Imagine a black suitcase bulging at the sides with a neon green sock hanging out the front, part of a red shirt sticking out one side and another mysterious blue something poking out the other side. That’s what it’s like to try to pack this report into an acceptable word count! Please join me as I…
On several occasions I have read or listened to the classic work by Brother Lawrence (d. 1691) titled The Practice of the Presence of God. I don’t always make it through each subsequent reading or hearing, yet it always stirs me. I never tire of rehearsing the same lesson after each pass through: when living “as if there were…
Motherhood is full of contradictions. Being thrilled to see my children grow while also wishing they’d stay little forever. The more passion I put into getting my toddler to eat green beans, the more beans will end up on the floor. If my children go to bed late, they will not wake up later the…
In Psalm 115, the Psalmist contrasts the idols of the other nations with God. “They have mouths,” he writes, “but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; they make no…
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Like many of you, I have been soberly watching the situation unfolding in Afghanistan. I know it has surfaced many emotions for people across the world, especially those who have personal connections with Afghanistan and the Afghan people. Whether justified or unjustified, war is always a tragic consequence…
In my previous post, I wrote about the Christian imperative to respond to human need, specifically in relation to the situation on the U.S. southern border. This calling transcends and goes before the political concerns regarding policy and national immigration philosophy. As Christians, our calling to care for the poor and vulnerable cuts through the…
In my short time here on the U.S.-Mexico border, I have observed many of the problems which afflict the rest of our country, such as widespread homelessness and poverty, as well as unique problems such as the arrival of refugees and immigrants from all around the world hoping for a better life within our borders.…
This past weekend, April 22-23, 2021, the Diocese of the Carolinas held its annual synod at St. Andrews Church in Mt. Pleasant, SC. If you are not familiar with the term, synod, it is simply the annual gathering of all clergy and lay representatives for prayer, worship and corporate decision-making. We attended as lay delegates…
Tish Harrison Warren offers important insight into what appears to be an inescapable predicament. Here’s the issue: In the throes of real pain and genuine suffering, we struggle to make sense out of the goodness of God (assuming there is some sense to be made under such pressure). This predicament favors no one and applies to everyone,…
So often I encounter people who are not merely assertive but aggressive, predominantly coarse rather than careful; people who are eager to expound their opinions and knowledge rather than reserved and reflective, thoughtful and Socratic in dialog. Consequently, they often lack an understanding about what others are saying because they don’t listen well. Should they…