From Jesus —
If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:40-44)
From the Buddha —
Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely… he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: ‘Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a mind of good will, and with no inner hate.’ (Kacadupama Sutta)
It is said there are many Christians who practice Buddhism, and many Buddhists who cherish Jesus’ teachings. Did they teach, in essence, the same thing? At what points do their teachings diverge? If their teachings diverge, do they meet up again in mysticism, or cross paths in practice?
In this retreat, Pamela Ayo Yetunde will facilitate a contemplative reading, meditation, and prayer practice for those interested in cultivating Remarkable Relational Resilience by exploring some of the teachings and practices of the Buddha and Jesus.
Silence will be observed uring one other short period of time during the retreat. This is a commuter option and does not include lodging. Lunch and dinner on Saturday are the only meals included. The retreat will begin at 7pm on Friday. Mass will be available in the Chapel on Sunday before departure for those who want to attend.
Pamela Ayo Yetunde, M.A., Th.D., is a pastoral counselor, spiritual director, and author of Casting Indra’s Net: Fostering Spiritual Kinship and Community. She earned her M.A. from Holy Names University, her spiritual direction certificate from Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA, and her Th.D. from Columbia Theological Seminary. Ayo was the founding director of the Interreligious Chaplaincy program at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. She is currently working on an interfaith feature film project called Birdsong. To learn more about Ayo’s work, visit www.pamelaayoyetunde.com.