What really separates us from God? Is it sin, or something else? I have been pondering this question lately. Listen to this: "Our misdeeds are not the real root of the problem. They are just what the tradition called actual sins. There is a much more serious problem, what the tradition called original sin. It […]

So often we are told to think of the Bible as some kind of instruction manual. I believe that description belittles the majesty of Scripture. It also belittles the difficulty most of us have when reading the Bible. Don't get me wrong: there are commands in there. But an instruction manual? Leviticus? Daniel? Revelation? One […]

"Heaven and earth," the Celtic saying goes, "are only three feet apart, but in thin places that distance is even shorter." The Camino felt like a very thin place. The air heavy with the weight of centuries of pilgrims. The soil itself felt holy. I barely have words to explain it. But I do have […]

"A tree gives glory to God by being a tree." Thomas Merton Merton continues, "The more a tree is like itself, the more it is like Him. If it tried to be like something else which it was never intended to be, it would be less like God and therefore it would give Him less […]

I hiked 6 miles this weekend through some land we own out in the country. The footing was not easy - lots of snowy paths, slippery lanes, soggy trails. But the scenery took my breath away, so the slogging was worth it. The photo at the top of this post is one I took that […]

I am curious about your morning routine. The past year or so has really messed with my mornings and I am in a process of discerning how to start my day with equanimity and calm. I have decided I need a few things. Here are the simple components for what I would call a good […]