Many years ago, at one of our diocesan conventions, a priest in the diocese was giving his report on a diocesan ministry. Memory, which is often wrong, says it took him about fifteen rambling minutes to do this. I know I was bored to tears long before he was done. But one thing he said, completely off topic, has stayed with me over the years. He explained, with great glee, how his congregation was so impressed by his humility that they presented him with a pin that said “HUMBLE”. Then, he said, when he wore the pin, they took it back! (more…)
February 2012
Monthly Archive
February 22, 2012
Our Connection to the World Around Us
Posted by johnmangels under Religion | Tags: by John Mangels, Samuel Shoemaker, spiritual search, Wang Wei |[2] Comments
February 10, 2012
“Perfection”?
Posted by johnmangels under Looking for God, Monasticism | Tags: Benedict of Nursia, by John Mangels, Joan Chittister, Norvene Vest, spiritual search |Leave a Comment
Maybe, finally, I’m beginning to understand the biblical idea of perfection! (more…)
February 8, 2012
Character and Gift
Posted by johnmangels under Looking for God, Prayer | Tags: by John Mangels, Harry Emerson Fosdick, Prayer, spiritual search, The Monk of Farne |Leave a Comment
Part of me wishes there were simple, clearcut answers.
This morning, with my prayers, I read two things I believe are both true. And there is, to say the least, real tension between them.
I read an excerpt from Harry Emerson Fosdick’s The Meaning of Prayer that talks about helpful prayer only being possible because of the development of character. “[Our] iniquities have separated between [us] and [our] God.” I find myself thinking about Hauerwas when he talks about character: how we live in the ordinary course of our lives determines how we will react, without even thinking about it, when defining choices must be made. (more…)
The Sunset Juggler (formerly The Dragon's Mouth) 