Podcasts about Thomas Merton

Nach zuletzt vielen Tourtagen, Live-Auftritten und einer ganzen Reihe hochspannender Gästetalks ist es mal wieder Mit für ein entspanntes Gespräch zu dritt. Ausgehend von der inspirierenden Frage einer Hossa-Hörerin unterhalten sich Jay, Marco und Gofi über die Frage, wie und ob Gott in der Schöpfung, der Natur zu sehen und zu erfahren ist. Ist die Schöpfung so etwas wie ein Kunstwerk, das beim Betrachten Rückschlüsse über die Person, von der es geschaffen wurde, zulässt? Oder ist Gott tatsächlich Teil ebendieser Schöpfung und präsent in allen Lebewesen, Menschen, Tier, Pflanzen und darüber hinaus? Was macht die Weite des Universums mit unserem Gottesbild? Und wenn wir meinen, etwas von Gottes Schönheit in einem Sonnenuntergang wahrnehmen zu können, was sagen dann Naturkatastrophen aus? Was bedeutet es, wenn Paulus schreibt, dass Christus alles in allem sei und wie kam es, dass Jay mit einem Baum befreundet ist? Auf den Spuren von Franz von Assisi und Thomas Merton tauschen die drei Hossa-Talkern ihre Erfahrungen aus, legen Perspektiven nebeneinander und sagen: „Wo du herkommst, komme ich auch her!“ Hier findest Du den erwähnten Vortrag von Gofi im openSpace Podcast: https://www.eg-fulda.de/media/podcast/43/gofi-mueller-wir-sind-familie-geschwister-gott-die-natur-und-wir-mit-talk-/ Das Gebet, das Gofi am Ende vorliest, findest Du auf dieser Seite: https://www.os17.de/material/

All songs and texts used with permission. All rights reserved. Opening Prayer written by Jo-ed Tome Opening Song: Beauty by Betsey Beckman, arranged and performed by Simon de Voil and Alexa Sunshine Rose from the album Monk in the World: Songs for Contemplative Living First Reading: Sophfronia Scott, The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton. Broadleaf Books (2021) page 60. Sung Psalm Opening and Doxology: Richard Bruxvoort Colligan from the album Monk in the World: Songs for Contemplative Living Psalm 65: Interpretation by Christine Robinson, musical setting and sung by Simon de Voil Second Reading: Cole Arthur Riley, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us. Convergent Books (2023) page 38-41. Prayers of Concern written by Jo-ed Tome Sung Response: Words by Abbey Dream Team. Music by Betsey Beckman. Arranged and performed by Alexa Sunshine Rose and Simon de Voil © 2025 Closing Song: Only Grace by The Many from the album Cultivating Seeds of Liberation: Songs of Justice and Joy. Words by Lenora Rand, Music by Hannah Rand © 2016 Mirasion Music (ASCAP) Closing Blessing written by Jo-ed Tome Prayers, readings, and blessings voiced by Claudia Love Mair and Jo-ed Tome. Audio engineering by Simon de Voil. Please note: All of the songs and prayer responses are published on albums in the Abbey of the Arts collection unless otherwise noted. In addition, these songs & responses have accompanying gesture prayers and/or dances created by Betsey Beckman that can be found on the corresponding video collections. Audio and video recordings of the Prayer Cycles are available at AbbeyoftheArts.com.

The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton, A Journey of Faith and Transformation, Exploring Vulnerability, Forgiveness, and the Quest for Spiritual Fulfillment in the Midst of a Turbulent World, an extraordinary testament, a unique spiritual autobiography that has been recognized as one of the most influential religious works of our time. Translated into more than twenty languages, it has touched millions of lives.A Journey of Faith and Transformation"The Seven Storey Mountain" by Thomas Merton - Book PReviewBook of the Week - BOTW - Season 8 Book 23Buy the book on Amazon https://amzn.to/4l1eQ6cGET IT. READ :)#journeyoffaith #transformation #awareness FIND OUT which HUMAN NEED is driving all of your behaviorhttp://6-human-needs.sfwalker.com/Human Needs Psychology + Emotional Intelligence + Universal Laws of Nature = MASTER OF LIFE AWARENESShttps://www.sfwalker.com/master-life-awareness

Tim Kizer doesn't refer himself as a philosopher, but he is a bit of one. In part two of our interview with Tim, hear him discuss his fondness for Catholic theologian Thomas Merton, why he always looks for the multiple dimensions present in everyone, and how all of us on earth are connected. Give it a listen, it's a good one. 

