Stars keep the watch when night is dim One more light the bowl shall brim Shining beyond the frosty weather Bright as the sun and moon together People look East and sing today Love the Star is on the way Being in the dark is hard. And, we spend a lot of time in it, … Continue reading People Look East: When Night is Dim
The Holy Week tradition that is the most meaningful for me is the stripping of the altar and sanctuary of the church at the end of the liturgy on Maundy* Thursday. As the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and Psalm 22 are read, anything that can be carried out of the worship … Continue reading Stripped Bare: A Reflection on Maundy Thursday
One day last week, I slipped into the Art Gallery of Ontario on my lunch break. While I was there, I made sure to visit one of my favorite pieces of art, Emily Carr's Church at Yuquot Village. The piece shows a small white-washed wooden church against a backdrop of the forest. While the church … Continue reading Fire Breathing Green: The Multimedia Mysticism of St. Hildegard of Bingen
Earlier this week, our Lenten exploration of mystics looked at the Dark Night of the Soul as it was originally articulated by St. John of the Cross. In reading John's poem, it became clear that he wasn't talking about the Dark Night as a time of redemptive suffering or of testing by God, but that … Continue reading There Is No Map
Imagine, if you will, being totally in love with God. When you pray, you feel God's presence there with you. The liturgies and rituals of the Church regularly bring tears of joy to your eyes. You fast with ease and are moved to give generously to those who have less. And there is nothing you … Continue reading The Night That Was My Guide: The Dark Night of St. John of the Cross
Matthew Root 