A nonbelieving friend recently attended a Catholic service for the first time since childhood and described herself as “enthralled with the long-forgotten but completely remembered beauty of the Mass.” She spoke of the gold vestments, candles, incense and back-and-forth singing, contrasting it with Protestant services she had experienced, which she perceived as “a cold, lifeless box.” […]
To worship in spirit and truth Read More »
“But how did Mike Mulligan go to the bathroom?” asks Ramona Quimby in one of my favorite childhood books. (If you know the story of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, you understand why she asked.) It’s exactly what I wondered when reading God’s instructions in Leviticus for his priests’ consecration. “At the entrance of the
Responses to Grace Read More »
The following prayer was first published in Anabaptist World. Dear FATHER, IN WHOM I try to believe, my heart feels muddled and squished, like a stress ball in a clammy hand. My mind is clouded by vague worries and muddied emotions. It feels presumptuous to ask you, the Creator of sparrows and stars, into the small
God of Broken and Little Things Read More »
This article was first published in Anabaptist World as a part of my regular column. *** When I moved to Oakland, Maryland, after my marriage, I immediately felt at home. The people were warm and inclusive, curious and friendly. I loved to see the Amish and Mennonites mix with each other and with the rest
Disillusionment or Hope? Read More »
My sister planted a tree when she was a child—the tree you see pictured in the feature photo above. Now it is an adult tree, grown tall and slender as a young woman—as my sister herself—but still with many layers of wood to add to wood, many green leaves to shoot forth as it matures.
A Tree Perfect in Its Season Read More »
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