Creation of Adam, Michelangelo (Wikimedia Commons). Sunday, Jan. 19. First, the good news: I'm getting lots of reading done. I've even finished three or four chapters of Ilia Delio's "Christ in Evolution" (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2008), and I've had plenty of time to read slowly and think about what I'm reading. Which means I'm beginning to understand … Continue reading Hospital journal 1: A merry romp through abstract theology, Christology, rabbit holes and a lovely prayer for good courage
‘A little help from my friends’: A Jesuit spiritual exercise meets a song by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C58ttB2-Qg Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends / Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends / Oh, gonna try with a little help from my friends -- John Lennon and Paul McCartney (1967). Full disclosure: This started out as an Ignatian contemplation, in which I intended … Continue reading ‘A little help from my friends’: A Jesuit spiritual exercise meets a song by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Praying to Einstein’s God (or Spinoza’s)? Dominican discernment journal (2 of _)
Raphael, 'Ezekiel's Vision,' 1518 (Wikimedia Commons). Second of (__) journals based on my answers raised by questions sent to Dominican Associates in advance f an Aug. 24 retreat at the motherhouse in Springfield. See HERE for more info in the first journal. Today's questions, on our Relationship with God, ask: “Who is God for you … Continue reading Praying to Einstein’s God (or Spinoza’s)? Dominican discernment journal (2 of _)
How a Jesuit spiritual exercise and a dream are helping me struggle with an apocalyptic election year
Domenichino, St. Ignatius' vision at La Storta, 1622 (Wikimedia Commons). I'm not going to call what happened last night anything other than what it was: A dream. No heavenly light on the road to Damascus (not even New Berlin or Jacksonville). No visions of God the Father and God the Son bearing the Cross by … Continue reading How a Jesuit spiritual exercise and a dream are helping me struggle with an apocalyptic election year
‘How Firm a Foundation’: Reading the lectio divina with a shape-note folk hymn when a hard rain’s about to fall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnQDqufENb0 Sacred Harp singers, Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church, Old Chicora, Fla., 2018. According to longstanding custom in the shape-note singing community, the annual Illinois Sacred Harp Convention is held the Saturday before the third Sunday of September. In 2001 that came out to Sept. 15 -- the Saturday after the World Trade Center was destroyed … Continue reading ‘How Firm a Foundation’: Reading the lectio divina with a shape-note folk hymn when a hard rain’s about to fall
‘I believe … I cannot believe’: A mantra from Luther’s Small Catechism to lead me on when the night is dark
Léonard Gaultier, Christ Heals an Epileptic Boy, ca. 1580 (National Gallery). Mark 9 (NRSVUE): 14When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. 15When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. 16He asked them, “What are … Continue reading ‘I believe … I cannot believe’: A mantra from Luther’s Small Catechism to lead me on when the night is dark
‘I believe; help my unbelief’: Praying with anxiety (spiritual direction, January 2024)
Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director in advance of our session for January. I think it's important to say what it is -- and isn't -- as we start a new year. I've been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind … Continue reading ‘I believe; help my unbelief’: Praying with anxiety (spiritual direction, January 2024)
Fixing the world’s grief, at least feeling a little better about my own, with a little help from a meme on social media
For several years now, an internet meme has been a mantra of mine when the news gets unbearable. Or, maybe, a talisman. More likely some of both. It purports to be a quote from the Talmud, but actually it's a paraphrase or mashup of passages from a prophet in the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, … Continue reading Fixing the world’s grief, at least feeling a little better about my own, with a little help from a meme on social media
Trying Ignatian contemplation with Abraham at the sacred oak of Moreh and the radiology lab at SUI Med school
God Appears to Abraham at Sichem, Paulus Potter, 1625-54 (Wikimedia Commons) Genesis 12 (NRSVE) When they had come to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak[b] of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will … Continue reading Trying Ignatian contemplation with Abraham at the sacred oak of Moreh and the radiology lab at SUI Med school