“All the fish needs is to get lost in water. All man needs is to get lost in Tao.”— Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 65   Link to The Practice of the Presence of God   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Claude AnShin Thomas - Zen Buddhist monk, combat veteran, and author - responds to questions from students in an inspiring manner based on his Zen practice and life experiences. He reminds the listener how to stay awake to life and understand more deeply the traps of a deluded mind.   This episode was recorded during a weekly online meeting of questions & responses. For more information: https://www.zaltho.org If you want to ask Claude AnShin Thomas a question, please feel free to write to info@zaltho.org. Book recommendations: -       Bringing Meditation to Life - 108 Teachings on the Path of Zen Practice (Oakwood Publishing 2021) -       AT HELL'S GATE - A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace (Shambhala Publications 2003) -       On the Edges of Sleep: Poems of War and Memory (Oakwood Publishing 2024) https://www.zaltho.org/books/ To support, donate.  If you are interested in a specific question, this is the list of questions that Claude AnShin responded to and the time stamps for those questions so that you can go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you. Questions and Time Stamps: 1:05 – What impresses you with Fayan Wenyi's teachings? 1:16 – What is your perception of Pope Francis? 1:52 – What do you think of institutions of churches in general? 2:43 – When I remain silent, how can truth be recognized? 3:02  – What would you say is the difference between intellectualization versus study of a teaching? 4:14  – What is your position on dispute and on arguing? 6:13 – When you were on pilgrimage, what was it like to be refused when asking for food, shelter, or basic needs? 8:07 – Have you ever had any conversations with chaplains in the military about their role? 9:46 – How do you keep yourself from feeling superior? 11:38 – What is humanness for you? 12:23 – How has the transition been traveling from New England to Florida this last week? 13:41 – Do you ever talk about others errors and faults and if you always abstain from blaming and criticizing others? 15:23 – How important is it to take a break, relax, or to restore yourself? 16:24 – With getting older have you become more patient or impatient? 17:15 – Have you been inspired by Thomas Merton or Enomiya-LaSalle? And if so, how?

Nonfiction writer Paul Elie joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his new book The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s and Pope Leo XIV. Elie compares the new pope to John Paul II, whose conservative views shaped the 1980s. He explains how and why '80s artists like Andy Warhol, U2, and Bob Dylan produced art he considers “crypto-religious,” a term coined by poet Czesław Miłosz. He analyzes limbo and purgatory in the work of writers of the period, including Louise Erdrich and Toni Morrison, and recalls the culture wars, including iconic incidents like Sinéad O'Connor tearing up the pope's picture on Saturday Night Live, as well as the controversy over Andres Serrano's Piss Christ. He reads from The Last Supper. Selected Readings: Paul Elie The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s Reinventing Bach: The Search for Transcendence in Sound The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage The Down-to-Earth Pope: Pope Francis Has Died at Eighty-eight | The New Yorker  Others Madame Bovary Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose  Love Medicine The Handmaid's Tale Striving Towards Being: The Letters of Thomas Merton and Czeslaw Milosz U2 - Gloria  “The Controversial Saturday Night Live Performance That Made Sinéad O'Connor an Icon,” Time Magazine, July 26, 2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“They had no mind to fight Tao. They did not try, by their own contriving, to help Tao along. These are the ones we call true men.”— Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 61   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Rev. Fred Small, Guest Minister, preaching Worship service given May 25, 2025 Prayer by Bill Licea-Kane, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence," wrote Trappist monk and peace activist Thomas Merton. "The frenzy of our activism neutralizes our work for peace. . . . It destroys the fruitfulness of our own work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful." As we work together for social and environmental justice, how do we remain grounded in a peaceful spirit? Rev. Fred Small asks, what can we learn from trees? A Unitarian Universalist pastor, singer-songwriter, and former environmental lawyer, Rev. Fred Small serves as Minister for Climate Justice at Arlington Street Church, Boston. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For May 2025, Massachusetts Bail Fund will share half of the plate. Massachusetts Bail Fund (MBF) pays bail to secure freedom from pre-trial incarceration so that those who cannot afford their bail can be in their community to fight their case. Pre-trial freedom allows individuals, families, and communities to stay productive, together, and stable. Massachusetts jails are filled with people awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. Sitting in jail on bail leads to longer incarceration times, lost jobs, lost housing, and devastating disruption to families. The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here.

Today's episode of Bookwaves/Artwaves is preempted by special programming for KPFA's 2025 Spring Fund Drive. Mitch Jeserich reads excerpts from the classic writings The Way of Chuang Tzu, translated by Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton composed a series of his own versions of the classic sayings of Chuang Tzu, the most spiritual of Chinese philosophers. Chuang Tzu, who wrote in the fourth and third centuries B.C., is the chief authentic historical spokesperson for Taoism and its founder Lao Tzu (a legendary character known largely through Chuang Tzu's writings). Indeed it was because of Chuang Tzu and the other Taoist sages that Indian Buddhism was transformed, in China, into the unique vehicle we now call by its Japanese name: Zen. To support our mission and receive the book The Way of Chuang Tzu as a thank-you gift, please donate here or call (800) 439-5732 (800-HEY-KPFA).   The post Special Spring Fund Drive Programming: Special Spring Fund Drive Programming: Thomas Merton's Translation of Chuang Tzu appeared first on KPFA.

Mitch Jeserich reads excerpts from the classic writings The Way of Chuang Tzu translated by Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton composed a series of his own versions of the classic sayings of Chuang Tzu, the most spiritual of Chinese philosophers. Chuang Tzu, who wrote in the fourth and third centuries B.C., is the chief authentic historical spokesperson for Taoism and its founder Lao Tzu (a legendary character known largely through Chuang Tzu's writings). Indeed it was because of Chuang Tzu and the other Taoist sages that Indian Buddhism was transformed, in China, into the unique vehicle we now call by its Japanese name―Zen.   Excerpts from THE WAY OF CHUANG TZU by Thomas Merton, copyright ©1965 by The Abbey of Gethsemani. Reproduced by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp. The post The Taoist & Christian: The Way of Chuang Tzu appeared first on KPFA.

