Chastity
A few weeks ago the National Post ran an article about a letter written by the Canadian Catholic Bishops regarding “chastity.” The majority of the letter entitled, “Pastoral Letter to Young People on Chastity,” is directed to young single people and states that “living a life of chastity is an ongoing journey which requires both…
Continue readingNoise
It was Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) who said that “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” It was James Thurber (1894-1961) who said “Nowadays men lead lives of noisy desperation.” Thurber said this long before the development of the internet, Twitter, and blog entries.…
Continue readingA Lady of Little Faith
I have been reading The Brother’s Karamozov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.* It is a brilliant book that will generously reward any reader. You can expect to read a few blog entries dealing with insights from this book. Dostoevsky demonstrates remarkable knowledge of the human psyche in the chapter entitled “A Lady of Little Faith.” An elder…
Continue readingMaslow and Human Happiness
A recent article in the Vancouver Sun (August 27, 2010) is causing debate about American psychologist Abraham Maslow’s famous “pyramid of needs.” Many of us have taken a psych course somewhere along the line that introduced us to Maslow’s pyramid of needs which has held sway since 1943. Maslow’s theory suggests that the search for…
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Weddings
Click on the picture to enlarge the image. Having two daughters get married within six months of each other will either make you feel old or will cause you to think about love and your own marriage. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And…
Continue readingFilled With Love
I have again been reading from Walsh and Keesmaat’s excellent book: Colossians Remixed. Here is a quote. As we sat on a dock with a group of students late one night, the conversation turned to the question of why God made the world. We listened as the students went around and around on this one.…
Continue readingRed Letters
A few days ago I saw a heart-rending sight. I came upon a suicide just as the police had arrived and put a blanket over the body. Someone (I could not tell you who they were or even their gender) had jumped off of the pedestrian walkway of the Burrard Street bridge to the sea-wall…
Continue readingCeltic Prayer
In the spirit of St. Patrick, I offer this Prayer for Starting the Morning Fire I will rekindle my fire this morningIn presence of the holy angles [sic] of heaven,God, kindle Thou my heart withinA flame of love to my neighbour,To my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all,To the brave, to the knave,…
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