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Category: Culture

Our image of God?

Vor einiger Zeit hatte ich eine intensiv-interessante und auch fordernde Diskussion zum Thema „Gottesbild“. Dabei kam die Frage auf: „Was haben wir für ein Bild von Gott und wie ändert sich dieses mit der Zeit?“

Zuerst einmal fiel mir dazu nur der Text aus der Bibel ein: Du sollst dir kein Gottesbild machen und keine Darstellung von irgendetwas am Himmel droben, auf der Erde unten oder im Wasser unter der Erde.“ (Ex 20,4) Und ich fragte mich, wieso das denn überhaupt ein Thema sei. Allerdings zeigte sich sehr rasch, wie sehr wir tagtäglich mit verschiedenen „Gottesbildern“ konfrontiert werden, ohne dass uns dies vielleicht wirklich bewusst wird. Dabei geht es nun nicht um verschieden Ansatzpunkte durch andere Religionen, nein, allein das christliche Verständnis und der Zugang können hier sehr unterschiedliche, mitunter sogar gegensätzliche Aussagen treffen. Es zeigte sich relativ rasch, dass unser wahrscheinlich weit verbreitetes modernes Gottesbild, um es vorsichtig zu formulieren, sehr naiv zu sein scheint. Auf der einen Seite erinnern wir Christen den Herrn in Lobpreisungen daran, dass er die Welt geschaffen hat und wir arme Sünder sind, – ganz so als ob ihm das entfallen sein könnte. Dabei wäre es wahrscheinlich vernünftiger, sich selbst einzugestehen, dass man selber immer wieder vergesslich wird und Verfehlungen begeht. Doch Glaube und glauben mit Vernunft zusammen zu bringen, ist so eine eigene Sache. continue reading

We celebrate Valentine's Day

On 14. Valentine's Day is celebrated again on February 2nd and, like every year, flowers and sweets are given away as attention and tokens of love and appreciation. The story tells of two Valentines and distinguishes and mixes them at the same time. There is even a Saint Valentine and on the other side Valentine of Rome. It can not be excluded, that it is one and the same person. Valentine of Rome is as simple priest lovers despite the ban by Emperor Claudius II. have married according to Christian rites and for the 14. February 269 have been executed. Moreover, Valentin had the newlyweds flowers from his garden gift. Marriages, entered into by him, have been, according to tradition under a lucky star. Bishop Saint Valentine is said to have won in Rome by a medical cure many people to the Christian faith. This earned him an accusation in court and around the year 268 martyred by beheading.

So this day follows man's eternal dream of love and happiness. And Valentin gave concrete expression to this dream, by giving flowers to people. Flowers and plants with their colors and shapes have always accompanied people and give them many goods for their daily needs. Whether as a piece of furniture in the house or garden, as a gift at celebrations, to the last greeting to loved ones who have passed away, they are an indispensable fact of our lives. They bring us joy into everyday life - and often inspire us to dream.

But it is not primarily about the plant, it's more about a loved one, to show a relative or friend - you are precious to me and I haven't forgotten about YOU. This is an important gesture in families and communities, where you might find yourself through a variety of tasks, busyness or physical separation slowly but surely loses sight of it. Therefore, this day should be seen as a welcome occasion, to remember all of them, that shouldn't be overlooked …

Sometimes a short message via email is enough, SMS or other short message service. Because it's really all about the gesture and the message:

You are special to me!

Against the inertia,de ….!

Papst Franziskus hat bei seiner Morgenmesse am Montag in der Residenz Santa Marta über den „Satz, der tötet“ meditiert. Ein Satz, der den Heiligen Geist abblockt: „Das ist (beautiful) immer so gemacht worden“. Ein Satz, der dem Heiligen Geist Widerstand leistet, sagte der Papst. Gott ist anders: Gott überrascht uns, we aber müssen uns seinem Wirken öffnen.

Ausgangspunkt der Papstpredigt waren wie gewöhnlich die liturgischen Texte des Tages, diesmal die Lesung aus der Apostelgeschichte (11,1-18), in der Petrus der wachsenden frühchristlichen Gemeinde auseinandersetzt, warum auch Nicht-Juden ein Anrecht auf Christus haben; Petrus selbst war dies dank einer Vision klar geworden. Der Heilige Geist bewegt die Kirche, er ist quasi der Motor, der Antrieb, Pope Francis,,de,"The Spirit is the gift of God,,de,this God,,de,our father,,de,the constantly surprise us,,de,The God of surprises ... Why,,de,Because he is a living God,,de,dwells in us,,de,a God,,de,moves our hearts,,de,which is in the church,,de,walks with us and go always surprised us,,de,And so,,de,as he had creativity in the creation of the world,,de,he has creativity in creating new things - every day,,de,of surprised us. ",,de,always been,,de,new,,de,SalvatorianerInnen,,en,inertia,,de,they stare and gloat over me.,,de,Arriving at the place of execution,,de,Jesus being torn clothes off,,de,He is exposed,,de,exposed to the eyes of many,,,de,completely exposed,,de,Jesus also leaves it go through,,de,He stands on a par with the defiled,,de.

