Jonathan Ryan's Blog, page 39

I Walked into Suffering on the Road to Santiago

“For as long as humans have walked, they have walked to get closer to their gods.” The words appear on top of a PBS website in white upon a black background—an over-simplified truth, smacking with arrogant certitude. At least that’s the way it feels to me when I stare at the screen just a few days after [Read More...]

The Theology of Suffering Questions the Benedict Option

Allow me to tell you a story. A few years ago, I went through the worst period of my life so far, a time of personal suffering that I pray to God I never will have to through again. A painful divorce resulted in a move away from my children so that I could get [Read More...]

Dark Devotional: Fulton Sheen at Heaven’s Gate

I had walked since dawn and lay down to rest on a bare hillside Above the ocean. I saw through half-shut eyelids a vulture wheeling high up in heaven, And presently it passed again, but lower and nearer, its orbit narrowing, I understood then That I was under inspection. I lay death-still and heard the [Read More...]

Jason Harrod: Trying to Say God

I don’t think we should look solely to the church for our definitions of God. If God is greater than our ideas of God, then God can’t be limited by a sermon. Enter the artists–the left-brained individuals who paint the world differently than most, in words, in color, in music. The conference Sick Pilgrim is co-hosting in [Read More...]

Dark Devotional: About All the Things

Ostensibly, I created all my social media accounts to keep in touch with friends and family.  Increasingly, however, platforms that were once about sharing pictures and keeping in touch are also the means by which I receive wave after wave of bad news. I’ve digitally surrounded myself with the socially concerned, and the world is [Read More...]

Things Keeping Us Alive, April ’17

Lent is over, and Easter is here. The time for mourning and sacrificing is over. The Church invites us into the season of celebration. After the pain and utter defeat at Calvary, He is risen. Alleluia, alleluia. If you’re like me though, it’s not quite as easy as that. I wouldn’t call it “pessimistic”; it’s [Read More...]

Jason Harrod: Trying to Say God

I don’t think we should look solely to the church for our definitions of God. If God is greater than our ideas of God, then God can’t be limited by a sermon. Enter the artists–the left-brained individuals who paint the world differently than most, in words, in color, in music. This conference Sick Pilgrim is co-hosting in [Read More...]

Dark Devotional: Pardoning Thomas

I was hospitalized twice for a total of 28 days in a period of 38 days for bipolar depression. When I reveal this, Christians tend to give me one of two responses: “Oh, that’s great!” What the hell? Oh, yeah, I forgot; how good of God to direct me to a safe place in his care. How [Read More...]

Lower than Death: An Easter Dark Devotional

  “Did You ever know loneliness, did You ever know need? Do You remember just how long a night can get? When You were barely holding on and Your friends fall asleep And don’t see the blood that’s running in Your sweat Will those who mourn be left uncomforted While You’re up there just playing [Read More...]

13 Reasons Why: Netflix Invites us to Spiritual Works of Mercy For Holy Week

(Two alerts. This review talks about rape, bullying and suicide. It also contains a lot of spoilers for the TV show and book, 13 Reasons Why.) One of the terrible beauties of Holy Week is an invitation to not only enter the sufferings of Christ, but through our union with Him, be united with others [Read More...]