Carl McColman's Blog, page 26

James Martin: Learning to Pray

“Everyone can pray” is the hopeful and helpful opening message of Learning to Pray, the new book from bestselling Jesuit author James Martin. But he knows that many people don’t pray — even people who never miss church on Sundays. Prayer is something that, at least for those of us who grew up in religious homes, we learn as small children — but then it seems for so many of us, we never manage to graduate from the sing-song rhythms of “Now I lay me down to sleep.” Father Jim understands this, and...

A Dream About A High School Library and Standing Up For What’s Right

Last night, I had the following dream. I woke up and wrote the dream down, and here is the unedited transcript of what I wrote:

Dream 1/31/21-2/1/21

I was back in high school, but not the school I attended when I was a teenager — which was in a solidly middle to upper middle class, mostly white neighborhood. This high school of my dreams felt more like the neighborhood I live in now: more urban, much more diverse, and many more students who lack economic privilege. Still, my sense in the dream ...

An Interview With the Georgia Writers’ Association

Earlier today I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Terri Dudenhoeffer of the Georgia Writers’ Association for their “Q&A Sessions with Georgia Authors.” I’ve had the good fortune to have two books honored by the Georgia Author of the Year Awards; Befriending Silence won in the Inspirational/Religious Category in 2015, and Unteachable Lessons was a finalist in 2020. This interview was fun in that it really focused on the experience of being a writer — we talked about authors who inspire me,...

Online Day of Reflection: Thomas Merton (April 24, 2021)

Thomas Merton is one of the towering figures of contemplative spirituality over the last century. This Trappist monk was a gifted writer and a brilliant interpreter of the Christian spiritual tradition, making the case for how contemplative spirituality remains relevant — and not just for monks and nuns. Our day of reflection will focus on three key “epiphanies” or moments of profound spiritual encounter in Merton’s life — at a Catholic Mass in Cuba in 1940; on a busy urban street corner in 1958...

Online Course: Christian Mysticism (April 19-May 10, 2021)

Karl Rahner said that Christians of the future will be mystics. But what is a mystic? What do mystics do, and how is their faith and spirituality unique? This course will draw from with wisdom of some of the great mystics like Teresa of Ávila, Julian of Norwich, and Thomas Merton to explore how their profound encounter with the presence of God can bring joy and meaning to our lives today.

This course is one unit in a series of courses called Interfaith Spiritual Practice – Hinduism, Sufism, Chri...

Explore the Mystical Life — with a Christian Mysticism “Unknowledge Base”!

Friends, I’m excited to announce a major new initiative on this website. Coming on February 1, 2021, I’m launching a Christian Mysticism (Un)Knowledge Base. (Update: it’s been launched! Visit the Unknowledge Base by clicking here)

What’s that? You might be wondering.

Think of it as a help desk for exploring the world of Christian mystical spirituality. If you develop websites, you know that a “knowledge base” is a collection of articles and resources to help someone learn about a particular topi...

How My Surrogate Grandmother Introduced Me to Silence

When I was a small boy, there was a lady named Mrs. Frazier who lived across the street from my home. Mrs. Frazier and her husband were a bit older than my parents; they only had one child, a daughter, who was a good ten or fifteen years older than me. So when I was a child, they lived alone in their house. Mrs. Frazier and I bonded; both of my grandmothers died before I was born, so she was a surrogate grandma for me. I would go over to her house and we’d make fresh-squeezed lemonade that taste...

How My Surrogate Grandmother Introduced Me to Silence

When I was a small boy, there was a lady named Mrs. Frazier who lived across the street from my home. Mrs. Frazier and her husband were a bit older than my parents; they only had one child, Pam, who was a good ten or twelve years older than me. So when I was a child, they lived alone in their house. Mrs. Frazier and I bonded; both of my grandmothers died before I was born, so she was a surrogate grandma for me. I would go over to her house and we’d make fresh-squeezed lemonade that tasted like a...

A Mystical Catechism

One of my dreams is to create a Christian Mysticism Knowledge Base (or, perhaps better described as a Christian Mysticism Un-knowledge Base!). I wrote the following questions a while back thinking that they would go into the FAQ page of a Mysticism Knowledge Base. And maybe they will. But for now, I’m publishing them here.

What is Christian Mysticism?

Christian mysticism, an aspect of Christian spirituality, emphasizes knowing and encountering God, here and now, in our lives today. The Christia...

A Mystical Catechism

One of my dreams is to create a Christian Mysticism Knowledge Base (or, perhaps better described as a Christian Mysticism Un-knowledge Base!). I wrote the following questions a while back thinking that they would go into the FAQ page of a Mysticism Knowledge Base. And maybe they will. But for now, I’m publishing them here.

What is Christian Mysticism?

Christian mysticism, an aspect of Christian spirituality, emphasizes knowing and encountering God, here and now, in our lives today. The Christia...