Wake up Dave

Christmas Eve meditation

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 13:06:00 +0000

Christmas Eve, most likely the favorite day of the entire Advent season. It contains all the hope and anticipation. For those that are lonely today, poor in spirit and perhaps even lacking food, shelter and other basics. Have hope. God does want our hearts up in the heavens with him in prayer and meditation but our feet should be on the ground with you. Know that many of us do care we just do not always know how to share. We are broken in many ways.

To live in gratitude means to know that we all belong together. if we could only realize that nobody can be excluded we would have peace on earth.

"We belong together."

Mountains and Rivers

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 02:18:00 +0000

"Mountains and rivers, earth and sun all lie within the heart of consciousness. When that realization arises, time and space dissolve, cause and effect, birth and death all vanish. Though I dwell 100,000 light years from the star I can cross that distance in a flash." Thich Nhat Hanh

It is said in the The Book of Exodus that God manifested Himself as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night so that the Children of Israel could travel by day or night. Yesterday this was my morning meditation, as I closed my eyes the Holy Cloud of Our Father dwelt in my inner self. Briefly the false self fell away and the connection to the Universal Spirit was made. Of course the ego quickly came back and the thoughts raced by...and that is perfectly fine because mountains and rivers flow through my veins.

Dave

The wave

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 23:33:00 +0000

The wave depends on all the other waves to exist. Does she realize that she is even made up of water? The wave depends on the moon for movement and cannot exist without the sun. The entire universe rest in the wave.

The Holy Spirit is the energy of God. This is where we get our inner being...our movement. We are part of the wave and part of the water. Interconnected with everything in the universe.

Look at a tree, is not the sun in the tree? Water, clouds... with the energy of mindfulness we can see deeply. We can touch God in this way if we understand the wave and the tree.

The Rainfall Into the Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 23:43:00 +0000

When I turned 18 years of age there was no need for God because of my decision to run with my self will to simply do as I saw fit, unrestrained. If another human being got in the way of my passion then it was my right to crush them. It was my choice to choose at times kindness or cruelty. Depending on my mood.

It took a complete defeat and a surrender at age 42. Lost in a world of empty bottles and great confusion my soul emerged from the dark abyss of self absorption and fear. God was found while sitting in my backyard nine years ago while pondering it all while gazing into the heavens as the rain came down from the gray clouds.

fire and water

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:10:00 +0000

In October I finally made my retreat to the Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, KY. Near Louisville. One of the oldest Cistercian monastic communities in North America. Home to the prolific spiritual writer and monk Thomas Merton.

As my driver dropped me off a sense of anticipation and also a bit of foreboding ran through my consciousness. The gate read: GOD ALONE. What exactly does this mean? I think it might mean that in the end we have to find God all by ourselves. We come into this world alone and we leave alone. You might have 1,000 mourners at your funeral but nobody will jump into your casket with you.

I waited eight years to make this journey and the silent retreat was moving. Saint Francis said, "Go and preach the Gospel everywhere and when necessary use words." So true. What words
were said at the monastery had depth and weight.

The monks start their prayers at 3:15AM each day 365 days a year, decade after decade. Are the prayers keeping the world together? who can say. But I sleep sounder thinking of my friend Brother Luke praying for all of us.

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:38:00 +0000

Dread Street and the intersection at Despair Street.

This is a place in the city where people are stored away like toy soldiers that a young boy has grown tired of playing with. The street perhaps contains apartments and houses all full of shut-away-people. Corporate America likes this arrangement as it needs consumers not spiritual beings. So the TV sets, smart phones and bottles of whiskey pacify these lost ones.

These mean streets are just an urban path to"somewhere else."

It does not have to be this way because people can take back the streets; apartment by apartment and house by house. When we fail to create... the city is doomed and next the nation fails as the society goes by-the-wayside.

To save the street it just starts with one human being humbling himself on his knees in his tiny bedroom asking for Divine Intervention:

"Guide me today Lord."

"Guide me today Lord"

That simple Dominican Prayer...

He stands up and the world is changed forever.

contingent reality and the clouds that vanish

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 03:03:00 +0000

A beautiful cloud billows-changing color and yet we know it will vanish quickly. A human is born, has it's day in the sun and dies. A mountain range comes into being and is rubble 150 million years later. All contingent on the Creator.

