Catching Thanksgiving

“What do you say?”

12 Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening #4 (Saskia Davies)

4. Frequent overwhelming, almost dizzying, episodes of appreciation.

Thomas Merton’s “Thoughts In Solitude” #20

…all sin is punishment for ingratitude. For as St. Paul says (Romans 1:21), the Gentiles, who “knew” God, did not know Him because they were not grateful for the knowledge of Him. 34

Cynthia Bourgeault – “Contemplative Remembering” #9

Friday April 19, 2013 7:45 p.m.

Question and Response

The Healing Power of Gratitude

Last Sunday, I suggested in my sermon that in his prayer recorded in John 17, Jesus asks God to keep his followers in touch with the reality of their essential nature as people whose true identity is shaped, not by the external realities of the surface circumstances of life, but by the hidden reality of God’s presence.

Post-Op

My eyes open. To my utter consternation, I am no longer lying on my back on a narrow hard operating table, struggling to force my eyes to stay focused on the ceiling tiles that are growing increasingly fuzzy.

Talking About Money

I have been accused at times of being reluctant to talk about money.

Follow Your Bliss

Yesterday morning I walked to the church. It is not that I need the exercise. My fancy new bike is not broken and our car is running fine. But, early yesterday morning when I looked out the window to survey the world, it was snowing. Two hours later, when it was time to head to work, 13 cms. of white stuff had accumulated on the ground.

This is Victoria. In Victoria when it snows, if you do not absolutely have to drive, it is always wise to stay out of your car. So, I walked forty minutes to work. On my way, I helped push a car through the intersection at Richmond and Lansdowne and observed many other cars spinning their wheels on various hills.

The Week The Stones Stole

I have taken a crash course in the frailty of human flesh this past week.

I have been for most of the last five days unable to stand up or sit up, unable to eat, stay awake, keep anything in my stomach, carry on a sensible conversation, contribute in any worthwhile way to the well-being of my family, fulfill the obligations of my work, or in the most basic manner look after myself. I have been unable to think clearly, walk any distance, drive the car, take myself to the hospital, talk on the telephone, answer all the kind emails filling my inbox. I have been utterly dependent.

Regret

We had once known each other quite well. But I had not seen him for several years. He had made radical changes in his life. Some of these changes had been costly. His life today was profoundly different than it had been when we last met.

I asked him, “Do you have any regrets?”