. May we find our inner beauty. May we connect with our Source. May Divine will be done within.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday August 7th, 2016

Hello to everyone, as has been taught for thousands of years, this life is a temporary flickering image, a thin shadow of a far greater reality. What are casually sown seeds in this life become a harvest of intensity later on. As we watch political dramas unfold we can see that those who strive for tremendous responsibility are often the least aware of this lesson.

May we sit this Sunday for their hearts to open beyond the distractions of their positions. May they see a greater plan at work. May their Divine connections be strengthened, and ours as well.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday July 31st, 2016

Hello everyone, here's a quote from Edgar Cayce - "Unless each soul entity makes the world better, that corner or place of the world a little better, a little bit more hopeful, a little bit more patient, showing a little more of brotherly love, a little more of kindness, a little more of long suffering – by the very words and deeds of the entity, the life is a failure; especially so far as growth is concerned. Though you gain the whole world, how little ye must think of thyself if ye lose the purpose for which the soul entered this particular sojourn."

May we sit for the honest exploration of ourselves and our motives in our lives. May we sit for the betterment of ourselves. May we sit for the betterment of all with whom we interact. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday July 24th, 2016

Hello everyone, political seasons have a tendency to lean our society toward being drunk on emotion. In our desire to possess and control political outcomes maturity and balance, i.e. humility, the key to emotional sobriety, gets lost.

So our current situation is to be drowning in information, gorging on emotional rhetoric – and starving for wisdom.

Therefore, may we sit this evening for what may be termed as 'love outgoing' or 'loving outwardly' no matter what the end result may be. May we petition God for divine guidance. May divine will be done for all.

Humbly thankful for each of you,

Richard

Addendum for Sunday July 17th, 2016

Hello everyone, it seems one doesn't know in which direction to pray sometimes, with a political convention coming up and shootings happening at an alarming rate. Still, cry if you must - then pray - then act, as in the ancient decree, "Love one another." 

In difficult times can you find the true depth of, "Be the change you want to see in the world"?

In Reverence,

Richard

Lifetime happiness, a TEDx talk

Hello all, Barbara Whitfield just sent this out and I thought I'd pass it along. I found it quite beautiful.

https://youtu.be/8KkKuTCFvzI

For Sunday July 17th, 2016

Hello everyone, the recent killings of black people at traffic stops; white cops at a peaceful march; and party-goers in Nice, France bring to mind a comment from Tom Sawyer, who was the inspiration for this list. He had been talking about a book, "The Works of Invisible Helpers" by Amber Marie Tuttle. The book details incidences of disembodied entities, or invisible helpers as she calls them, coming to the aid of living humans. 

The psychic interventions she describes by these invisible helpers are surprising, loving and numerous. If you read the book you need to make some concessions for her rural, agrarian background but Tom validated the instances and championed her loving, sensitive abilities. 

So where's the connection? After a lengthy talk about the book Tom gave one last, brief comment, "Now is the time for 'visible helpers' to be at work."

The implication being; there are people living today who have the potential to do the same work. 

May we sit this Sunday for Nothing. May we release all thoughts, emotions, reactions, and beliefs. May we simply Be. And may God's will be done.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday July10th, 2016

Hello everyone, while overall violence in the world has decreased, awareness of and outrage over violence has increased. It may be that we are slowly, quietly becoming more peaceful and tolerant, which makes the violence feel more distressing than it used to. 

Meanwhile, media has found there's a lot of money to be made in sensationalism and constantly throwing events up for exposure. Are we outraged, distressed, and saddened over events? Certainly. But we ought not give up on ourselves as a community of humans.

As the mother of children's television icon Mr. Rogers told him when he was a child himself, "Whenever something bad happens - look for the helpers." Sadly, there are lost souls who commit terrible things but, beautifully, there are many, many more who are helpers who jump in to assist. They are the true measure of humanity.

May we sit this Sunday in appreciation for the helpers. May we give love to those who are lost. May all come together as One.

Reverently submitted,

Richard

For Sunday July 3rd, 2016

Hello everyone, as has been said many times - we are powerful beings. A desire of knowledge inherently creates its own vortex and therefore becomes whatever it is which fulfills the desire. 

Today, much of humanity is deeply involved with material desires. And, since the universe obliges selfish desires as easily as it does spiritual ones, and we carry the responsibility for them, it behooves us to view our desires with great wisdom. 

May we sit this Sunday for that quiet little voice of truth which speaks within. May we discern our innermost desires. May we find them to be aligned with the highest good for all.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday June 26th, 2016

Hello everyone, as humans we have many distractions which pull us away from a spiritual path. We divide ourselves up through any number of arbitrary walls, from economics to geography to skin coloring and more. Yet the return path is always the same, through the compassion of "Namaste."