Is it ok to make plans? What does it mean to plan for the future when walking this path? — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 60   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Writer Nicholas Triolo walks the length of the Rio Côa in central Portugal with a book by Christian mystic Thomas Merton in his pack. For Merton, the living world shimmered with a divine feminine presence, meaning all within it was worthy of our love. Along the winding landscape of the Côa, damaged by agriculture and home to endangered animals, Nicholas witnesses the messy, subversive nature of “rewilding.” And with Merton as his companion on the journey, he begins to feel a wild, relational divinity in the land around him, and a devotion essential to rewilding place and self amid today's crises of despair and destruction.  Read the essay. Photo by Ricardo Ferreira / Courtesy of Rewilding Portugal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Every man knows how useful it is to be useful. No one seems to know how useful it is to be useless.” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 59   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

In a time when every institution—religious, political, academic—has fractured under the weight of disillusionment, this essay charts a new way forward: not by discarding tradition or embracing blind progress, but by walking the ancient and timeless path of the mystic. Weaving personal insight with wisdom from Nietzsche, the Desert Fathers, Thomas Merton, and more, this piece speaks to seekers disenchanted with rigid dogma and sterile modernity alike. It explores how a sincere, transformative spiritual search—rooted in experience, paradox, and reverence—can guide us beyond labels and toward a God who is not owned by any one tradition. At its heart, this is a call for a metamodern mysticism: a soulful, honest, and dynamic journey into meaning in an age that desperately needs it.

“We have seen a fire of sticks burn out. The fire now burns in some other place. Where? Who knows?” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 57   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

It feels assuring to know the answers to the most important questions in life. It takes more humility to admit we might not know where we're going, and at a deeper level, who we even are. Thomas reflects in this episode on the vulnerability of not knowing and shares a poem from Thomas Merton that shows this special kind of faith in action. And now that Thomas is all done with graduate studies, he'll be dedicating more time to his teaching practice and the broader community. Learn more about two of his upcoming offerings: 7-day meditation retreat (September 30th - October 7th) 9-month deep dive in the contemplative life (still accepting applications)  

“Hey, Sung Hu! Where'd you go? You have gonewhere you really were. And we are here." — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 55   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Is there a Christian response to our divided country?   Host Curtis Chang is joined by David French and Russell Moore to unpack what Trump's agenda and executive actions demand from people of faith. From foreign policy chaos and attacks on democratic institutions to political fatigue and Christian witness, this conversation gets real about the cost of following Jesus in a divided America. Curtis, David, and Russell confront the pull of fear and apathy—and offer a better path rooted in truth, hope, courage, and acts of worship.   Resources mentioned in this episode: New poll: millions of Trump voters regret their choice Here are the top 5 immigration changes from Trump's first 100 days Trump's strange wording illustrates One-sided Ukraine peace plan  David Whyte on Anxiety Thomas Merton's Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander Harvard pledges reforms following internal reports on antisemitism Under pressure from Trump, Columbia plans its next move Transcript of Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Explainer Video: Brown v. Board of Eduction II Case Brief Summary  Aurelius Augustine's The City of God: Volume I (pdf) Phil Wickham's What An Awesome God (Organic) Worship with Songs for The After Party More From Russell Moore: Sign up for Russell Moore's weekly newsletter Moore to the Point Listen to The Russell Moore Show (podcast) More From David French: David French's New York Times pieces HERE Follow David French on Threads Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   Sign up: Redeeming Babel Newsletter

The passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025 marked not just the end of a papacy but the end of an era in global politics. The moment in which Francis spoke before Congress a decade ago and identified Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and Martin Luther King as models of Christian moral witness feels like another universe — far from the cruel, cramped, suspicious, and selfish world we are living in. What was the Francis era? Where did he come from, and how did he become pope? And what are we losing — besides a pretty good pope — with his passing from the mortal realm? Matt and Sam discuss the passing of Pope Francis and what his papacy meant (to us and to the world), why he scandalized the Catholic right, and why his message feels so necessary and yet so far away. Further Reading: Vinson Cunningham, "Many and One," Commonweal, Dec 14, 2020. Dorothy Fortenberry, "The climate apocalypse is also a religious crisis," Vox, April 12, 2023.Abeer Salman and Oren Liebermann, "The pope called them every night until his final hours. Now, Gaza's Christians cling to the hope he left behind," CNN, April 23, 2025. Matthew Sitman, "No, Pope Francis is Nothing Like Donald Trump," Commonweal, Feb. 26, 2016.— "Pope Francis and Civil Unions: We Need Clarity, Not a Media Blackout," Commonweal, Oct. 27, 2020.Pope Francis, Laudato si' (“On Care for Our Common Home”), May 2015.Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, Oct. 3, 2020.Ross Douthat, "Francis and the End of the Imperial Papacy," New York Times, April 21, 2025....and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!  

In this special episode, “Please Pray for Me”—named in honor of the late Pope Francis—we reflect on his legacy of humility and his constant invitation to prayer. We explore the deep power of prayer, drawing inspiration from Thomas Merton, and discuss how true listening can itself be a sacred act of prayer.Our conversation moves through themes of trust, decision-making, and the openness to possibility as paths to personal and spiritual growth. We share personal stories around health challenges, navigating relationships with adult children, letting go of control, and learning to trust divine timing.Through suffering, surrender, and the courage to not judge our experiences, we find meaning in the journey. The episode concludes with group prayers and the reading of written prayer requests from our community.A heartfelt and faith-filled episode to remind us: we are never alone.