God exist simply through His own Power. Is our world so anxious because we sense that we are like a fleeting flame that burns so brightly just to be blown out?

We try and alleviate our fears with pleasure, power, honor and wealth yet these things do not calm our fears for long. As St. Augustine said it so well 1,600 years ago..."Lord,you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they rest in thee."

Sandy Hook

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 12:42:00 +0000

It has taken some time to have the courage to write about the murder of the innocents in Connecticut. What does one say? What comfort can we give? Nothing. There are no answers. It was such a profoundly stupid incident that our humanity was just shaken to the core.

There is no lesson. There is no good that comes from this evil. Yes, God can bring a good out of any situation but this can almost sound like God had a part in this and He surely did not. He allows it and we can be angry that horror floats over our blue planet daily.

For some reason this murder of these bright eyed children haunted me for many days. Was it because I have a bright eyed child of six years of age? I'm not sure. I kept hearing a whisper in the wind saying in a hushed voice..."the horror...the horror."

My wife and I did hold our sweet child more often for several days. The only way to even see a small glimpse of God is to "look for the healers."

Dave

consciousness as a leaf falls

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 03:05:00 +0000

The other day as I sat in the backyard a gust of wind blew and many leaves twirled to the ground from the old tree. I sat in amazement and felt a rush of oneness with everything as they made their farewell dance to earth.

Our state of consciousness allows us to see the wonder in such a display of God's Power. If we seek Him.

Truly more people seem to be awakening to the fact that they really do not have to wait to be happy. There is no reason to wait for the right job, the right mate, until they receive the right material thing. We can make a decision to just wake up and be content. Then comes happiness.

But you say that these thing's make no sense. You feel alienated and insane.

Good. Recognizing your disconnection is key to breaking free to becoming a whole human being. Loss and suffering are actually the paths that many spiritual teachers started from in their beginning.

Can you hear a leaf fall in the middle of the night?

Listen.

Father Peter

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:59:00 +0000

The heat of August hung over the pine forest of East Texas like a blanket. I was in a sleepy little town, Crockett on business and for some reason was drawn to the lonely little mission styled church on 4th Street. Saint Francis of the Tejas a lonely outpost of the Catholic Church. Here he is, Father Peter a bright eyed little Irishman and he was very pleased to have a surprise visitor ask for a confession at midday.

We sat on a pew in the quiet blue toned light of the church instead of the traditional "confessional."
I asked how he came to be in this tiny parish in the middle of the "Baptist Bible Belt."

Father Peter was a former pub owner and had an overwhelming conversion one night and knew he was called to be God's priest. He goes the next day to the officials of the closest seminary and is quickly ushered away. You see Father Peter was completely illiterate. How on could a man who can neither read nor write even consider priestly training which requires several college degrees and study in Latin, Philosophy, Theology, Biblical History, etc.

Father Peter starts to learn to read and write, but it is a slow process for a grown man and he still has the pub to look after. He goes back to the seminary. "No you cannot be a priest." Nine times over many years he is turned away. He studies Holy Scripture, The Catholic Catechism, St. Augustine, Thomas Merton, and he waits for an answer to his prays. It looks hopeless.

One night he angrily storms into the local church, shuts the door and locks it. He shouts every curse word he could think of at God in an angry holy rage. Why God would you call me so strongly and I can not do this thing!

Two weeks later he is tending bar on a cold and rainy night. In walks a tall old silver haired "man of the cloth." He orders a Guinness and ask for Peter. "Peter, I hear you want to be a priest." "Yes, Father I do." The man was father Kelly. He arranges for Peter to move to the Diocese of Tyler, Texas and he is excepted at seminary and after years of struggle he becomes a priest in 2009. My guess is that he is about 60 years old. He got his call at age 30. A thirty year journey. What a story for those who have ears to listen and eyes to see.

I meet a man of God, a confessor and a friend. By the way, he has learned enough Spanish for his parishioners Spanish masses. His 240 families in this tiny church are struggling spiritually and financially. Pray for his flock as Father Peter prays for us all.

Dave

the presence

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:39:00 +0000

The sun rises and God is there. I take out the trash and He is with me. A madman murders the people worshipping in the Sikh's temple and He is there as well. Even death cannot separate us. The Sikh's do not have a word in their language for death. they say "her work is done here."

