Opening St D Study Group Nov 2015 
Sallly Hodges - A Reflection on Joan Chittister's ’Between the Dark and the Daylight’.

I found the following references to be foundational for all three chapters that we read this week. Joan Chittister gets to many details but I found I wanted to put it all into a bigger context.

‘Choosing What to Believe.   From ’ In Search of Balance’ (‘Discovering Harmony in a Changing World) by John Robbins and Ann Mortifee 1991. ISBN 0-915811-31-6

“When we live believing that life is meaningless, our experience of ourselves becomes less loving, less joyful, less alive. Our bodies feel less vital. Our attitude has a dampening effect on those around us, and we feel robbed of our sense of purpose and pleasure.

If, on the other hand, we live believing that our every thought, word.and deed does in fact make a difference, then our lives can become touched by the extraordinary. We have more health, joy and laughter. We feel brighter, more connected, and others feel more enriched in our company.

When we choose to live as if our lives are linked with the  destiny of the entire planet, we weave ourselves back into the Web of Creation. The threads that unite us are woven by our sense of self-worth, and tied together by the love that finds something worthy and precious in all beings and things.”

Gandhi echoed these sentiments when he said

“I believe that the sum total of the energy of mankind is not to bring us down but to lift us up, and that is the result ofthe definite, if unconscious , working of the law of Love”.

To me, Joan Chittister is saying in Chapter 22 that in order for us to experience love we have to examine our own thoughts and hopes in the light of the  passages I just read. Love is not so much about ME , it’s also very much about the goals  and insights of the OTHER PERSON and other people. It’s about connecting oneself to the rest of the world. I have two more references that speak to this..From The Dalai Lama Essential Writings:

P 167 “ The second element of genuine compassion, loving-kindness, developing a feeling of intimacy with and toward all beings, must be accomplished on the basis of our interconnectedness and interdependence with them”.  
Page 79 “Once compassion is developed, it naturally opens an inner door, through which we can communicate with fellow human beings, and even sentient other beings, with ease, and heart to heart”.
“ The second element of genuine compassion, loving-kindness, developing a feeling of intimacy with and toward all beings, must be accomplished on the basis of our interconnectedness and interdependence with them”.  
Page 79 “Once compassion is developed, it naturally opens an inner door, through which we can communicate with fellow human beings, and even sentient other beings, with ease, and heart to heart”.

And . lastly, from Gandhi again:

Love never claims; it ever gives.

[Page 148 Words of Wisdom from  Mahatma Gandhi compiled by Shall Sinha]