“ It is easy to stand still and leave no trace, but it is hard to walk without touching the ground.” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 53   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

In this special Easter episode, Will Small and Mitch Forbes explore the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection beyond traditional frameworks. They discuss alternative understandings of atonement, René Girard's scapegoat theory, and how the Easter story reveals God's non-violent love rather than divine wrath.Key Topics:Rethinking traditional atonement theoriesThe problem with viewing God as wrathful and violentRené Girard's theories on mimetic desire, rivalry, and scapegoatingHow the cross exposes human violence rather than divine violenceFinding life-giving ways to understand Jesus' death and resurrectionResources Mentioned:James Alison's "Jesus the Forgiving Victim"James Cone's "The Cross and the Lynching Tree"Brian Zahnd's "The Wood Between the Worlds"Thomas Merton's writingsRené Girard's work on mimetic theoryWant to reach out and let us know your thoughts or suggestions for the show? Send us a message here; we'd love to hear from you.The Spiritual Misfits Survival Guide (FREE): https://www.spiritualmisfits.com.au/survivalguideSign up to our mailing list:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/Join our online Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritualmisfitspodcastSupport the pod:https://spiritualmisfits.com.au/support-us/View all episodes at: https://spiritualmisfits.buzzsprout.com

Links:Website: www.move2focus.comEmail: info@move2focus.com Episode Show notes timestamps:

Many of the most prominent social activists in the last half century or so have also been contemplatives: Howard Thurman, the Dalai Lama, and Thomas Merton among others. Does the sort of spirituality we talk about here have things to offer in a world like ours where people feel daily outrages flowing through their media feeds? Might our practices actually be negative--in that moving past constant reactivity might make us too passive? But surely constant outrage mostly leads to hopelessness (and unpleasant days). Dave Schmelzer is joined by Grace Schmelzer and Steve Joh (a former pastor who currently leads a network of small, spacious, spiritual, Christian communities in the Bay Area) for a lively conversation about all of this, including a look at the most commonly discussed spiritual approach to addressing such times.Mentioned on this podcast:Register your interest in the next Faith Part 2 course here.Arbor communities in the Bay AreaThe Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World, by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu

As we continue from our Lenten series, Pastor Chris explores the spiritual discipline of silence and its power to reconnect us with God, ourselves, and one another. Drawing from voices like Blaise Pascal, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, and even a Buddhist monk, this sermon invites us to turn down the volume of our lives—externally and internally—and rediscover the presence of God in the quiet.

CW: There is some brief discussion of abusive familial relationships at several points within this episode.Two titanic figures in contemporary theory join us for two separate and strongly divergent episodes on the status of revolutionary thought in political philosophy today.Timothy Morton is one of the most outspoken and controversial voices in the discourse, someone whose impact punched hard into the artworld, defining a decade of new ecological and object-oriented aesthetics. For almost the entire 2010s and much of the 2020s it was hard to read a single exhibition text without recognizing Morton's impact.Timothy joins us for an expansive conversation that moves through Buddhism, Christianity, communism, trauma, poetry, and the question of whether “love your neighbor as yourself” might actually be a planetary-scale software instruction. Morton describes communism and Christianity as radically entangled modes of relation, both grounded in care and unknowing.We strongly recommend:Most people should already be familiar with Morton's most iconic concept and contribution: HyperobjectsTimothy's book Ecology Without Nature Their more recent Hell: In Search of a Christian Ecology And we spend a lot of time talking about SpacecraftIn the episode, we also touch on the work of Fredric Jameson, Terry Eagleton, Thomas Merton, Raymond Williams, and Simone Weil.

“What I follow is Tao beyond all methods!” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 45   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Nature has seasons, the transitions between which can be difficult for many people. Life also has seasons. How do we navigate the ending of one part of our life, and the beginning of another? In this episode, Petra is joined by Rev. Frank Ritchie to unpack how he is approaching an upcoming season change in his life. Petra also talks to a group of her own friends, all of whom are in the midst of their own season changes. Haere mai/come along! A small correction: We mistakenly attributed the 'Welcoming Prayer' to Thomas Merton, instead of Thomas Keating. Music: Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo (played at the end of the intro) Equipoise by Max Roach (played at the end of Frank's interview) Bashed Out by This is the Kit Just Saying by Jamie xx (played during communion) Warned You by Good Morning (played during community life) Seasons (Waiting on You) by Future Islands Innerspace by The Apples in Stereo (played at the end of Petra's chat with her friends)

In this episode of Together for Good, we explore the transformative practice of Centering Prayer with Ron Rinkle, a former academic and marketing executive who has discovered deep spiritual renewal through this contemplative approach.Ron shares how Centering Prayer speaks to the modern challenges of self-identity, time, and love, offering a countercultural rhythm of stillness in a world driven by noise and productivity. With a unique blend of psychological and sociological insights, he unpacks the ways this practice fosters inner peace, strengthens faith, and deepens our awareness of God's presence.If you've ever felt that traditional prayer methods weren't working for you—or if you're curious about how silence can become a powerful tool for spiritual growth—this conversation is for you.In This Episode:

