Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Epiphany IV: God, everywhere present, filling all things

Epiphany IV God, everywhere present, filling all things Today, words from Fr. Stephen Freeman on the “one-storey universe.” That is, he is talking, from an Orthodox perspective, about the sacramental nature of reality. As the Apostle Paul said in Athens: The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord ofContinue reading “Epiphany IV: God, everywhere present, filling all things”

Saturday Ramblings: January 30, 2016 – Hawkeye Edition

It’s the final weekend in January 2016 already! Here in central Indiana, it looks nothing like our Rambler portrait today. Most are cheering that the weather will be in the 50’s this weekend. I can finally go outside and take my hoses off the spigots and see how much damage the occasional sub-freezing temps haveContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings: January 30, 2016 – Hawkeye Edition”

Adam McHugh: A resolution to listen to the seasons

A resolution to listen to the seasons Adapted from The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction, by Adam McHugh • • • In Southern California seasons are largely a state of mind. Annual weather patterns here follow the retail calendar: we have summer, and we have Christmas. If you close your eyesContinue reading “Adam McHugh: A resolution to listen to the seasons”

IM Book Review: The Listening Life

The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction By Adam S. McHugh IVP Books (2015) • • • Listen carefully, my child…and incline the ear of your heart. • Opening words of the Rule of Benedict The question that drives this book is, how would our relationships change, and how would we change, ifContinue reading “IM Book Review: The Listening Life”

Another Look: A banal suggestion as to why we might be “losing our religion”

“Its a typical situation in these typical times — Too many choices…” • Dave Matthews “In a world of choice, obligatory religions are not faring well.” • Diana Butler Bass Christianity After Religion * * * Diana Butler Bass once asked an executive of a coffee company how many choices were possible in one of his stores.Continue reading “Another Look: A banal suggestion as to why we might be “losing our religion””

Damaris Zehner: Our Addiction

Our Addiction By Damaris Zehner I once asked a recovering alcoholic why he had begun to drink to excess.  “It dulled the edges of things,” he said;  “anxiety about whether I was going to succeed at something or live up to my potential (I hated that phrase), depression about what I saw as failure –Continue reading “Damaris Zehner: Our Addiction”

Mondays with Michael Spencer: January 25, 2016

This is part two in a series of iMonk posts that Michael wrote back in 2006. We have edited them and present them each Monday. Michael’s subject was “the sermon,” and the series was called “What’s Wrong with the Sermon?” Here is Michael’s explanation of the approach he took: In this series of posts I will be examining theContinue reading “Mondays with Michael Spencer: January 25, 2016”

Epiphany III: I wonder…

Epiphany III I wonder… Luke 4:14-20 (NRSV) 14Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to theContinue reading “Epiphany III: I wonder…”

Saturday Ramblings: January 23, 2016

Hey, iMonks on the east coast, how you doin’ out there, under the wrath of Snowzilla? Hope you’re not thinking of doing any rambling today, at least on the roads. Looks like it might be awhile before you could dig that Rambler out. Why not sit back with a big mug of coffee and joinContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings: January 23, 2016”