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How often do we consider the children? There was once a well-known theologian by the name of Karl Barth. On one occasion he gave a series of lectures at a prestigious gathering. During the question-and-answer session following his remarks, someone asked him how, after so many years of study, would he summarize the most important…

Kyrie Eleison, Lord Have Mercy It strikes me that the phrase from the Lord’s Prayer, “…and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…” could just as easily have been written, “and have mercy on us as we have mercy on others.” Certainly, mercy was a major theme in Jesus’ teachings,…

So, what is God up to? Seashells line the beach in meandering five-foot threads that stretch hundreds of yards ahead: shells of every size, geometry, and colorful hue. Pristine, unbroken specimens intermixed with crushed remnants of what had been. All were waiting for the morning waves to lap over them in nature’s caressing but never-ending…

Holiday seasons are times of great joy. They are also often times of peak grieving as we are shaken by memories of those who have gone on ahead of us. We notice the empty chair at the table. We miss the laughter and caring that the one we love provided. We are thankful for what…

Seen together, faith, politics, and family are like circles that resonate with harmony in a “sweet spot” of healthy relationships. It is said that the strength of our relationship with people of a common faith should be greater than that of our relationship with people of common politics. And both should be tempered with a…

Self-honesty is important. In his book, Better Decisions – Fewer Regrets, Andy Stanley offers five questions to ask ourselves when we encounter a situation that doesn’t quite feel right. The first of these has to do with self-honesty, i.e. “Am I being honest with myself, really?” Stanley emphasizes that “The easiest person to deceive is…

(I share this Reflection, Brilliant Autumn Leaves, each year in the early autumn, about the time the leaves in the northern hemisphere begin to change color.  So, here it is!) A few years ago, my wife and I enjoyed a ten-day trip to New England, where we were able to experience the brilliance of a…

Most good decisions that I have learned occur when I am feeling good and unstressed. Conversely, when I am not physically or emotionally steady, it is so very easy to “go off the deep end” and make awful choices, choices that I will surely regret in hindsight. Have you ever experienced that? The same thing…

This week’s Reflection, Dirty Laundry, is a simple illustration of how we often see life through our personal “lens.” If the lens is clean, we will see clearly. If the lens is clouded by sin, we will see less clearly. This thought reminds me of Jesus and those he chastised for having a log stuck…

Decision-making is one of the more difficult things we do in life. I have recently become aware of a book by Andy Stanley that addresses one’s personal decision-making and its impact on one’s own life and the lives of others. It is titled Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets. My sense is that the wisdom contained in…