‘I believe, help my unbelief’: Of Pascal’s wager, prayer, empirical evidence and a New Testament miracle
Window, Loughrea St. Brendan's Cathedral, Ireland (Wikimedia) Mark 9 (NRSV). Jesus[f] asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, help us! Have compassion on us!” 23 Jesus said to … Continue reading ‘I believe, help my unbelief’: Of Pascal’s wager, prayer, empirical evidence and a New Testament miracle
Richard Rohr, birdbath spirituality, praying to a personal God and growing up with St. Francis in a TVA town
St. Francis preaches to the birds, by Antonio Carnicero, ca. 1789 (Wikimedia Commons) While I was in chemotherapy, I didn't do much writing, but I did read a lot of theology. That's one thing you can still do when you feel lousy. In the process, I discovered a Franciscan intellectual tradition I'd only been dimly … Continue reading Richard Rohr, birdbath spirituality, praying to a personal God and growing up with St. Francis in a TVA town
‘Are you there, God? It’s me …’: My prayer life at 80 and the 11-year-old title character in a Judy Blume novel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzRzojHC3iE&t=51s One thing about living with cancer -- and cancer treatment -- for several months now, it's jump-started my prayer life. But not in the way I might have expected. For several years now, I've been meeting with a spiritual director, and I've read up on practices like lectio divina and Ignatian contemplation. Instead, I'm … Continue reading ‘Are you there, God? It’s me …’: My prayer life at 80 and the 11-year-old title character in a Judy Blume novel
12-step wisdom and a terrible, horrible, kinda good, maybe not-so-bad day halfway through chemotherapy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YOQbE692s8&t=266s Fr. Brendan McManus SJ, Gardiner Street Parish Dublin, recorded Oct. 25, 2020 As I reach the halfway point in chemotherapy this week, I'm making a special effort to take things one day at a time. So let me tell you about a terrible, horrible, maybe kinda good, not-so-bad-after-all day I had last week. As … Continue reading 12-step wisdom and a terrible, horrible, kinda good, maybe not-so-bad day halfway through chemotherapy
Praying only for the knowledge of God’s will and the strength to carry it out amid the ‘paradoxical tragedy-wonder of life’
Roman arch over the Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem, November 2012 Overheard the other day in the infusion center at Southern Illinois University while I was headed toward the bathroom for the umpteenth time: NURSE 1: “He took his Lasix before he came in.” NURSE 2: “So he’s going to go wee, wee, wee all the way home?” I had a snappy comeback, but … Continue reading Praying only for the knowledge of God’s will and the strength to carry it out amid the ‘paradoxical tragedy-wonder of life’
A Jesuit, a Protestant reformer and a spiritual mutt walk into an ER (instead of a bar): How I’m learning to trust God
Pilgrims entering Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem, November 2012. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. -- Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV): Our prayer doesn’t change God’s mind, it changes us. It helps us change our own minds and hearts. It … Continue reading A Jesuit, a Protestant reformer and a spiritual mutt walk into an ER (instead of a bar): How I’m learning to trust God
Of the Holy Trinity, the presence of Christ in faith and the stories we tell
Luther's Small Catechism, 1529 (Wikimedia Commons) God for us, we call you Father. God alongside us, we call you Jesus. God within us, we call you Holy Spirit. —Richard Rohr OFM The Holy Trinity landed in my inbox this morning and told me a story. Well, that makes it sound a little too dramatic and … Continue reading Of the Holy Trinity, the presence of Christ in faith and the stories we tell
Ringing in the new (church) year on St. Andrew’s Day with the daily prayer and meditation on an Irish Jesuit website
Pietro da Cortona, 'Calling of St. Peter and St. Andrew,' ca. 1626-30 (Wikimedia Commons) One of the few things I remember clearly from my confirmation classes 50-plus years ago in an Episcopal church is the date of St. Andrew's Day. Somehow it lodged in my preadolescent brain, when I wasn't wisecracking about the wives of … Continue reading Ringing in the new (church) year on St. Andrew’s Day with the daily prayer and meditation on an Irish Jesuit website
Practical ways on a Jesuit website in Ireland to ‘face into the storm’ of cancer diagnosis and treatment
