Comments on: TRUTH AND MERCY HAVE KISSED

By: Dee Brestin

Dee Brestin — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:40:55 +0000

Martin French has a website and a contact on it (MartinFrench.com but I have heard people have had trouble getting a response. He is a very gracious man and I do not think he would mind, but I don’t have the authority to grant permission. He lives in Portland, Oregon and you could try to reach him by phone.

By: Deacon John Michel

Deacon John Michel — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 17:50:26 +0000

The paintings by Maurice French are stunning, explicit in meaning that facilitate meditation. I was particularly impressed by “O Come, Emmanuel.” In what year did the artist paint this spiritually gripping painting? Please let me know. Also, I prepare a Scriptural Exegesis each week for our parishioners at no monetary cost to them and would like to use your paintings to explain the Sunday Gospel message. Please let me know if I have your permission to use a painting. At the moment I would love to use “O Come, Emmanuel” for the First Sunday of Lent. Please let me hear from you.

Deacon John Michel
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church
San Antonio, Texas
210-824-2616

By: Dee Brestin

Dee Brestin — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 09:42:00 +0000

So great to have Cowper’s whole hymn. Thank you, our internet gal!

By: Dee Brestin

Dee Brestin — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 09:38:06 +0000

So good, Susan. You went to the right One!

By: Renee

Renee — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 23:50:12 +0000

Nanci, Good point about different roles. Sometimes different personalities (Of others!!) seem to bring out either feeler or fixer, too, depending on the person.

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 23:08:19 +0000

…looking back at this–it’s a bit foggy, sorry. I meant to say I prefer hearing even the harshest truth to me (not necessarily giving it harshly!), rather than someone keeping something from me. I think my “fixer” vs “feeler” mode often has so much to do with my relationship with the other person. I see myself in both–but the struggle, and the model Christ gives, is to be both combined. I often want to “fix” the wrong doer and in that case not offer tears or understanding…or with a loved one, I “feel” the pain but may be too hesitant to offer necessary truth.
When I think again of the example of the woman caught in adultery–I see what He offered her was more than empathy–it was His mercy. And by definition, mercy includes acknowledging the truth. So maybe what I am to learn–is not between truth and tears, fixing and feeling, it is to offer mercy, as Christ has to me. To be willing to look honestly at the situation, and pardon the sinner, offering grace just as I have received from Him.

By: Nanci J.

Nanci J. — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 22:41:09 +0000

Interesting…I was pondering the fixer/feeler question as well. I decided that in some circumstances my tendency is fixer, but in other circumstances (and probably more so) feeler. I think because of different roles (mother, wife, daughter, employee, friend) we perhaps can be both but at different times.
I think that Jesus handled Martha and Mary in a manner that was suitable for each; He knows what is in the heart and what is needed.

By: Renee

Renee — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 22:02:39 +0000

Yep, it was by Cowper, whose life was “interesting.” It doesn’t seem “copy and paste-able” (http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/william_cowper_2004_9.pdf) Heavily paraphrased version: Cowper suffered from depression throughout his life; he was mega-stressed at the thought of applying for a job and attempted suicide. He stayed with a couple while his health was getting better; when the guy died, he fell in love with the wife. But he couldn’t marry her due to his mental health. They did remain friends.

Cowper and Newton published “Olney Hymns” (where I found the quote Keller used). Associating with Newton made his life more miserable because Newton was a “gloomy Calvinist,” and Cowper became convinced that he was destined to eternal damnation. His mental health improved when Newton went to London.

SO, it looks like the possibility of feeling even crazier due to misapplication of Scripture is not only a contemporary issue.

By: Renee

Renee — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 21:40:42 +0000

hymn might have been by Wm Cowper

By: Renee

Renee — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 21:36:54 +0000

Here’s the whole hymn. I’ve only found it one place on the Internet so far (no music yet; anyone heard it? So that Rebecca can sing it for us?? ;) ); mostly, I just saw the same quote Keller used appearing on various sites. i.e., someone wrote down the selected lines and others used them!

Love constraining to obedience.

No strength of nature can suffice
To serve the LORD aright;
And what she has, she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.

How long beneath the law I lay
In bondage and distress!
I toiled the precept to obey,
But toiled without success.

Then to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do;
Now, if I feel its pow’r within,
I feel I hate it too.

Then all my servile works were done
A righteousness to raise;
Now, freely chosen in the Son,
I freely choose his ways.

What shall I do was then the word,
That I may worthier grow?
What shall I render to the LORD?
Is my enquiry now.

To see the Law by CHRIST fulfilled,
And hear his pard’ning voice;
Changes a slave into a child,
And duty into choice.

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/newton/olneyhymns.txt