Let’s follow up on our thinking about “walls” with this from M. Scott Peck (found in The Different Drum), Community requires the confession of brokenness. But how remarkable it is that in our culture brokenness must be “confessed.” We think of confession as … Continue reading
Last week we heard Madeleine L’Engle warn us of the walls we can allow to be created between us and others. In part she wrote, “The house of God … is a cross where time and eternity meet, and where we are – … Continue reading
Madeleine L’Engle has written, “Sometimes the very walls of our churches separate us from God and each other. In our various naves and sanctuaries we are safely separated from those outside, from other denominations, other religions, separated from the poor, the ugly, the … Continue reading
How do we measure the value or worth of spiritual practices? How do we know if “we are getting anyplace”? Should we even ask if it is “working” for us? Maybe some advice from the Desert Fathers and Mothers would be helpful, … Continue reading
Let me break the morning silence by bringing a few words from Thomas Merton, “Music is pleasing not only because of the sound but because of the silence that is in it: without the alternation of sound and silence there would be … Continue reading
I have a number of friends who enjoy the novels, essays, and poems of Wendell Berry. I came across this poem recently – How To Be a Poet – by Wendell Berry – (to remind myself) i Make … Continue reading
A while back I started receiving a daily selection from the writing of Frederick Buechner and recently this came to my inbox. It immediately caused me to smile as I recognized much truth in it and I must admit also made me sad. … Continue reading
The other day I came across this wonderful remark attributed to Iris Murdoch (the novelist and philosopher), “People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.” ” … … Continue reading
In every extended discussion of spiritual practices “silence” always becomes a focus of attention at some point. Many times the importance of silence is questioned, especially as it is “heard” as a withdrawal from the world, the community and our call to be … Continue reading
I have the feeling that C. S. Lewis won’t let me go. I find Lewis speaking to me again this week. What do you think? Does Lewis have something important to tell us? ” . . . substituted religion for God … Continue reading
