Faith & Life Inspirational Message

I try to follow some of the daily lectionary readings.   This is a discipline for me, which I know is healthy if I can do it.   However, there are typical temptations that derail my intentionality to be disciplined.   In fact, I am amazed how easily tempted I am and how easy it is to succumb to these temptations and not do what I intended to do.   When this happens, I am disappointed in myself, but I don’t beat myself up.   I just try to do better the next time.   Today I succeeded.   I managed to do the Morning Prayer.   Morning Prayer is the best way to get my day started.   I find it focusing.   I know that a little reflective time at the outset of the day is good for my soul.   I like following this prayer because I know it always uses a couple of the Psalms.   I know how important the Psalms have been throughout history---for the Jewish community and the Christian community.   The Psalms play a central role in the ...

Recently I heard a homily (sermon) that provoked my thinking.   The speaker was talking about Americans’ obsession with shopping.   I relaxed, thinking that the sermon would not apply to me.   I hate shopping!   The thought of going to a mall, simply to walk around and “window shop” seems as insane to me as jumping off a tall ladder.   When I have to go shopping---and I mean, “have” to go---I know what I want.   I go directly to whatever it is, buy it and leave as expeditiously as possible.             But the speaker soon brought me into his web of indictment.   It was very clever, because I did not see the theme of the homily to be indictment.   I know he would shudder that I introduced a legal term, like indictment.   He is actually very non-judgmental.   And of course, indictment is a direct accusation meant to head directly to judgment.   So let me say, I was spiritually...

Of course, the title of this inspirational reflection is partly in jest.   But part of me is serious when I say, thankfully, the holiday is over.   Both aspects need some clarification and development.   It is clear that I offer a word play on the most recent holiday, namely, Thanksgiving.   Actually, I am quite good with Thanksgiving Day itself.   I appreciate that it is totally an American holiday.   When we grow up Americans, it may be difficult to revel in that fact.   Truly, it was when I was abroad one November that I realized all my family and friends “back home” were celebrating Thanksgiving and I was simply doing what routinely was to be done on Thursday in the country where I was living at the time.   I missed Thanksgiving.   I like the idea of Thanksgiving.   Certainly I and most of the people I know have been very fortunate.   We all have much for which we can be thankful.   I am ok with taking a day during my...

As Americans, we enter the Thanksgiving season.   Already people are wishing me a “happy Thanksgiving.”   I am delighted with that greeting.   And I would be delighted if someone next week wishes me a “happy Monday.”   But I guess Mondays are supposed to be normal…not so happy, not so awful.   I am not sure I do major holidays very well.   I am not against them.   They celebrate important events in national, religious, and often personal lives.   Thanksgiving is an American deal.   In Turkey it is just another weekday!   As an American, I welcome it.   And I hope it is happy.   I am confident one of the reasons I am not sure about major holidays is the trickiness of expectations.   For example, Thanksgiving is supposed to be “happy.”   Christmas is supposed to be “merry” and, of course, we return to the “happy” theme for New Years.   Clearly, for too many people there are too many lousy things going on to g...

If you stop to read titles before launching into the prose of these inspirational pieces, this current title must baffle the reader.   Other than beginning with the same letter of the alphabet, there seems to be little in common with these three words.   There is certainly nothing obvious to connect them.             A second thing these three words have in common that would not be evident is the inspiration for this reflection.   Most of the inspiration came from two students who are now my friends.   Faculty often complain about “grading.”   Some aspects of that are unappealing.   But anyone who grows up on a farm knows that that life has some unappealing aspects, too!   However, when I have a chance to read papers from students and to be privy to their experience, their creativity and their learning, I am usually made better for the process.         ...

Sometimes I wonder if people give up on religion because they cannot figure out how to do it day by day?   This seems probable to me because I am not sure most of us common people are quite sure how to define religion.   By saying that, I do not mean those of us who went to church or to synagogue are complete idiots when it comes to religion and what it means.      When you know something, it is always difficult to remember when you did not know anything.   Now that I have a Ph.D. in religion, it likely is impossible to remember accurately those Indiana farm days when I did not know beans about religion.   But let me guess nevertheless! I suspect that most Christians, at least, would define religion along the lines of doctrine.   For example, I would assume if you ask the person on the street to define religion, he or she would begin by saying something about believing in God.   Doctrine has to do with believing.   If one is a Chri...

Growing up as a Quaker lad in Indiana meant that I never heard of this Feast Day, as the Catholic Church calls a day when a saint is remembered and celebrated.   Of course, the saints are not worshipped, but they do serve as models of faith.   They are human, but they also were so open to God’s Spirit working in and through them that they became servants of that Spirit in the world.   The implication is you and I also can become instruments of the Spirit.             Mary, the mother of Jesus, was one such saint.   In fact, for many of my Catholic friends and non-Catholic friends, Mary would be unique among the saints.   Only she can claim to be the mother of Jesus.   In that sense she has been accorded special status within the Christian Church.   In fact, she even plays an important role within Islam.   Many of us who are not Catholics do not “get it.”   Rather than be dismissive o...