This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of guest preaching and serving at my previous church post: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. If you’d like to watch that sermon to find out what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, then you can watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BC44LAVZt/. The sermon begins at about the 21-minute mark. As usual, Read More …
Mindfulness. That’s a great word, isn’t it? I was recently giving a presentation on Mindfulness to the Catechumenate program at the University of the South. After a brief introduction, we broke up into small groups, and each group went through the basic method that I’ve written about here and in my book, Just Begin. In Read More …
Before we dig into my definition of mystical theology, I think it is important first to define the term mystical. While definitions abound with regard to this adjective, my primary reference point is the succinct description provided by Bernard McGinn: Thus we can say that the mystical element in Christianity is that part of its Read More …
The spiritual path is not meant to be walked alone. The practice of spiritual direction has been developed over the millennia in light of this truth. Spiritual direction (also known as spiritual friendship, mentorship, discipleship, accountability, etc.) can take many forms, but it is necessary for anyone who is serious about a fully spiritual — Read More …
There are times in centering prayer when I sense, whether in reality or only in the eye of my imagination, that the distinct separateness of all things is breached, and I am one with all things, radiating out from where I physically sit. This feeling does not destroy the uniqueness of anything, even myself; rather, Read More …
I should begin by way of disclaimer to note that Thomas Merton is my favorite author and New Seeds of Contemplation is my favorite book by him. So, I’m not likely to be impartial at all in this review. Merton was a monk with the soul of a poet (well, he was a poet before Read More …
