Comments on: Good Zeal http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/ Your house shall not be an anchor but a mast - Khalil Gibran Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:42:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: What is a Benedictine Oblate? | Anchors and Masts http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-5033 What is a Benedictine Oblate? | Anchors and Masts Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:09:18 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-5033 [...] while back, I wrote here about a course of Benedictine study in which I’m engaged. I’ll share some more [...] [...] while back, I wrote here about a course of Benedictine study in which I’m engaged. I’ll share some more [...]

]]> By: Miss Eagle http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4260 Miss Eagle Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:55:26 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4260 Am catching up on your posts. It's been a busy time. When I read it I wondered if "passion" is a reasonable substitute or is there something extra that "zeal" brings? But I find june in that very first comment has beaten me to the punch. My other thought is that one of The Twelve was a Zealot - and I think they were freedom fighters (would they have been called terrorists to-day, perhaps?). Either way I think passion and zeal are sustaining energies. They carry us through in projects - and in love. We talk of Jesus' last days on earth as His Passion - and I am not sure I properly understand that. Why can't we just refer to His Suffering or His Trials. Mmmm...? Blessings and bliss Am catching up on your posts. It’s been a busy time. When I read it I wondered if “passion” is a reasonable substitute or is there something extra that “zeal” brings? But I find june in that very first comment has beaten me to the punch. My other thought is that one of The Twelve was a Zealot – and I think they were freedom fighters (would they have been called terrorists to-day, perhaps?). Either way I think passion and zeal are sustaining energies. They carry us through in projects – and in love. We talk of Jesus’ last days on earth as His Passion – and I am not sure I properly understand that. Why can’t we just refer to His Suffering or His Trials. Mmmm…?

Blessings and bliss

]]> By: Tess http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4204 Tess Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:44:32 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4204 Lucy: happy to be your vicarious study partner! Barbara: yes, if only we could sell Benedict against murmuring to the tabloid newspapers and those who buy them! Abdur: 'Mercy' - there's another good old-fashioned word and concept we don't see enough of. Sacred Suzie: Welcome to my blog and thanks for commenting. I think it's partly because zeal starts with a big fat 'z' and is satisfying to say that it doesn't feel unreal! Lucy: happy to be your vicarious study partner!
Barbara: yes, if only we could sell Benedict against murmuring to the tabloid newspapers and those who buy them!
Abdur: ‘Mercy’ – there’s another good old-fashioned word and concept we don’t see enough of.
Sacred Suzie: Welcome to my blog and thanks for commenting. I think it’s partly because zeal starts with a big fat ‘z’ and is satisfying to say that it doesn’t feel unreal!

]]> By: Sacred Suzie http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4202 Sacred Suzie Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:32:10 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4202 Interesting! Words like this when analyzed closely start to feel unreal usually but not with zeal. It just gets more interesting. Here's to letting go of guilt! It's such a useless emotion most of the time. Bye bye guilt, hello stories. Interesting! Words like this when analyzed closely start to feel unreal usually but not with zeal. It just gets more interesting.

Here’s to letting go of guilt! It’s such a useless emotion most of the time. Bye bye guilt, hello stories.

]]> By: Abdur Rahman http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4201 Abdur Rahman Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:09:56 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4201 Peace Tess, Welcome back! Yes. Zeal for patience, zeal for love, zeal for mercy. Peace Tess,

Welcome back!

Yes. Zeal for patience, zeal for love, zeal for mercy.

]]> By: Barbara http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4200 Barbara Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:49:55 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4200 Glad to read your insights into the Rule. It seems to me that Benedict was all about attitude. He was most insistent against murmuring and (inane, perhaps cruel) laughter and for this good zeal. What you do has less impact than the interior disposition with which you do it. Good zealots invigorate the soul by their enthusiasm for love, patience and unselfishness. Bad zealots send souls running for cover. Glad to read your insights into the Rule. It seems to me that Benedict was all about attitude. He was most insistent against murmuring and (inane, perhaps cruel) laughter and for this good zeal. What you do has less impact than the interior disposition with which you do it. Good zealots invigorate the soul by their enthusiasm for love, patience and unselfishness. Bad zealots send souls running for cover.