May we sit this evening for the deepest meaning of Namaste which we can attain. As each of us is a tiny piece of the whole, so also can the entire whole be seen in any one of us. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday June 19th, 2016

Hello everyone, tragedies are often stern teachers. The recent events in Florida come under this heading. Following a tragedy there is typically an outpouring of compassion; a cleansing of the separations and divisions which we so easily fall prey to. This can be seen in the one-mile-long waiting line outside of a blood donation center. People stood in that line, in the Florida heat, for up to 6 hours while others began an impromptu support mission of bringing them food, water, and umbrellas for shade. 

This is a truth of the human condition; while only one lost soul caused the tragedy, hundreds if not thousands interrupted their daily lives to step up, come together, and contribute something from their own innate compassion.

And, in a sad demonstration of another side of the human condition, our leading politicians used it as an opportunity to separate themselves from each other, attack their opponents, and promote their own agendas.

"God enters our lives through the wounds in our hearts." 

May we sit this Sunday that we may respond spiritually to the tiniest of wounds; that we may not purposely cause wounds; that we may all come together.  

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday June 12th, 2016

Hello everyone, as we observe our current political situation, and their various followers, we would do well to have our hearts open. Here's a quote from Edgar Cayce, "...unless each soul entity makes the world better, that corner or place of the world a little better, a little bit more hopeful, a little bit more of brotherly love, a little more of kindness, a little more of long suffering – by the very words and deeds of the entity, the life is a failure; especially so far as growth is concerned. Though you gain the whole world, how little ye must think of thyself if ye lose the purpose for which the soul entered this particular sojourn!"

Whether we agree with someone's viewpoint or not it's their sojourn, and our good treatment of them, that's essential. 

May we sit on Sunday, June 12th for the insight required to see beyond the surface, to see into the sojourn of people. And, may our treatment of them be a furthering of our own sojourn on this Earth.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard

For Sunday June 5th, 2016

Hello everyone, spiritual healing energy is universal in our world. In spite of all human frailties and distractions it remains available as we are open to it. As we set aside our prejudices, poor attitudes, fears, angers, and obsessions - and open our hearts - it comes into our lives. 

May we sit this Sunday for that open-hearted healing power. May we see it in action. May we join in when we can. May we begin from where we are now.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday May 29th, 2016

Hello all, as we honor those who have passed in conflict this Memorial weekend let us recall the words of Gen. Robert E. Lee, "It is well that war is so terrible – otherwise we would grow too fond of it." That was 151 years ago. 

Let us honor the heroes of the past. Let us also pray they are needed less and less in the future, as the willingness with which we make war is a sign of spiritual immaturity. 

May we sit this Sunday for our greater spiritual destiny. Let us remember we are all One. May we find our way out of our heads and into our hearts. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday May 22nd, 2016

Hello everyone, as we search for answers and guidance in this life it is well to remember that we may know false prophets by the fruits of their labors. And, Eckhart Tolle says that conflict is a measure of spiritual growth; does conflict arise around you or does conflict tend to resolve in your presence?

It may be difficult to find a political candidate who exudes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control – the fruits of the spirit. But, we may nurture these qualities within ourselves and share them with all we meet.

We might thereby lay a foundation which leads toward a goal which already exists and only needs to be seen more clearly – Oneness.

May we sit this Sunday for the 'Fruits of the Spirit' within ourselves. May we recognize them in others. May they be the bedrock of our lives. 

Thank you,

Richard 

For Sunday May 15, 2016

Hello everyone, it's sad but reasonable to assume that fractious divisions, much as we see between people today, also existed between the 400,000 people who lived in San Francisco in 1900. More than half of those folks were left homeless by a devastating earthquake in April of 1906.

The writer Dorothy Day witnessed the event as a 9 year old child. Seeing the immense compassion offered between total strangers immediately after the catastrophe brought her to remark, "Why can't people live like this all the time?"

Major catastrophes do not occur solely for the purpose of creating a spiritual cleansing, yet it is a deeply human response. Whenever 'push comes to shove' and 'lives are on the line' people quickly drop arbitrary differences and reach out honestly, human to human, heart to heart. 

May we sit this evening for such connections in our own lives today. May we reach out to those who are lost. May we recognize and see beyond our flimsy emotional and thought-based divisions. May the deeper truths of our shared humanity shine through. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday May 8th, 2016

Hello all, in 1966 Pete Seeger had the crazy notion that doing one thing would start people on a path to cleaning up the entire Hudson River. He began building a sailboat, the "Clearwater."

https://vimeo.com/85385279

We do not have to work at such grand scales and lofty ideals if they are beyond us. A simple 'thank you' to a store clerk, an honest smile at a passerby, a caring and interested ear lent to a child are also crazy notions that clean up the river of humanity. As these bits of clarity flow through the twists and turns of time they have an amazing collective effect. 