Losing this presence is possibly the worst thing that could happen to me. This ability to speak to Him directly is the key to joy.

The following is from the writings of an ancient monk.

"He said that a sharp distinction should be drawn between acts of the intellect and those of the will. The former are of little importance, while the latter mean everything. All we really have to do is love God and rejoice in Him." from the writings of Brother Lawrence.

-Dave

Real Men Love Jesus... Really?

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 02:23:00 +0000

A true relationship with God is one where we question authority and have doubts. Blind faith is well... blind. True faith is a struggle if it is our own because the worst temptation for us today is to just take another person's faith without the searching.

To have hope means you will face some frustrations.

Whenever I see a man with a bumper sticker that reads, "Real Men Love Jesus" for some reason I never think of Jesus, but I think of the man driving the pickup truck. Recently I saw a note from a women and it said " I don't care what you believe in, I care about how you act." Maybe a better motto would be: real men act like they love Jesus.

The problem seems to be that so many Christians seem to want to project their idea of Christ on others. I would much rather invite you to investigate God yourself. Have your own experience.

~ Dave

Oringinal Child Bomb and Christ in the Desert

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 05:16:00 +0000

link to a 10 min. video, B is for Bomb

1. In the year 1945 an Original Child was born. The name Original Child was given to it by the Japanese people, who recognized that it was the first of its kind.
Quote from Thomas Merton from a poem titled "Original Child Bomb."

Christ choose a desert to pray in for forty days and on July 16, 1945 we test a bomb in the desert of New Mexico. We called the project "Trinity."

The atomic power of the universe itself is harnessed by men to incinerate a city full of human beings. Yes a bombing campaign could kill 70,000 people too, but this was different. As we say in America, "time is money" and this child is fast!

Many said it was a very good thing because it ended the war right away and we did not have to invade Japan itself. We were very angry with our enemy and surrender had to be unconditional. Because the Japanese wanted to keep their Emperor. Our government said no, you will be humiliated for your crimes. We have our principles.

So this atomic bomb would keep the peace we were told. Some said a 1,000 years of peace would prevail. The Korean War, Vietnam, Iraq, Iraq again, Afghanistan...well a few wars anyway followed. So now we stand ready to fight a new war with Iran because they might have their own atomic bomb.

Is peace even worth the effort? We all seem to be so fatigued by the question.

~Dave

and the greatest of these is power...

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:15:00 +0000

So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Corinthians 13:13

So if love is the answer, what is the problem?

The liturgy of The Church for lent starts with the story of Christ in the desert. The devil's first temptation to turn stones into bread perhaps represents our lower temptations, intoxication, lust, gluttony...the list goes on.

Even if believing in the devil is impossible or at least difficult for you as it is for myself we should not be too concerned. The lessons are still in front of us all. The mere fact that we see ourselves and others virtually taken over by drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addictions, food or a myriad of other problematic pleasures that all have one element of destruction. Separation from a relationship with our Creator. Self reliance. We settle for the quick high of pleasure in exchange for peace, love, joy and service to our fellow human beings. Pleasure is a good thing not bad, but we must not devote our lives to the pursuit of it.

The second temptation of the Christ was of glory as Satan takes Jesus to the high point of the Jewish Temple. Think of the wasted lives spent seeking other people's attention and admiration.

The last temptation of Christ is the most dangerous. At a glance he is shown the kingdoms of all the earth and is offered to rule them all...Power, the most intoxicating and deceiving character defect of all.

In my case my attempts to manipulate others has caused the most pain and grief for both myself and all in my path. That is why my most needed prayer is simple.

"Let Your Will be done."

~Dave

mindfulness in the desert land as the sun sets

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:30:00 +0000

When death comes to cover our eyes, will we be conscious enough to ask, "what did I really care about? What did I value? Did wisdom come my way? Did I love well."

the boiling over of it all

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 04:42:00 +0000

photo by D. Rosen July 2011

We are witnesses to the greatest revolution-a spontaneous boiling over of the inner person.

Surprisingly it is not the Arab Spring, The Occupy Wall Street crowd, political parties, political races...no this one is deeper and much more of a desperate sort. Are we to be hopeful or depressed? are we to destroy or build? Love or hate? We are a baffled lot.