]]> By: lucy http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4199 lucy Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:37:57 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4199 "good" for you, tess both in taking on the course of st. benedict and passing it along to us here. i think you nailed it on the head when speaking of zealousness often coming from fear (especially in the name of God.) i love the context of benedict: "His encouragement is to be zealous in love, in patience, in unselfishness." if we truly check our hearts and our motives/intentions before acting and see whether it comes out of fear or love, i believe it is huge. we can love someone and still act out of fear! i look forward to hearing more about your course of study & doing it vicariously with you :-) “good” for you, tess both in taking on the course of st. benedict and passing it along to us here.

i think you nailed it on the head when speaking of zealousness often coming from fear (especially in the name of God.) i love the context of benedict:

“His encouragement is to be zealous in love, in patience, in unselfishness.”

if we truly check our hearts and our motives/intentions before acting and see whether it comes out of fear or love, i believe it is huge. we can love someone and still act out of fear!

i look forward to hearing more about your course of study & doing it vicariously with you :-)

]]> By: Tess http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4197 Tess Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:00:15 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4197 June: thank you for your comment and welcome to my blog. Yes, in the UK we are also required to be 'passionate' about things like teamwork. It's all BS. I think you've put your finger on it in saying that zeal is never likely to be popular because it isn't remotely sexy. Sounds almost like hard work! Barbara: God save us from bad zealots indeed! SS: Glad to see you back, looking forward to catching up, and thank you for the compliment. June: thank you for your comment and welcome to my blog. Yes, in the UK we are also required to be ‘passionate’ about things like teamwork. It’s all BS. I think you’ve put your finger on it in saying that zeal is never likely to be popular because it isn’t remotely sexy. Sounds almost like hard work!
Barbara: God save us from bad zealots indeed!
SS: Glad to see you back, looking forward to catching up, and thank you for the compliment.

]]> By: Sunrise Sister http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4196 Sunrise Sister Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:47:18 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4196 After being away for a couple of weeks, I'm happy to be back in my blogging environment - my own desk, etc. and pleased to see that your comments continue to be honest, rational, and inspirational. After being away for a couple of weeks, I’m happy to be back in my blogging environment – my own desk, etc. and pleased to see that your comments continue to be honest, rational, and inspirational.

]]> By: another Barbara http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/comment-page-1/#comment-4195 another Barbara Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:49:14 +0000 http://www.anchormast.com/2008/07/29/good-zeal/#comment-4195 Hi Tess, How interesting! I believe good zeal is a benefit to all, whether breathing beings or the natural world. Good zeal represents and honors the characteristics that we know of God: love, kindness, creativity, forgiveness, and an awesome celebration of diversity. My thoughts about bad zeal is that it is shown by any fundamentalism. The voice of fundamentalism is rigid in screaming "OUR way is RIGHT, be different and die." Sometimes the death they inflict is physical, sometimes professional, sometimes political, sometimes social. This mindset abhors diversity and cherishes the evil notion that "the ends justify the means." God save us from bad zealots! Hi Tess,

How interesting!

I believe good zeal is a benefit to all, whether breathing beings or the natural world. Good zeal represents and honors the characteristics that we know of God: love, kindness, creativity, forgiveness, and an awesome celebration of diversity.

My thoughts about bad zeal is that it is shown by any fundamentalism. The voice of fundamentalism is rigid in screaming “OUR way is RIGHT, be different and die.” Sometimes the death they inflict is physical, sometimes professional, sometimes political, sometimes social. This mindset abhors diversity and cherishes the evil notion that “the ends justify the means.”

God save us from bad zealots!

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