On Limitations

As we go through the season of Lent, participating in various spiritual practices to challenge our faith, we come to realize our limits. There is a good chance that by the third week of Lent, our original plans for this season of repentance and discipline have been altered, or even abandoned altogether. The Church Calendar […]

On Simplicity

During the season of Lent, many Christ followers strive for more simplicity, with the hope of noticing the presence of God in the day-to-day and becoming more content with the routine blessings God provides. The discipline of simplification goes against the grain of many cultures, which value having much, and the bigger the better to […]

On Discipleship

Many of those who identify as Christians these days have a savior complex. Either they think they are called to be a savior, or they are looking for another humanly savior to preserve their worldview and way of life. However, when we ground our faith in the Gospel, we discover that we are not called […]

On Ancient Rituals

When we follow the Church Calendar, not only do we have the opportunity to practice longstanding traditions of the Church, which connect us to past followers of Jesus; we also have occasions where we get to take part in rituals that go back even further to our ancient ancestors of faith. Ash Wednesday is one […]

On the Mystical Mountaintop

The Epiphany season of the Church Calendar opens and closes with mystical mountaintop moments. The season began with a figurative mountaintop moment, celebrating the arrival of magi coming to bow down and worship the Christ Child. And now we conclude the season up on a literal mountaintop with the story we call “the transfiguration”. First, […]

On Proclaiming Good News

During this period of the Church Calendar known as Epiphany or the “the time Epiphany”, we look back on the “firsts” of Jesus’ ministry. Recently in this series of reflections, we have touched on how Jesus’ mission is introduced and how the first disciples were called. It is appropriate for us to also look at […]

On Being Called By God

Similar to how each of the four gospels differ regarding Jesus’ first acts of ministry (as explored in the last reflection), the formation stories regarding the first disciples also varies. There is much to learn from this and far more to discover than this one short reflection could possibly exhaust. Yet, let’s explore a few […]

On First Impressions

As much as the season of Epiphany is a time for discovering new realities about God in Christ, it is also a time for returning to the basics of the Gospel message. Many of the liturgical readings for this time of the year go back to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and each gospel narrative […]

On Spiritual Health

There seems to be growing appreciation for holistic wellness, understanding that one’s individual health is more than just physical realities. There is more realization that it is equally important for us to be healthy mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The Church Calendar and its seasons can help us have a balanced spiritual diet. Over the course […]