Je suis Jesus
During the hours and days that followed the attack on the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, people around the world were suddenly Parisian, resolutely defying forces that would have humanity cower in fear and descend into chaos so that extremists might impose their misguided solution du jour. Suddenly, the whole world professed to be…
Where am I going?
Jesus’ entry into the ancient city of Jerusalem, the event that inaugurates what we have come to call Holy Week, takes on particular significance for many people in this time of threatening uncertainty and the anxiety, even anguish, to which it gives rise. The procession, celebrated with palms and jubilation, barely masks a mood of…
Ce qui est normal
Nous entendons souvent ces jours-ci l’expression “retourner à la normale.” J’avoue l’avoir utilisée moi-même. Cette expression fait preuve d’angoisse par rapport à ce que l’on vit actuellement. Un fléau, un mal subit. Le virus nous effraie. En même temps les moyens que nous prenons pour l’éviter chamboule tout. Notre travail, nos loisirs, nos relations, notre…
A Passage Through India
During most of human history, there was no need for inter-religious dialogue. Men and women spent their entire lives in largely homogeneous societies with little or no interest in other cultures, lifestyles and religions. Today, we live in a pluralistic environment in which we must interact with strangers for our livelihood and survival. A timid…
Peace on Earth
There was something prophetic about Pope Francis throwing open the holy doors of mercy just as Syrian refugees were preparing to begin a new life. For some, at least, hostility in a war-weary country is being replaced with hospitality in a new land. The current refugee crisis reminds us that the Christmas story is as…
The Light in the Darkness
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. (Isaiah 9: 2) Many ancient religions have a festival to celebrate this light. Jews have Hanukkah and Hindus have Diwali. The Japanese festival is Tōrō Nagashi (Festival of Floating Lanterns)….
Building Bridges
With all the brouhaha surrounding the recent Synod on the Family, it may be tempting to think that Pope Francis’ only legacy will be one of deep questioning about coherence between our understanding of holy scripture and the practices of religious traditions in the church, especially with regards to the quality of mercy. But for…
Hope and Health
The language of hope permeates contemporary healthcare literature. People who are hopeful appear to be more resilient to physical and mental illness, and more likely to recover if they are afflicted. As well, many studies reveal that there is a positive correlation between faith and wellbeing. It may be that if faith is an effective…
Joyful Hope
Much has been written recently about resilience, sometimes defined as the capacity to handle chronic and acute stress with internal resources that have been built up on a foundation of meaning. Children who learn coping skills at an early age are better able to face adversity as adults with the help of positive understanding. When…
On Hope (Part II)
A review of literature in the domain of psychology, published in 2010, reveals a disconcerting cleavage between the secular and theological understandings of the nature and construction of hope. What some researchers call hope is nothing more than wishing for a particular outcome. Such wishing that may easily lead to disappointment and ultimately to despair….