Today as we lit the first purple candle on the Advent wreath, I realized that for the first time in many years, I am ready to start “getting ready.” So often, Advent takes me by surprise, coming as it does so close to the Thanksgiving holiday. The Advent season is my favorite time of the … More Advent: Wondering in Stillness
In the October meeting of our contemplative photography class, we discussed the practice of crossing thresholds – one of the eight practices of a spiritual journey described by Christine Valters Paintner. (The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within, Sorin Books, 2015) When we embark on an intentional journey like a pilgrimage, … More Thresholds to New Worlds
Harvest festivals thanking God for favors received are common among all cultures and religions. Ritual feasts of thanksgiving to Yahweh were a vital part of the Israelite religion, which had two thanksgiving festival periods, one in the spring and one in the fall. The Catholic Church has never had a feast dedicated to thanksgiving – … More Remembering and Thanking
In the Spiritual Legacy group at my church, we are using Ronald Rolheiser’s book, Sacred Fire: A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity (Image, 2014) as a guide on our spiritual journeys. Rolheiser describes three stages of the journey: Essential discipleship: the struggle to get our lives together Mature discipleship: the struggle to … More Radical Discipleship
Photography and Writing as Spiritual Practices
Discovering the Divine in the Everyday
Photography and Writing as Spiritual Practices
