Years ago, I was a week in a retreat house run by a men’s monastic community. Every evening after Compline had been chanted, the Abbot would offer a blessing that ended with wishing everyone a peaceful night and a happy death. At the time, I thought that a bit morbid to hear every evening. I…
Tag: Love
All Saints and All Souls, 2024
Coming up at the end of this week are two of my favourite liturgical feasts—those of All Saints and All Souls. I simply love how they afford a particular opportunity to collectively call to mind loved ones that have gone before and also to envision the communion of saints who accompany us. All Saints-All Souls…
Both Subtle and Flamboyant
Someone asked me once whether I searched for concrete knowledge of God. My response was that I preferred the experience of Mystery. Enticing, both subtle and flamboyant—in tolerable proportion, and always just that far away…until becoming part of its fullness. And, somehow, I don’t think we need to die to become enfolded in its expanse—we…
Falling fearless
In Cynthia Bourgeault’s book, Wisdom Way of Knowing, she recounts a last conversation with a dying friend. He asks her, ‘Are you fearless yet?’ and adds ‘Fall fearless in love.’ In theory, I read the rest of the chapters that I was supposed to read for a conversation on a Zoom meeting. In truth, I…
Wednesday Peace
Ms. Tippett: In 2006, I sat across from [Elie Wiesel] in a hotel room that my producers had turned into a makeshift studio and I asked him to tell me what happened after he lost his faith forever, as he wrote, at Auschwitz. He answered: “What happened afterwards is in the book. I went on praying.” Ms….
Frying Pans, Spirals, and These Wintry Days
I have occasionally referred to a communication style I call ‘the compassionate frying pan.’ Direct, possibly jarring, but with heart. I have sometimes employed it, especially when teaching, and other times I have been the recipient of it… when the message that is needed isn’t coming through any other way. I’ve received it from well-intentioned friends, mentors,…
And Love your Neighbour as Yourself
A homily from this morning… When I work with people on writing…when I listen to people speaking… I am often thinking about coat hangers… the framework for the ideas or the story being presented. Can I tell what it is? Is there a foundation or a discernible structure…or, have the sentences all fallen to a…
The Assignment
The assignment was to fall in love. The details were up to you. -Louise Glück- This was a recent contribution to the near daily morning message exchange with a friend. Our on-line conversation began during the Pandemic and we have kept it up…sometimes a photo, sometimes a song, often a snippet of a work or…
Classic and Rock And Love
While it’s not a revelation to say it, the acknowledgement seems practically unavoidable…There is much suffering in this world, at this moment. On the one hand, ’twas ever thus; and yet, and still…somehow it seems that I have a greater awareness of it right now–as though this truth is riding the hands of time rather…
In These Times
I messaged a friend last night, asking how she was doing. Seeing that it was me, she answered with the honest assessment of, “Well, &hit’s getting real…” Pretty much sums it up, I’d say. After a good bout of texting, I FaceTimed with her. We covered what was happening where she was regarding Covid-19 and…
Consider the Lilies 