More of the Tao Te Ching

 Since I have been quoting Lao Tzu for years I decided to go back to the source.  I am reading and meditating on Lao's great work, Tao Te Ching. It is amazing that it was written around 400 BC.  It is also amazing that it dovetails so nicely with Christianity.  You have the great spirit (or energy ) of the universe called the Tao.  Everything moves according to this energy and if you accept this and get on board by trying to understand it you will be happy.  This isn't far removed from God the father.  Christianity has the benefit of a personalized relationship with this energy in the form of Jesus Christ. Amazing stuff!  So today's quote is from Chapter 8 of Tao Te Ching.  I think it is pretty self explanatory.

In meditation, go deep in the heart

In dealing with others, be kind and gentle

In speech, be true.

In ruling, be just.

In business, be competent.

In action, watch the timing. 

Other than the last line which probably sounds better in Chinese, this is all straightforward and could be found in any of the gospels.  I will be working on the first 3 lines this week.  Simple concepts but hard to master!  How about you?  What will you work on this week?

Pax

 

Joe 

The Wise stay behind

 Sorry I have missed the last 2 weeks.  I got Covid. I tried to use the time as a mini retreat.  I focused on Loyola's phrase that we should not wish for sickness nor health but whatever brings us closer to God.  

But I won't bore you with that today.  I was reading Lao Tzu over the weekend and came across this phrase

     The Wise stay behind and are thus ahead

           They are detached and thus one with all

               Through selfless action they attain fulfillment.

 

I really wanted to focus on the first line.  So if you are working 40-50 hours a week what does that mean?  Well first, realize why you are working.  Your work should be helping to bring about God's kingdom here on earth in some small way, it is part of God's plan.  If you sell insurance; good.  You are trying to protect people.  Don't cheat them anymore than the company makes you.  Second, don't get so caught up in "making it" that you forget who you are.  If there is a terrible bundle the company wants you to push and you can get a big raise or promotion if you do, don't.  While the world may see you as falling behind you are staying true to yourself and God.  It takes courage but remember "The wise stay behind and are thus ahead."   

If you are at home raising a family, taking care of elderly you already see you are doing God's work.  It is easy to get discouraged because society says you are falling behind.  It takes courage but remember "The wise stay behind and are thus ahead.

If you are fully retired what are you doing to bring God's kingdom here?  Realize you have a part to play.  Praying, volunteering and helping out family members all play a part. Hugging your grandkids so they see God's love mirrored through you is important.  It takes courage to get up everyday but remember "The wise stay behind and are thus ahead."

Through our selfless actions may we attain fulfillment.

Pax

 

Joe 

Don't rush!

 This week I continued to meditate on God's plan.  I remembered a quote from Lao Tzu:

This really fit in with the whole God's plan thing.  It reminded me of a story I heard.  A New York City marketing exec goes to the midwest on vacation.  He wants to buy fresh corn "wholesale" from the source because it will be the cheapest.  He comes across a roadside stand near a cornfield selling "fresh corn".  The man selling the corn is dressed like a farmer and certainly looks the part. He asks the man selling the corn, "Did you grow this corn?" "No" replies the man in a straw hat.  So our New York city man starts congratulating himself on not falling for clever marketing when the other man states, " God did, I just helped." 

We create artificial timelines and stress.  Certainly things need to be done and timelines are often helpful in accomplishing items but often we carry things way overboard.  An item needs to be done this week and it should.  But if there is a good reason that it can't is it really going to ruin God's plan if it doesn't get done right now?  Really?  It is that important?  Now of course we need to be careful of sloth as well.  If we have 18 items that we have really good reasons that we can't accomplish we might have to make a good examination of conscience with God!  

One last story.  I was having a bad day at the Pentagon and my boss came to me with an "emergency tasker" like she seemed to almost everyday.  "Dr Legan here is an emergency tasker that I need you to do right now."  I snapped and said, " Colonel, this is not an emergency.  If I am in the OR and looking into a deep hole rapidly filling with blood and I can't find the source, that is an emergency.  Anything I can take into the bathroom and read is not an emergency."   I apologized later of course but it does speak to how we set artificial timelines.  

So at work there is little we can do with these crazy timelines except try and keep perspective.  When we set timelines, hold others accountable but be reasonable as well.  Remember, Nature does not hurry, yet everything gets accomplished.

Pax

Joe