If there is one thing the internet age has made abundantly clear it's that the human craving for lists and how-to guides is insatiable. Long before the internet made 'listicle' a word, this love for tidy numbered frameworks was taken up by the mystics. We've seen this in this Lenten mini-series already, in St. Bernard's … Continue reading Knowing God in 7 Easy Steps! (and other lies)
One of the guiding metaphors I've slipped into throughout this series on knowing God has been the spiritual journey. It's an unoriginal idea, but like most over-used analogies, it's over-used because it's so apt. Coming to know God is very much like a never-ending journey, down a long and winding road, into unfamiliar territories, in … Continue reading The Journey Within: St Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle
Well, here in Toronto we've now entered our third week of strong public health measures intended to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on our city and healthcare system. And, while it's early days yet, indications suggest that it's starting to work. And thank God for that. And yet, as much as these measures are a … Continue reading The Sign of Lazarus: A Reflection on John 11
Of all the metaphors for the mystical pursuit of God, the most common is that of love. In fact, mystics and theologians would alike point out that since God is Love, the metaphor actually works the other way around: it's not that the experience of God is like falling in love but rather that all … Continue reading Unsatisfied: The Language of More in St. Gregory of Nyssa
Today is the feast of the Annunciation, when Christians celebrate Mary's humble acceptance of her big part in God's Big Plan, becoming the mother of Jesus and thereby the Mother of God. But what caught my attention today was one of the assigned readings from the Hebrew Bible, the prophecy of Immanuel: "Therefore the Lord … Continue reading God is with us: A reflection on the Annunciation
Matthew Root 