Pastor Jarrid Wilson would have been a good source for any column on depression, mental illness and suicide awareness. Wilson, associate pastor at megachurch Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., and co-founder of the mental health nonprofit Anthem of Hope, built a reputation around sharing his own struggles with depression, and trying to break down … Continue reading Faith should be no barrier to mental health treatment
Be present, and let God speak
Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is … Continue reading Be present, and let God speak
Wage the war that makes all for peace
It appears our society is coming apart at the seams. Our seemingly irreconcilable differences, fueled by bad actors’ desire to capitalize on fear and hatred, drive wedges between us in ways that mirror some of the darkest periods of our national history. You might look at the state of our disunion and reach the … Continue reading Wage the war that makes all for peace
Martyred nuns continue to leave a legacy of faith, courage
Before Sister Kathleen McGuire left for Liberia in 1992, she had a professional portrait made of herself, to make sure her loved ones would have a good photo of her in case she didn’t return home alive. That portrait is now one of the few mementos Fred McGuire has of his older sister. She was one … Continue reading Martyred nuns continue to leave a legacy of faith, courage
The symbolism of cowardice and courage
Theologian Paul Tillich once said humanity’s “ultimate concern must be expressed symbolically, because symbolic language alone is able to express the ultimate.” Symbols sometimes speak more eloquently, and with far greater impact, than words. While Tillich was speaking of our use of symbols to relate to God, his words hold true on any topic of … Continue reading The symbolism of cowardice and courage
Let our prayers be the megaphone of God
“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Those words from C. S. Lewis highlight an important aspect of prayer life for most of us (I know, at least in my past, it's been the case for me): We … Continue reading Let our prayers be the megaphone of God
Healing America’s multiple personality disorder
America recently passed the 400th anniversary of our nation’s two defining, and contradictory, character traits. It was in July and August 1619 the first democratic assembly convened in what would become the United States. And, it was this week in August 1619 the first shipment of slaves arrived on American shores. The first event was … Continue reading Healing America’s multiple personality disorder
Has the American colossus fallen? That’s up to us.
What is in the meaning of a poem? That question has perhaps never had more import than it does now, as we struggle to grasp both the genesis and meaning of our nation’s identity. Emma Lazarus’ 1883 sonnet “The New Colossus” has been a topic of debate in the last week, after the president imposed … Continue reading Has the American colossus fallen? That’s up to us.
The last teaching from the cross
A reflection for the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin As I prepared for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Mary, the Theotokos, I considered several readings on which to focus. The most natural for me, and the one verse I think most beautifully and succinctly captures the strength, faith, courage and importance … Continue reading The last teaching from the cross
Know your breast density
New law, new technology aim to improve breast cancer detection Enid, Okla. -- One in eight American women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, according to American Cancer Society (ACS). Almost 42,000 American women are expected to die of breast cancer this year, according to ACS, making it the second-leading cause of cancer deaths … Continue reading Know your breast density
