Can I take my fatigue, and sense of powerlessness and just let that be my prayer? No words, no concepts, just let the felt weakness be the doorway, the entrance in. If I am called to transformation and a higher state of awareness and service to others, it will not come by escaping my situation […]
The Prayer of Weakness Read More »
I love to look into my dog Holly’s eyes and talk to her. Of course if I want to have a dialog then I have to answer for her. It goes something like this: Me: “What’s it all about ? Do you feel any sense of purpose and meaning?” Holly: “I want to eat,
Ego Free Companion Read More »
“One of the biggest impediments to the spiritual life is that we are not sufficiently unhappy, and we are too willing to settle for a compromise with life, a compromise for temporary comfort. But for some people, this is either not good enough, or their suffering is so intense that it does not allow such
The Grace of Discontentment Read More »
“Great souls pay much attention to little things” Escriva. “How you do anything is how you do everything” Rohr “The little things are the big things” unknown If these maxims are supposed to hold for all types of temperaments and personalities then it must be about more than being a detail oriented person. I think
The spiritual teacher, pragmatist Byron Katie writes in Loving What Is, “The only time we suffer is when we believe a thought that argues with what is. When the mind is perfectly clear, what is is what we want.” I am still grappling with this spiritual principle of acceptance. For some reason I feel it
Acceptance and Discernment Read More »
All this human effort and structure to try to access God and grace? Is is just another ego project, and a futile striving, or is it the necessary and ordinary path to sanctity? The answer hinges on on Love. If acts of piety are done humbly and lovingly like a child, then it is something
Do we need Religion and Piety Read More »
Written by a close friend who joined our family on our Tuscan Holiday– A long, long trip, only to be at home again: strikingly different locale, not with my everyday circle, but still at home among friends as dear as family. The heat of both midsummer and midday more than compensated for by the constant
On Sunday morning in the heart of summertime, on my way home from church, after a feast of faith, after the sacrament of word and bread, I stop at the Kroger supermarket. The parking lot feels like an oven, and that first step in the door like a cold shower. I have no idea what
A trip to Kroeger on the Sabbath Read More »
A yoke distributes a heavy load, so that it can be carried without crushing oneself. Life is heavy, and hard. So why does Jesus say this can be easy and light? Perhaps it is our self that is so heavy. The narcissist finds no rest because the load of self is unrelenting. The Surendar and
Take My Yoke Upon You. Read More »
The Lockhart’s holiday home is named after John Henry Newman’s retreat house called “Littlemore”. The home is set on a hill and the view over the Loch is spectacular. The sun sets here in June at 10:30P and the light lingers on the horizon until 11:30P. The tidal waters reflecting the sky in shades and
Littlemore, Strangford Read More »
