The 60-Second Sabbath

Humility

  • The Edges of This World

    The edges of this worldare often slippery and unstable;I lose my balanceand fall within…to the voice of God,the sound of the thinnest silence. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Compassion

    This face and the story behind it:wrinkles deep as a museum exhibit,teeth yellow as urine…and few of them. But a grin so heartfelt,of corroded lips, cracked like dried yogurt. It is he who weeps for me. Perhaps only from the… Continue reading

  • Ultimate Blasphemy

    I have a new hero:Sebastian Castellio,who wrote,at the height of the Reformation,that to kill another in the name of Godis the ultimate blasphemy. Meanwhile,Reformers (Luther, Calvin, etc.)and Catholicshurled their toys about Europelike spoiled children storming through the nursery,throwing murderous tantrums,slaughtering… Continue reading

  • Selfness

    Someone has suggestedthere is a third way: somewhere between selfishness and selflessness,lies a placewhere the need to care for ourselvesbalances the need to care for others. It is the way of selfness. I need to find this place of selfness,between… Continue reading

  • Sanctuary

    There is no sanctuarywithout virtue. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • On the True Nature of Church

    Every now and then,I take a picturethat seems to need no commentary. Here is one–a bumper sticker I saw recently in my neighborhood. Why does this speak to me?My response is,"Yes, that's it exactly…"  Text and image © 2012 by… Continue reading

  • The Saints

    I read the lives of the saints.I ask, "What do I do with this knowledge–this sacrifice,this willingness to suffer for the sake of others,to release all for a leap into the unknown?" And the answer comes to me,"It's not what… Continue reading

  • Lenten Disciplines

    What have you given up for Lent? If it makes you cranky,it was the wrong choice. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading

  • Belief vs. Faith

    Belief carries the assumption of correctness,makes knowns of unknowns,asserts control over outcomes. Faith trusts our potential,launches journeys,leaps into the limitless unknown. Belief is what we think we know.  Faith is what we do. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk… Continue reading

  • Did You Awaken Last Night?

    Did you awaken last nightwondering where you fit?how you will continue?what is the point? So did I. And with us,so did the Beloved. Text and image © 2012 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved.   Continue reading