Meeting for Worship 20.06.10.

Today's reading:
20.06.10 1 Samuel, 3: 1-20; The Lord calls Samuel
1sa:3:1: And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; [there was] no open vision.
2: And it came to pass at that time, when Eli [was] laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, [that] he could not see;
3: And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God [was], and Samuel was laid down [to sleep];
4: That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here [am] I.
5: And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here [am] I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6: And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here [am] I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
7: Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.
8: And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here [am] I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
9: Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10: And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
11: And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12: In that day I will perform against Eli all [things] which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13: For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
14: And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
15: And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.
16: Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here [am] I.
17: And he said, What [is] the thing that [the LORD] hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide [it] not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide [any] thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
18: And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It [is] the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
19: And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
20: And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel [was] established [to be] a prophet of the LORD.

Apart from our scheduled reading today, we also heard a piece of writing called 'The Cathar Creed' - several people were interested in studying this text further, so I'm adding it to today's update:

The Cathar Creed
It has no membership, save those who know they belong.
It has no rivals because it is non competitive.
It has no ambition - it seeks only to serve.
It knows no boundaries, for nationalisms are unloving.
It is not of itself because it seeks to enrich all groups and religions.
It acknowledges all great teachers of all the ages who have shown the truth of love.
Those who participate, practice the truth of love in all their being.
There is no walk of life or nationality that is a barrier.
Those who are, know.
It seeks not to teach, but to be, and by being, enriched.
It recognizes that the way we are may be the way of those around us because we are that way.
It recognizes the whole planet as a being of which we are a part.
It recognizes that the time has come for the supreme transmutation, the ultimate alchemical act of conscious change of the ego in to a voluntary return to the whole.
It does not proclaim itself with a loud voice, but in the subtle realms of loving.
It salutes all those in the past who have blazoned the path, but have paid the price.
It admits no hierarchy or structure, for no one is greater than another.
Its members shall know each other by their deeds and being, and by their eyes and by no other outward sign, save the fraternal embrace.
Each one will dedicate their life to the silent loving of their neighbour and environment, and the planet, will carry out their task, however exalted or humble.
It recognizes the supremacy of the great idea, which may only be accomplished if the human race practices the supremacy of love.
It has no reward to offer, either here or in the hereafter, save that of the ineffable joy of being and loving.
Each shall seek to advance the cause of understanding, doing good by stealth and teaching only by example.
They shall heal their neighbour, their community, our planet and living beings in whatever form they take.
They shall know no fear and feel no shame and their witness shall prevail over all odds.
It has no secret, no arcanum, no initiation, save that of true understanding of the power of love and that, if we want it to be so, the world will change, but only if we change.
All who belong, belong; they belong to the Church of Love.

Next Week's reading:
Sr Stanislaus Kennedy: Now is the Time

Much of our capacity to heal another depends on our state of mind. Being able to listen is one of the greatest gifts that we can offer another. To listen and hear, we have to be aware of the chattering that goes on in our heads, judging, thinking, evaluating, leaping in, taking things personally, being bored, being distracted, reacting – these are all part of everybody’s life. Sometimes we are so scattered that we are not even aware that we are not present, that we are using our minds to try and solve some other problem, that we are only half listening.