Our era has been called “the age of the laity”, and indeed, recent decades have seen an increase in the appreciation of the laity’s contribution to the body of Christ. Yet much remains to be done. Through Baptism the laity are full members of the bod of Christ, with rights and responsibilities in their lay vocation. But to often, ordination to the clerical state is the source of power in the church, and lay people function at the SERVICE OF, or in ANSWER TO, priests - a situation which clearly needs to change.
St Francis and the Foolishness of God (p56 c1993)
Saturday, March 30, 2019
The age of the laity?
Posted by Billy Ritchie at 1:32 pm 1 comments
Labels: leadership, volunteering
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Paradoxes
Like it or not, the life of St Francis, presents us with startling paradoxes. An enormously free and spontaneous person, he nevertheless adhered faithfully to the institutional church; a fully alive human being, he embraced suffering; a true lover, he chose celibacy; born into relative affluence, he practiced a literal poverty.
Posted by Billy Ritchie at 11:04 am 0 comments
Labels: Quotes
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
The Journey of the ordinary in the story of an extraordinary God
Posted by Billy Ritchie at 1:42 pm 0 comments
Labels: Quote
Wednesday, March 06, 2019
Take my life...
The most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth, For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and and almost incurable”
- John Piper
(A Hunger for God, 18).
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Posted by Billy Ritchie at 8:37 am 0 comments