Peter Paul Rubens, Miracle of St. Ignatius of Loyola (Wikimedia Commons) There's a story I really like in James Martin's Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life. An editor-at-large of America magazine who has written several New York Times best-sellers, Martin sets it up the by saying the Jesuits pride themselves on … Continue reading Practical ways on a Jesuit website in Ireland to ‘face into the storm’ of cancer diagnosis and treatment
Luther and the indwelling ‘Christ present in faith’ — Finnish theologians, Irish Jesuit offer a way of coping with a scary diagnosis
Matthias Stom, St. Peter at Prayer, ca. 1633-40 (Wikimedia Commons) One thing about getting a cancer diagnosis -- it tends to focus your mind, especially if you've been working on your prayer life already. Increasingly since I was diagnosed toward the end of October, I've been falling back on what's sometimes called the Prayer of … Continue reading Luther and the indwelling ‘Christ present in faith’ — Finnish theologians, Irish Jesuit offer a way of coping with a scary diagnosis
Stray thoughts on centering prayer, a JAMA study on mindfulness meditation and a way to stop ‘catastrophizing’
Photo: RelaxingMusic/Creative Commons (Harvard Gazette). This Associated Press story jumped off the Yahoo! directory at me. Uh, let's rephrase that in the interest of accuracy -- it jumped off the computer screen. It's headlined "Mindfulness worked as well for anxiety as drug in study," and it's essentially a rewrite of research published today in the … Continue reading Stray thoughts on centering prayer, a JAMA study on mindfulness meditation and a way to stop ‘catastrophizing’
How a young adult novelist and a punk rocker-turned Orthodox rabbi guide my prayer life lately: ‘Are you there God, it’s me … (and help me get out of this foxhole)!’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7iqdBBYl40 Jim Martin, SJ, editor-in-chief, America, explains centering prayer. Editor's note. Short takes on the twists and turns in my spiritual life since I was diagnosed with bladder cancer Oct. 25. I had pretty much expected the diagnosis since the tumor was removed Oct. 17, but it still threw me for a loop. So in … Continue reading How a young adult novelist and a punk rocker-turned Orthodox rabbi guide my prayer life lately: ‘Are you there God, it’s me … (and help me get out of this foxhole)!’
What’s the right way to do centering prayer? ‘Pray as you can’: A stripped-down Trappist spiritual practice for today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IKpFHfNdnE Editor's note (Oct. 17). I started this a couple of days before I had a tumor removed from my bladder. But I ran out of time, and I was in no mood last night to stay up late journaling before a 5:30 a.m. check-in time today. The procedure went off as scheduled; I'm home … Continue reading What’s the right way to do centering prayer? ‘Pray as you can’: A stripped-down Trappist spiritual practice for today
Centering prayer: A ‘Zen Lutheran’ chatterbox meets a Trappist meditation when he needs to be still — and to trust
https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/centering-prayer.html For a little more than a month now, I've been in one of those limbos we fall into when we're waiting for a biopsy. Now the surgery is scheduled -- finally! -- for next week. But it's had quite an effect on my prayer life, and I'm practicing something I call "emergency room spirituality" … Continue reading Centering prayer: A ‘Zen Lutheran’ chatterbox meets a Trappist meditation when he needs to be still — and to trust
Spiritual journal, September 2022
Lightly edited copy of an email I send monthly to my spiritual director to: (a) give her a heads-up on my where my spiritual journey has taken me since our last meeting, and (b) help me focus for our meeting. Which may or may not go off in unexpected directions. They read like a Reader's … Continue reading Spiritual journal, September 2022
Praying for trust, acceptance and other graces in the emergency room, ‘singing softly … like the south wind blows’
Longleaf pines, Weymouth Woods, N.C. (CC 2.0 license, Wikipedia Commons) Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully -- Samuel Johnson (Goodreads). Welp, I don't plan on being hanged in two weeks' time, but a worrisome CT scan and a midnight trip … Continue reading Praying for trust, acceptance and other graces in the emergency room, ‘singing softly … like the south wind blows’
Spiritual direction, August 2022
Editor’s note. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director in advance of our monthly meeting for August. I email her every month, mostly to focus my mind before we meet, and I archive them here so I have a record of issues I’ve dealt with over time. Being able to consult them … Continue reading Spiritual direction, August 2022
New header picture — labyrinth in the rolling prairie at Jubilee Farm
