Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Liturgical Season of Lent; this is a time that the Catholic Church and most mainline Protestant Churches commemorate as a time of repentance and spiritual reflection leading up to the joyous season of Easter. In my Lenten Devotional this year, “Pauses for Lent,” I have…… Continue reading Lent and Loving
Category: Life and Living
Ash Wednesday & (Cosmic) Dust
It was a very fortuitous circumstance that today, Ash Wednesday, my feminist theologies class was finishing up Ask the Beasts, by Elizabeth Johnson. This is a lyrical, prophetic text, in which Johnson makes a compelling argument that care for creation belongs at the heart of Christian faith, and that God Herself is deeply present in…… Continue reading Ash Wednesday & (Cosmic) Dust
Dig into Black History Month
You probably know that February is Black History Month; have you ever thought about why we do that—you know, declare a month to be about something? The reality is, of course, that every month should be Black History Month—if that means learning something about and caring about black history. But, the fact is that in…… Continue reading Dig into Black History Month
Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. and his Calling
Today in the United States we are honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., commemorating his extraordinary life and way he changed US society for the better. We have by no means realized the “dream” for which King is so famous, nor have we realized the beautiful community he envisioned, but because of the lingering power of…… Continue reading Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. and his Calling
Waiting in the Darkness
For many of us, darkness is little more than a foil for the light; something to be feared, something to be endured, something to be avoided at all costs. And I get that. Bad news that seems manageable at 2 PM feels catastrophic at 2 AM. A health scare that seems under control at…… Continue reading Waiting in the Darkness
Buddhism & Christianity on Sexual Violence
At the Society for Buddhist Christian Studies meeting last week at the American Academy of Religion Conference, we had two fabulous panels that I am still thinking about days later. In this post, I want to reflect on the first one, which was titled “Buddhist and Christian Resources for Addressing Sexual Violence.” We had six…… Continue reading Buddhism & Christianity on Sexual Violence
Becoming a Time Philanthropist
I’m not a big time-management kind of person. I don’t do a lot of reading about it, and it’s not something I stress about too much. The fact is, I’m at high J [Myers Briggs], and for all my flaws, mismanaging time is not one of them. However, I do follow a blog that is…… Continue reading Becoming a Time Philanthropist
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Monday was a holiday–of sorts. When I was young, it was unambiguously Columbus Day: we celebrated the day Columbus “discovered” America and most of us had off from school. Now, in many places–though not everywhere–the day is commemorated as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” but somewhat uneasily, I think, depending on where you live. I asked…… Continue reading Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Reflections from Yom Kippur
Today is the conclusion of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, a day Jews take stock of their lives, give an accounting of the year, reevaluate priorities and actions, and confront their failings, assured of God’s forgiveness. In the Machzor for Yom Kippur (the service…… Continue reading Reflections from Yom Kippur
Home
Yesterday there were a bunch of events going on in the morning at the college, in conjunction with the inauguration of Gettysburg College’s new president, Bob Iuliano. One of the sessions I attended was on immigration, and one of the presenters read this poem. I thought it was incredibly powerful, and I think more people…… Continue reading Home