„Der Geist ist die Gabe Gottes, dieses Gottes, unseres Vaters, der uns andauernd überrascht. Der Gott der Überraschungen… Warum? Weil er ein lebendiger Gott ist, einer, der in uns wohnt, ein Gott, der unser Herz bewegt, ein Gott, der in der Kirche ist, mit uns geht und uns unterwegs immer überrascht. Und so, wie er Kreativität bei der Schöpfung der Welt hatte, so hat er Kreativität beim Schaffen neuer Dinge – jeden Tag. God, der uns überrascht.“ continue reading

Works of Mercy – teach ignorant

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About 880 Million people of the world are illiterate. This means, they are not able to, to read a book or sign their names, and far from, to use or understand an application form a computer. But the content of leaflets, manuals, the theater program or the daily newspaper remains illiterate hidden. Not being able to read and write, is in a fixed on literacy society remains a big taboo. We accept, that they live in greater poverty than those, which can, and her health will be worse than necessary.

mater_misericordiae-202x300More than 130 Million children in developing countries have no access to schooling and millions of others attend schools, where they hardly get education. You all is a basic human right denied: the right to education, which is held in a variety of arrangements, of the 50 Year old Declaration of Human Rights up to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

When illiteracy is not only an issue of the Third World. Because estimated 45 to 90 Millions live on in EU countries. In Austria, there are officially 300.000 People, which can neither read nor write. but experts estimate the actual number of illiterates in this country twice a. But these are not the only 5 percent of children, can not in fact read and write, and we know from PISA. Up to 600.000 Austrians all ages are virtually illiterate, and it is by far not only migrants, but many people with German mother tongue. continue reading

Washing of the Feet – more than a traditional gesture

CommandMaundy Thursday - the day of the washing of the feet in the evening measuring the Catholic Churches. A gesture with deep symbolism - a gesture of love, of respect, of appreciation.

The washing of feet is a traditional ritual act, which is intended to symbolize the hospitality in Orient. Jesus did this according to the tradition of the Lord's Supper. And that brought his small community in astonishment. Is, the teacher, the role model, the leading figure, kneels before the other, to perform at one of the lowest services. What a sign of great humility.

And Peter resists, he does not understand the gesture, does not understand, that we, if we want to enter into communion with God, much, also allow us completely out of the ordinary, must be done. God kneels before us and touches us. He not showered us, does not take us by force. No - he is full of humility and love. He touches us gently and welcomes us with this gesture - offers us its hospitality. – We are invited, to accept it. continue reading

Places of Power – 3

From radiant and non-radiative centers

20141012_115718_(800_x_600)Where an old shrine stands, often completely lost in the area, sometimes by the roadside or at an intersection, can be sure, that there is a bright space is. Radiant places, old places of worship, it also recognizes Say, Name or corresponding customs. Most places are marked and long known. This particularly applies to holy sites of the Bible, has where according to tradition, God or an angel shown or disclosed as a messenger of him. Some churches and chapels stand outside a map, on a slope about, where no builder would construct a building. This is a pretty sure sign, that it is a special place, the quasi drags the Church. Strong courts fall elsewhere in the eye, they are attractive and invite you to stay.

When the Christian missionaries came to the land, they brought the locals to Christianity, but people maintained their inherited traditions laid largely. Now there were two ways - you either dedicated or demonized the place, the pagan origin was. → example: Boniface, originally. Winfried (672 – 754), was an Anglo-Saxon Benedictine missionary, He was in Rome by Pope Gregory II. commissioned under the name Boniface ceremony with the German Mission. 724 he drops the Donar[1]-Oak at Geismar. In Göttweig, a ancient Kultberg, stand an holy Baum. Bishop Altmann left him, built a church around and hung a Madonna image thereon. Other sacred trees, modeled artfully sheet, stand for. B. still in Maria Taferl, the Collegiate Church in Zwettl, and in Maria- Dreieichen. continue reading

CDS-Wallfahrt nach Maria Grün

In my mind the way to go again …

It will be a hot day, above 30 ° C, said the weather forecast - sultry - thunderstorm pregnant. We will probably quite a sweat. In which ? Now we are on a path, a pilgrimage, – in the middle of the city. A way to a small Sanctuary, hidden in the lowland forests of the Vienna Prater. pilgrimage, that sounds so antiquated, as from another world. Who is today still the center of Vienna on a pilgrimage? Thoughts come high, remember the past pilgrimages days. Betend, turned away from the world, to the search for God, - And myself, do. Am I going to him, – I'm going to meet me, among all the other people, the buzz, everydayness surrounded us? Will we persevere in the group, despite or perhaps because of our diversity? Will any be something for everyone /?

