Religion
-
Are You Free?
What qualities of your motherhave you absorbed into your personality?And have you done so by choice? What values of your fatherhave you incorporated into your worldview?And have you done so by choice? What teachings of your childhood faithhave you blended… Continue reading
-
MLK, Denver, 2012
"We are in this together,"read the placard.And we were:black, white, Korean, Hispanic,Baptist, Methodist, Christian, Muslim,students and the aged (with canes),dreadlocks and crewcuts,Up with People and down with the system,male, female, gay, straight–an unlikely mix of one,just as God dreamed us. And… Continue reading
-
Altars
Every familypractices its own, unique religion,builds altars to a variety of gods,who nest and nestlewherever we focus our energy, our passion. To whom do we bow today? Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading
-
The Deeper, Truer Reality
At timesthe evil in the world overwhelms me. I stand in awe of thosewho continue to stand in hope. I know hope comes from deeper truth,but that deep truthcan be so obscured,so pressed down,so weightedby greed, fear, alienation and hate,so… Continue reading
-
He Calls Our Names
He stands on the platform,barely visible nowthrough the smoke that wreaths and wraps his lean, scarred body. One by one,clean as a knife edge,he calls our names (mine, yours). Our destinies,like the smoke,like our lovingly articulated names,rise heavenward. Text and… Continue reading
-
The Central, Sacred Question
"At the center of your life," she said,"is a central, sacred questionThat question guides everything you do,your goals, your relationship…everything." "But what is the question?"he asked. "That's just it," she said."It's different for each of us.Some state it without hesitation;others… Continue reading
-
Invitation
I follow the pathand step, without hesitation,into the beautiful abyss,where, like a snow-laden cloudor a silver-winged dove,I drifton the updraftsof grace. Follow me. Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading
-
Advent 9
"Leave the dead to bury the dead," Jesus says,which means that some of uswalk about devoid of life. "Join the company of the living,the compassionate, the wonder-filled!" Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading
-
Safe in God’s Arms
At the end of childhoodI would have told youthat the heart of Christianity–the "Good News," if you will–was that I belonged to Godno matter what. I really wasn't worriedabout Jesus's having died for sin,since it really didn't matter to me–I… Continue reading
-
Advent 7
Believe whatever you wantabout the birth stories of Jesus–let's talk about what they mean. Don't miss the pointby getting hung up on factuality. Text and image © 2011 by Dirk deVries. All rights reserved. Continue reading