A weekly curated collection of essays, poetry, and reflections for your spiritual journey. From The Wisdom Years.
I have been out walking with ghosts again, the shimmering images of my ancestors,
always present, but barely visible, walking before me in the cool shadows of evening.
I know better than to talk too much, for silence is the language of the sacred.
Instead I listen, as any youngster should,
the wisdom of those who have seen more seasons than can be counted.
I receive their thoughts like a benediction.
I hold their vision in my mind like a familiar dream.
Do not be afraid, they whisper, as we walk on to find the moon already waiting.
– Bishop Steven Charleston, Facebook, October 26, 2022
Bold, Brash, and Incredibly Audacious
On this All Saints Day, Br. James Koester of the Society of St. John the Evangelist reminds us that for the Christian, death is not the ultimate disaster, for in Jesus, life is changed, not ended (from The Book of Common Prayer p 382) and death becomes not the end, but a door, not a wall, but a gate, not the end, but a new beginning.
From Society of St. John the evangelist.
A Communion with the Saints
Fr. Ron Rolheiser reflects on the death of his parents and on a book in which the husband feels his deceased wife’s presence. This is a must-read for anyone who has recently lost a loved one.
From Ron Rolheiser.
The Continuum of Life
Writing in Center for Action and Contemplation’s daily meditations, Dr. Barbara Holmes says the normal pattern in history is for each generation to pass over, and to build the bridges of love and trust for the next generation coming afterwards. We are all part of a continuum of life that does not end with death, but transitions to a life after life.
Restorative power in sanctuary
When we become untethered, says Terry Hershey, we lose our way. We feel disconnected and wearied. “In our world so full of diversions and distractions, I see the toll untethering takes. And this disconnect matters more because we forget that we are here to walk one another home.”
From Sabbath Moment.
Loneliness and the Second Half of Life
Both the young and the old experience spells of loneliness. In the second half of life we come to the realization that there is a part of us that will always be alone. We would do well to listen to the Persian poet Hafiz, who cautions us not to surrender to loneliness too quickly.
From Fr. Ron Rolheiser.
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