GODSTUFF IN THE MIDST OF A SPIRITUAL WINNOWING, LOVE WINS. A few days ago, I had one of those conversations that seem to make the world spin slower, allowing me to see crystal clearly, if only for a moment. We were vacationing at a friend’s cottage on the shores of Lake Huron in Ontario when a knock came at the door one evening. I answered it and was overjoyed to see a small, familiar face peeking through the frosted glass... Read more

GODSTUFF EPIPHANY: CELEBRATING MOMENTS OF TRUTH Aha! In the Christian calendar, today is the Feast of the Epiphany, or, as I like to think of it, the feast of Aha! It’s the 12th Day of Christmas, the end of Christmastide, God’s Big Reveal. Depending on what part of Christendom you hail from — East or West, for instance — the Feast of the Epiphany commemorates the three Persian Magis’ visit to the newborn Jesus and/or the public baptism of the... Read more

Prayers for a friend in crisis The first, a blessing called “Benneacht” (which means, “blessing” in Irish) from the late Irish poet John O’Donohue: On the day whenthe weight deadenson your shouldersand you stumble,may the clay danceto balance you. And when your eyesfreeze behindthe grey windowand the ghost of lossgets in to you,may a flock of colours,indigo, red, green,and azure bluecome to awaken in youa meadow of delight. When the canvas fraysin the currach of thoughtand a stain of oceanblackens... Read more

GODSTUFF LOOKING BACK:WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE NEW YEAR, PART DEUX Happy New Year! A fresh start. A new beginning. The chance for do-overs, spiritual lessons to be learned, wisdom to be acquired, blessings to be discovered. As promised, here is the second installment of my look back at the most intriguing thoughts I heard about faith, spirituality, religion and God in 2008: “America’s simultaneous embrace of holiness and hedonism, its pining love of tradition as it carries on a... Read more

GODSTUFF LOOKING BACK:WORDS OF WISDOM TO TAKE INTO THE NEW YEAR Each year, as the calendar prepares to flip to a new beginning, I like to look back on the conversations I’ve had with people over the previous 12 months to find gems of spiritual wisdom. This was a particularly rich year for intriguing conversations about faith and doubt, spirituality and meaning. So rich, in fact, that I find myself with too many gems to fit into a single year-end... Read more

‘Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a savior, who is Christ the Lord. His is for all mankind. We are each given a gift. Christmas Blessings to you all. Grace,GG and CB Read more

Happy Hanukkah It’s not that unusualWhen everything is beautiful.It’s just another ordinary miracle today. The sky knows when its time to snow,Don’t need to teach a seed to grow.It’s just another ordinary miracle today. Life is like a gift they sayWrapped up for you everyday;Open up and find a wayTo give some of your own. Isn’t it remarkable?Like every time a rain drop falls,It’s just another ordinary miracle today. Birds in winter have their flingBut always make it home by... Read more

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas … Read more

GODSTUFF GIVE GIFTS THAT TRULY WILL BE CHERISHED “Giving liberates the soul of the giver.”— Maya Angelou It’s been a rough year. With the economy in shambles, many of us are looking at Christmas and Hanukkah with new eyes and wondering whether the season will be more merry than maudlin. The Bible — the shared holy Scripture of the Jewish and Christian traditions — talks about the blessings that come in giving to others, particularly to the poor and disenfranchised.... Read more

GODSTUFF “THE SEAFARER”: PITCH BLACK HOLIDAY COMEDY PACKS A SPIRITUAL WALLOP Set on Christmas Eve in a seaside village north of Dublin in a home populated by hard-drinking, down-on-their-luck Irishmen, Conor McPherson’s play “The Seafarer” is not what you’d call light holiday fare. The play, at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, reflects on the flip side of what holiday cheer can bring. Depression. Self-loathing. A sense of alienation, hopelessness, sorrow. McPherson’s play, however, is brilliant. And the Steppenwolf production — featuring ensemble... Read more