Religion. Depending on a person’s background, age, or beliefs, this word can conjure up a wide variety of responses. It seems like lately, though, the word has become very unpopular. Various polls (I won’t include them here, but email me if you want my sources) I’ve recently read show that Americans (especially young people) increasingly […]
Sorrow
“When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”” (Luke 22:45-46) In the weeks before Lent the Orthodox Church prescribes reading through the passion gospels that we will hear at […]
Auto-Correct!
A few weeks ago I reflected on a impulsive Facebook blast I was guilty of surrounding the rant by Seattle Seahawks DB (and now Super Bowl Champion) Richard Sherman. The morning after the rant I realized my need to keep any ‘teaching moments’ in the appropriate space between father and son (or daughter). Well, something […]
Valentine, Patrick, and Nicholas
(I wrote this post after reading an excellent question on Facebook from a dear brother in Christ concerning the celebration of of ‘holidays’ like St. Patrick’s Day, St. Valentine’s Day, and even Christmas and Easter. It was especially focused on the question of why ‘non-catholics’ would celebrate essentially ‘catholic’ holidays. He asked for thoughts and […]
Jesus Said What?!
Sometimes the Bible just doesn’t make sense. If you’ve really spent time trying to read it, opening yourself up to the message, even trying to allow it to shape and inform you, you’ve probably experienced the paradox: At once you can be utterly comforted by a word of Scripture (a greater comfort than one can […]
Pray For Me
Pray for me. This is something people of faith often say. We ask others to pray for us when we face uncertainty in life: “Pray for me I have a job interview today”, “Pray for me, I’m starting a new class”, “Pray for me, I’m going to have a difficult conversation with someone today”. We […]
Guns and Religion
Originally posted on Saved Together:
(Originally posted on January 17, 2013) My heart is grieved. My heart has been heavy over the past weeks and months as I have seen the debate develop surrounding guns and violence in our nation in the wake of the horrific shootings in Newtown, CT. I am not going to…
What Richard Sherman Taught Me
“A great win ruined by one player’s garbage. Come on, man” I hastily wrote this Facebook Post last Sunday, within minutes of the now famous post game rant from Seattle Seahawks CB Richard Sherman. My son and I watched the game. We didn’t have strong rooting interests, but, we decided based on their cool uniforms, […]
Castles Burning
This is an essay about the first time I heard Neil Young’s “Live at Massey Hall”. It was on the back patio of my older brother’s house the summer after my first year of seminary. But before I talk about that, I want to fast forward a year later, same place, same brother. The night […]
Home
(Originally published in the Journal Review, December 2013 Home. Among the themes inseparable from the Christmas Season is the idea of “home”. Whether it’s the cozy images of families gathered together on snowy nights around a fire or the longing lyrics of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” the Holiday Season is a time focused on […]
Saved Together 