If you have paid much attention at all to articles, podcasts, and books on spirituality, then you have come across the word mindfulness. This is a general term for paying attention, being truly present to the moment at hand. And this word is used in various religious traditions. How can we consider mindfulness in our Christian faith? Paying attention and being present are perfectly in line with Christian belief and practice. I think, though, that […]
For most people who celebrate Christmas, this season becomes a time of surviving tasks and events. We spend days, if not weeks, planning parties, lunches and dinners out, lunches and dinners in (involving grocery shopping, cooking, prepping the house), making our lists and checking them multiple times, buying gifts, sending gifts, writing letters, sending cards, traveling to others’ homes or hosting others in our homes, and so on. Add to that the difficulties that often […]
An Augustinian, a Franciscan, and a Jesuit all die and go to heaven. Jesus asks each one: “If you could go back, what would you change about your life?” The Augustinian pondered and then said, “There’s so much sin in the world. If I went back, I’d try and stop people from committing so much sin.” The Franciscan thought a bit before saying, “There’s so much poverty in the world. If I went back, I’d […]
I think we’ve all done it, though few of us would care to admit it. I’ll step out on a limb and admit it: I recently caught myself thinking about my dinner plans right at about the same time as our priest was holding up the Body of Christ during the consecration. I have been known to stop my prayer mid-sentence because my lips are moving, but my mind is in another place entirely. Sometimes […]
The rhythm of my prayer life is always interesting to watch: the ebb and flow of rich, fruitful prayer that at times transforms to periods of dryness; the ability to come easily to prayer and stillness that is then interrupted at times by periods when prayer feels hard. Over the years, I have learned to be gentle with myself about my prayer life, knowing that over time the rhythm will change as the Spirit moves […]
Something to think about | The spiritual life always concerns itself with the present. Retreatants are very inclined to worry about the future and be guilty about the past. It is important to set goals for the future and to implement ways to achieve those goals. It is also important to review the past, claim the history of grace and sin and more grace. But the Present Moment is the only real moment . . […]
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