Tag Archives: Suffering
The Performance Principle
Growing in Christ: Week 1 The Performance Principle Friday, March 22, 2019 Religion in the second half of life is finally not a moral matter; it’s a mystical matter. While most of us begin focused on moral proficiency and perfection, we can’t spend our whole lives this way. Paul calls the first-half-of-life approach “the Law”;… Continue Reading The Performance Principle
Holy Blood
This Is My Body Holy Blood Tuesday, March 5, 2019 As if eating his body weren’t enough, Jesus pushes us in even further and scarier directions by adding the symbolism of intoxicating wine as he lifts the cup and speaks over all of suffering humanity, “This is my blood.” Jesus then dares to say, “Drink… Continue Reading Holy Blood
Coincidence of Opposites
Jesus and the Cross Coincidence of Opposites Thursday, February 7, 2019 The Divine Mind transforms all human suffering by identifying completely with the human predicament and standing in full solidarity with it from beginning to end. This is the real meaning of the crucifixion. The cross is not just a singular event. It’s a statement… Continue Reading Coincidence of Opposites
Take Up Your Cross
Following Jesus Take Up Your Cross Friday, January 25, 2019 Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” —Matthew 16:24 What does it mean to follow Jesus? I believe that we are invited to gaze upon the image of the crucified… Continue Reading Take Up Your Cross
Searching for Love
Love: Week 1 Searching for Love Friday, November 2, 2018 All Souls’ Day John of the Cross (1542-1591) is one of many Christian mystics who writes about being loved by God in an intimate way. My friend and fellow CAC faculty member James Finley reflects on John’s Dark Night of the Soul as a journey… Continue Reading Searching for Love
Suffering: Week 2 Summary
Suffering: Week 2 Summary: Sunday, October 21-Friday, October 26, 2018 The genius of Jesus’ ministry is that he reveals that God uses tragedy, suffering, pain, betrayal, and death itself (all of which are normally inevitable), not to punish us but, in fact, to bring us to God and to our True Self, which are frequently… Continue Reading Suffering: Week 2 Summary
Wounded Healers
Suffering: Week 2 Wounded Healers Friday, October 26, 2018 Only people who have suffered in some way can usually save anybody else—exactly as the Twelve-Step program illustrates. They alone have the space and the capacity for the other. Deep communion and compassion are formed much more by shared pain than by shared pleasure. Jesus told… Continue Reading Wounded Healers
Freedom from Fear
Suffering: Week 2 Freedom from Fear Thursday, October 25, 2018 Man suffers most through his fears of suffering. —Etty Hillesum [1] Over the next couple days, James Finley shares insights on suffering drawn from Jesus’ example and teaching. I would like to reflect on the role of Jesus as the one whose very presence is… Continue Reading Freedom from Fear
Invincible Preciousness
Suffering: Week 2 Invincible Preciousness Wednesday, October 24, 2018 My colleague James Finley is someone who incarnates the truth that the suffering we carry is our solidarity with the one, universal longing of all humanity, and thus it can teach us great compassion and patience with both ourselves and others. Here he shares the intimate… Continue Reading Invincible Preciousness
Traumatization of Spirituality
Suffering: Week 2 Traumatization of Spirituality Tuesday, October 23, 2018 James Finley, one of my fellow faculty members at the Center for Action and Contemplation, is a clinical psychologist. He speaks expertly—from a professional, personal, and mystical perspective—on suffering and healing. Here Jim explains how Spanish mystic John of the Cross (1542–1591) allowed trauma to… Continue Reading Traumatization of Spirituality
