One of the sayings attributed to Buddha and others is, “Life is suffering.” Jesus put his own spin on that universal truth when he asserted, “It rains on the just and the unjust.” No one escapes this life without having…
The pain of advent
This is the second of a four-part series in which we seek to see anew the incarnation of Jesus through the eyes and body of a woman, Mary the mother of Jesus. For Jesus to become flesh, word incarnate,…
Gallup says global well-being is rebounding some
Global well-being rebounded in 2022 after taking a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new Gallup survey. “Perhaps exhaling a collective sigh of relief after so much uncertainty during the pandemic, the world felt more well-rested, experienced more…
Believe me: The struggle of Black pain
Chronic pain is something many people all over the world deal with and are all too familiar with the numerous side effects of such pain. Chronic pain can be caused by a variety of things such as fibromyalgia, surgery or…
Regathering for worship, processing our pain and remembering our baptism
As a pastor who is trained in both social work and ministry, I have been thinking about how to offer collective pastoral care to my congregation as we process the pandemic together. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult season…
50 years later, I still grieve my brother’s death: Looking back in order to look forward
In looking back on irretrievable loss, perhaps we can do a better job of capturing the here and now.
What the walking wounded need for Christmas
How my spinal cord injury happened during routine surgery two years ago hasn’t mattered to me for a good while; but the why and wherefore still get me. Now I’m just angry. And being a good Christian, I feel guilty for being angry.
Hope, peace, joy and love at Christmas. And sometimes grief and pain
Amid all the smiles and laughter, if you’re grieving this Christmas, it’s OK. Your anguish has a role to play.
Embracing Good Friday’s pain even when Easter’s hope seems galaxies away
Good Friday isn’t just a set-up for Easter Sunday and the ham and new shoes that accompany that day. Good Friday is about grief. It’s about death and dying, pain and loss, emptiness and hopelessness. To beam the light in too quickly will render us unable to see.