Tag Archives: identity
The Task within the Task
Growing in Christ: Week 1 The Task within the Task Sunday, March 17, 2019 Religion and various models of human development seem to suggest there are two major tasks for each human life. The first task is to build a strong “container” or identity; the second is to find the contents that the container was… Continue Reading The Task within the Task
Bodily Knowing
This Is My Body Bodily Knowing Wednesday, March 6, 2019 Ash Wednesday Mutual desiring and indwelling is the intended impact of the Eucharist. We know that Jesus often referred to himself as the “bridegroom” (John 3:29; Matthew 9:15), and one of his first recorded acts of ministry was partying at a wedding feast (John 2:1-11),… Continue Reading Bodily Knowing
The Journey of Conversion
Christ in Paul’s Eyes The Journey of Conversion Sunday, February 24, 2019 Surely the biblical writer who most helps us discover the Christ Mystery is the Apostle Paul. Letters by Paul or influenced by him form one third of the New Testament. Paul is a foundational teacher for what became Christianity. [1] Yet he hardly… Continue Reading The Journey of Conversion
Our Holiness Is God’s Holiness
Love: Week 2 Our Holiness Is God’s Holiness Sunday, November 4, 2018 Self-hatred is also the hatred of God, because God and ourselves are united. —Thomas Keating [1] There is only one thing you must definitely answer for yourself: “Who am I?” Or, restated, “Where do I abide?” If you can get that right, the… Continue Reading Our Holiness Is God’s Holiness
The Most Essential Thing
Love: Week 1 The Most Essential Thing Sunday, October 28, 2018 The most powerful, most needed, and most essential teaching is always Love. Love is our foundation and our destiny. It is where we come from and where we’re headed. As St. Paul famously says, “So faith, hope, and love remain, but the greatest of… Continue Reading The Most Essential Thing
Primordial Light
Islam Primordial Light Wednesday, September 26, 2018 What is this precious love and laughter Budding in our hearts? It is the glorious sound Of a soul waking up! —Hafiz (c. 1320–1389) [1] Sufism is the mystical arm of Islam. Mainline Islam, like most organized religions, largely emphasizes practical expressions and behaviors, whereas Sufism developed and… Continue Reading Primordial Light
Theosis
Eastern Christianity Theosis Wednesday, September 12, 2018 The Orthodox teaching of divinization, or theosis, according to Pope John Paul II, is perhaps the greatest gift of the Eastern Church to the West, but one that has largely been ignored or even denied. [1] The Eastern fathers of the Church believed that we could experience real and transformative… Continue Reading Theosis
Unitive Consciousness
Taoism and Buddhism Unitive Consciousness Wednesday, August 22, 2018 Paul Knitter, a theologian and colleague of mine from my days in Cincinnati, wrote an insightful book called Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian. In it, he explains that Buddhism teaches “practices that will help Christians draw on the mystical contents of our faith. Buddhism can… Continue Reading Unitive Consciousness
