My thought for this Sunday (okay, not exactly “mine”)

You can think what you will about Bono, but I admire his honesty and outspokenness. His explanation of the difference between Karma and Grace is very clear (and I happen to totally agree with him).

Bono on the difference between Grace and Karma

“It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the Universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma…

You see, at the centre of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you; an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics – in physical laws – every action is met by an equal or opposite one.  Its clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the universe.  I’m absolutely sure of it.

And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “As you reap, so will you sow” stuff.  Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff.

That’s between me and God. But I’d be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I’d be in deep shit. It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.

The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled….its not our own good works that get through the gates of heaven…

If only we could be a bit more like Him, the world would be transformed.  All I do is get up on the Cross of the Ego; the bad hangover, the bad review. When I look at the Cross of Christ, what I see up there is all my shit and everybody else’s. So I ask myself a question a lot of people have asked: Who is this man?  And was He who He said He was, or was he just a religious nut?  And there it is, and that’s the question.  And no one can talk you into it or out of it.”

All text taken from Chapter 11 of Bono on Bono: conversations with Michka Assayas, 2005 (Hodder).

Reading: “Hiking Through…” by Paul Stutzman

I read this book, Hiking Through , by Paul Stutzman, a few weeks ago. It’s about the writer hiking the Appalachian Trail after his wife died. Along the way he re-defines his relationship with God, life and himself. It’s a great read! It’s both a hiking experience and a walk through life.

Like him we often take God, life, family and whatever else we have for granted. Only when disaster strikes (of whatever nature) we tend to reflect on what it really means … if it  means something at all.

Do I really believe in God and if so, why? Do I really consider my family more important than my job? And what about me?

Even though I’m not likely to ever be able to hike that trail I so would like to have the possibility to pack up and start. Next best thing … reading about it and dreaming about what I can do, eventually … one day.

In the meantime …  don’t wait for a disaster to happen before you reflect on your life. Take time now! :)