A new background picture for Ordinary Times' header shows the center of a labyrinth at Jubilee Farm, the Dominican Sisters' center for ecology and spirituality. Jubilee Farm, on 147 acres of rolling prairie west of Springfield, bills itself as a "a home to farm animals and wildlife, an educational resource, a demonstration of living in an … Continue reading New header picture — labyrinth in the rolling prairie at Jubilee Farm
‘What am I doing for Christ?’: An Ignatian triple colloquy F2F with Jesus via Zoom
Third in an occasional series of Ignatian colloquies ... Christ Pantocrator, Haiga Sophia, Istanbul, ca. 1080-1100 (Wikimedia Commons) Editor's (admin's) note. One of a series of posts in which I journal my attempts to incorporate Jesuit imaginative prayer exercises into my own prayer life. In today's, I try what is often known as the triple … Continue reading ‘What am I doing for Christ?’: An Ignatian triple colloquy F2F with Jesus via Zoom
‘Lord, teach us to pray’: A spiritual mutt reflects on Abraham’s prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah (Pentecost VII)
Sodom and Gomorrah, Jacob Willemz. de Wet II, ca. 1680 (Wikimedia Commons) Genesis 18 (NRSV): 20 Then the Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! 21 I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me, and if not, I … Continue reading ‘Lord, teach us to pray’: A spiritual mutt reflects on Abraham’s prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah (Pentecost VII)
A prayerful reaction to the US Supreme Court’s facilitation of white Christian theocracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWIvkGWmEVA Matthew 5 (NRSV). 5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut … Continue reading A prayerful reaction to the US Supreme Court’s facilitation of white Christian theocracy
Who am I in Christ? Who are the people of God? A surprising answer from Ireland that brings the abstractions down to earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkLzIeztC3c Shuan Davey, "The Deer's Cry" [St. Patrick's Breastplate]. [...] Christ with me, Christ before me,Christ behind me, Christ in me,Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ on my right, Christ on my left,Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,Christ when I arise, Christ to shield meChrist in the heart of everyone who … Continue reading Who am I in Christ? Who are the people of God? A surprising answer from Ireland that brings the abstractions down to earth
Praying St. Ignatius’ colloquy with a story from the Talmud about Hillel the Elder and a corny Latin pun by Martin Luther
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APMu32sC2nM There Is No White Jesus | Famalam | BBC Three | April 12, 2017 Editor's (admin's) note. Second of two posts in which I try to imagine an Ignatian Colloquy, a one-on-one conversation with Jesus, on a series of Zoom calls. It's a prayer technique adapted from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. I’ve … Continue reading Praying St. Ignatius’ colloquy with a story from the Talmud about Hillel the Elder and a corny Latin pun by Martin Luther
Football coach, 6-3 majority on US Supreme Court fumble, drop the ball on public school prayer case
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-LNBJIk-mY&t=64s KING-5 news report, April 24, 2022. And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Matthew 6:5. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16. I'll leave it … Continue reading Football coach, 6-3 majority on US Supreme Court fumble, drop the ball on public school prayer case
Spiritual direction, June 2022 ** UPDATED **
Editor’s (admin’s) note. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director in advance of our monthly meeting for June. I email her every month, mostly to focus my mind before we meet, and I archive them here so I have a record of issues I’ve dealt with over time. Being able to … Continue reading Spiritual direction, June 2022 ** UPDATED **
Can an 11th-century legend of St. Patrick teach a 21st-century skeptic to pray? Echoes of a hymn from my confirmation
An Ignatian colloquy for Trinity 2020 -- 2 of ___ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fqzWs6KPoE St. Patrick's Breastplate, arr. Rod Lewis, Columbia, S.C., Trinity Sunday 2020 Editor's note. As I try to jumpstart my prayer life, I've been experimenting with Jesuit prayer exercises known as Ignatian contemplation and the Triple Colloquy, in which you imagine yourself interacting with Jesus. … Continue reading Can an 11th-century legend of St. Patrick teach a 21st-century skeptic to pray? Echoes of a hymn from my confirmation
Learning to pray from George Burns and a young adult novel by Judy Blume
