I am not a professional theologian. Never have been, never will be. I am a Christian who practices my faith in the Lutheran tradition. I am a minister of the gospel and, by specific vocation, a chaplain who serves the dying and their families. I have also served as a parish minister, a setting inContinue reading “A time for theology”
Category Archives: Comforting the Brokenhearted
Some friends I’d like you to meet
Last week I attended the death of a man who had been a police officer and then an investigator for a major corporation. Sometimes he was asked by the company’s HR department to deal with employees who were being dismissed. He would go to that person’s desk or office, watch as they cleaned it out, and thenContinue reading “Some friends I’d like you to meet”
“Touch Me, Lord Jesus”
Yesterday, I was with a black family in the city after their loved one passed. The spouse wasn’t home at the time, and the other family members didn’t want to let him know until he arrived, for fear it would affect his driving on the way. When he did get home, he was shaken andContinue reading ““Touch Me, Lord Jesus””
Forgiveness: Should it be the first word?
Historically, black churches have nurtured the politics of forgiveness so that black people can anticipate divine justice and liberation in the next life. This sentiment shaped non-violent protest during the civil rights movement. A belief that displays of morality rooted in forgiveness would force white America to leave behind its racist assumptions. But Christian orContinue reading “Forgiveness: Should it be the first word?”
Mark
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? • James 2:5, NRSV • • • We stood and sat on a quiet green spot at the cemetery under sunny blueContinue reading “Mark”
Adam McHugh: When Someone is in a Storm
Nothing shuts down a person in pain like quoting the Bible at them. As I write that, I can hear the sirens of the Heresy Police surrounding my building. Yes, the Bible contains the words of life, the promises of God-with-us that have comforted saints and resurrected sinners. But the Bible can also be theContinue reading “Adam McHugh: When Someone is in a Storm”
Death Letter, part one
Sometime, somewhere in Iraq, I died. . . . For my brothers and sisters I will record the events that led to my death and the death of the God who was on our side in love and war. • David W. Peters • • • As a hospice chaplain, my work is done mostly inContinue reading “Death Letter, part one”
The Art of Comforting Presence
Who would have thought that a conservative political columnist would write an article that a hospice chaplain would find perfect for sharing about what it means to do my work and what it means for anyone to accompany sufferers in their journeys of pain and loss? But that’s what David Brooks did in his wise,Continue reading “The Art of Comforting Presence”
Bess
Bess was “really something.” I heard that a number of times over the course of my visit. Her family loved her, but fully acknowledged that she was her own woman, independent to a fault. She knew what she wanted and usually got it without a lot of fuss or bother. Bess was “really something” andContinue reading “Bess”
Breakfast
He sits across the table from me as we enjoy our biscuits and gravy. A good ol’ boy, a true Hoosier. He had been a pretty good baseball player when he first met her. But he was rough around the edges and she thought him uncouth. He didn’t know how to eat properly, she said.Continue reading “Breakfast”
The Internet Monk Archives 