The truly wise man, considering both sides of the question without partiality, sees them both in the light of the Tao. — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 44   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Dave Brisbin 3.30.25 Burning bush is our cultural meme, idiom for a peak experience, a vision of God or from God. But for all its power, one burning bush is not enough. Standing on holy ground in front of the original burning bush, Moses argued with God, doubted God's word right there, and for the rest of his life, oscillated between boldness and doubt. Just like any human. But how in the world is a burning bush not enough for permanent transformation? How could that not change us without a doubt? A burning bush, a moment when ultimate reality breaks through the veil between heaven and earth, is a glimpse of life through God's eyes—everything connected, everything literally one substance. The human view of individual form and function falls away. Seventeen years into his monastic experience, trying to find holiness through cloistered separation from secular life, Thomas Merton had an experience in downtown Louisville at the corner of 4th and Walnut. In the middle of the busy shopping district, he was “suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that he loved all those people…that the whole illusion of a separate holy existence is a dream…” I have friends who have described similar experiences. I've had my own, and we've all seen burning bushes of varying intensity at times of great love and great loss. They don't last because they present a paradox, and our minds, ever dualistic, see every paradox as a threat to certainty, convert it to a contradiction, then choose a side to relieve the tension. But that tension is the whole point. Wrestling to fit a too-big God view into the too-small human experience of daily life keeps the vision alive while keeping us grounded in our daily activities. We need burning bushes as ballast for our sacred tension, but they are rare, come unbidden. We can't create them or control them, but we can become increasingly aware when they are happening while working to create the perfect environment in our hearts for them to occur. Ride the sacred tension, living each day as the possibility of another surprise, another burning bush moment of seeing life through God's eyes. Always new, alive, one.

Dave Brisbin 3.30.25 Burning bush is our cultural meme, idiom for a peak experience, a vision of God or from God. But for all its power, one burning bush is not enough. Standing on holy ground in front of the original burning bush, Moses argued with God, doubted God's word right there, and for the rest of his life, oscillated between boldness and doubt. Just like any human. But how in the world is a burning bush not enough for permanent transformation? How could that not change us without a doubt? A burning bush, a moment when ultimate reality breaks through the veil between heaven and earth, is a glimpse of life through God's eyes—everything connected, everything literally one substance. The human view of individual form and function falls away. Seventeen years into his monastic experience, trying to find holiness through cloistered separation from secular life, Thomas Merton had an experience in downtown Louisville at the corner of 4th and Walnut. In the middle of the busy shopping district, he was “suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that he loved all those people…that the whole illusion of a separate holy existence is a dream…” I have friends who have described similar experiences. I've had my own, and we've all seen burning bushes of varying intensity at times of great love and great loss. They don't last because they present a paradox, and our minds, ever dualistic, see every paradox as a threat to certainty, convert it to a contradiction, then choose a side to relieve the tension. But that tension is the whole point. Wrestling to fit a too-big God view into the too-small human experience of daily life keeps the vision alive while keeping us grounded in our daily activities. We need burning bushes as ballast for our sacred tension, but they are rare, come unbidden. We can't create them or control them, but we can become increasingly aware when they are happening while working to create the perfect environment in our hearts for them to occur. Ride the sacred tension, living each day as the possibility of another surprise, another burning bush moment of seeing life through God's eyes. Always new, alive, one.

Send us a textThe devotion for today, Friday, March 28, 2025 was written by Donald (Luke) Day and is narrated by Michael Benham.Today's Words of Inspiration come from No Man Is an Island by Thomas Merton, Trappist monk: "It seems to me that the first responsibility of a person of faith is to make his or her faith really part of their whole life, not by rationalization but by living it."  Support the show

Abandoning all thought of imposing a limit or taking sides, he rests in direct intuition. Therefore I said: “Better to abandon disputation and seek the true light!” — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Pages 42-43   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

