I may watch too much of the evening news. But I want to talk with you about what Christian resistance looks like in our moment—not resistance for its own sake, but resistance in the Spirit of Thomas Merton: contemplative, nonviolent, and grounded in truth-telling discipleship. What We're Up Against Let me be direct: Christian nationalism... Continue Reading →
Why Thomas Merton Thought Skipping History Class Was a Spiritual Problem
This was posted on my Substack site also. Look, I get it—history can feel like a dusty classroom subject. Dates, dead people, things that happened before we were born. Who cares, right? But Thomas Merton—this Trappist monk who somehow became one of the most influential spiritual voices of the 20th century—had a completely different take.... Continue Reading →
“Pause Long Enough to See”
Thomas Merton and the See-Judge-Act Method If you're looking for a practical way to engage with the tough issues we face today, the See-Judge-Act method might be just what you need. It's a framework rooted in Catholic social teaching, but really, it's about learning to look at the world more carefully, think more deeply, and... Continue Reading →
Humans are the Only Animals on Earth That Are Homeless
Humans are the Only Animals on Earth That Are Homeless Understanding the Teachings of Jesus through the lens of Joseph Cardijn, Thomas Merton, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Paradox of Human Homelessness I want to begin with a striking observation that may seem simple, yet carries profound theological weight: humans are the only animals on earth... Continue Reading →
“Faith Against Idols: Racism and White Christian Nationalism through the Eyes of Thomas Merton, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Joseph Cardijn”
"Faith Against Idols: Racism and White Christian Nationalism through the Eyes of Thomas Merton, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Joseph Cardijn" Let me start with a question that should keep us all up at night: What happens when our faith stops following the Gospel and starts bowing down to the idols of race and nation? This is... Continue Reading →
“When looms weave by themselves, man’s slavery will end.”
"When looms weave by themselves, man's slavery will end." ~ Aristotle, 4th century BCE Are we approaching this reality sooner than we think? The question is, who will decide the fate of humans? When humans stop "weaving looms" of the modern era, what will happen? When “robots” and “AI” become the new slaves, what will humans do? Who... Continue Reading →
FUNDAMENTAL MERTON/CARDIJN OPTION #3
The concept of the fundamental option in ethics as a way of life is a profoundly significant theory. It emphasizes the basic orientation of an individual's moral life as a continuous and overarching commitment rather than a series of isolated actions—think of the whole versus the parts. Rooted in Christian theology, it seeks to explain how humans make profound... Continue Reading →
FUNDAMENTAL MERTON/CARDIJN OPTION #2
FUNDAMENTAL MERTON/CARDIJN OPTION #2 Yesterday, we observed the final Sunday of Lent, a significant milestone in the season as we now shift our focus to the impending Holy Week. This is a time to immerse ourselves in the profound narratives Jesus shared, including the parables and the Sermon on the Mount, and to grasp the... Continue Reading →
Merton-Cardijn Option
"There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew." ~ Marshall McLuhan In 1965, Louis Monden, S.J., published “Sin, Liberty, and Law.” The book discusses various themes, including the meaning of freedom and determinism, the contrast between legal ethics and situational ethics, and the mystique of evil in society. It is a... Continue Reading →
Discipleship, Freedom, and Grace
This also was posted on the Cardijn Reflection site. Through our work in this world, we often find ourselves at the intersection of civic life and faith; we often encounter a Church and world grappling with deep divisions and profound questions about what it means to be disciples of Jesus Christ. This is similar to... Continue Reading →
Innovate ~ Educate ~ Collaborate 
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