Violence and fear rule the night and doubt and faith cling to us in the dream time as we fall asleep.
This spiritual dilemma is one that can not be avoided. Man scoffs at religion yet he makes a religion out of any idiotic thing of his own making as long as it is in his own image.

We have isolated ourselves with our technology when it was to be the answer to all our problems. Yet there is at the same time a new evolutionary enlightenment where millions of people, Christians, Hindu, Muslim, Jew, even secularist and just plain seekers of a Power that is greater than themselves are casting off the chains of their own ego's and saying...I am willing, willing to seek...finding the hidden soul that God knows deep inside each man, women and child.

-Dave

of shadow man and leaf jumper

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 06:38:00 +0000

The shadowy man scurried across the street with a look of despair while the young lovers crossed in the other direction and did not even see this phantom soul.

As I walked down Worth Street it occurred, the thought that at that very moment my love for every single human on this spinning globe was real. Even if it originated perhaps from hearing about Thomas Merton's revelation at the corner of Walnut and Fourth Street that cold December day so long ago in Louisville.

Tonight I witness my friend celebrate 2 years as a free man and continue his spiritual journey. Tomorrow we gather to celebrate my dear daughter's fifth birthday and life is good. It is not a dead end street. God is with us each step along our way.

Dave

the bicyclist virtue

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 05:45:00 +0000

Where does hope come from?

It must come from beyond time itself. Hope rises from the very mind of God, and life would not be life without it. Respect those lost in despair because it is the coward who hides in delusion.

photo taken 10-4-11
As I began my walk and felt the cool, still air on my face; a women said her good byes to her fellow cyclist. "It is a beautiful day to be alive!" A broad smile came to my face and hope manifest itself over the still waters of White Rock Lake.

Peace,

Dave

eleven stones are tossed in a pond

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 03:54:00 +0000

If you think prayer and meditation will answer the problems that are in your heart of hearts, think again. The more I search the less I know. Now this is not necessarily a bad thing, many times a man spends time in contemplation not for the right answer but for the right questions.

~ Dave

"Where is the dwelling of God?"

This was the question with which the rabbi of Kotzk surprised a number of learned men who happened to be visiting him.

They laughed at him: "What a thing to ask! Is not the whole world full of his glory?"

Then he answered his own question:

"God dwells wherever man lets him in"

William Gaylin, Caring (New York: Knopf, 1976) pg. 98

in the heat of the night

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 02:06:00 +0000

The heat rolls over our hot land like a beast, a living thing. This morning as I watered our withered plants of Basil and Spearmint a thirsty lizard tiredly drinks from a leaf. I mischievously take advantage of his diminished state and carefully catch him. To my four year old daughter's delight I show him to her and she pets his silky belly. We release him onto a giant Elephant ear plant and he scrambles to a safe spot to wait for a meal.

Just before noon the city garbage truck rolls up and the weary trash collectors earn their daily bread and all I can do is offer a word of encouragement, "we are one day closer to Fall!" he smiles and I think God smiles on him in solidarity as our loving Father. Now the blanket of darkness falls over the scorched land and the night creatures come alive to make their concert to all. More quiet than usual as there is so little to drink unless you are the luck one is my garden.

God, my God, The Holy One I meet in the heat of the night, why do the questions of my heart arise at night? after a day of prayers it is always the same forbearing silence that comes to me in the darkness with answers if my heart is open.

Good Night,

The Dallas Mavericks, Lady Gaga & The Image of God

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 01:18:00 +0000

"We were all born to be super stars." a quote by Lady Gaga, I hear the echos from the Eternal One often in the most unlikely places. A few weeks ago while falling into the pit of despair one dark night I heard this quote and it struck a cord within my soul. Stephani aka Lady Gaga said it with such conviction.

The Trappist monk, Thomas Merton in New Seeds of Contemplation says: "Despair is the absolute extreme of self-love. It is reached when a man deliberately turns his back on all help from anyone else in order to taste the rotten luxury of knowing himself lost."

Dirk gladly took the help of his friends during the Championship basketball game on Sunday night and since he is a humble man despair did not touch him because... he was born to be a super star just like you and me. Don't despair because you still have the 4th quarter to shine baby.

