"In The Beginning" - Community

"No one should be so contemplative that in his contemplation he does not think of his neighbor's needs; no one so active that he does not seek the contemplation of God." (Augustine, The City of God)

For me this is the beginning. A side trail if you will of my own desert journey. A place where I will explore the Incomprehendable were it not for the Divine Voice. I speak in reference to this 'blogging thing.' I have my students journal on their readings in Scripture, something which creates its own confused looks. "What' that?" some of them say. Yet I perceive if I said they had to 'blog,' they would just say, 'ok'. Of course it is imperative that I practice what I preach. So, this is an academic and hopefully a spiritual exercise. Therefore I move my own contemplations of the Holy One into the public square. I think Augustine would be proud, a mystic who understood that contemplation should evoke change ultimately to be demonstrated in community. In regards to the title of this site (I almost said 'piece'), it is an expression of where I think God is. Of course I speak metaphorically. I realize for some of you this is a foregone conclusion. But for those who were not sure, now you know. In fact get used to the metaphor and never forget that there is always something real and tangable behind it. In case you're wondering, "Why the desert?" Well for me it is obvious. God and the desert seem never far apart. God's prophets and people were always going in or coming out of the desert. God is in the desert, Moses, Elijah, David, John the Baptist, Paul and of course the Lord Jesus all found, or were fed, or did battle for, or ministered before God in the desert. I think God loves the desert and he wants us to love it too. Because it is when we are in the desert that we appreciate him most. Sola Fide, WHB