How are you doing! I mean how are you really doing? The weekly book group is reading Mark Nepo’s book More Together Than Alone. The subtitle is “Discovering the power and spirit of community in our lives and in the world.” Nepo writes that his purpose in writing the book is to affirm that, despite the hardships always present, we are more together than alone. And all of us know we are still in the throes of life changing moment by moment. Nepo is so right; we are more together than alone. Community is important to us and, as this last year and a half has shown us, we can’t go it alone.
My prayer is always how to serve more, and how to support others on the path during this unprecedented time in our history. However, for me to be effective and to join with others, I need to know from you what would be helpful for you to feel connected and supported. Reach out to me.
If you are feeling connected and supported by Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, let me know you are “all in” in creating with me what might come forth from this conversation.
With just a couple more parables to go in the series Tales That Teach, this week’s parable was “Serving Two Masters.” The story comes out of the Gospel of Luke. Luke is a physician and he is focused on inclusivity, so his message to follow Jesus is to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewish people.
In reading the story it lends to some confusion; however, what we see here is Jesus being somewhat sarcastic. However, let’s look at the story metaphysically rather than literally. The rich man, the owner, the master refers to God in our own spiritual self, the Christ part of ourselves. The servants are our thoughts and beliefs, and the manager is our ego.
This is a story we can all relate to, especially the ending of the parable: No slave can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. And I’ll paraphrase that and say you can’t serve God and the ego; you have to choose one or the other. So what do you love serving? Ego and social acceptance? Material accumulation? Or is it God and infinite spiritual possibilities?
The choice is yours!
HOT OFF THE PRESS: A Unity Singles Women’s Group is being organized. Thank you to Bonnie Dalrymple, Anita Bailey, and Michelle Neas for saying “yes” to the call. Their first gathering will be on August 20.
You are a blessing in my life,
Rev. Patricia Bessey
P.S. Join me after the service for Coffee Hour either in-person or online.
