If you are engaged in a serious and sustained practice of silent prayer and contemplative spirituality, then you need to be a very somber, sober, and serious person, for the…
Category: Spirituality
You can do it, my friend: you can thrive with a daily practice of silent prayer
In my travels I hear a lot from people who get discouraged regarding silent prayer. Some folks tell me their minds race too much when they try to pray in silence….
Psalm 131: Humility, Silence and Hope
Sometimes I get asked “Where is contemplation in the Bible?” One obvious answer to this question is Psalm 131. It’s a short Psalm, only three verses. Here it is in…
Why We Need Contemplation
I am troubled by the idea that it’s harder to be a child today than it was when I was young. Is that just my personal angst, the anxiety of someone…
Let's go swimming.
God is an ocean of silence, mercy and love. Let’s go swimming. pic.twitter.com/GMbPdqWK57 — Carl McColman (@CarlMcColman) March 6, 2015
Making (and Keeping) a Personal Rule of Life
Every January, lots of folks make New Year’s Resolutions. This year I will lose weight, exercise more, improve my diet, pay off my credit cards. Sadly, though, it seems that by…
Seven Hopes for the Christian (and Church) of the Future
In his 1981 book Concern for the Church, Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner made his famous prediction, “the Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist…
Mary and Martha are Sisters
A sermon preached at First Baptist Church, Springfield, Ohio, on October 26, 2014 Scripture: Luke 10:38-42 When I was a little boy, my brother took me to the theater to see…
Our Choices Determine Who We Are
A reflection given at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, Artane, Dublin, Ireland, on September 28, 2014 Scripture: Ezekiel 18:25-28, Philippians 2:1-11, Matthew 21:28-32 It is said that actions speak louder than words. It has…
A Word of Welcome
Author’s Note: The following post was created as a “Welcome” page for an earlier version of this website. I’m archiving this text here, but some of the references in it…
Concerning Sheep, Goats, and the Unconditional Love of God
I received this email today. Thought it might be worth exploring here on the blog. Hi Carl. Just listened to your two interviews and was blessed … You said in…
Speaking of Silence (On Internet Radio)
One of the great paradoxes of being a writer (and speaker) on contemplative spirituality is that I essentially use words to invite people into a wordless place. Ah, sweet irony….