Dave

drifting and trudging

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Fri, 20 May 2011 05:27:00 +0000

Our society has drifted into a land where our natural resources are wasted in the name of profit and our social values debased into mindless consumption and a materialistic web of lies. Where addiction to power is many times more dangerous than the addiction to pills, alcohol, powder and Afghan poppy fields.

How can we make it through this desert land, where scorpions and rattle snakes wait around the hidden rocks to poison us? We just trudge down the road and try our best to be what we are called to be, "sons and daughter's of light." How can we keep on loving in a world so full of hate? It is difficult for us, but we do it perhaps one person at a time. Just one moment at a time. One prayer at a time.

Praying for my enemy when I cursed him just this morning, and forgiving myself. Finding hope wherever possible.

-Dave

the saving love of a mother

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sun, 08 May 2011 04:18:00 +0000

Sunday Snippet May 9th

momma and her granddaughter - 1980's

A mother's love is like no other. Loving us when all others have left us in the desert land alone with the gritty wind blowing the dust of despair. Another name for mother could be hope, for my dear mother never gave up on her prodigal son. Her hope and prayers saved my lost soul. As long as she was alive there just was no way to give up completely to the demons that plagued me in the darkness of the night.

My earliest images, as she packed the home made cakes and other treats to send to my older brother, Max stationed in the killing fields of Vietnam. I was three years old and just enjoyed sitting on the kitchen table snacking on those tiny red boxes of raisins. "David Wayne, honey...now those are for your big brother." She later most likely saved that Marine's life by demanding her boy be sent home early to help our family as my dad fought terminal cancer. Perhaps her prayers saved him as well.

The hysterically funny things she did and her gift for retelling the stories were legend. Born in 1924 to the "greatest generation."and into a coma during Advent of 2003 the night before my wedding and then 21 days in the hospital passing from this "desert land into the great unknown." The power of that moment with her old tired hand in my hand... as the breath of life left her. Well done dear mother, and Happy Mother's Day honey girl.

Good night Momma Dixie,

We love you.

finding the key

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:10:00 +0000

Everything seems so black or white in our society. For example, Christopher Hitchen's book God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, he really sound like a fun dinner guest...right? My initial response to Richard was to rush to the defense of religion since the institution is attacked constantly. Now it just seems unnecessary.

Upon further reflection he most likely has much in common with Pastor Hagee. While on the other end of the spectrum and still someone I will not be inviting to dinner, Pastor John Hagee the San Antonio, based mega-church leader who claims that it was God's will that Hurricane Katrina be sent to punish the people of New Orleans for their behavior. He also teaches that the Catholic Church is "The Whore of Babylon" spoken of in Holy Scripture. A catchy name..."The Whore of Babylon."

What is the will of God?

The rabbis of the Jewish faith will tell us that the gift of prophecy was lost to Israel after the Romans destroyed the Temple. But we hear the frenzied voices shouting in certain mosques that the will of God is to strap on a bomb and blow up yourself along with God's enemies. Osama bin Ladin surely believes he is doing God's will. Christopher Hitchen's who spends his time trying to convince everyone that he can prove the is no God and therefore no such thing as God's will, Paster Hagee and bin Laden would all enjoy each others company immensely at there own private dinner party.

Spiritual humility will tell us to not tread on God's mystery and majesty by attempting to explain His Universal Mind in some simplistic manner. Blind faith and atheism are both equally stupid. Having the willingness to do God's will is a wonderful way to start. "Just do the next right thing." If we want to turn our lives over to God's will the following passage may be helpful.

Once we have placed the key of willingness in the lock and have the door ever so slightly open, we find that we can always open it some more. TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 35

I telephoned my spiritual advisor and asked, "What is God's Will?" TG answered.
"whats next is God's will."

Good night TG,

Dave

"they do not know..."

noreply@blogger.com (Dave Rosen) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

Gospel of Luke 23:34

Many of my friends are not followers of Christ and must be mystified by the actions of some claiming His name. True Christianity is the following and nothing more: To love one another and to forgive. Age after age we create divisions and fear one another until hatred breeds war. Our faith tells us that we are The Mystical Body of Christ, so we must crucify Him again and again when we spread hatred for He loves us divinely.

Faith must come before the virtues of love and forgiveness.

Faith that I am loved must come first and then the capacity to love and forgive others is possible. The devil called self hatred must be cast out for our hearts to make room for this divine work among us.

Pax,

Dave