One may well suppose the True Govener to be behind it all. That such a Power works I can believe. I cannot see his form. He acts, but has no form. — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 41   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Fr. Joseph Illo joins Patrick to discuss Lenten Spiritual Reading (3:29) Why can reading bring about growth in the spirit? (6:56) What types of books should we be looking for during Lent to help us grow? (9:09) What is Lectio Divina? (12:44) Rebecca –This is a great book: He Leadeth Me - Fr. Walter Cizeck. (14:31) Julie – Is it okay to read Freidrich Nitzche “The Anti Christ”, “Back to Virtue”, Peter Kreeft or “Lift Up Your Hearts” Fulton Sheen? (16:42) Charles –Best book to read I the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (20) Break 1 (22:11) Fr. Illo book suggestions – Bible, Augustine’s Confessions, Story of a Soul. St. Therese Lisieux, “Imitation of Christ” Thomas A Kempis, “Finding and maintaining peace” or “Time for God” Jacques Philippe, “The Way or “The Forge” St. Josemaria Escriva, “Lenten Journey with Mother Mary” Fr. Ed Looney, “33 Days of Morning Glory” Fr. Michel Gaitley. (26:31) Michael –My book suggestions: The Dogma of Hell, The Battle of the Virtue and Vices, and Vibrant Paradoxes. Bishop Robert Barron. (28:08) Kyle – My suggestion St. Gregory of Nisus...Life of Moses. Letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch Emailer – Lent is a time to read books by Thomas Merton or Leo Tolstoy. (36:51) Break 2 (37:55) Anything in particular we should be mindful to stay away from? (41:21) Tom -Suggestion: “7 Story Mountain” Thomas Merton, Sherry Weddell “Fruitful Disciple” (44:45) Fr. Bill - Suggestion: St. Maria Faustina's Diary on Divine Mercy Suggestions for Lenten spiritual reading Please note that some of these were suggested by callers. Content of all books suggested has not been reviewed and may contain errors. Sacred Scripture (The Bible) Catechism of the Catholic Church (also, Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, YouCat: Catechism for Youth) Fr. Walter Ciszek, He Leadeth Me Peter Kreeft, Back to Virtue Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Lift Up Your Hearts: Guide to Spiritual Peace St. Augustine, Confessions Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ St. Therese of Lisieux, Story of a Soul Fr. Jacques Phillippe – any of his little books (Finding and Maintaining Peace, Time for God, Searching for and Maintaining Peace, etc.) St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, Furrow, The Forge Fr. Ed Looney, Lenten Journey with Mother Mary Fr. Gaitley – any of his books (devotional) Fr. Calloway, Consecration to St. Joseph Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island, Seven Story Mountain Sherry Weddell, Forming Intentional Disciples, Fruitful Discipleship Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime & Punishment F. X. Schouppe S.J., The Dogma of Hell Pope Saint Leo IX, The Battle of the Virtues and Vices Fr. Bishop Barron, Vibrant Paradoxes St. Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Moses Thomas Merton, Seven Story Mountain, No Man is an Island Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment Fiction of Charles Dickens, Willa Cather, Flannery O’Connor Pope Benedict XVI, Introduction to Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth series Dr. Thomas McGovern, What Christ Suffered St. Faustina’s Diary Corrie Tenboom, The Hiding Place Sr. Marianne Mayard, Make Friends with the Angels Scott Hahn, Rome Sweet Home Bl. Columba Marmion, Christ, The Life of the Soul Franck Sheed, Theology and Sanity St. Athanasius, Life of St. Anthony · Classics: Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ; Therese of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul; St. Augustine, Confessions. · How to pray: little books by Fr. Jacques Philippe, esp Time for God; · Testimonials: Sohrab Ahmari, From Fire By Water; Scott Hahn, Rome Sweet Home; Robert Cardinal Sarah, The Day is Now Far Spent · Devotionals: St. JoseMaria Escriva, The Way, Furrow, The Forge. · Novena books (staged): Fr. Ed Looney, A Lenten Journey with Mother Mary; Fr. Michael Gaitley’s books, esp 33 Days to Merciful Love; Fr. Donald Calloway, Consecration to St. Joseph, · Catechisms: Joseph Ratzinger, Introduction to Christianity; The Compendium of the CCC · Just published: Fr. John Nepil, To Heights unto Depths; Dr. Thomas McGovern, What Christ Suffered Our Lady: Andrew Apostoli, Fatima for Today; Fulton Sheen, The World's First Love

Master Ki said: Something is blowing on a thousand different holes. Some power stands behind all this and makes the sounds die down. What is this power? — Thomas Merton, The Way Of Chuang Tzu, Page 39   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

DateMarch 2, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon, we conclude our "Holding It Together" series by exploring how anxiety festers in uncertainty and our desperate attempts to control the uncontrollable. Pastor Brent unpacks the Transfiguration story, revealing how Peter's impulse to build tents mirrors our own anxious grasping for security when facing the unknown. The good news isn't found in certainty or control, but in the transformative presence of Jesus who meets us in our fear, touches us, and says, "Get up and do not be afraid." When everything else fades away, we're left with the liberating truth that we don't need to hold it all together because we are already held.ReferencesScripture: Matthew 17:1–9About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

Andrew is a registered professional counsellor, a master practitioner in clinical counselling-supervisor, family mediator, instructor, and facilitator with over 10 years of experience supporting children, youth, adults, and seniors in their grief and loss journeys. Through his work with Canuck Place, Friends for Life, Moving Forward Family Services, and his private counselling ‘practice' Andrew is highly skilled and knowledgeable in grief, loss, and bereavement, and he has garnered positive feedback that his empathic, caring, compassionate and sensitive approach has instilled hope and a new sense of purpose to those he has worked with. Andrew is inspired by anyone who has been able to find strength to overcome their personal challenges, and those who are interested and willing to support others. He finds the work of the Dalai Lama inspiring, specifically, his messages that emphasize focusing on others with affection, rather than with anger. Andrew is also intrigued by Thomas Merton's thoughts on racism, social justice, love, and compassion. Andrew believes that learning is infinite, and he regularly participates in professional development opportunities so that he can impart informed knowledge to others, with the goal of contributing to their success. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys hiking, walking by the ocean, fixing, and riding vintage motorcycles, writing, reading, and painting. Andrew is well- travelled, spending over two years travelling the world in his youth and utilizing opportunities to support a variety of poverty-stricken communities. Contact Andrew Bexson at andrew@surreyhospice.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/inspiring-stories--2917948/support.

