When I was a boy, one of my favorite destinations was my Grandmom Parker’s house in southern New Jersey. You could never step foot into Grandmom’s house without being asked: “Would you like something to eat?” At that point the answer was superfluous, and the question of whether or not you were hungry was not … Continue reading The Wisdom of Grandmom’s Dinner Table
Compassion
Tragedy reveals our true nature — but let’s not wait for tragedy
You don’t have to look far in the news to see tragedy. As humans, we are fascinated with tragedy. Nothing piques the collective interest more than someone else’s suffering. We certainly should learn from tragedy and suffering. But, perhaps our focus should be shifted — or maybe just broadened — to shine light on … Continue reading Tragedy reveals our true nature — but let’s not wait for tragedy
The extraordinary beauty of our ordinary stories
One of the most satisfying aspects of my work is retelling people’s extraordinary stories. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to hear and share a little bit of Ernest Leierer’s story. He participated in the D-Day invasion, which just happened to be his birthday, and had a wealth of stories from the war. He came to … Continue reading The extraordinary beauty of our ordinary stories
Finding compassion in the fire of love
This originally was presented as a sermon for Noon Prayers, Wednesday August 22, 2018 at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Enid Oklahoma. Today we remember St. Martin de Porres, who lived in Lima, Peru from 1579 to 1639. He is the patron saint of barbers, public health workers, all those seeking racial harmony, and – particularly … Continue reading Finding compassion in the fire of love
James R. Neal 