So much of life is spent trying to gain acceptance from others - our parents, friends, colleagues, children, even strangers. We all want to be seen, known, and accepted, flaws and all. Too often, acceptance feels elusive. And so we try to achieve it. We fit ourselves into molds that will gain acceptance from one […]
Today is Maundy Thursday - a reminder in the Christian calendar of the night Jesus served the Passover meal to his rag tag group of disciples, including the great betrayer, Judas, and the great denier, Peter. He served them the bread, poured them the wine and said -- oh so cryptically -- this is my […]
Lent began yesterday with the imposition of ashes on the foreheads of all who engage in the Ash Wednesday liturgy. Often, a reading from the Hebrew prophet, Joel, is read aloud in that service. Joel, trumpets God's call: “'Even now,' declares the Lord,'return to me with all your heart,with fasting and weeping and mourning.' Rend […]
As I enjoy my final months of being 59, I resonate with this writing: "The human soul is like a fine wine that needs to ferment in various barrels as it ages and mellows. The wisdom for this is written everywhere, in nature, in scripture, in spiritual traditions, and in what is best in human […]
"The human condition teeters on the edge of disaster. Human beings are in trouble most of the time. Those who don't know they are in trouble are in the worst trouble. Prayer is the language of the people who are in trouble and know it, and who believe or hope that God can get them […]
There is a scandalous little line in the Psalms, when the praying person entreats God to 'bow down Your ear.' Consider the implications of such an invocation. A subject of the Most High, who ought to approach in trembling obeisance, asks the King to bow down to him. We picture the master stooping to the […]
