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Tag Archives: privilege

Everything Is a Gift

Only the experience of divine mercy breaks down our meritocracies and entitlement. Continue Reading Everything Is a Gift

Letting Go of Power

Good and Bad Power Letting Go of Power Thursday, August 12, 2021 In her book The Wisdom Jesus, Cynthia Bourgeault describes how Jesus modeled the path of kenosis. Taken from the Greek word in Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2:5–9­), it means to “let go” or “to empty oneself.” In Jesus, this self-emptying pattern revealed… Continue Reading Letting Go of Power

Dominating Power

Good and Bad Power Dominating Power Tuesday, August 10, 2021 Contemplative teacher Beatrice Bruteau (1930‒2014) understood domination, what I’ve referred to as “power over” others, as the cause of much of the world’s suffering. Jesus by contrast models a loving, self-giving alternative to domination power. Here is Bruteau’s description of domination: The theme that I… Continue Reading Dominating Power

The Second Conversion

Solidarity The Second Conversion Tuesday, May 26, 2020 If the first conversion to solidarity is to befriend or experience compassion for the poor, the Second Conversion to solidarity is anger at the unjust situation that caused their poverty. Many people never reach this stage of anger at injustice, especially in the United States. Our cultural… Continue Reading The Second Conversion

The Five Conversions

Solidarity The Five Conversions Monday, May 25, 2020 If one of the primary markers of a Christian life is solidarity as modeled by Jesus, I am afraid that most of us still have a long way to go. It’s one of the reasons I say that Christianity is still in its infancy. We are just… Continue Reading The Five Conversions

To Know Thee More Clearly

Ways of Knowing To Know Thee More Clearly
 Sunday, February 9, 2020  O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
 May I know Thee more clearly,
 Love Thee more dearly,
 And follow Thee more nearly. 
 —St. Richard, Bishop of Chichester (1197–1253) [1] Ways of knowing are inseparable from human existence. As Paula D’Arcy says, “God comes to us disguised as our lives.” While Christians emphasize Tradition and/or Scripture as sources of… Continue Reading To Know Thee More Clearly

A Strange New World

Ways of Knowing A Strange New World Tuesday, October 15, 2019 I grew up relatively sheltered in my Kansas home and in Catholic schools. However, over the years, life has provided me with countless opportunities to meet people whose different experiences and understandings have opened unseen doors and enriched my knowing. Moving out of our… Continue Reading A Strange New World

Protecting and Also Bridging Differences

Justice: Week 1 Protecting and Also Bridging Differences Monday, June 11, 2018 As we saw earlier this year, humans need concrete and particular experiences to learn the ways of love. [1] We don’t learn to love through abstract philosophy or theology. That’s why Jesus came to show God in human form, revealing a face we… Continue Reading Protecting and Also Bridging Differences

Blinded by Privilege

Bias from the Bottom: Week 2 Blinded by Privilege Sunday, March 27, 2016 You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. —Harper Lee (1926-2016), To Kill a Mockingbird Once in a place of power, after the 4th… Continue Reading Blinded by Privilege

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