A Musing on Charism (Part I of II)
The Gift of the Spirit When it comes to the charism — the gift of the Spirit — that animates our RNDM lives, I am struck by a simple truth:…
The Taste of Things X: Advent’s Hard Work
Newsflash: There is such pain in the world! It is not suffering in general that overwhelms me, but when it devolves into cruelty, brutality, and ruthless violence I feel cut…
The Taste of Things IX: The Universal Intellect
From the time I was very young I thought my intellect could save me. If I could “just figure it out” my world would be safer, more predictable, less chaotic,…
The Taste of Things VIII: Decluttering
Several weeks ago I began an earnest attempt to “declutter” my space. It is really an ongoing effort. I culled my library of books. I brought to the thrift store…
The Taste of Things VII: Zeal
My favorite liturgical feast is Pentecost! It announces itself with aliveness, zeal, and spirit—a wildly untamed Spirit that is—and one cannot commit their life to this Spirit and expect to…
The Taste of Things VI: Letting Go
I was shocked and deeply saddened! A week ago today, the Monday of Holy Week, I first read the news that St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado was closing. And…
The Taste of Things V: Hope
I was part of an engaging conversation recently about “collapse!” In the midst of a climate catastrophe will the planet survive? Will the human species survive? Will I survive? Of…
The Taste of Things IV
Elm and arborist It was the ‘orange dot of death’ that caught my eye, and then my heart. It was the sign that she would be brought to her knees,…
The Taste of Things III
Most would agree with the newspaper article I read today that stated “we live in a fraught and fractured time!” Signs of disorder, chaos, and collapse are everywhere. Distrust, disinterest,…
The Trees Know: A Reflection
David Wagoner‘s poem, “Lost” is one of my favourite metaphors for finding a way forward in difficult times. It is a siren call to live in the present moment no…