My Pastoral Ponderings

My Pastoral Ponderings
Skip to content
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Sermons
  • Devotions
  • Poetry
  • Contact

Tag: Thomas Merton

Posted on December 10, 2020December 10, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 11 Comments

Giving Thanks for Thomas Merton

Today, I am thinking with gratitude of one of my spiritual mentors and heroes in the faith, Thomas Merton, who died this day, December 10th. My life of faith has been deeply influenced by this remarkable man, so here are a few thoughts that I feel led to share.

Posted on October 5, 2020October 2, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 4 Comments

Sonnet for Psalm 8

How can we tell people they are walking around shining like the sun? Here is a sonnet I wrote inspired by Psalm 8, Thomas Merton, and by a recent experience at our local soup kitchen.

Posted on July 3, 2020July 21, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

Merton’s Freedom

A sonnet (of sorts) inspired by the Christian monk and writer, Thomas Merton.

Posted on June 20, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 1 Comment

Talk about Things Good for Our Souls

The desert fathers and mothers from the 3rd and 4th centuries remind us that when we spend our time criticizing everything, "we drag one another down into the abyss." So let's talk about things that are good for our souls.

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 2 Comments

The Few Things

Learning from Henri Nouwen to be faithful to my vocation to "do well the few things that I am called to do."

Posted on April 2, 2020April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

Thursday’s Poem, Prayer, Psalm, and Promise

Here are the prayers for Thursday morning, from my booklet of weekly prayers, "Poems, Prayers, Psalms, and Promises."

Posted on November 21, 2019April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence

Breathe Without Ceasing

Are you feeling anxious and stressed out? Are you finding it difficult to pray? Is so, then I want to share with you a simple spiritual practice that I have found helpful, the practice of breathing, and letting our breathing become prayer.

Follow My Pastoral Ponderings on WordPress.com

Categories

  • Book Reviews
  • Devotions
    • Poems, Prayers, Psalms, and Promises
    • Poetry
  • Favorite Quotes
  • Other Ponderings
  • Sermons
  • Spiritual Formation

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 582 other followers

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Bible Gateway

Thank You BibleGateway.com for your many biblical resources and for your network of Christian faith-based bloggers

Tags

1 Corinthians 1 Peter 1 Thessalonians Acts of the Apostles Advent All Saints Sunday Ann Weems Ash Wednesday Baptism Baptism of Our Lord Beatitudes Blessed Blogging C. S. Lewis Christian Poetry Christina Rossetti Christmas Colossians Coronavirus Dietrich Bonhoeffer Easter Emily Dickinson Ephesians Eugene Peterson Evening Prayer Exodus Favorite Quotes frederick buechner George Herbert Gospel of John Gospel of Luke Gospel of Mark Gospel of Matthew Henri Nouwen Holy Week Howard Thurman Isaiah Jeremiah John Henry Newman John the Baptist Jonah Lamentations Lent Luci Shaw Lutheran Madeleine L'Engle Malcolm Guite Martin Luther Martin Luther King Jr. Mary Oliver Maundy Thursday Nonet Palm Sunday Philippians Poetry Prayer Psalms R.S. Thomas Racial Reconciliation Reformation Richard Branson Romans Running Seven Last Words Sonnets stewardship Tanzania The Imitation of Christ Thomas Merton Thomas à Kempis Vespers vocation Walking Wendell Berry Worship

Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
Blog at WordPress.com.
Cancel