Tag: Spiritual Formation

O Blessed Boredom: Isolation and the dethronement of idols

July 15, 2020

This article first appeared at http://www.medium.com/ministrymatters It’s been over two months of lock downs, isolation, physical distancing, and mask-wearing.  Depending on where you live, you may be facing this for the foreseeable future.  For myself, I have long moved past my initial bouts of irritation.  Being unable to run down to the local mall and … More O Blessed Boredom: Isolation and the dethronement of idols

A Rule of Life: A Happy-Plan for Christian Living

May 22, 2020

In December of 2019, the Seattle Times noted that sales of daily planners and organizers rose to a whopping revenue of $386 million.  And this was just for the planners themselves – the books of blank pages and organizational spaces.  Sales of planner accessories is a whole other matter.  The stickers, the insets, the bookmarks … More A Rule of Life: A Happy-Plan for Christian Living

Away and Towards: Cultivating Solitude in a time of Isolation

April 18, 2020

The Desert Fathers and Mothers have been a continuous wealth of spiritual knowledge and insight, their teachings passed down in various volumes and compendiums.  One lesson has been particularly popularized.  As the story goes; a monastic brother went to Abba Moses and asked for a word of advice regarding the cultivation of a robust spiritual … More Away and Towards: Cultivating Solitude in a time of Isolation

Lamentations: Recovering a forgotten discipline.

April 3, 2020

This article first appeared as an article for The Anglican Church of Canada at https://medium.com/ministrymatters/discovering-lament-why-crying-out-to-god-may-be-good-for-our-souls-23cf60ccfe3a. While out for a walk with my family the other day, we came across another family, also out for a stroll. Mom and Dad were following their two small daughters, each on bright pink bikes with streamers. As we approached … More Lamentations: Recovering a forgotten discipline.

Is Lent really just about treats?

February 15, 2018

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, heralding the beginning of Lent.  Typically, this liturgical season involves adopting a devotional activity to mark one’s observance.  Often, this involves some type of fasting.  We ‘give-up’ something for the 40 days of Lent.  What are we to give up?  Well, that’s the question.  Too easily does Lent become a time … More Is Lent really just about treats?

Lectio and Liturgy

September 20, 2017

I just finished my last essay for my doctoral course called ‘Engaging Scriptures.’  This course was a look at the practice of Scripture contemplation as a means of Spiritual transformation.  Being someone that highly values the practice of lectio divina, this was a course I very much enjoyed.  Did you know that you can understand … More Lectio and Liturgy