Category Archives: Spirituality

Confusion and perplexity

There’s an old military truism that states that no plan survives contact with the enemy. My enemy is inertia: all too easily, I can find an excuse not to sit down at the computer and compose a post for this … Continue reading

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Alone but not forgotten

The Daily Office readings since Ascension Day (May 1st this year) have been gearing us up for Pentecost (next Sunday). I’ve always felt a certain sympathy for the Apostles during this period; their great teacher and leader, returned from death … Continue reading

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Considering lilies

All this past week, the Gospel readings in the Daily Office lectionary have followed Jesus’ soliloquy in Matthew 6 through 7:21, all of which is a continuation of the “Sermon on the Mount” which began in Chapter 5. It is … Continue reading

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Turning the other cheek

Today’s Gospel reading, Matthew 5:38-48, contains the pacifist manifesto of turning the other cheek, perhaps one of the most difficult of Jesus’ teaching to put into practice. I struggle with this teaching. In theory, it does not seem so hard: … Continue reading

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The law

The Gospel reading for today, Matthew 5:17-20, is a difficult passage for me. I’m going to quote it in full because there’s a lot to consider here: Jesus continued, “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and … Continue reading

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Cultural relativism

My political orientation is complex. If you have to place a label on it, I’m a fiscal conservative with libertarian/liberal social leanings. I’m deeply suspicious of government interference in the economic and social lives of individuals and buy into the … Continue reading

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A real fish story

The gospel reading for today is Mark 6:30-44, which recounts the well-known miracle of the loaves and fish. In the story, the apostles have just returned from being off on their own preaching about Christ, healing the sick and other … Continue reading

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Duty, obligation and love

The readings for today are: Exodus 25:1-22, Colossians 3:1-17 and Matthew 4:18-25. Daily Office readings do not always tie together thematically, but today’s are one of the exceptions. In this case all three speak about the duties and obligations of … Continue reading

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Launching a new version of an ongoing blog

Some of you readers are new to me, some have been with me for some time now. For the past four years or so I’ve been maintaining a journal on my personal web site that was open only to a … Continue reading

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