In one of his *most famous works, 17th century English poet and Anglican cleric John Donne penned two memorable metaphors: “No man is an island,” and “(the bell) tolls for thee.” Too often my mind races to the second phrase. Thankfully, Donne counteracts my over-active morbidness with these additional reminders: “The bell doth toll for him that thinks it doth.” There are other bell-ringings inMORE...
“Something good will come from this!” Some social commentators are starting to use words like these to describe possible positive results that could come from what appears to be a spreading tragedy for the whole world. These opinion leaders take us back to the end of World War II. They point out how that destruction of much of the world’s social and economic landscape also provided motivation forMORE...
This year, Lent is front-and-center for me. Not just the themes—self-examination, repentance, self-sacrifice, Jesus’ suffering and death—but also the emotions and actions that accompany those ideas. The cruel barbarism of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine evokes my condemnation for this once-mighty country’s leader. The relentless, random bombardment of civilians recalls all theMORE...
At this moment, I’m running out of words. The ones coming at me seem overburdened from trying to carry something that’s too heavy for human expression. The words I’d like to send skitter around in my brain, waiting to capture the essence of my best thinking but clearly not up to the task. Like you, every day I face both what’s unspeakable and what’s ineffable. What’s unspeakable? The horrors of aMORE...
Our congregation has a Transfiguration Sunday tradition that was especially meaningful this year. It involves a large trunk placed in front of the altar for all to see. During the time for the children’s message, the kids are each given an Alleluia Page, and tasked with the job of writing or drawing their ideas about this word. They are told that during Lent we’ll not be hearing any alleluias inMORE...
As I write these few words, bullets and bombs are raining down on the people of Ukraine. An aggressor threatens Eastern Europe, and the specter of another world war haunts us. My older adult mind races: “What can I do about this horror?” One practical answer stands out strongly: It feels like you and I—and others who have come through other dangers and wars—are specially called to exemplify calmMORE...
Most athletes know how this works: When you play a sport, you get hurt. Over time you learn how to keep playing in spite of the pain. It’s not pleasant—who wants to carry around pain–but it’s still part of the whole experience of being a sportsperson, especially so for professional players. I have observed this phenomenon among the participants in our older adult group exercise classes. WeMORE...
“The times we’re in….” Perhaps accompanied by a sad or anxious sigh, these words set in motion a parade of other thoughts. How easily any of us can be frozen by our contemplation of the dangers, sorrows or evils of our day. Inaction solves nothing, but it may feel like the only approach open to us. But perhaps there’s another way out of all of this. Previously I wrote about kenosis, how JesusMORE...
I’ll admit it: I’m not sure about more and more things. This is new territory for me, and not because I’ve crossed the border into senility. What’s happening almost everywhere? There actually may be less to be certain about. Here’s an example: A *recent newspaper article highlighted the decreasing reliability of tiny computer chips that are essential to our lifestyles. IncreasinglyMORE...
During Lent, one of the things we acknowledge and celebrate is Jesus’ willingness to *empty himself completely in order to take on human form. In the Greek, this is called kenosis, literally a “pouring out”. I may be stretching the point, but there seems to be a lot of this kind of behavior almost everywhere I look. People who are giving up almost everything in order to care for others, to liveMORE...
BOB SITZE has filled the many years of his lifework in diverse settings around the United States. His calling has included careers as a teacher/principal, church musician, writer/author, denominational executive staff member and meat worker. Bob lives in Wheaton, IL.