Spiritual Hippo

“I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.”   ~ Mother Theresa

In 1982 I had the amazing good fortune to meet Mother Theresa.  She passed by me, greeting those of us working that year’s graduation ceremony, on her way to speak to a room full of senior clergy and other dignitaries.  She touched my hand and at the time I didn’t really know or understand who she was. When I heard her speak, I knew she was important to us, and to God. Over 40 years later I came across this quote while reading about her recently.  This is the best explanation of prayer that I’ve ever seen. 

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”  ~  Mother Theresa

Teamwork, co-creation, interests in a common cause for the greater good of something and someone.  When leaders can spot the talent, the different skills of others, different from each other and from themselves, greatness is available.  How available are we to see each other’s differences and greatness? And ultimately, accept them, and embrace them for their differences? Greatness awaits you.

“Whoever wishes to rank first must remain the last one and the servant of all”. 

~ Mark 9:35

Ambition, pride and hubris…among all the other ways we can channel our behavior; is human.  There’s so much talk about servant leadership today and still, rarely is it exhibited, even in the occasional way.  I had an interesting exchange recently in a faith based setting that caused discomfort when I mentioned this was not only needed, and also demanded of us to live a truly righteous, fulfilled life.  So even the most aware of these teachings struggle with this.  Have you noticed that the greatest of us tend to also be some of the most humble, and giving?  Servant leadership: It takes practice.

“Whoever wishes to rank first must remain the last one and the servant of all”. 

~ Mark 9:35

Ambition, pride and hubris…among all the other ways we can channel our behavior; is human.  There’s so much talk about servant leadership today and still, rarely is it exhibited, even in the occasional way.  I had an interesting exchange recently in a faith based setting that caused discomfort when I mentioned this was not only needed, and also demanded of us to live a truly righteous, fulfilled life.  So even the most aware of these teachings struggle with this.  Have you noticed that the greatest of us tend to also be some of the most humble, and giving?  Servant leadership: It takes practice.

Show yourself in all respects a model of good deeds, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, ~ Titus 2:7

While on a recent pilgrimage, attending daily mass, my homilist conveyed his concern for the lack of guidance from leading generations to emerging ones. That younger, emerging generations are truly falling behind. Not just in what is needed to be fruitful, also what is needed to be a fulfilled, compassionate and ultimately wise steward of the world. We need to be there for them. To listen to them. To show them different, better ways to walk through this world, not relying on solving its problems with man’s ideas. What are you doing to serve those who would benefit from what you know to be the truth? How are you helping others not be so in love with this world that they have lost sight of what is truly important and available to them and others in God’s world and beyond? Here’s a secret: they are waiting and wanting us to be there for them! So let’s be there for them and each other. I’m in. Who’s with me?

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.” ~ 2 Peter 1:5-7 I came across this passage very recently and it struck me in this way: it’s not about falling in love with the world’s things and what it is offering you.  Love is truly the end goal for everything we are and everything we do and what really honors our faith, our relationship with God.  We have a responsibility to live our lives in…

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”  ~ C.S. Lewis The past is gone.  It’s a history that is not yours.  Shedding our past can be a difficult and painful experience, and also an uplifting and freeing one.  We can change the ending!  Stay present, the time we actually can control, and lean forward to your next ending.  You do have a say in your future, every single day.  Not sure where to go next? Pray on it.  The answers are there for you.

Proverbs 18:24   “There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”   Do you have friends in your workplace? I’m not talking about lunch buddies and cube farm chat pals. Do you have a loyal friend where you work or within the market or sector that you maintain your professional brand? Just one is all you need. This is about loyalty. Find real friends wherever you go to work. This is a very important decision since you get to choose them.  With family, the decision is made for you.…

“Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the refusal to be mastered by it.” ~Mark Hart One of the four cardinal virtues. When was the last time you displayed courage to yourself or others when challenged with a new idea or direction? Courage isn’t just about digging out of the negative situation you may be in. It’s about what’s inside you when things are going well too. To me, making change when things are going in the right direction takes real courage, fortitude. The old saying “if it isn’t broken don’t fix it” limits us to be bigger,…