Tag Archives: Catholicism
Real Presence
Eucharist Real Presence Tuesday, July 24, 2018 All my life as a Catholic, I have held the orthodox belief that the “Real Presence” of Christ is communicated in the bread and wine of the sacred meal (rather shockingly taught by Jesus in John 6:35-58). This is not a magical idea, but simply the mystery of… Continue Reading Real Presence
Marriage
Gender and Sexuality: Week 1 Marriage Thursday, April 19, 2018 What is marriage and what is its purpose? As a priest, who has tried to be faithful to my vow of celibacy, I may not be the most qualified to comment, but I feel a responsibility to clarify some of the confusion and misunderstanding that… Continue Reading Marriage
The Perennial Tradition
Interfaith Friendship The Perennial Tradition Sunday, December 3, 2017 [The] perennial philosophy . . . is the gold within the sectarian dross of every great religion. —Alan Watts [1] The “perennial philosophy” or “perennial tradition” is a term that has come in and out of popularity in Western and religious history, but has never been… Continue Reading The Perennial Tradition
Wolf in the Henhouse
Tradition Wolf in the Henhouse Wednesday, January 18, 2017 The word catholic comes from the Greek kata (meaning “through” or “throughout”) and holos (meaning “whole”). This word was originally used by Ignatius of Antioch as early as the year 100 to precisely include all Christians, and it is a shame that it later was used… Continue Reading Wolf in the Henhouse
Transcend and Include
Everything Belongs: Week 2 Transcend and Include Wednesday, December 7, 2016 David Benner, a friend and wise teacher, has been a part of several Christian traditions over the years, including fundamentalism, evangelicalism, and now contemplative Anglicanism. Of the spiritual journey he writes: Identifying and embracing your lineage is an important part of any pathway to… Continue Reading Transcend and Include
The Soul of All Things
Nature: Week 1 The Soul of All Things Friday, November 11, 2016 Apprehend God in all things, for God is in all things. Every single creature is full of God and is a book about God. Every creature is a word of God. If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature—even a caterpillar— I… Continue Reading The Soul of All Things
Bearing the Mystery of God
Incarnation: Week 1 Bearing the Mystery of God Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Jesus is the great synthesis for us, the icon of the whole mystery—all at once. “In his body lives the fullness of divinity, and in him you too find your own fulfillment” (Colossians 2:9-10). Despite this, Christianity has relegated the body to a… Continue Reading Bearing the Mystery of God
Red: The Impulsive Hero
Levels of Development: Week 2 Red: The Impulsive Hero Monday, December 14, 2015 The third level of development in Spiral Dynamics is the Red or Impulsive/Egocentric level. This is where the individual first realizes that he or she is distinct from the tribe and breaks free from group constraints. This level first emerged 10,000 years… Continue Reading Red: The Impulsive Hero
Beyond Words
Wisdom’s Way of Knowing Beyond Words Thursday, January 15, 2015 All words are metaphors approximating the hard-knock of reality itself. That doesn’t mean we throw words and ideas out. Quite the contrary! The best Jewish approach to scripture study was called midrash; they struggled with the text, unraveled it, looked at its various possible meanings,… Continue Reading Beyond Words
