Category: Spirituality
-
Postured for Uncertainty
I need a different spirituality for this time…one postured for uncertainty. I realize now that what I had before was not sufficient. For all of us this time has been a continual onslaught of change and turmoil, unpredictables and unknowns, etc. etc. etc. But rather than constantly reacting to and defending against the next new…
-
Wisdom from Hermits
The ancient Christian hermits and monastics offer us some wisdom for what happens during the seasons we choose or are forced to slow down. Simplicity The first step is physical. It is identifying what your body absolutely needs to survive, and realizing what was unimportant all along. Sometimes simplicity is a painful stripping away. Sometimes…
-
A Spirituality of Suffering
There is a difference between a theology of suffering and a spirituality of suffering. A theology of suffering asks ‘why?’, and then proceeds to fill in the answer on behalf of God. A spirituality of suffering asks ‘why?,’ and finds God in the long uncomfortable silence. A Western faith that is primarily cerebral, focused on…
-
Suffering Is
The season of lent invites us once again into the uncomfortable tension that Suffering is. Each year we are challenged to not rationalize suffering and to not jump ahead to a happy ending. Instead, stay here in this tension for 40 days. Suffering Is. The US culture of triumphalism allows us to pretend that we…
-
From Individual to Harmony
I grew up with my grandma. I called her Ahma in Taiwanese. Ahma was my childhood companion. After school and on long summer days, I liked to sit with Ahma as she folded laundry or prepped for dinner. Whenever she made large batches of mochi as gifts for friends, she always handed me the ugly…
-
Formed by Time
*This blog series is my own journey to de-westernize the ways that Western values have distorted my spirituality. This series is not a criticism of Western spiritual traditions. See series Introduction: This is my Un-Forming for more info. Clocks, watches, and calendars have formed the western understanding of time. With these tools time moves in…
-
Experiencing the City in Ordinary Time
My favorite season on the church calendar is ordinary time. Ordinary time is the space between Pentecost and Advent. I’m not sure why I like this long season. Maybe it’s because I enjoy being an ordinary person experiencing each minute of each day in ordinary time. I like being reminded that I don’t have to…
-
Hermitages and Saint Kevin
Recently, I journeyed to Ireland. I spent a couple nights at a hermitage in the Celtic ruins of Glendalough. For a long time now I’ve been drawn to Celtic spirituality, and I decided the best place to learn is to study in context. There are 3 thoughts from Celtic spirituality that have formed me in…
-
The Uncomfortableness of Holy Week
Weeks before the cross Jesus began to prepare his disciples for this death. The disciples adamantly proclaimed they would not let that happen and Jesus firmly stated you don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s uncomfortable to be with those that are dying or mourning. As Jesus approached his death most of his disciples deserted…
-
Lent Week 5: Prayers of Action
I needed a reminder once again this week that the season of lent invites us into the dark and broken. We don’t like to remain there for THIS long. But it’s part of the process to peel away the layers, to clear out, to strip away, to empty. These seasons always feel longer than they…
Finding Eden 