A priestly challenge and the capacity to love.

This is cool, try it out. It was a part of the homily in Church today. Just do this even though you've heard/read it a hundred times! Trust me it's cool!

1) Keep your eyes on the crucifix while reading this (we looked on while this passage was being read to us).

"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." - 1 Cor 13: 4-7

2) Think of someone that has hurt you. The worse the hurt the better this works.

3) Now keep them as reference in mind and re-read the above scripture replacing the word 'Love' with your own name!!!

So, in my case, "Karan is patient, Karan is kind, etc." - and as you do this (which will almost instantly make one laugh I assume - does me) you will see how far or close from the Christian ideal of Christlike love we are.

Jesus loved those who pushed him beyond death - loving those who like you (or you like), or loving someone who has hurt you forever ago is not a true test of Christian maturity like my Priest said to our congregation.

He also tied in 1 Cor 13:11 (also included in today's readings) - "When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put away childish things." So he was saying St. Paul in this sentence was talking about Christian maturity as gauged by the capacity to love.

The first part of this chapter is about how one can have it all - but all is nothing if one does not have love; it then spells out what that love looks like (the common 'wedding' reading written above) by describing what Christ's love was/is; and then finally, how dangerous Real Love is! (I think of Pablo Neruda talking about his 'dangerous love').

Thereafter Fr. Satish gave us the fun test I've spelled out above to gauge our capacity for this real love, and in so far as that, show us where we can pray for God's grace to bring us to the fullness of this ideal (as much as possible on earth).

Okay do it, and then you can finish this article if you want, the rest of the article is just my garbage - this was the good meat! Hope you really enjoyed it! I should add - this is all because following the crucifixion comes the resurrection! i.e. Love, Real Love, "never fails."

And read this homily by clicking here! it's great!

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My garbage thoughts

I had been meditating on these scriptures, I had stared at my crucifix or kept it in mind when I did (repeated readings) - and then today it was the homily! awesome.

I especially like the putting your name in there and keeping in mind someone that hurt you, because the validity of love is therein shown or destroyed and can even be created. awesome.

Also, earlier in the day I was speaking to one of my professor friends on the East Coast whose meta-narrative is culture. We discussed the individualistic culture of America in contrast to the communal culture of Christianity (specifically the push of Catholics and further Italian Catholics). The candy fed, pop culture, conventional definition of 'love' and especially of 'hurt'; that our tolerance is actually quite low and it takes a repeated hammering for Christ to finally arm us with the "breastplates of righteousness" (so to speak). That Love (capital L) finds itself validated in the face of overwhelming grief and depression and fear and mis-trust - not in safety! Just like in 1 Cor 13! Just like Christ on the Cross! And once that is accepted and enacted, then the passages about Christ's "yolk being easy to carry" make more sense; and then also the candy fed pop psychology becomes applicable in so far as "it doesn't have to be this hard" and becomes "safe" (i.e. Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, dancing in exile, living in the moment, etc.). The modern world is focused on the resurrection and denies the crucifixion, some even say they don't need it because Jesus already did it; which in my opinion is again only partially true theology - but anyways...all this was before I even went to mass! awesome.

A riveting conversation that tied in inexplicably but is more than I can type or find necessary to share. I suggest think about these things, it's wonder-filled stuff; Dr. Phil and Oprah and Tyra Banks and popular music and etc. etc. have massively confused the ideal of love by replacing it with their post-modern pop psychology that Love, as presented by the man of Christ, is seen twistedly through this "new" lens of post-modern mid-western American culture - what we now know as 'conventional thinking' (and some voice in the background yells, "correct thinking!"). Love is not safe in the modern sense, but once we tackle this - our capacity itself becomes a danger to the modern ideal! awesome.

I don't know, anyways, we'll get there, God's bringing us back everyday whether we know it or not, and take it from me, I have no idea what he's doing to me everyday, or even if I'm in the right direction, or even following him! but I try and just have faith that he's doing what he's doing, and that that's what's best, and it can only be done one day at a time and that sucks and is awesome simultaneously and it all doesn't matter as long as we have a continual increase in the capacity for Christlike love.

Doppelganger week yields fun results.

I am Serpico.

I take on corruption.

I am Karan.

I was told I look like Serpico.

I also take on corruption.

For God - via Rumi

Thirst drove me down to the water where I drank the moons reflection

Now I am a Lion staring straight up totally lost in love with the thing itself

Hey you there! Mrs. K. Singh! Check it out pretty lady, this is why you were so easy to spot.

(A young Maya Angelou)

If I ever get married, my wife's being itself will recite this poem...before she even opens her beautiful mouth to speak.

Check it out by clicking here!

The History of Love & Violence: A Training

I battle ninjas and princesses all the same.

Nothing says cool and comfortable like pale pink.

Alan Thicke does not give a shit about your parents divorce.

Somewhere inside us...there lives a sassy black woman.

I gravitate towards what is considered ‘Classic’ literature because most contemporary stuff has not generally had the same lasting effect on me the 'Classics' do.

I am also leery of anything Oprah likes.

All that being said, last night brought about Maya Angelou and I felt a sense of kinship with her- in some way. I also liked her laughter and power, her humility – and in that humility, her correctly framed pride – as if she’s got ‘gold mines digging in her own back yard’. She comes across as an image of real beauty – at least in my quick glimpse of this video.

I watched this video a few times last night and re-read her poem a few times too (linked for you at the bottom). I read it while I listened to her recite it, it was awesome. Her recital does a lot for the experience.

