Money is magical. It is hard not to be enthralled with its power. Try to rip a dollar in half–its a psychologically difficult thing to do. Yet as Christians we must live according to a different economy, an economy based on love and charity in which money is at best a passing convenience, at worst a dangerous idol. The tendency is for the latter so it is critical in our Christian spiritual practice to break the power of money. There... Read more
It is only through a denigration of motherhood that we do not venerate St. Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is she who carried Christ in her womb through the discomfort of nine months, gave birth to Jesus through the pains of birth, nursed God incarnate upon her breast, raised him, learned from him, watched him die, and then lived in the community of believers as a grandmother of the faith after he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Her... Read more
Power ties, expensive purses–we have many ways to dress to impress. In doing so we are making an effort at a certain kind of coercion. We are demanding that others look at us, that people see us in a certain way. This of course can take many forms. For some, dressing like someone straight from Goodwill has the same desire and effect. Instead, dress in a way that doesn’t draw attention of any kind. Wear clothes that are plain, but... Read more
Memorize Colossians 1:15-20 This passage, a hymn of sorts, answers the critical question: who is Christ? By memorizing this hymn-poem you will have a ready answer for others, but more critically for yourself. Use this passage as a means of meditating on Christ. Once you’ve memorized it, bring it back to mind regularly so that you can reflect on the rich and profound things the writer of the hymn is saying about who Christ is. For some scholarly reflection on... Read more
The Church of the Sojourners is a Christian community committed to being a witness of Christ’s Kingdom in the Mission District of San Francisco. As a church family they engage in several Sabbath practices chosen “as a response to the question: How can I spend my time in a way which will help me remember the Story I’m in?” The practices vary from things like gardening to lighting Sabbath candles, but everyone in the church makes a point to spend... Read more
Many Christians say that Romans 5-8 expresses the core of our faith. Read these passages through at least three times and try to write in your own words what Paul is expressing about our hope and faith in Christ. Read more
Fast from all food or caloric drinks until 5 PM. Why fast? There are a host of reasons (Jesus did it to name one), but one of the key benefits of fasting is that it give us a spiritual hardiness. Fasting provides a conscious and regular way to say no to our desires, in this case for food. By learning to say no in order to open ourselves to something better (the Bread of Life), we prepare ourselves for the... Read more
C. S. Lewis is said to have walked every day, rain or shine, because walking fueled his creativity. There is much research to back this up–walking is an important human practice, and as such it is an important spiritual one. Today go for a walk with no destination in mind. Simply wander and pray that God will lead you, even if the only place you arrive is at yourself. Read more
One of the key disciplines of the the Christian life is study. Spend an hour studying and really trying to get at the meaning of Romans chapters 12 and 13 (many scholars agree these passages are best read together). What was Paul saying in this text and why was he saying it? Consult commentaries, look up words you think are key in lexicons, go as deep as you can into the passage. What do you find? Read more
Mark Scandretti, in his wonderful book, Practicing the Way of Jesus introduces an exercise called Have2Give1. This exercise follows the teaching of Jesus in Luke 3:11 that for those who have two of something, they should share with the one who has none. Look through your belongings and find the things you have two of, then seek someplace to give away one of the two. It could be an individual or an organization like goodwill. Make it a constant practice... Read more
Word + Flesh
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