Simple Authority

Why is it that Mother Teresa could stand up before crowds of thousands and simply repeat simple New Testament phrases?

She didn't say anything new: "Jesus loves you," she assured you. "We're sons and daughters of God and we have to love Jesus' poor." Yet people walked out renewed, transformed and converted.

She wasn't a priest. She wasn't well educated. Her authority came from her life-style.

Servanthood is the true basis of authority in the Church, much more than title or ordination.

(Richard Rohr, Radical Grace: Daily Meditations)

Comments

[Alexander Wilhelmsen]

Tell that to the general American public. If it wasn't about title in this country then people wouldn't seek to move up.

The issue I have is what happens when people move up and either forget what they wanted to do for others, or that they are otherwise unable to help others... too bad the salary for serving others and being selfless is so Earthly sorry, or otherwise people would go out of their way to go and serve others... I think the living cost in this country also screws that up as some people kind of have to take care of themselves.

If I didn't have to take care of my own problems, then it'd be so much easier to try and "save the world," but that's not life.

Reflecting on tonight, one thought is that my vote was on the losing side of the national vote, often the winner locally, but when you think about the time and money put into those campaigns, imagine if that time and money was put into campaigns to take care of those lesser people that they say that they want to help.

Imagine if people were willing to wait hours on end to serve others... Imagine if this country really got geeked about what we and this country can do for the less fortunate within our own borders and beyond.

Tonight was about an election of change, they say... but it was another night of "Yay America," so you know what? May this is a sign of "more of the same."

Jesus for President.