Quote(s)

The importance of rigourous self-examination before confronting evil

Author: Walter Wink
Book: Naming the Powers: The Language of Power in the New Testament, Page #130

"That is why we must not engage the Powers without rigorous examination of our own inner evil, which we often project onto our opponents. We must ask how we are like the very Power we oppose, and attempt to open these parts of ourselves to divine transformation. We must attempt to stop the spiral of violence both within ourselves and in our tactics vis-a-vis the Powers."

Noisy contemplation and crabgrass Christians

Author: Bill Callahan
Book: Noisy Contemplation, Page #62

"Noisy contemplation is for crabgrass Christians. Crabgrass grows anywhere. Its roots dig deep and bind the earth. It needs little care, is resistant to drought, wind, and sun. People can walk all over it and try to kill it. It will grow where there is even a crack in the sidewalk, but can burst forth in powerful growth when conditions are favorable.
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Instead of seeking blocks of time to be alone, we can convert many small moments of our day into cumulative habits of prayer."

Cultivating a contemplation of nature as a spiritual discipline

Author: Bill Callahan
Book: Noisy Contemplation, Page #89

"We forget to look for rainbows when the rain clouds part near sunset. We get up too late to watch the dawn. We forget to gaze at the stars and to recall the vast light's journey to reach our eyes. We take the water for granted and wish the rain would go away. We stop bending low enough to witness the toiling ant. We lose our wonder for growing plants and the mysteries by which the seed falls to the earth and brings forth grain a hundredfold.
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In the beginning, if we are rusty and out of practice, we shall have to remind ourselves constantly to open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to what we see.
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A quick glance at sunset or sunrise on a busy day can bond us with nature, even if no extended moments are available, just as a parent can bond with a child in a swift glance.
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