Brian Harnetty's recent record, Words and Silences, takes voice recordings made by the famed American Trappist monk Thomas Merton and sets them within Harnetty's musical compositions. The meditative and revealing result has been lauded by critics in The Wire, MOJO, and Aquarium Drunkard.  In this episode, we share a Phantom Power exclusive: a brand new narrative piece that Brian created about the making of his record. “Words and Silences: The Thomas Merton Hermitage Tapes” is much more than a behind-the-scenes look at Brian's process. Harnetty's audio diary is its own moving meditation on Merton, solitude, sound, media, and the self.  This is the second piece that Brian has shared with Phantom Power–you may remember his Forest Listening Rooms episode. Like that episode, this is something special. We highly recommend taking a walk in the woods or finding a quiet space to listen to this beautiful meditation. And after we listen, Mack talks to Brian about what we've heard.  (And, of course, we'll have a longer version of the interview and our What's Good segment for our Patrons.) Who was Thomas Merton? Thomas Merton was an author, mystic, poet, and comparative religion scholar who lived from 1915 to 1968. It's hard to imagine a spiritual superstar quite like Merton appearing in America today. His first book, 1948's “The Seven Storey Mountain,” became a best-seller and led to a flood of young men applying to join Catholic monasteries.  Merton had a major influence on spaces such as the progressive Catholic church Mack grew up going to. He was outward facing, committed to leftist causes, and fascinated by other religions, but at the same time, he retreated from his fame into his hermitage in KY. In The New Yorker, Alan Jacobs called him “perhaps the proper patron saint of our information-saturated age, of we who live and move and have our being in social media, and then, desperate for peace and rest, withdraw into privacy and silence, only to return.” Brian Harnetty Brian Harnetty is an interdisciplinary sound artist who uses listening to foster social change. He is known for his recording projects with archives, socially engaged sound works, sound and video installations, live performances, and writings. His interdisciplinary approach has been compared to “working like a novelist…breathing new life into old chunks of sound by radically recontextualizing them” (Clive Bell, The Wire). Brian is currently a Faculty Fellow at Ohio State University's Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme (2022-23), Harnetty is a two-time recipient of the MAP Fund Grant (2021, 2020), and received the A Blade of Grass Fellowship for Socially Engaged Art in Contemplative Practices (2018) and the Creative Capital Performing Arts Award (2016). He has also twice received MOJO Magazine's “Underground Album of the Year” (2019, 2013). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

We began our study of The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton. We discussed excerpts from a Study of Chuang Tzu.   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the most current version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. You are welcome to share, post, and distribute this book anywhere that you believe it will be of help. You can also access a free daily Tao Recovery Email, a list of podcasts, and many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily thoughts from the 365 Day Course in Miracles Calendar. Check the notes in each event for a longer description.  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=ZjgxYTkzMjFmYmI4ZjI1YzRhN2IwYmYzZGM2MTQzNGE0MzhiNjBhM2E5MjUzODhkNzEwMDQxZWQ0MDMzYjg3N0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t   Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

Peter has been a Professor at Duke Divinity School since 2020. Before Duke, he taught at Notre Dame and was the founding director of DePaul's Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology. He has published a monograph, Word as Bread: Language and Theology in Nicholas of Cusa. On November 15, 2024, his edited volume of the essays of Louis Dupré, Thinking the Unknowable, appeared with the University of Notre Dame Press.​In this conversation, Peter and I explored the relationship between art and theology with a focus on both theological aesthetics and the prophetic role of art. We discussed the influence of the Holy Spirit in the creative process, the significance of cultural symbols, and the contributions of Santero artists in Latin American culture. Our dialogue also touched on the impact of Thomas Merton in visual art, the role of reredos and moradas in Christian art history, and the blending of Spanish and indigenous traditions in Latino art as a reflection of cultural identity and spirituality.

“What you gaze upon, you become,” says Fr. Bill McNichols. “We need to gaze on truly conversational, truly loving images.” Those words are a mystical invitation that challenge us to look with greater intentionality at the many images in our lives. These words come at the very beginning of a new book called “All My Eyes See: The Artistic Vocation of Fr. William Hart McNichols,” a book meant to stir in us wonder at a God who works through the creative spirit of people the world over. This book just so happens to chronicle the vocational journey of the great iconographer, Bill McNichols. It's a story told through conversation, a dialogue recounted between Fr. Bill and today's guest—and the book's co-author—Dr. Chris Pramuk. Dr. Pramuk is the Regis University Chair of Ignatian Thought and Imagination where he teaches courses in theology and spirituality. He is also a renown scholar of Thomas Merton and the author of several books. Long-time listeners may remember when Chris was on the pod before to discuss his great book, “The Artist Alive.” Today's conversation centers on the work and life of one man: Fr. Bill McNichols. But as you'll soon find, reflecting on Fr. Bill's vocation is actually an invitation to reflect on the creative spirit alive in us all. How is God challenging us to pray with art and image? How is God's Spirit working in our own vocations? If you'd like to learn more about Fr. Bill's work or pick up more of Dr. Pramuk's books, check out the links below: https://www.regis.edu/academics/faculty-finder/faculty/chris-pramuk https://orbisbooks.com/products/all-my-eyes-see-the-artistic-vision-of-fr-william-hart-mcnichols https://frbillmcnichols-sacredimages.com/

Three distinct voices—Leonard Woolf, Gerald Heard, and Thomas Merton—point to the same truth world: The value of right action lies not in the results we achieve for others, but in the rightness of the action itself, and its significance for ourselves. Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the world gets chaotic and uncertain, we need spiritual practice more than ever—not just to sustain our souls and restore our inner peace, but to recharge and prepare ourselves to take on challenges with effective action. A few years ago, Philip Goldberg, the author of “Spiritual Practice in Crazy Times” and host of the Spirit Matters podcast. interviewed twelve spiritual leaders to help us get through the pandemic. We're now re-releasing the interviews as an encore series, because the messages are as relevant today as when they first aired.   James Finley is a clinical psychologist and a spiritual director, who, early in life, was a cloistered monk in a Trappist monastery and a novice under the tutelage of the renowned ystic and author Thomas Merton. After leaving the monastery, Dr. Finley became a clinical psychologist, a popular leader of retreats and workshops, and a recognized authority on contemplative Christianity and mysticism. He is currently a faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation and a core teacher with The Living School, both organizations founded by Father Richard Rohr. Dr. Finley is also the author of several books and audio sets, including Merton's Palace of Nowhere; The Contemplative Heart; Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God; and his latest, The Healing Path: A Memoir and an Invitation. Learn more about Jim here. Get the book Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times by Philip Goldberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump administration live updates: Trump issues executive orders to declassify assassination files on the Kennedys, MLK Jr