People heal at their own pace. They return to Source at their own pace, too. Those little smiles, thank you's, and cares help light the way for them.

May we sit this Sunday for 'lighting the way.' May we bring our best to all we meet. May we not 'hide under a bushel' with our inner lights.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday May 1st, 2016

Hello all, there is a spiritual journey which which is common to us all. It crosses our bumpy landscape of human frailty. Our common dis-eases slow us yet our hearts go out, our prayers go up, and our efforts continue for all concerned. Whether our wishes come to pass or not we find satisfaction in our attempts and intentions. The journey can be slowed but in the end is inescapable. 

This Sunday may we sit for the completion of our journey. May we honor the bridges we build. May we live as though our arrival is today.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday April 17th, 2016

Hello everyone, it doesn't matter what the "ism" may be, conservatism, liberalism, socialism, democrat-ism, republican-ism, or any of the seemingly endless supply of varying ideologues, they are all a product of human thought. And human thought, being a product of material experience and observation, guided by opinions formed in the material world, is necessarily a limited, limiting process. 

We tend to cling tightly to our thinking as if it were our only precious saving grace. Yet, we are actually permeated with and supported by a far greater existence. Our built-in access portal to this existence is through the heart. 

Our compassion for and kindness toward others is our true saving grace in this world. Our ability to connect with compassion and express it to others is unlimited, except by our own thoughts and ideology. 

May we sit this evening for our true saving grace. May we find our hearts and the greater intelligence it offers. May our journey through this world be a blessing to all, and thereby to us.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday April 10th, 2016

Hello to all, for us to rely on thinking to be a guide in life is backwards. The full breadth and depth of spirituality cannot possibly be grasped by thinking. And, as the ancients tell us, thinking is intended to be a supportive function of true guidance, which comes from the heart.

A concept may be logical, well reasoned, and intensely delivered but if your heart doesn't resonate and begin singing it's own song in response, perhaps a second look is in order.

May we sit this evening for our saving grace - our true hearts - to be our guides. May we hear the songs within us and may those songs be expressed through our thoughts, words, and actions.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday April 3rd, 2016

Hello everyone, it's easy to look at the great people and events of history and wonder how to help, how to be of service. We each have our place and our power in this world. When we act from our hearts we fulfill ourselves. When we act from our hearts we fulfill the promise of humanity. Here is a poem by Naomi Shibab Nye;

"I want to be famous in the way

a pulley is famous

or a buttonhole, not because it did

anything spectacular

but because it never forgot

what it could do"

May we sit this evening in gratefulness for all that is done, for each of us, and for being our truest selves.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday March 27th, 2016

Hello everyone, there is a little known ecological truth that says 'you can't plant a forest.' If you were to precisely measure everything that is growing in a section of forest then tried to recreate it in a nearby field by planting all the same things in the same places, it wouldn't work. A major percentage would fail to flourish and you'd end up with a skeletal representation of the original. 

Perhaps the same is true of our spiritual growth. Just as forests develop naturally over time from grassland, to scrub brush, to saplings, to mature trees with a complex undergrowth, we also grow into our spiritual completion. 

In this season of rebirth and resurrection may we celebrate this process. May we make loving use of all that has come before. May this lifetime bring fullness. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday March 20th, 2016

Hello everyone, given the current difficulties seen in our country's electoral process perhaps it would be worthwhile to ask for God's Light to come down upon us and our choices. 

May we sit this Sunday for the wisdom and strength required to find our way through this miasma of attitudes and distractions. May we find the quietness and self-honesty to detect the same in others. May our choices be in keeping with the highest good of all.

Thank you all,

Richard

For Sunday March 13th, 2016

Hello everyone, while watching the calculated use of anger, bitterness, and division in our political arena part of an Edgar Cayce reading came to mind. "Take an interest in thy fellow man because he, or she, is one with thine own self, and a manifestation of the might of the God thou would worship!"

This is said not only to those who use anger to promote their personal agendas, it is also said to those who are disheartened at watching it occur. Even the bitter and angry are manifestations of God, lost and spiraling into their smaller selves though they may be. 

May we sit this Sunday for the highest good of those whom we find offensive. May 'prodigal sons' of all variations find their way. May their paths be exactly what they need to bring them home. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday March 6th, 2016

Hello everyone, we search for peace in this world. Politicians promise it. Religious leaders preach it. Victims and survivors demand it. Our hearts yearn for it. And yet, peace is always within reach.

