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Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. While it focuses on Christian teaching, I pray persons of varied faiths will find inspiration here. Indeed, "God" can be whatever image helps us trust in the Sacred, by whatever means Grace touches us each. Please share this ministry with others, and I hope you return soon. There is a new offering daily. And to be placed on the daily OneLife email list, to request notifications of new writings or submit prayer requests, write to barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
Blessings,
Rev Dr Brian K Wilcox, MDiv, MFT, PhD
Interspiritual Pastor-Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader, Spiritual Counselor, and Chaplain.
Brian encourages support of the 4-Star Christian organization Compassion, which supports children worldwide; for more see www.compassion.com .
Opening Affirmation
Go into a brief time of silence, affirming the following: feel the truth of the affirmation:
I am a channel of blessing.
Opening Prayer
May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.
*Buddhist - prayer of peace
Sacred Scriptures
Worship me through meditation in the sanctuary of the heart.
*Hinduism. Srimad Bhagavatam. 11.5.
There is a polish for everything that becomes rusty, and the polish for the heart is the remembrance of God.
*Islam. Hadith of Tirmidhi.
For the Great Spirit is everywhere; he hears whatever is in our minds and hearts, and it is not necessary to speak to him in a loud voice.
*Native American Religion. Black Elk, Sioux Tradition.
Prayer should not be recited as if a man were reading a document.
*Judaism. Jerusalem Talmud, Berakot 4.3.
Scriptures from World Scriptures, www.unification.net.
Sacred Teaching
A cobbler came to Rabbi Isaac of Ger and said, "Tell me what to do about my morning prayer. My customers are poor men who have only one pair of shoes. I pick up their shoes late in the evening and work on them most of the night; at dawn there is still work to be done if the men are to have their shoes ready before they go to work. Now my question is: What should I do about my morning prayer?"
"What have you been doing till now?" the Rabbi asked.
"Sometimes I rush through the prayer quickly and get back to my work - but then I feel bad about it. At other times I let the hour of prayer go by. Then too I feel a sense of loss and every now and then, as I raise my hammer from the shoes, I can almost hear my heart sigh, 'What an unlucky man I am, that I am not able to make my morning prayer.'"
Said the Rabbi, "If I were God I would value that sigh more than the prayer."
*Anthony de Mello. Taking Flight. "Prayer."
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Many persons are praying, who do not know they are praying. And many persons think they are praying, and they are not praying.
Quietly Responding
Reflect on the story for today. Then, ask yourself, "What is prayer, essentially?"
Blessings! In Love! And Peace to All!
Brian Kenneth Wilcox
July 5, 2009
barukhattah@embarqmail.com
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*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis. Brian is an ecumenical-interspiritual leader, open to how Christ manifests in the diversity of Christian denominations and varied religious-spiritual traditions. He is Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings or submission of prayer requests at barukhattah@embarqmail.com . Also, Brian is on Facebook: search Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
*Contact the above email to book Brian for Spiritual Direction, retreats, or workshops. You can order his book An Ache for Union at major book dealers.
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