Last Friday, as part of my Ta Shma Rav Siach program we went to Ein Kerem, a Christian village on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The town is beautiful, with fantastic architecture, wonderful little houses and shops, and many different churches. Our visit was one that allowed us to see the vast parts of this country and even city that are not fully Jewish. We visited a few different churches, understood a bit of the plight of John the Baptist. We met iwth a Franciscan Father who allowed us to enter into his world.
His view brought me back to earth, his way of life grounded me. Father Furguss owns nothing personally because he will then depend on God for everything. He took a vow of Poverty, not that he will always be in want, but that he will live with the basics. His words shook me, made me realize how much I take so many things for granted. How, I spend so much of my time searching, looking, wanting, yearning, but perhaps is i spent some time reflecting on what I have, what I use, I would see that I have enough.
Father Furguss also said “one can loose faith unless they reflect on what they believe in.” So often I forget to take a step back and reflect on what I believe in, on what is happening in my world, on what I feel. So often I get caught up in the moment, in the future and forget to reflect on the past, on what was, on what made me.
This call out on a Friday brought me back to my roots, made me reflect, find my center, and long for some good quality time in AB West. It is true, without reflection, I would be lost. The lesson learned fit so well with the purpose of Rav Siach. we engaged in conversation with those whose outlook on the world varies widely from our own, yet we found common ground, we opened the discussion, we engaged.
His view brought me back to earth, his way of life grounded me. Father Furguss owns nothing personally because he will then depend on God for everything. He took a vow of Poverty, not that he will always be in want, but that he will live with the basics. His words shook me, made me realize how much I take so many things for granted. How, I spend so much of my time searching, looking, wanting, yearning, but perhaps is i spent some time reflecting on what I have, what I use, I would see that I have enough.
Father Furguss also said “one can loose faith unless they reflect on what they believe in.” So often I forget to take a step back and reflect on what I believe in, on what is happening in my world, on what I feel. So often I get caught up in the moment, in the future and forget to reflect on the past, on what was, on what made me.
This call out on a Friday brought me back to my roots, made me reflect, find my center, and long for some good quality time in AB West. It is true, without reflection, I would be lost. The lesson learned fit so well with the purpose of Rav Siach. we engaged in conversation with those whose outlook on the world varies widely from our own, yet we found common ground, we opened the discussion, we engaged.
Rabbi Eve Posen 