Many years ago in the fall of 1850 a Russian peasant was attending church and the scripture reading for the day was “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17. The peasant’s heart was gripped. How was it possible to pray without ceasing? He set out on a pilgrimage to discover the answer. After many failed attempts…
Tag: Lent
A Tiny Launch Out of Lazy: Soul Sculpting Project Lent Week 7
Sloth is a complicated sin. In the 7 Deadly Sin List it originally came under the word acedia.That’s a word we don’t even use any more Acedia is related to tedium, melancholy, joylessness, discontent, and apathy. Particularly apathy towards the spiritual life. Theologian Thomas Aquinas called acedia a “sluggishness of the mind which neglects to…
Angry? Breathe, Invite Wisdom, Listen: Soul Sculpting Project: Lent Week 6
Does Jesus ever get really angry? Yes. Remember the famous time when he flips over all the market tables at the temple. And then there’s the time when Jesus’s disciples decide that He is too busy and important to bless little kids, so they block a group of kids from getting to Him. Jesus gets…
How I Learned to Eat at Glacial Speed: Soul Sculpting Lent Week 5
I don’t know why I grew up to be such a fast eater but by the time I reached college I could walk into the cafeteria, inhale my dinner and be out of there in record time. I think I felt proud of my speed-eating skill. The last year of college, however, I ran into…
Gratitude: The Antidote for Envy: Soul Sculpting Project Lent #4
Envy doesn’t even sound like fun to me. Some of the other 7 Deadly sins like gluttony, greed, pride, lust, and sloth at least have the lure of promising pleasure and fun. At the start, that is, before the life-sucking consequences set in. But envy just sounds miserable from the start. And then there are…
Cultivating the Virtue of Love with Flash Prayer: Soul Sculpting Lent 2022 Week 3
Cultivating the Virtue of Love with Flash Prayer: Soul Sculpting Project Frank sat in the back of the bus conducting his usual prayer experiment. He sent out quick prayers for individuals sitting in front of him. Frank loved doing this experiment. He liked the way he felt as he did it. He called it “the…
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