What is monastic spirituality and what might it offer us and the world today? Author Carl McColman has written a beautiful new book that, while focusing on one particular order of monasticism, the Cistercians, reveals the very heart and soul of monastic life and practice. In doing so, he presents a radically counter-cultural expression of living in the world; one that makes us stop and pause, and contemplate, if you will, the hidden jewels of the monks and nuns. I talked with... Read more
At our Wednesday mindfulness meditation practice group here at the University of Southern California, which is part of our Mindful.USC.edu initiative, I start our sessions with a very short introduction to the practice, and end the 30 minutes of silence with a time for the students and staff who attend to share about how their practice is going. At a recent session, I shared an observation that came to me while I was meditating. “It seems to me that mindfulness... Read more
I’m crying right now as I trying to write this. It’s happening again. Not a week after the horror of Colorado Springs we have another mass shooting. I can’t even begin to process this. It’s just one after the other after another. As I write this there are reports coming out of San Bernardino of multiple fatalities and perhaps as many as three shooters. Is this our new normal? Is this what we should come to expect as routine... Read more
“I have found in my journey that music can play a powerful role in allowing me to clear my mind, still my breath, and find the space for new life to emerge. Over the next few weeks I invite you on this journey with me, to not only read and reflect, but to breathe and feel.” — Rev. Corbin Tobey-Davis Stories never operate in isolation, but rather mingle with other stories, including our own. It seems that our most cherished... Read more
Imagine attending a meet-up with friends at your local coffee shop. You might catch up on a hobby, discuss parenting, or share life hacks on your work-life balance. Instead, you talk about dying. “Death Cafes” are among American’s most recent cultural phenomena. Across the U.S., people gather to muse—not about the weather—but about what happens on the way toward and after death. My husband and I were introduced to this budding public practice by a dear friend and octogenarian. He’s... Read more
As I prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, I am reminded of the autumnal harvest time’s spiritual significance. As a time of connectedness, I pause to acknowledge what I have to be thankful for. But I also reflect on the holiday as a time of remembrance – present and historical. Presently, I hope over this holiday season there will be a change of heart with many U. S. governors now closing their doors to Syrian refugees since the recent terrorist attacks... Read more
by Glenn Zuber As we move into renewed period of terrorist fear and personal anxiety, how can U.S. Christians and their congregations respond with hope and solidarity during Thanksgiving? Most Americans, Christians included, value the Thanksgiving holiday as a respite from the real world and a chance to deepen relationships with family. Young adults away from family and hometowns will celebrate “Friendsgiving” with their friends. Many holiday feasts will no doubt include a prayers for the newest victims of terrorism.... Read more
This Christmas season, Christians across Europe and the United States will sing carols in praise of a refugee child, carols that extol the virtues of hospitality to the stranger. We will weep over the “slaughter of the innocents” story and imagine with sentimental poignancy the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath. Then some of us will head home and post xenophobic fearmongering on Facebook, rejecting Syrian refugees, fanning the flames of Islamophobia, and forsaking our... Read more
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him and threw themselves at his feet, begging Jesus to “have pity on us.” If you were the leader of a religious movement with political change in mind and on your way to the capital city, as was Jesus and his followers; these leper people would not be your first choice in forming a coalition. After simple instructions from Jesus, they are miraculously cleansed and... Read more
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love it because it calls us to remember the bounty of nature, and the debt of gratitude we owe to those first settlers and the native people of this continent. What’s more, the ritual of Thanksgiving is so simple that everyone can take part – sharing good food and time together with friends and relatives, and giving thanks for our many blessings. As I pause together with family and friends to give... Read more
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