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x0i-FfeA44 I know how hard it is in these times to have faith. But maybe if you could have the faith to start with, maybe the times would change. You could change them. Think about it. Try. And try not to hurt each other. There's been enough of that. It really gets in the way. … Continue reading Learning to pray from George Burns and a young adult novel by Judy Blume
Imagining a F2F colloquy with Jesus in a Zoom call: Talking back to the still, small voice of the triune God
An Ignatian colloquy for Trinity 2020 -- 1 of ___ Images of Jesus by Dutch graphic designer Bas Uterwijk, 20 Minutes, July 2, 2020 So I'm trying to practice a new prayer technique adapted from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, and I'm stuck. It's called the Ignatian Colloquy, and it involves imagining yourself … Continue reading Imagining a F2F colloquy with Jesus in a Zoom call: Talking back to the still, small voice of the triune God
Spiritual direction, April 2022
Editor's (admin's) note. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director the night before our April meeting. I email her every month, mostly to focus my mind before we meet, and I archive them here so I have a record of issues I've dealt with over time. This will be very … Continue reading Spiritual direction, April 2022
Early spring visit to Jubilee Farm and friendly rescue cat reawaken thoughts of stewardship and new beginnings
Grass beginning to green up at Jubilee Farm, Old Jacksonville Road. Genesis 2:8-9, 15 (NRSV) And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the … Continue reading Early spring visit to Jubilee Farm and friendly rescue cat reawaken thoughts of stewardship and new beginnings
Lenten reflection in today’s email from America magazine on prayer, music and lived experience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhGYD1svTM4 In my inbox this morning ... America Media, which publishes America magazine and maintains an online presence, has been sending out Lenten meditations this month. So today we got a "Reflection for the Thursday of the Third Week of Lent" by assistant editor Molly Cahill, who acknowledges: "I am pretty good at thinking and talking … Continue reading Lenten reflection in today’s email from America magazine on prayer, music and lived experience
‘Here am I’: Isaiah’s call to prophesy in the year King Uzziah died; also, nibbling around the edges of today’s apocalypse
The Prophet Isaiah, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, ca. 1725 (Wikimedia Commons). Isaiah 6 (NRSV). In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, … Continue reading ‘Here am I’: Isaiah’s call to prophesy in the year King Uzziah died; also, nibbling around the edges of today’s apocalypse
Spiritual direction, March 2022
d r a f t Editor’s (admin’s) note: Lightly edited copy of email I wrote in advance of this month’s appointment with my spiritual director, giving her a heads-up on what I’d been journaling on since our last meeting and, more to the point, helping me focus over time by archiving the emails with my journals … Continue reading Spiritual direction, March 2022
Thoughts, prayers, wisdom from the Talmud and acting against ‘the enormity of the world’s grief’ in wartime
Screen grab of meme shared to my Facebook news feed, Oct. 29, 2021. For several months I've been wanting to jumpstart my prayer life, but until last week I never would have thought it would involve the heartache of praying for peace in Ukraine in the face of a failed World War II-style blitzkrieg that … Continue reading Thoughts, prayers, wisdom from the Talmud and acting against ‘the enormity of the world’s grief’ in wartime
‘Just a little talk with Jesus’: Getting up to speed on a Jesuit prayer exercise — with an assist from the Oak Ridge Boys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH9ta2CaWaM Live performance by Oak Ridge Boys, Gaither Studios, Alexandria, Ind., 2021 Welp, I guess I talked myself into a new assignment ... trying a brand-new Jesuit prayer exercise (new for me at least, as a mainline Protestant who never had much use for organized religion until fairly recently). It's called an Ignatian "Colloquy." It … Continue reading ‘Just a little talk with Jesus’: Getting up to speed on a Jesuit prayer exercise — with an assist from the Oak Ridge Boys
DRAFT ‘Now rest beneath night’s shadow …’ DRAFT
d r a f t https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKyiGWYOQLU St. Thomas Boys' Choir Leipzig, 2016 (CHOR GESANG - Das Musikmagazin). "He who sings prays twice" -- St. Augustine (Catechism of the Catholic Church) Maybe I shouldn't admit this in public, but I've had prayer at the top of my B list for quite a while now. After a … Continue reading DRAFT ‘Now rest beneath night’s shadow …’ DRAFT
