Lent is coming! When I was young, I was confident in what Lent was and what it meant. Now I’m older, it gets more mysterious and complex. This week marks the start of the forty-day (plus Sundays) period which is one of the two seasons in the liturgical year where the purple of penitence isContinue reading “Martha on Lent”
Category Archives: Christian Seasons
The Font and the Tiny Casket
Baptism of Our Lord Sunday January 13, 2013 Recently, in my role as a hospice chaplain, I baptized a beautiful little three-month old baby girl, as she was being held in the arms of her mother in their home. The baby was terminally ill, and few days later she went to heaven. When I baptizedContinue reading “The Font and the Tiny Casket”
Another Look: Church Year Spirituality
(From Nov. 2010 and updated) Tomorrow is the first Lord’s Day in the Church’s Liturgical Year. On Sunday, Christians who follow this calendar will begin a new year of living in the Gospel with the commencement of Advent. The diagram on the right gives an overview of the annual Church calendar. Advent is the seasonContinue reading “Another Look: Church Year Spirituality”
iMonk Holiday Gift Guide
I will be taking the rest of November off from writing, well, at least for Internet Monk. (I have a project to write for school, but that’s another matter.) At any rate, because I won’t have a chance to do this for another thirty days or so, and because some of the things on theContinue reading “iMonk Holiday Gift Guide”
Blessing the Animals
Note from CM: Last Sunday, I pulled into the parking lot at the church I was attending and noted that they were having an outdoor service. Getting out of my car, I saw folks walking their dogs and carrying other pets toward the chairs. “Ah,” I thought as I smiled, “they’re blessing the animals thisContinue reading “Blessing the Animals”
Luther on Holy Days
I am reading lots o’ Luther these days for my seminary class, so I will probably inflict a fair amount of it on you, our dear Internet Monk readers. Today, I am reflecting on one of Luther’s later works, On the Councils and the Church, in which the Reformer writes about the role of churchContinue reading “Luther on Holy Days”
Back to School “Time”?
One of my friends, a school administrator, says it’s an adult decision, and that there is no empirical evidence that it actually helps students. What’s that? Going back to school earlier and getting on a “balanced” schedule (some call it “year-round” school). That’s what the school systems are going to where I live. It meansContinue reading “Back to School “Time”?”
Before We Can Become Gods We Must Be Men
Monday Merton Musings, December 5, 2011 Before We Can Become Gods We Must Be Men Thomas Merton contended that human beings have lost a great deal in modern, technological society. What we have gained in efficiency and productivity has, in many ways, sucked the humanity and spirituality from our inner beings. In this meditation fromContinue reading “Before We Can Become Gods We Must Be Men”
Resources for the Season
This afternoon I thought I would pass along some links that might be of help to you or to someone you care about during this Advent and Christmas season. I am not going to suggest every possible resource out there, just a few good quality sites. Some provide daily readings, prayers, and other personal devotionalContinue reading “Resources for the Season”
Why Some Don’t Observe the Christian Year
As regular readers of Internet Monk know, I am an enthusiastic proponent of following the Christian Year as a way of keeping our churches Jesus and Gospel-centered and as a salutary program for enabling individual Christians and congregations to become spiritually formed by the story of Christ. I am fully aware not everyone agrees. SoContinue reading “Why Some Don’t Observe the Christian Year”
The Internet Monk Archives 