MSI Press Blog

  BOREDOM “Behold, I am making all things new.” --Revelations 21: 5   We often use slogans to guide us through life’s complexity. I recently learned two slogans popular among young people today. YOLO: “You only live once.” It proclaims that we have only this one precious and wild life. So, we must make the most of it. This maxim reiterates the ancient wisdom, “Life is short.” Take advantage of our allotted time. A second piece of complimentary guidance is FOMO: “Fear of missing out.” There is a sense of urgency to fill our brief time here with stimulating activities. We want to cram as many experiences as possible in our available time. Only then can we feel satisfied and happy. We Americans assume that a fast-moving, active life is a fulfilled life. “An idle mind is the workshop of the devil,” a time-honored epithet reminds us. A boring life is a useless one. We want to do as much as we can as quickly as we can. Our goal is to be productive and efficient. We confess...

  (The divine works in mysterious ways. I was looking at the mountains this morning. I don't know exactly what I was looking for, but I thought that was the place to look. And then this came up in my memories. It was the first piece I had published in a newspaper following the book [ A Theology for the Rest of Us ]. Besides the comforting thought, I had the distinct impression the divine was stifling a laugh.) When young children are hurt or sad, they want a kiss to make it better. Or a hug. Yes, hugs can work well, too. And ice cream. Ice cream is the best. As adults, however, we know that whatever the injury or problem, kissing it is not going to make anything better. It is ironic that there is so much pop psychology advice that, especially in times of crisis, we need to connect with our inner child. Idyllic notions of childhood aside, the truth is that childhood is often about feeling powerless and ever so small. There is a reason why children are so taken with dinosaurs. Dinosa...

  The following post comes from the blog of Arthur Yavelberg - Looking behind the Curtain In the wonderful fantasy movie, “ The Wizard of O z,” the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion and Dorothy are all seeking something they believe is lacking: a brain, a heart, courage and the way back home.  While they lacked the terminology to discuss their despair as “existential angst,” their predicament is certainly not rare in spiritual literature.    In the  Hindu  classic, “ The Bhagavad Gita ,” the hero,  Arjuna , is forlorn at the prospect of going into battle against enemies who are all relatives.  Anticipating so much death and destruction, he is tempted to turn away.  Only when  Krishna  reminds him that he is a warrior and that he must fulfill his destiny does Arjuna fight in this terrible war—a war that he wins, though at the end everyone dies anyway as that is the way of all flesh.   Similarly, in the Biblical Boo...