Praying for good courage in a hospital emergency room … and quiet confidence while sweating out a scary diagnosis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phngTmv7IW4 From "Mountain Vespers" service for Holden Village by Dr. Kent Gustavson Many of us pray best in church, or in the resonant silence of an empty cathedral. Others pray at home, relying on candles, music or other aids to help ease them into a prayerful attitude. Me? It seems like I pray best in … Continue reading Praying for good courage in a hospital emergency room … and quiet confidence while sweating out a scary diagnosis
A new (church) year’s resolution poses a question — is music ‘an agnostic’s spiritual practice?’ My answer: I don’t know yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjAuBTLdqPg&t=18s Paula Bär-Giese, soprano; and Hans Meijer, lute, in character as Katie von Bora and Martin Luther, perform 'From heaven above I come' and 'A child is born in Bethlehem' agnostic (n.) 1870, "one who professes that the existence of a First Cause and the essential nature of things are not and cannot be known" … Continue reading A new (church) year’s resolution poses a question — is music ‘an agnostic’s spiritual practice?’ My answer: I don’t know yet
The four core values or pillars of Dominican life, a presentation to 2019 associate candidates’ class
Shared here from YouTube for convenient reference. Begins with a group discussion following the steps of lectio divina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3h7N7VyVBA&t=191s The blurb on YouTube summarizes it like this: Sister Marilyn Jean Runkel, OP shared what the four pillars of Dominican life are to the 2019 associate candidate class on Sunday, October 13, 2019. The sharing and … Continue reading The four core values or pillars of Dominican life, a presentation to 2019 associate candidates’ class
A ‘Zen Lutheran’ morning prayer
Luther and family, by Gustav Spangenberg, ca. 1875 (Wikimedia Commons). Prayer and meditation have never been my long suit -- I don't have the patience for either. But thanks to a recent bout of pneumonia, I may have found a practice that works for me. It combines two of my interests, Western Buddhist spirituality and … Continue reading A ‘Zen Lutheran’ morning prayer
‘How Firm a Foundation’: Calling on a shape-note folk hymn in the hospital … and later by my fireside at home
Cross-posted to my trad music blog Hogfiddle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzUUkWwBZdI Recorded for online worship service on Sept. 6, 2020, Providence Church, Austin, Texas. This is the story of how I came to be singing an old Baptist folk hymn from the Sacred Harp under my breath as the anesthesia was taking hold last week in the cath … Continue reading ‘How Firm a Foundation’: Calling on a shape-note folk hymn in the hospital … and later by my fireside at home
A viral cat video, the archbishop of Canterbury and the dean of the cathedral remind me of the imminence of God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy43J76bIwE Global News, the news and current affairs division of the Global Television Network of Vancouver, B.C., reported in 2020: "One of Canterbury Cathedral’s cats, Tiger, helped itself to some milk during a morning message from Dean Robert Willis on July 6." Brought together by serendipity -- a lovely, do-able brief explanation of my favorite Jesuit … Continue reading A viral cat video, the archbishop of Canterbury and the dean of the cathedral remind me of the imminence of God
Review of Jesuit author’s practical new book on prayer cuts to the chase
Very good review in Christian Century of Fr. James Martin's new book on prayer! Author of several popular books on Jesuit spirituality and editor-at-large of America magazine, Martin has written about prayer before -- frequently, but in passing. His latest book, Prayer: A Guide for Everyone, appears to pull those thoughts together for newbies and … Continue reading Review of Jesuit author’s practical new book on prayer cuts to the chase
How a trip to the eye doctor’s and the Serenity Prayer renewed my interest in Turlough O’Carolan, the blind Irish harper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xInuesYrUPA Steve Cooney's arrangement of 'Si Bheag Si Mohr' (Carolan's melody begins at 1:32). It started with a visit to the eye doctor's back in October, when the case positivity rate for Covid-19 was low enough to allow for routine medical appointments. My eye test came back with signs of the very beginnings of something … Continue reading How a trip to the eye doctor’s and the Serenity Prayer renewed my interest in Turlough O’Carolan, the blind Irish harper
Elijah and the word of the Lord: No windstorm, no fire, no earthquake. Just get back to work (Pentecost X)
