friendship over time

Last summer, I stood with Felix in the Valley of Six Glaciers above Lake Lousie. Last week, Felix showed up a couple times in this Times of Malta video (here). Though I have not seen him face to face in over a year, I love my friend; we share the hesed of YHWH. We'll see each other again soon enough.

Felix is a husband, father, man of prayer, soldier, and artist. His paintings hang in our home. His work with wood and stone is hewn from years of practiced contemplation. His love for his family and friends is tangible. He wages peace. This global leader embodies godly prayer and work.

As we walked through the high alpine valley that afternoon, Felix paused along the way to pick up granite in one hand and marble in the other. Smiling over potential creations he said, "I don't like what money does to people. These stones are God's money!" I wholeheartedly understood and agreed.

Love does not give money, it gives itself. If is gives itself first and a lot of money too, that is all the better. But first it must sacrifice itself.

Thomas Merton

If we don't accept Jesus in one another, we will not be able to give Him to others.

Mother Teresa

Pure, intuitive attention is the only source of perfectly beautiful art, truly original and brilliant scientific discovery, of philosophy which really aspires to wisdom and of true, practical love of one's neighbour. This kind of attention when turned to God is true prayer.

Simone Weil