Journal of Sacred Work

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Former President & CEO of multiple hospital systems and founding president & CEO of 20-hospital OhioHealth, best selling author, film artist, ordained minister, composer, published poet, syndicated T.V. host, trial attorney, federal prosecutor and Municipal Court Judge. Erie is internationally known as the founder of the Radical Loving Care(R)movement. He also heads Erie Chapman Foundation, Dane Dakota Productions, LLC, and Chapman Health International, Inc.

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Day 11 – Begin Again – Thoughts on Personal Commitment to Love

January 11, 2008

[The following post was written by Cathy Self, Sr. V.P. of the Baptist Healing Trust]

I understand personal commitment to be a quality of voluntarily fulfilling, an obligation.
An obligation seems to be generally regarded as something that is legally or
morally compelling. What makes personal commitment "personal" is the voluntary aspect.
Mother Teresa may be among the most compelling examples of
personal commitment. She demonstrated personal commitment by voluntarily choosing to follow her sense of call in
serving the poorest of the poor…

Whether you view Mother Teresa as a saint or a
fraud (as sadly some have come to view her because of her self-revealing
darkness of the soul), she remains a shining example of personal commitment to
meaningful work. In electing to serve the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa
voluntarily subjected herself to constant risks to personal health and safety.
Personal commitment requires taking risk, but is also
requires partnership, trust, and being equally dedicated to best results at all
times. As noted by Tom Knowles-Bagwell in a recent post to this site, “no one embarks
upon this journey alone. It must be taken in the company of fellow sojourners,
else our sanity be lost along the way.”
Consider these words spoken by Mother Teresa as you reflect
on your work of healing with love: "Little
things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.Yesterday is gone.
Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
I especially
like that last phrase – let us begin. In my mind I hear myself saying, let us
begin, again, and again, and yet again. Even when tired, distracted, feeling
overwhelmed or discouraged, let us begin. Out of personal commitment, begin.
The world needs your loving care.

Posted in Meditations

6 responses to “Day 11 – Begin Again – Thoughts on Personal Commitment to Love”

Tom Knowles-Bagwell

January 11, 2008

It’s interesting to me, Cathy, how you put “voluntary” and “obligation” up next to each other. I’d never thought of personal commitment in this way before. I remember in my previous position hearing people ask me, “Do I haaaave to?” (This should be read with a drawn out whine in the voice.) I also like that last sentence from Mother THeresa. Let us begin. It’s so clean, simple and to the point. Let us begin.

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liz Wessel

January 11, 2008

I have not read the writings of Mother Teresa yet I know if I did, they would not sway me from the Love and admiration I hold for her. Her lifetime of compassion in action speaks volumes above any words she may have written. There is no place for judgment here; she spent her lifetime in the depths of unimaginable despair and suffering, a place where most of us would never dare go. To risk immersion in such darkness one would surely feel lost in it at times. Yet, as you point out, she showed up day after day to bear witness, accompany others, and lessen their burdens through her deep Loving presence. Her life of devotion to Love others and her call to begin again is hopeful.
For me, I am stepping into this present moment, letting of thinking, into the knowing space of trusting my heart center. Yes, I dedicate myself anew, to begin again and give the best of myself to you.

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Karen York

January 11, 2008

Thank you Cathy. This is uplifting and inspiring.

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Rachelle Yeates

January 11, 2008

I find it sad how often we focus on the faults instead of the splendour of the individual. To hear that such a miraculous and inspirational woman had moments of darkness is not disheartening to me, but rather uplifting. It makes you realize that even the best of us are human, with moments of fraility. It offers me the hope and inspiration to keep going. Thank you Cathy, for your insight, and yes, let us begin again!

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Diana Gallaher

January 11, 2008

The “Let us begin” phrase reminds me of Edwin’s “one” on a previous day. I am so thankful for the insight/wisdom/love that is shared here.

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liz Wessel

January 12, 2008

Diana, you are a kind, Loving soul. Thank you for your special gifts that you bring to us through this Journal! ~liz
As I continue to reflect on this weeks Journal meditations I notice daybreak’s arrival and a cold dense fog outside my window. It seems an apt metaphor for consciousness or a dream like state in which I find myself often thinking of the past or dwelling in the future. Intellectually, I can speak to the primacy of being present; yet, I want to move beyond abstractions of the thinking mind to experiencing being present to life and to feel what is real. To let my fingers touch that “stream that is underlying the surface.” I want to ground myself in that deeper sense of knowing, to feel it within every cell of my body. As I let go of striving to arrive at some future state I can choose being present in the moment and free myself from being stuck in my old fearful thinking patterns. Yes, I can begin again, and again, and again to access the life giving energy of this present moment. Ah, the dense fog is lifting now, clarity and light returning, offering space for joy and inner peace.

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