Some eight years ago, just before my ordination, I had the privilege of making a long spiritual retreat. It was an entire month, and it was at a Jesuit retreat center that kept a rigorous rule of silence. There in the quiet of the Colorado mountains, I learned—like Samuel—to hear God call me by name. Or rather, I … Read the rest
Continue reading "Can Anything Good Come Out of Georgia?" »
Others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
You and I probably know a few of those sneering others. Maybe we heard them say things like “those are just a bunch of coastal elites.” Or “they voted for crooked Hillary,” or even—tragically if falsely—“Get off the bus and get out of the country because you don’t … Read the rest
Continue reading "Curious to Hear" »Complete this sentence. Obey your…
So in our first lesson this morning, we’ve met Peter and the apostles, boldly announcing to the Senhadrin—the central council of religious authorities in Jerusalem—that they obeyed God rather than any human authority. That’s the kind of statement that’s bound to get you into trouble with those same human authorities. And in fact … Read the rest
Continue reading "Thomas the Obedient" »Some years ago I embarked on a long retreat with a new spiritual director, and at our first session he asked me how and how often I pray. Seems like a reasonable question for a spiritual director to ask, but somehow it made me feel a bit like I do when the dentist asks me how often I … Read the rest
Continue reading "Impressed with Prayer" »
Did you know that “truthiness” was Merriam Webster’s “word of the year” for 2006? Various Internet sources define “truthiness” as an argument or assertion that claims to be true, without regard to evidence. Faux newscaster Stephen Colbert coined the word in the pilot episode of his political satire The Colbert Report, and the truth became—well—history.
Which leads me … Read the rest
Continue reading "Telling the Truthiness" »One of the privileges of serving our diocesan community in the area of Christian formation—which is my day job—is that I get to work with a lot of young people who are really passionate about faith. They constantly inspire me to imagine and to work for a the kingdom of God. But I pray for them continually, because … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Bewildering Word" »
One of the most persistent puzzles of cognitive science is what’s called the “cocktail party effect,” which for us could just as well be called the coffee hour effect. It’s the ability we human beings have to single out and listen to a particular voice in a room buzzing with many voices, and its … Read the rest