1 Kings 19:11-13 (NRSV) [The word of the Lord] said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the … Continue reading Elijah and the word of the Lord: No windstorm, no fire, no earthquake. Just get back to work (Pentecost X)
Spiritual direction — seeking a ‘new normal’ during a global pandemic
Since I started spiritual direction a couple of years ago, I've emailed my spiritual director ahead of our monthly sessions ... summing up what I've been journaling about since our last meeting and, more to the point, getting a little focus on themes I've been working on and, more to the point, new directions that … Continue reading Spiritual direction — seeking a ‘new normal’ during a global pandemic
Throwing an inkpot at the virus? Some wisdom for a brutal time from a 14th-century mystic, Luther’s catechism and a Buddhist meditation
https://www.facebook.com/peacelutheranspringfield/posts/1102830350102257?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARByBlc4lICuCA3vbsOF2dLVNReMDsC3fJcGbrDztTKMxNo7Yvk36ysoFlDJzD0AjhazR37AdoCzxxZuDHgOSTeU7wMNZJHOH4NtVU1vEuxxIwp9X1x2a19pJQVTjJnwIv3-6xgaRxMzac51V9kC0Nc-IibArTGMvuSMLvgucLkZnsDmGFSNt_1y3ASEsoUy4YJflA7EPxMscK0Krt4-gFeyXndJBtF2EB_U0FLgYzTAs2kKZJcY1Yz_eSP_WFFUAF2iavb-HNYUJB2NiykhTFtg_HIshv8sgl5pzaoWylvBsKc6RfHEQRW80RZqYw9YSQDt_pIyYn7tGa5tR7ctiBH-wDWfaixAwBPL-N-1OVwkIm-4c4BZQsMIl2KnDd2JTJT2GulOxnrb-v7BLrlgEMmAWQl8VRDd0ZO79BEaS06LXV1M0GBYaobP72iKPquEZ01ByNdcjrQPHDM44Qjnwk_wqr6ZsSJpMstVjOSInMRHw4PWO-87Zw&__tn__=-R Mostly I do church online these days, like most of my relationships in self-quarantine, and last week Peace Lutheran shared a passage on Facebook from the 14th-century mystical writer Julian of Norwich. I was feeling down -- frightened might be a more accurate word -- after two and a half months of the COVID-19 … Continue reading Throwing an inkpot at the virus? Some wisdom for a brutal time from a 14th-century mystic, Luther’s catechism and a Buddhist meditation
Easter 2020: A technophobe ‘finds Christ in hidden and unexpected places’
To say Easter was different this year would be an understatement -- like saying it was kinda nice when the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series. Growing up in the Episcopal church, I thought of Easter Sunday as a day of obligation, along with Christmas and Whitsunday, when you had to go to church … Continue reading Easter 2020: A technophobe ‘finds Christ in hidden and unexpected places’
Spiritual direction — journaling in a time of pandemic and social distancing
Copy of email sent today to my spiritual director and posted here to provide a monthly update on themes we’ve been working on and my progress (or lack thereof). Lightly edited to fix obvious illiteracies. Sr. __________ -- I hope all is well with you as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Debi and I have been … Continue reading Spiritual direction — journaling in a time of pandemic and social distancing
Of Luther's Catechism, daily prayer, the spiritual exercises of Loyola and the communion of saints in a time of plague
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdEURn4NEas Carl Schalk, Luther's Morning Prayer, Summer Music Academy, Valparaiso University, 2018 Here's something I've been struggling with since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Springfield: How do you do communion when you can't go to church and take communion? I hadn't realized how much my spiritual life centered on singing in the choir and weekly celebration … Continue reading Of Luther's Catechism, daily prayer, the spiritual exercises of Loyola and the communion of saints in a time of plague
Brother Richard’s “Lockdown,” a Zen moment in this time of coronavirus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x25DwatvjA&t=51s MBPPC Backyard Preacher | Mt. Baker Park Presbyterian Church, Seattle | March 17, 2020 Anderson Cooper closed the CNN News town hall he co-hosted tonight with Dr. Sanjay Gupta by reading a poem by Brother Richard Hendrick, OSF (Capuchin), of County Donegal in Ireland. It's titled "Lockdown"; it has been widely circulated on the … Continue reading Brother Richard’s “Lockdown,” a Zen moment in this time of coronavirus
Can’t take communion in the time of coronavirus? Pray. Can’t go to church? Pray. Be persistent in prayer.
How do you do church when you can't go to church? Before the COVID-19 outbreak came to town, I didn't realize how much of my spiritual life centered on going to church. Now, after two weeks of "social distancing," it's causing me to reassess. As usual, my first reaction to social distancing was a wisecrack. … Continue reading Can’t take communion in the time of coronavirus? Pray. Can’t go to church? Pray. Be persistent in prayer.