Am already advanced the morning, the group meets at a Busendstelle close to the green Prater. This shows once again the difference and diversity, also represents the CDS. Some come on over 20 Minutes before the scheduled time for the meeting, other good just as much until later. Not easy, always bear this bandwidth. While one seeks to calm a, the already want to start walking, to wrestle himself to rest, because that (actually dispensable) Waiting for the stragglers but annoying somehow. But the majority of the people is in good spirits, nice to see in all the laughing faces. continue reading

Wallfahrt und Wallfahrtsorte

pilgrimage

Pilgrimage to Gößweinstein of Rudolf Schiestl (1878–1931)

About meaning and sense

Pilgrimage or pilgrimage, referred to the walk or drive to distant holy places, often in joint processions of pilgrims, with prayer and, in the strict sense, with waiver of travel convenience. Pilgrimages were already in the Greek and Roman antiquity and the ancient Egyptians, made Persians and Indians. The nomadic origin of different peoples (z.B. Israel) was for the development of the pilgrimage being, d. h. the periodical return to certain sanctuaries, a favorable condition. Already Abraham reasoned such a pilgrimage shrine for his kin in Shechem in the “Oak of the oracle donor” ( → Gen 12, 7). Furthermore, the Bible tells us of Jacob's transition to Bethel, to worship only the one true God (→ Gen 35,7), or Isaac revelation in Beersheba, which also has the establishment of a place of worship to follow ( → Gen 26,25). And not to forget, Jacob intuition of the “Himmelsleiter” (→ Gen 28,11 ff).

Sanctuaries or sacred sites were not just built from the ground. They are found proven particularly in places, the sacred, or situated at the vicinity of a deity low, seem to be. In Genesis will total reported by the construction of seven altars. In this play as external signs of worship trees, Fountain and stones an essential role, as we later in tree, Quell- find and baetylus Christian pilgrimages. These places were a result of certain events, selected such as miracles or visionary phenomena. continue reading

Places of Power – 2

Hain

Sacred Grove Arnold Böcklin – oil on wood 1886

Kultplätzen – whether younger or older, is common, put people on them a special behavior on the day. Hence there are behaviors, which are the same despite different history and culture everywhere or similar:

  • The holy place is approached reverently and expectantly, there even for a ritual. With the entire body and the spirit one imagines it, a. → example: Moses closer to the bush (→ Ex 3 ff.)
  • Once the head is covered, once he is exposed. Man washes and rinses his mouth, one sprinkled with holy water and avoid pollution and bloodshed. → By the latter is about a desecrated church and must be reconsecrated. A mosque is entered not only because of the physical purity with bare feet.
  • Only those who behaves cultic justice, may come closer. → Examples: disposing of footwear in Islam, or. ablutions other religions (→ Hinduism) but also in the baptism of Christians. Here, it should be noted, that was only accessible through the Taufhalle at old churches in actual church.[1] True reverence is the appropriate attitude of man, has traveled to the sacred space.
  • The Blessed Sacrament should not get too close to you, one hand, out of reverence, other hand, because his strength could hurt and it's dangerous. Where reveal → force and healing, is a holy, healing place.

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Places of Power – 1

 

Whether you are a believer or not – there are certain places and places in our world, which have their own character, exercise its own charisma to us, which almost no one can escape. These are now to follow some articles, the auseinaneder contact those places a little more.

Places of worship

chatresFamous and much-visited places, such as Stonehenge, the pyramids, the Cathedral of Chartres, and about in our country the Mariazell Basilica or the Gurk Cathedral, but also the next shrine around the corner, have a spiritual connection and are not just happen in places, where we find them today. When choosing a location,, Orientation and design were specific energetic field structures considered[i]. Also, there are not only historical, but mystical reasons, urging us to visit the places. We live here in our Western world in a dictated by market economy and consumer welfare society. The gods have become a different nature, have received other names and relationships, and sometimes raises the question - what are the ancient places of worship, inozu they served or. what function they can still meet today? What motivates increasingly more and more young people, in our so clarified appearing time, to go on pilgrimage, To undertake pilgrimages and visit often thousands of years old places?

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