Cave of emptiness
I spend at least 30 minutes a day in silent prayer and meditation, but sometimes this isn’t enough. A few times a year I need a fuller and deeper experience of silence. I need solitude. Paul Tillich says, “Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone, and solitude expresses the glory of being alone.” Being forced…
Speculating about berry-filled trees
A few years ago I was trekking through a desolate, snow-filled forest, enjoying the spacious tranquility of a crisp winter hike, when I came upon a tree buzzing with activity and life. There were well over a hundred little birds gathered in and around a relatively small tree less than 10 metres ahead of me.…
Losing freedom?
I’m writing this on Jan. 18 and I’m wondering how tone deaf my article will seem by the time you read it. I have no idea what the world will be like in a few days, let alone a few weeks. Who knows what catastrophic event or pivotal moment in history will have occurred between…
The joy connection
In 2013 I went on a pilgrimage to Scotland to explore my family roots and the “thin places” and sacred sites in the land of my ancestors. I arrived at the Glasgow airport shortly after 8 a.m. After landing, I immediately picked up my rental car and headed to my first destination. I hadn’t been…
Judgment versus discernment
What does Jesus mean when he says “Do not judge”? How do we respond to injustice, oppression, racism, sexism and prejudice without judgment? I’ve contemplated this for years, and here is where I’ve landed, for now at least. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Do not judge,” but a few verses later he…
Finding the ‘growth edge’ in our lives
My focus on growth may seem strange during this difficult season we’re in, but I believe that the best way to get through this pandemic is by growing. My understanding of growth is simple. It’s the process of becoming who someone (or something) was created and designed to be. There are many ways for us…
Grinding gears
This summer, our neighbours had a total of four trees taken down that bordered either side of our property. I really miss those big, beautiful trees. One tree was at least 50 years old, the other three were probably closer to 100, but it took only a few hours to reduce them to small piles…
Antifragile church
The past few months have awakened us to our fragility as individuals, communities and nation states. We’ve observed the fragility of our health-care system, food-supply chain, economies, global trade, international relations, institutional accountability. It seems that everything in our world is fragile, including ourselves. We’re also becoming acutely aware of the fragility of the Canadian…
Rushi’s radiant smile
I was 7 when Rushi (a pseudonym) and his family moved into our neighbourhood. They were the first people of colour to move into the community, and nobody rolled out the welcome mat for them. As children, we picked up on the air of suspicion and hostility towards these “foreigners” and we acted accordingly. One…
Embrace the paradox
In 1993, my friend Myron Penner introduced me to Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. I haven’t been the same since. Kierkegaard enlightened me to the power of paradox. At that time I was ready to walk away from Christianity. It had been a long time coming. Then Kierkegaard breathed life into the dry bones of my…