Short takes and prayers for ‘tireless health care workers, whistle-blowing first responders, rumpled, righteous public servants, empiricism, epidemiology and vaccines’; also for precinct election judges
CDC advisory for Higher Risk & Special Populations, March 6, 2019. Some quick takes on what it might be like to live in a pandemic. At the moment, it looks like I may be getting a little taste of it already -- I'm receiving post-hospitalization home health care, which has restrictions similar to a quarantine, … Continue reading Short takes and prayers for ‘tireless health care workers, whistle-blowing first responders, rumpled, righteous public servants, empiricism, epidemiology and vaccines’; also for precinct election judges
Wisdom from the 1928 Episcopal prayer book, a Jesuit author and a punk rocker-rabbi — with links to common-sense advice on getting ready for a pandemic
Editor's note (March 3). Draft of a post I wrote at the end of February, when it first became apparent the new coronavirus outbreak was about to blossom into a worldwide pandemic. Then, on Saturday night, when I was putting the finishing touches on it, I got sick and was admitted to St. John's Hospital … Continue reading Wisdom from the 1928 Episcopal prayer book, a Jesuit author and a punk rocker-rabbi — with links to common-sense advice on getting ready for a pandemic
Trump’s post-impeachment prayer breakfast caper and the wall of separation between church and state
"[Roger Williams] was saying that mixing church and state corrupted the church, that when one mixes religion and politics, one gets politics." -- John M. Barry, "God, Government and Roger Williams' Big Idea," Smithsonian, January 2012."Something there is that doesn't love a wall ...," Robert Frost, "Mending Wall." My research into Swedish immigration has me … Continue reading Trump’s post-impeachment prayer breakfast caper and the wall of separation between church and state
Theology, shmeology: When is an answered prayer like a kick in the pants?
Picking up on a thread -- more like an internal dialog -- that started last month when I was reading a copy of James Hazelwood's new book, Everyday Spirituality, in the doctor's office. Hazelwood is the bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's New England Synod, and he had some interesting things to say … Continue reading Theology, shmeology: When is an answered prayer like a kick in the pants?
John Knoepfle, 1923-2019
John Knoepfle, who died Saturday at the age of 96, was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1999 by Springfield College in Illinois (later Benedictine University Springfield). As the faculty adviser/de facto editor of the campus literary magazine at the time, I obtained John's permission to publish his commencement address to the class of 1999, perhaps … Continue reading John Knoepfle, 1923-2019
Was Luther a mystic? It all depends …
... on (a) who you ask; and (b) what you mean by "mystic." "Mystic" has always been one of those words I've been suspicious of. It sounds New Age-y to me, or it reminds me of those desert monks who used to sit on top of a pole for years. I wasn't quite certain what … Continue reading Was Luther a mystic? It all depends …
Seeking the holy in a trad Irish music festival video from Derry, a 10th-century Irish poem and choir practice at a Lutheran church in downstate Illinois
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpYuSmDbxnA Paddy Callgahan, "Be Thou My Vision," Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Derry, 2013 So a couple of weeks ago I posted an update on my prayer life, which stalled out recently as I navigated a welter of day-to-day crises, to the blog. And a fellow retired English professor named Elizabeth, who blogs on WordPress at … Continue reading Seeking the holy in a trad Irish music festival video from Derry, a 10th-century Irish poem and choir practice at a Lutheran church in downstate Illinois
Spiritual direction notes — August-October
Copy of an email I sent Saturday evening to my spiritual director. The links are embedded; a couple of minor illiteracies are cleaned up; the paragraphing is endlessly tinkered with (an integral although unnecessary part of my creative process); and a long excerpt from last month's post to this blog on an Episcopal table grace … Continue reading Spiritual direction notes — August-October
Of a gentle nudge from Jehovah, a Scots-Irish folk hymn and a childhood table grace on the interstate north of Lincoln
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRdS5dIVmbM RESIGNATION, "My shepherd will supply my need ..." (Southern Harmony, No. 38) Bob Meeks Memorial Singing at Harrods Creek Baptist Church, Brownsboro, Ky., April 28-29, 2012. Before I get into what I'm about to say, I'd like to state for the record I don't believe the Common Lectionary was designed with me in mind. … Continue reading Of a gentle nudge from Jehovah, a Scots-Irish folk hymn and a childhood table grace on the interstate north of Lincoln
Answered prayers? A Zen Lutheran koan
Following up on yesterday's post (Aug. 4) in light of new developments. When I wrote it, I felt like I've had some prayers answered lately, and I quoted rabbi Tzvi Gluckin, author of Knee Deep in the Funk: Understanding the Connection Between Spirituality and Music, on the power of prayer -- "In times of trouble, … Continue reading Answered prayers? A Zen Lutheran koan
Of a punk rocker-turned rabbi, funk, punk and the power of prayer
More and more I'm coming to believe that: (1) God truly does exist; and (2) God has a wry sense of humor. Last Saturday Debi and I went to church for the first time in a couple of months, and the gospel reading (Pentecost VII) was Luke 11:1-13, beginning: 11 [Jesus] was praying in a certain … Continue reading Of a punk rocker-turned rabbi, funk, punk and the power of prayer
Ordinary Time 