A man named Andrew contributed a short story on theopenend.com about hypochondria. In it, he wrote: Today I have lymphoma. Yesterday was bowel cancer. I curiously palpate my underarms, searching for that slippery lump, stealthily hiding from my grasp. I check again, and again. I then move up to my neck, again massaging for lumps. My temperatureContinue reading “Another Look: Examine Yourself?”
Category Archives: Spiritual Formation
Rejoicing in the Lord is your strength
The other day, as I was working on one of my books, a book for caregivers, I decided to do a chapter on how maintaining a spirit of joy can strengthen us in the midst of difficult circumstances. My text, of course, was Nehemiah 8:10, which ends with the familiar biblical meme, “The joy ofContinue reading “Rejoicing in the Lord is your strength”
Eugene Peterson on Jesus-Shaped Spirituality
The Christian community is interested in spirituality because it is interested in living. We give careful attention to spirituality because we know, from long experience, how easy it is to get interested in ideas of God and projects for God and gradually lose interest in God alive, deadening our lives with ideas and the projects.Continue reading “Eugene Peterson on Jesus-Shaped Spirituality”
Another Look: The Life God Is In
“…he is not far from any one of us.” (Acts 17.27, NLT) As I have talked with friends throughout this year, I’ve noted that we’ve been using a phrase regularly: “This is the life God is in.” OK, it could be better grammatically, but it’s punchy and makes a clear point. So many of us thinkContinue reading “Another Look: The Life God Is In”
Sundays with Michael Spencer: September 27, 2015
Every time I feel like I have lost my way in the Christian life, I find myself back looking at monasticism, and the lessons I learned in two decades of reading Thomas Merton. I’m not attracted to Catholicism, but I am very much attracted to the tradition of self-conscious, disciplined spiritual formation into a discipleContinue reading “Sundays with Michael Spencer: September 27, 2015”
Problems with Teaching about Good Works
I like to use the phrase “good works” to describe Christian living. Doing so reminds me of Ephesians 2:10, a favorite text of mine: “We are his workmanship,” says the apostle, “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus. This eliminates any possible understandingContinue reading “Problems with Teaching about Good Works”
Fr. Michel Quoist: “If each note said…”
If each note of music were to say: one note does not make a symphony, there would be no symphony. If each word were to say: one word does not make a book, there would be no book. If each brick were to say: one brick does not make a wall, there would be noContinue reading “Fr. Michel Quoist: “If each note said…””
Little Brave Unselfish Things
Love has awakened extraordinary energies in him that he himself didn’t think he was capable of. • Michel Quoist Keeping Hope • • • There is one thing people fail to understand who speak disparagingly of “good works” in favor of “faith alone”: any deed done in love cannot, by definition, be done for theContinue reading “Little Brave Unselfish Things”
Follow Me
I refuse to accept your resignation, says the Lord. • Michel Quoist Keeping Hope • • • This bit of divine response is found near the end of a poem by Fr. Quoist that speaks of how easy it would be to simply give up on being part of God’s mission. However, God loves usContinue reading “Follow Me”
Playing the Saint
The most arresting phrase in this quote by Fr. Michel Quoist is: “You play the saint….” When you receive a gift from a friend, you usually open the package immediately, admire your gift, indicate your approval and thank the giver. Your heavenly Father has given you many different gifts, but all too often you do not even dareContinue reading “Playing the Saint”
The Internet Monk Archives 