With an understated smile and most theatrical bow,
El Karan

She wrote this in 1978.

You may read the "original" by clicking here.

"Love is so short and oblivion so long" - Pablo Neruda

An old friend described me in part the other day.

"You are a romantic", he said.

Yeahup.

(read the poem referenced in the title here)

Who's the Boss & The Freshwater

When I was young and lived in Canada, I watched TV with my mom mostly. Sometimes my own cartoons. We watched the Golden Girls and Who's the Boss. I always thought Samantha was pretty - but she was a little older so I figured no chance there. That was like most seven year old boys. Well then Alyssa Milano got older and got slutty for a while. It was so weird to see her that way and I must have been like 19 or 20 at the time?

Well check this out! Today on the Huffington Post I found this article that dealt with something important to me - clean water...Freshwater! And A. Milano was involved - what?!

There is a lot to heal in the world, and the list seems to keep growing as time brings more things to light. As most of you should know in some way, it ranges from overall poverty, famine, lack of water, genocide, prostitution, and lack of education, to a hundred different things; and they're really entwined together. Anyways, I want to start with Water because I think a lot about that being the building blocks of life and also the building blocks of spiritual life (baptism).

Here's the article (not so great) but great cause!

"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." - LORAN EISELY

I'm giving up my 37th Birthday and it has nothing to do with vanity or nearing the big 4-0. I couldn't care less about numbers as they pertain to my age. I do, however, care about age when it pertains to those throughout the world who don't make it to their 37th birthdays because of a lack of clean drinking water and proper sanitation.

As a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and the founding ambassador for the Global Network, I've traveled to the field and seen firsthand the devastation left behind by waterborne illnesses. On these trips, I've run the gamut of emotions that range from mind-bending anger to heart-warming hope. Upon my return from the field, I count my blessings, and then as time passes, I become frustrated with myself that I'm not doing more to alleviate the pain of those I met on my journey.

It is because of this very frustration that I decided to give up my birthday. I have everything I could ever want or need. All I want is to provide life-giving water for 10 communities, 500 families and 2,500 people. This is my Birthday wish. In lieu of spending money on a party or presents, I'm asking people to donate to my Charity: Water campaign and help make my wish come true.

Charity: Water is a grassroots non-profit that was founded in 2006. In just a little more than 3 years, they've engaged more than 75,000 donors around the world, and raised over $13 million for operations and water projects. 100% of public donations directly fund water projects. They've funded 1500 water projects in 16 countries that will serve over 800,000 people. Simply put, Charity: Water, funds clean water projects that save lives.

Currently, almost a billion people in the world don't have access to life's most basic need: clean and safe drinking water. That's 1 in 8 people on the planet. Over 200 million people right now have a water-related disease called schistosomiasis... It's a fancy word for parasites. Worms. When you see a heartbreaking photo of a malnourished child with an extended belly, that child most likely has this waterborne schistosomiasis and no matter what food or nutrients you give them, without proper medication and clean water they most likely will not survive.

As we take a sip of our water from the fridge and don't think twice about it, there are people that have to walk hours a day fetching unsafe water from remote areas. Imagine that. Imagine having to walk for hours and hours, every day, just to retrieve contaminated water that will most likely get you sick and maybe even kill you. And the time spent collecting this water, keeps children out of school and women from pursuing economic growth. Not having access to clean drinking water perpetuates the cycle of poverty.

No child should ever die from a preventable cause and 4,500 children will die TODAY from water-related illnesses. This year, in this country alone, we'll spend about 450 million dollars a year on presents, decorations and "stuff" for Christmas. That is enough to give everyone on earth clean, life-giving water, a couple of times over.

I believe it is innately within us, as warriors of the human spirit, to give to those less fortunate. Sometimes, we just don't know how to go about doing it. If this rings true for you, I encourage you to watch the below video, be inspired, and join me by starting your own holiday campaign today athttp://www.charitywater.org/holidays.

The story of charity: water - The 2009 September Campaign Trailer from charity: water on Vimeo.

What up Ya'll!

Hello! I have missed you my friends. Shall write more soon.

Check this cools shit out in the interim.

I have just been singing the hell out of the song "Five to One" over the last week or week and a half. Standing smoking I'm banging my feet on the ground, last night I was walking in step with the beat (dragging my boot for the double beat) while singing it. I have no idea why! Must be something magical about the song - that sounds most scientific and sound.

I also learned it so I can perform it. Its a) super easy, and b) there really is something about the song because something takes me over when I sing it...maybe my beard is channelling the Ghost of Jimmy M.

Most of the lyrics to this song, the rhythmic drone, just the whole thing man! And I love how you can see that 'spirit' in Joshua James - though that young man has it regardless.

He was raised a Mormon and had to hide his records from his parents because they would smash them (literally). His dad always said, "Unless you want to dig ditches, you gotta get an education." -

Well Joshua left college three years ago and just now days his dad is starting to come around because he was very worried that his son wouldn't be able to support his wife and home. Really cool. I have been sort of transfixed by a few songs, but haven't given the whole album I bought (support his family!) enough of a listen. And also I bought his first one I think, I don't really know, I just love what I've heard so far - and especially this song, and probably most importantly because he reminds me of me in some ways. On the radio he said something like, "You have to give it everything you can and make it as authentic as possible; you have to believe and feel what you're singing because you only really get one chance with that audience - and I think if you're doing something authentic people connect with that." - a bit of a paraphrase. But that's how I feel about performing music, so of course I'm going to like him! However his music stands good by itself too.

Talk to you later man,

el Karan