ETHICS

Had an early start on my walk yesterday.  I also had a visit with Jim and he is very down.  They were having a talk about strokes and heart-attacks and it would have been interesting to stay for that.  I talked to Sandy the social director saying I was not sure if I would be continuing.  If I start with some new people I will feel obligated to continue for several years. 

Today I did not want to stay to long as I had several stops on the way home and wanted to get home to dad.
He is not feeling very well at all.  I got home and he was going to have another nap.  But the antibiotics should really be working by to-morrow.   The human body has the amazing ability to heal itself but there is added benefit in medicine and wisdom of doctors.

One of the major differences between modern day Christianity and the earlier forms of the faith is what we now call ethics,  Who is my neighbor?  What is true hospitality?  I think it comes down to seeking the common good for everyone..

Jesus had little time for the rich or the famous.  He taught many lessons about the need for inner transformation but also that the outer actions reveal what we really care about.  There is no doubt that Jesus cared about the poor and the sick and the needy.

During the Plague of Galen (165 - 180) Christians proved their spiritual courage by tending the very sick.  Was this because they did not fear death?  Was it because of  love and compassion? 

There has been a lot written about the negatives but we never hear about the stories like when The Bishop Basil sold all his family's possessions to feed the poor during a time of famine in (368). An ancient form of our food bank.   He also built one of the first Christian hospitals and a hospice.  Monasteries had long practiced hospitality.

The church today has many faults as people have many different ideas and values but one of our main values is to welcome all by creating a inclusive community.  This has somethings lead to good being abused but that was a risk that we have to take at times.

The emperor Constantine poured money into building gold-laden churches, a fine university and gave away land to middle class farmers.  Sad to say this informant changed the church, even with these acts of charity there was a turning away from  worship and rebirth.  

Hopefully the mission of our churches will continue to feed the hungry and cloth the poor and to work for peace and justice for all..  Wisdom has been taught by great philosophers but if I can try to live with the attitude of simplicity of the heart and the grace of compassion this becomes an ethic of loving God and your neighbor.

Searching for ideas for my blog, a word or a thought or a picture has been such a blessing to me as I search for new ideas and new ways to express myself and also be creative.  I believe that it is always important to continue to stimulate our minds in new ways.