This post reflects on Jesus’ obedient thirst for God and our eternal wellbeing that led to his passion, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. This sequence of events spanning the evening of Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday is known as the Easter Triduum. May the Lord’s passion for God and us quicken us to obey our own thirst for God and righteousness. The Psalmist’s Thirst for God The psalmist reflects upon their passionate thirst for God: “As a deer pants for... Read more
Jesus’ Approach to Power Holy Week is Humble Week. We learn from Jesus’ approach to power that great leaders guard against tyranny and dignify our common humanity. May each of us follow suit and dye our imaginations in Jesus’ blood rather than Julius Caesar’s purple. Jesus’ Humble Journey On Palm Sunday, Jesus rides in triumph into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey rather than a great stallion or war horse (See Luke 19:28-44). On Maundy Thursday, he washes... Read more
This post reflects upon the importance of “excavating” the person in a throwaway culture. What Is Required in “Excavating” a Civilization’s Artifacts? I recently spoke on the subject of “Excavating the Person in a Throwaway Culture” at Bushnell University in Eugene, Oregon. One of the questions I asked is: What is required in “excavating” a civilization’s artifacts? Many things, including care, curiosity, and calm endurance or patience. How Much More Important Is It to Excavate Living Human Persons? If this... Read more
Inauguration Day: America’s Golden Age? President Trump claimed today that the “golden age of America begins right now.” No doubt, his supporters were ecstatic and celebrated his statement while other Americans were less enthusiastic, perhaps even greatly troubled. No matter who would have won the election, such claims on Inauguration Day would have received very mixed reactions in a deeply divided country. MLK’s Dream: Beyond Our Grasp Today also pays tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I don’t recall... Read more
This post focuses on the importance of embracing the full range of emotions, from misery and grief to comfort and joy. St. Augustine on Mental Pain St. Augustine writes about mental pain associated with the great evils of life such as wars, including those deemed just. He argues, “Let every one, then, who thinks with pain on all these great evils, so horrible, so ruthless, acknowledge that this is misery. And if any one either endures or thinks of them... Read more
Introduction This post focuses on the contagious power of hope and how it helps us press forward amid incredible challenges in life. The film Shawshank Redemption and the Book of Revelation highlight hope’s importance amid the threat of hopelessness and despair. Before beginning, it is worth noting that this is the seventh post in a series that reflects upon theological themes in dialogue with pop culture in the form of films. The others in order of appearance were: first, “The Book... Read more
This post reflects on the importance of being kind and accepting people whom many find strange, even messed up. Contrary to what we might think, kindness and care for the other are radical notions. They testify to the church’s realistic rather than cynical call to promote total acceptance. Radical Practices: Kindness and Total Acceptance It is vitally important for the church to reflect Christ’s heart and practice of being kind and accepting people many find strange, even messed up. Contrary... Read more
How Can We Free Our Minds? How can we free our minds when there is nothing we can do to liberate ourselves from the matrix of sin, death, and destruction? The realization of this perspective along with the accompanying perception that Jesus alone can free our minds, souls, and bodies is transformational to our well-being. In what follows, I will reflect upon this theme while also considering some of the themes in the film, The Matrix. This is the fifth... Read more
This blog post focuses on the porous relation of time and eternity. Such re-enchantment of everyday life helps me overcome an eternal now of melancholy. Rather than reliving traumatic experiences repeatedly, you and I can move forward and grow in resilient hope. Hamlet: Time Out of Joint Shakespeare’s Prince Hamlet said that “The time is out of joint” after the ghost of his father visited him. Shakespeare’s play Hamlet recounts how Hamlet’s father had been King of Denmark. The ghost informed... Read more
This post reflects on how we can move from enduring victimizing life circumstances to victorious living. On Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, I engage Rashi, Viktor Frankl, Charles Taylor, the resurrection stories of Jesus, and the account of Joseph with his brothers, to develop this claim. Jewish Suffering, Resilience, and Creativity The Jewish community has certainly endured incredible suffering and trauma throughout their history. Amid innumerable horrific ordeals, they have often demonstrated incredible resilience and creativity, and have... Read more
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