In the week ahead, we will consider the meaning of everlasting life. I prefer “everlasting” to “eternal” because the word implies growth and transformation, evolution and adventure. Life after death is not an escape, but a call to love God in the world of the flesh, seeking justice, peace, and beauty; working to heal this good earth. Everlasting life, I believe, is not “better” than this world, just different. If God is omnipresent, then this world as well as the... Read more
We are well aware of our weakness at certain times of our lives. Sickness puts us on the sidelines and we wonder if our lives matter or if anyone will remember us. I believe God never forgets – God’s memory is loving memory, interpreting our lives through the lens of acceptance, forgiveness, and love. God loves and remembers us not in spite of who we are, but because of whom we are, God’s beloved children. Isaiah 49:15-16 speaks of God... Read more
Life is profoundly interdependeent. There are no self-made men or women. The rugged individualist is an illusion, whose “individualistic” successes based on the gifts of others, including the gifts of God. There are times when we are weak, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Our resources are tapped out and we are running on empty. At such times, we need to rely on the faith and efforts of others, and most especially the energy and inspiration of the Holy Adventure. When we... Read more
God’s holy adventure embraces the dark as well as light. Personal healing and spiritual growth include what we can change as well as what we must endure with courage and equanimity Darkness has a life and light of its own. Darkness is the place of growth and birth, the womb of creativity. If God is omnipresent, present everywhere and in all things, darkness also reflects God’s presence. Even in difficult moments, experiences that do not reflect God’s vision, God is... Read more
Scott Peck once noted that “life is difficult,” and I agree. In the course of a lifetime, I have faced job loss, economic uncertainty, and serious illness in my family, and the death of both parents. Yes, life is difficult but we can respond creatively to the stresses of life. We can experience peace amid the storms of life. Do you remember the Gospel story of the storm at sea? The disciples panicked and thought they were going to drown... Read more
Touch can heal and transform. The Spirit is embodied and the body is inspired. Healthy, welcome touch can energize, empower, and calm. We can share God’s healing energy with one another. Touch can heal. The largest organ of our body (skin) needs healing and affirming touch. Prayerfully connected with God, our touch can bring healing to the world, one person at a time. In my own life, I experience and share God’s healing touch through holding my grandson, giving my... Read more
The body is described as the “temple of God.” This means that our care for our physical well-being is an ethical as well as spiritual issue. What we eat, our patterns of exercise, rest, prayer, and meditation are all part of our spiritual adventure. Each person’s path to wholeness is unique, but overall well-being involves caring for our bodies as well as the bodies of others. Our diet is an ethical issue: as the saying goes, “live simply, so that... Read more
In his Advent Oratorio, W.H. Auden counsels “love him [God] in the world of the flesh.” God’s world is beautiful and deserves our love and appreciation. The apostle Paul describes the body as the temple of the Spirit and invites us to glorify God in our bodies. There are many ways to glorify God in embodiment, but some of the most helpful involve movement and exercise, healthy eating habits, meditation, rest and stress-reducing techniques, and healthy touch. We can love... Read more
Creation is alive with beauty and praise. Let all things praise God. Praise is the recognition of the holiness and beauty of life, and the abundant creativity of God. In God, we live and have our being. Praise affirms are connectedness with the Life Giver and the Life All Around Us. Praise orients us toward the divine. It reminds us that we are not self-contained or self-made but depend on the bountiful abundance of the universe for every breath we... Read more
A Native American prayer asserts: I walk with beauty before me. I walk with beauty behind me. I walk with beauty above me. I walk with beauty below me. I walk with beauty all around me. Your world is so beautiful, O God! In that same spirit, the philosopher Alfred North Whitehead affirms that the aim of the universe is toward the production of beauty. Spirituality truly involves embracing a beautiful God, as Patricia Adams Farmer suggests in her book... Read more
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