$0.00
© 2024 — John Chaffee MDiv/ThM

Three Things You Need on the Spiritual Journey

The Interior of Sagrada Familia “It is no small pity, and should cause us no little shame, that, through our own fault, we do not understand ourselves, or know who we are. Would it not be a sign of great...

Tumbling Down the Rabbit Hole

I was fortunate enough to have two parents that were educators. As they were raising my brother and I, learning was an important emphasis. Throughout childhood and into teenage years, we also had the benefit of a pastor at our...

We Are the Pharisees

It is not a difficult statement to make that we tend to see ourselves as the ones in the right, those who already champion others, or what-have-you. What is difficult, however, is to course correct and humbly ask if we...

Carpe Noctem

Have you heard this phrase before? Perhaps you know the more common phrase, “carpe diem,” which translates as “seize the day.” Well, “carpe noctem” is the opposite, “seize the night.” Now, before you run off thinking that I am encouraging...

Why We All Need Grace

Note: Before you read further, this is exactly the lesson I am learning right now. So I apologize in advance if this seems too “stream of consciousness.” This may not seem like a groundbreaking statement, but we all need grace....

A Famous Prayer by a Famous Cistercian

Thomas Merton “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact...

Why We Need Boredom

Photo taken from a fireside evening I had at Delanco Camp. It is not a stretch to say that we are bad at being bored. We hate it. We run from it. We assume something must be done when we...

The Metamorphing Jesus

An Icon of the Transfiguration In the Greek New Testament, we have accounts of the Transfiguration. It is an incredible event, and one that has been intriguing to people since it happened. HOWEVER, the Greek word that is used in...

Trust the Process, Little Butterfly

“Gregoreite” is Greek for “be awake, be watchful, be vigilant, be aware.” The butterfly has, across the centuries, one of the most enduring symbols of transformation. There are a number of stages that happen, but for the sake of brevity,...

What is Prayer?

Photo Taken During a Prayer Vigil in Washington, DC. Prayer is at the same time both an easy thing to explain as well as a difficult thing to explain. In some sense, it is so difficult because it is so...