Our fascination with material power and it's accompanying violence, evidenced in so many popular movies and some politicians, keeps us from our peace. Moment by moment we choose our paths just as our thoughts reflect our desires. In truth, we bring peace to the world by being at peace within ourselves. 

This evening may we sit for inner guidance. May we honor our higher selves as Light shines through us. May we be the change we wish to see.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday February 28th, 2016

Hello all, the ancient saying, "As above, so below" refers to a similarity of love, kindness, and wisdom displayed on Earth as in Heaven. Humanity has embarked upon this journey but the larger heart-felt perspective, the compassion which comes from walking in the other's shoes, is yet to arrive. 

May we sit this evening for the shoes of others. May we find they fit lovingly. May we find our hearts one mile closer to each other. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday February 21st, 2016

Hello everyone, as we meet people in this life we find they are not all admirable, nor agreeable, and sometimes downright infuriating. This is where Oneness can become a questionable concept. There is a trick to getting past our human psychology at such times.

It can take a while but look for something about them with which you can identify, something which you also own. This can be difficult when dealing with someone with whom we are deeply disgusted. But the truth is this: that which we despise most in others is the very thing which we find most disgusting within ourselves. They may be hard to find but honesty and humility are helpful here.

May we sit this evening for the strength and courage to be honest with ourselves, for the humility to see clearly, and for the love which may reach outward from us when we do.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday February 14th, 2016

Hello all, today is Valentine's Day in the US. Typically limited to personal romantic entanglements perhaps it should be released into an all-encompassing love for the world at large. The world has it's troubles and is in need of love. Here is a quote from Helen Keller: "The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of tiny pushes of each honest worker."

May we each add our tiny push of love on this Valentine's Day for the entire world. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday February 7th, 2016

Hello all, a theme which we'll be returning to throughout this year is of asking for Divine Light to shine down upon those involved in our political process. Lord knows we could use it. Short and simple, "May Thy will be done" covers more than we can see and opens the door to wisdom and fulfillment of the future. May we be receptive when it calls.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday January 31st, 2016

Hello all, the biblical phrase 'become a fisher of men' is often interpreted by religions as a numbers game, the more people you can pull into your belief system the more you win. However, a more spiritual interpretation may be that of casting your personal realm of love about them, bringing them into a greater awareness of what is loving, no matter where they stand otherwise. 

Each person has their particular need in any particular moment. To be sensitive and to respond to it in an unselfish, outwardly-loving manner is a good thing. Being human it's not always within our reach but is always good when it happens. 

May we sit this Sunday for the sensitivity, strength, and love to follow our deepest 'heart of hearts' and to always treat people as well as humanly / spiritually possible.

With love,

Richard

For Sunday January 24th, 2016

Hello everyone, here is a true story. Chloe C. planned her suicide with all the detail an 11 year old can muster. She gathered what she needed, had her reasons, and decided upon a time. Her saving grace was that her parents would often play a dinner table game of "What would you do if...?" wherein the topics were wide ranging and all viewpoints considered. 

It was this familiar ease of communication which created a sense of safety and trust so that her courage was enough. She told her parents of her plans and how she was feeling. She is now on the long and overall upward road of healing.

May we sit this evening not only for her and all others in such dire circumstances, but for the creation of trust and safety in this world. May we find them within. May we have the courage and strength to bring them out. May we in the world be more at ease with each other. 

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday January 17th, 2016

Hello everyone, the old question about whether a glass is half full or half empty misses an important point – the glass itself is beautiful. Beauty in the moment is easy to see when the glass is full. But standing back to take a longer view, to watch the glass filling and emptying and refilling, shows the beauty of patterns in our lives over time. 

May we sit this evening, in whatever place we may find ourselves pattern-wise, and take a longer view of our own selves. May we recognize patterns in others and find them similar to our own.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday January 10th, 2016

Hello all, we exist here on Earth as part of the path toward being a companion with the Creative Forces, toward Oneness. Our ultimate responsibilities are always in this vein and our advancement may be measured by our interactions with others.

In our current political climate it's easy to find people with whom we disagree. It can be more difficult to treat them with kindness. Our spiritual job is not to convince anyone that our view is right. Our job is to search for wisdom and treat them well.

May we sit this evening for the strength to search for wisdom in the face of our own discomfort. May we find the deeper truths within. May we bring them forward from ourselves.

Thank you,

Richard

For Sunday January 3rd, 2016!

Hello everyone, sunshine and rain do not argue with each other, winter and summer are not enemies, daytime and nighttime exist together upon the Earth. Each has its place as the forces of nature work as one for the greatest good. So it should be with us. 

May we sit this evening for the natural coming together of humanity. May we allow each other our time and space and may our differences begin to blend, like sperm and egg, into an entirely new creation.

Thank you,

Richard