Author Archives: watchwordsblog

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.  Joseph Campbell Meditation: It takes courage to find one’s own way. It is easier to follow the crowd or to do what is expected. If we follow our bliss, we follow our heart. We follow that which calls us byContinue reading “Finding your Bliss…”

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. Maya Angelou Meditation: At a time when the US talks about building walls between us and our neighbor, Easter even more so becomes a symbol of love overcoming all obstacles. What greater obstacle is there than death itself?Continue reading “God leaps…”

Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people. Carl Jung Meditation: On Black Saturday Jesus descended into the realm of darkness, the realm of the dead, which the Apostles’ Creed calls “hell” or “Sheol”. Some theologians distinguish “Sheol” from the “hell of the damned”. When I wasContinue reading “Black Saturday…”

Christmas and Easter can be subjects for poetry, but Good Friday, like Auschwitz, cannot. The reality is so horrible it is not surprising that people should have found it a stumbling block to faith.  W.H. Auden Meditation: Even Jesus had moments when he lost his faith asking “Why have You forsaken me?”. He was goingContinue reading “Why have You forsaken me?…”

The U.S. immigration laws are bad – really, really bad. I’d say treatment of immigrants is one of the greatest injustices done in our government’s name. Bill Gates Meditation: Today one of our chaplaincy students from Kenya has a court immigration hearing at 8am in the morning. His fate will be determined. About two years agoContinue reading “Uncertainty…”

“Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.” ―C.S. Lewis Meditation: Sometimes we don’t feel romantic love anymore. We then worry about our partnership. Many measure their love on how often they still go out on a date or how often flowersContinue reading “What is love?…”

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Lao Tzu Meditation: When my children say “I love you”, they want to hear the same back from us parents: “I love you, too”. If I ever forget or I do not hear them, they quickly make sure that I hear them,Continue reading “The mystery of parental love…”

Respect… is appreciation of the separateness of the other person, of the ways in which he or she is unique. Annie Gottlieb Meditation: The concept of “respect” looks different in various cultures. In a more hierarchical, patriarchal or “elder” centered culture, respect means to show a behavior of submission and respect, to withhold one’s feelingsContinue reading “Respect and Culture…”

First they came for the Jews, but I did nothing because I’m not a Jew. Then they came for the socialists, but I did nothing because I’m not a socialist. Then they came for the Catholics, but I did nothing because I’m not a Catholic. Finally, they came for me, but by then there wasContinue reading “First they came for the Mexicans…”

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. Jesus Christ, Matthew 11:28 Meditation: It is spring break. Many flee the city to get away. Most of us try to catch a moment of rest as we are worn out from politics, school,Continue reading “The unforced rhythms of Grace…”