Carl McColman's Blog, page 81
March 14, 2012
Mystery of the Missing Silence
The Psalms, in Hebrew
If you have heard me speak any time over the last six months you have probably heard me go on and on about Psalm 65, which is often less-than-ideally translated into modern English versions of the Bible. The most literal (and allusive) translation of this Psalm begins in this way: "To you, silence is praise, O God in Zion…" (emphasis added). Most translations, however, tend to render the Hebrew word dumiyya (which has a meaning both of "silence" but also "expectation"...
March 13, 2012
Not a Comfortable God
The Fountain & the Furnace
A God who is mystery, who is unpredictable, who disturbs the status quo, who conceals in the process of revealing, who demands not only that we choose whether or not to be in relationship but also to take responsibility for that relationship; a God who offers salvation as infinite, unpredetermined possibility — such a God is not a comfortable God. Such a God offers security in the form of risk and faith, and self-fulfillment in self-forgetfulness.
— Maggie Ross, The...
March 12, 2012
Norwich Cathedral: Stained Glass and a Green Man
Julian of Norwich; Photo by Ian-S and used by permission.
I am often asked about the beautiful image of Julian of Norwich that I use on my Julian of Norwich Prayer Cards. It's an image from a stained glass window in Norwich Cathedral. I know just enough about photography to know that shooting a stained glass window is a tricky matter, so I tip my hat to the photographer who took this particular shot: he goes by the moniker of Ian-S on Flickr (and yes, I did ask for, and receive, permission to ...
March 9, 2012
Tell the Truth
One of the ways we can learn to grow in the spiritual life is by simply learning to tell the truth. The truth of what we think, certainly, but I think a more powerful truth is the truth of how we feel. Sometimes what we think is an elaborate cocoon we spin to distract us from what we feel. Telling the truth can be a way to put all those glorious thoughts into perspective and get down to the nitty gritty of what's really going on.
How do we tell the truth? Simple: by noticing what's really...
March 8, 2012
Prayer and Presence
Prayer
The life of prayer and contemplation is simply to realize God's presence in the depth of our being, in the depth of every being, and at the same time beyond all beings, beyond all that is within and all that is without.
— Abhishiktananda, Prayer
One of the monks who teaches our Lay Cistercian group has called Abhishiktananda's book Prayer "one of the best books on the subject" he's ever read. High praise indeed. I've just started the book (based on that recommendation!) and barely 10...
March 7, 2012
Patheos Column, and Upcoming Events
Good morning! Just a few notes of interest for you…
My second Patheos column has been published: A Medieval Mystic Superstar
I've set up a Featured Upcoming Events page to highlight some fun things I have scheduled. I hope you'll join me at one or both of these: a spirituality weekend in Charlotte, NC, or a webinar on mysticism next Thursday evening. To learn about these events, click here.
Also, a reminder to my Atlanta/Decatur friends: I'll be speaking at Oakhurst Baptist Church on Lent...
March 6, 2012
The Marvelous Melody
I saw the Lord take no place of honor in his house, rather I saw him rule royally there, filling it full of joy and mirth. He himself presided by endlessly gladdening and entertaining his very close friends with every warmth and courtesy, with a marvelous melody of endless love in his own fair blessed face. For it is to see the glorious Godhead in this way, face to face, that fills the very heavens with such joy and bliss.
— Revelation of Love, chapter 14
It's no secret that I adore Julian of N...
March 5, 2012
Peace Be With You
Peace Be With You
For Christians to view 9/11 and the world of terrorism through the paschal mystery of Christ's death and resurrection will be difficult and complex. Such a stance does not mean condoning or ignoring what al-Qaeda did on September 11, any more than God, in Christian belief, ignored or condoned the sinfulness of humanity in crucifying his Son. No, forgiveness must mean, as the South African activist Maluis Mpumlwana suggests, helping our adversaries recover their humanity. …...
March 2, 2012
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on Me, a Pinner
Source: google.com via Carl on Pinterest
Okay, I've done it — I've affirmed my inner feminine by setting up a Pinterest account. My wife has been spending almost as much time on Pinterest lately as I spend on my blog, so I had to see what the fuss was about. As best I can tell, it's basically a visually rich variant on Twitter. But immediately I could see the benefits: it's a great way to set up your own little online visual media library. So this morning I took the plunge, and here's one o...
March 1, 2012
Be Joyful: Saint David of Wales
St. David of Wales
Happy St. David of Wales' day! Dewi Sant, as he is called in Welsh, lived from about 500 to 589. Born in Wales, David established monasteries (one tradition holds that he founded Glastonbury Abbey) before being consecrated bishop; on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the Patriarch there consecrated him archbishop of Wales. Legend holds that once while he was preaching to a large crowd, a dove alighted on his shoulder, signifying the blessing of the Holy Spirit on his preaching, so ...
