Field notes on life and mission with God in post-Christendom
St. John Chrysostom, in his "Homily on the Devil the Tempter," talks about five "paths of repentance" that "all lead to heaven." I thought this would make a good outline for catechesis, especially for new believers or nominal Christians. Confess … [Continue reading] about Chrysostom’s Five Paths of Repentance
In Matthew 20:29-34, Jesus is leaving Jericho with a large crowd in tow. Just outside town, two blind men are sitting by the roadside, and when they hear that it's Jesus who is passing by, they begin crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on … [Continue reading] about On Jesus Being Very Moved
As someone who's always been tuned into issues of fairness and justice, Jesus's parable of the workers in the vineyard has always fascinated and frustrated me. A landowner hires workers throughout the day to work in his vineyard. The result is … [Continue reading] about Status Games, Racism, Trauma, and the Kingdom of God
If God already knows what we need before we ask him, why pray? We pray not to inform God of what we want, as though he is ignorant of our desires and needs. No, we pray in order to "exercise our desires," as St. Augustine put it, so we can be made … [Continue reading] about Expanding (and Directing) Desire Through Prayer
Jesus Christ, our High Priest, arises to this rank not because of his physical ancestry, but "thought the power of a life that cannot be destroyed" (Heb 7:16). I've been reading Fr. John Behr's book The Mystery of Christ: Life in Death, and one of … [Continue reading] about A Life That Cannot Be Destroyed