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Spiritual Journey



This is a sermon I delivered on the Sunday in Advent devoted to peace. It is best experienced aurally, and I invite you to listen to it instead of read it, below. Good morning. Today I want to share a message on something that is very close to my heart – peace. Over many years I’ve travelled to over 20 countries seeking stories which nurture the empathy which builds peace. This month, we are... (more)
Location :
Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tags:
Christmas


As we enter into Advent — the time when Christians prepare their hearts to celebrate Jesus’ birth on Christmas — may God’s peace be with you in a special way. And as we enter the twelfth month of the coronavirus pandemic, we desperately need peace.In my province, COVID-19 cases set new records almost daily. In my city, we are in our second strict quarantine. While we hoped to flatten the curve... (more)
Location :
Tags:
Christmas, COVID-19


Dear friends, it is Passover and Easter. For the first time in our lives, many of us are celebrating alone, behind closed doors, instead of with our faith communities and families. The reason why I am behind closed doors is common to millions right now – we are afraid of contracting or spreading the coronavirus. But to be isolated and afraid actually brings us much closer to the experience of the... (more)
Location :
Canada
Tags:
Easter, spiritual, one global family


It’s Good Friday, the day when Christians follow Jesus down the Via Dolorosa, the way of suffering. Pilgrims in Jerusalem physically retrace Jesus’ steps from the place of his judgement to his crucifixion, and believers around the world retrace Jesus’ last steps through the Stations of the Cross. Figuratively, we can all follow him more closely by reflecting on Jesus’ sacrifice in our hearts.... (more)
Location :
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tags:
Easter


I had the best day, and it's only 4pm! I find myself with an unexpectedly free afternoon and am wondering how to "spend" this gift of time. While I have many more Mexico stories to share, I want to share the joy of this day with you, while reminding myself that peace can be ever present. It is palpable to me today through intentional mindfulness and prayer. It's easy to be mindful and prayerful... (more)
Location :
Canada
Tags:
mindfulness, presence


It was 10:50 PM when I returned to the monastery on my first night in Rome. Tired after over 36 hours of flights, buses, and a leisurely evening out, yet energised by the adrenalin of starting a month-long adventure, I shared the highlights of my evening with Sister Leopoldina, the elderly nun serving at the desk until 11PM. Diminutive in stature, but gigantic in spirit, we picked up the threads... (more)
Location :
Europe
Tags:
spiritual


I’m in Rome! I was so eager to settle in and see the sights that every delay sorting out transportation downtown required double patience. Finally, I found the non-descript door on the non-descript street of the non-descript monastery. The welcome, however, was wonderful! Sister Leopoldina, a native Spanish speaker, and I, a native English speaker, found a common language, French, in Italy... (more)
Location :
Europe
Tags:
Rome


I’m on my way to Rome, the first stop on my September peace quest. I’ll spend the night in a monastery, then the next two nights in Assisi, to centre myself for the rest of the trip. Walls are the metaphor for this trip. I’ve been fascinated by walls since my trip to Israel and Palestine last November. The separation wall made a big impact on me, and I’ve been dreaming of... (more)
Location :
Europe
Tags:
spiritual


It's Maundy Thursday, the day Christians celebrate Jesus' last supper with his disciples. This is the meal during which Jesus took an ordinary loaf of bread, blessed it, and proclaimed it his broken body, given for them. They didn't know at the time that he was foretelling his death 12 hours later. This morning, looking forward to Easter, I put on Christian music and logged into work... (more)
Location :
Canada
Tags:
spiritual, Easter


I’m so excited! I just rented a venue for an event that I’ve been dreaming about for years. It is a momentous, and I hope life-changing, day. In fact, the whole day has been unusual. I had trouble sleeping last night, but instead of fretting, I played relaxing music, lit scented candles, prayed and listened to Scriptures. I finally fell into a peaceful sleep, but unusually, I kept... (more)
Location :
Canada
Tags:
spiritual