“In solitude, I often feel closer to the people I care for than when they're in the same room.” –Pico Iyer In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Pico talk about how the best travels are often counterbalanced with a kind of stillness, in which one can find one’s “best self” (3:00); Pico’s decades-long experiences with monks in a California monastery, the benefits of a “childlike attitude” toward life, and how “fire” can be a metaphor for spiritual life (12:00); how Pico’s solitude is informed by, and in conversation with, nature (22:00); Pico’s engaged relationship with spiritual communities, even though he is not religious (30:00); the “counterculture” spiritual tradition that grew up around Big Sur, California, and the power of longing (39:00); and how solitude can be a gateway to other people (47:00). Pico Iyer (@PicoIyer) is a novelist, essayist, and author. His newest book is Aflame: Learning from Silence. Notable Links: Pico Iyer on what Japan can teach us about life (Deviate episode 73) The Vagabond’s Way, by Rolf Potts (book) Henri Nouwen (writer and theologian) New Seeds of Contemplation, by Thomas Merton (book) The 14th Dalai Lama (spiritual leader) The Snow Leopard, by Peter Matthiessen (book) Richard Powers (novelist) Desert Fathers (early Christian hermits and ascetics) Sign of Jonas, by Thomas Merton (book) Days of Heaven (1978 film) 4′33″ by John Cage (musical composition) New Camaldoli Hermitage (hermitage in Big Sur, California) Rigveda (ancient Indian collection of hymns) The Woman Lit by Fireflies, by Jim Harrison (book) Sarmoung Brotherhood (esoteric Sufi brotherhood) Henry Miller (novelist) Esalen Institute (retreat center in Big Sur) Bittersweet, by Susan Cain (book) Leonard Cohen (songwriter) Ludwig Wittgenstein (philosopher) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

Exorcism interviews have recently exploded in popularity, racking up millions of views on YouTube and social media. But is this focus on demons and their influence on humans a healthy exploration—or could it be playing into Satan's plans, granting him undue attention and power while paralyzing us with fear and superstition? Today, I'm joined by Dr. Sean Tobin, a psychologist trusted by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to evaluate whether individuals should be referred to an exorcist. With years of experience working with those facing demonic oppression and possession, Dr. Tobin shares fresh perspectives on what God might be accomplishing in these situations and offers little-known approaches for dealing with stubborn cases. He also addresses a troubling trend: fear and powerlessness among Christians—something completely contrary to God's design. Dr. Tobin reminds us of the need to reject both fear and demonic forces, reclaiming the Spirit of power, love, and self-control that God has given us (2 Timothy 1:7). His insights are sure to inspire and empower you in the spiritual battles we face.Check Out Sean's Work:-His book: https://biggodlittledevil.com/-His website: https://www.drseantobin.ca/Join our Locals community: https://lilarose.locals.com/Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LilaRose865Check out our Sponsors:-Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of beef, chicken, bacon, or salmon! Use code LILA for $25 off!  -Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!-EveryLife: https://www.everylife.com Buy diapers from an amazing pro-life diaper company and use code LILA and get 10% off!Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:05:17 - The devil can hide behind mental illness00:06:39 - Examples of paranormal activity at work00:07:28 - Good Ranchers00:08:47 - God allows demonic activity for a purpose00:10:19 - The devil always operates within our psychology00:17:39 - Defining our terms00:18:42 - Every Life00:20:30 - The devil wants us to respond00:24:15 - The positive role of fear00:29:19 - Not just getting out of Egypt00:29:55 - Jesus asleep on the boat00:31:25 - Seven Weeks Coffee00:33:46 - Quantity vs Quality of faith00:34:43 - Superstitious faith vs relationship with Jesus00:40:08 - Prayer00:41:44 - Physical War vs Spiritual War00:43:27 - Pregnancy and Passivity00:45:25 - We expect a great power struggle00:46:36 - Clinical Examples01:00:34 - Sometimes it takes years of exorcisms, sometimes 1 session01:07:10 - Thomas Merton and the Spirituality of Satan01:15:59 - Closing in prayer

Through a litany of trials and grace, Tammy Peterson found her way to the Catholic Church. Today we bring you the first half of an hour-long conversation she had recently with Bishop Barron. The two explore the call of God, the power of the Rosary, the wisdom of Thomas Merton, and more. 00:00 | Intro 01:24 | Relating to God as a called child 06:25 | Attracting people into community 10:16 | Understanding true love 13:20 | Begin with prayer 14:19 | Prayer: sacred, centering, habitual, and “useless” 20:43 | The beauty of monastic life and practice 22:34 | The wisdom of Thomas Merton 24:18 | Distinguishing a natural spirituality from a properly supernatural one 28:05 | Learning to pray the Rosary 38:18 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Link: Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/ NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.