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School, Dependence, and Paradox
Getting older allows you to experience things you thought were steadfast in your intellect but could never quite articulate or put into words. This certainly has been true as I find peace within paradox. Paradox: something (such as a situation) that is made up of two opposite things and that seems impossible but is actually true or possible -Merriam Webster I have always felt that paradox holds great truth. However, until you live it, truth can only find a home within the narrow confines of your mind, never being tested by the rigors of your everyday life. There have been plenty of examples in my life that only make sense…
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A Stare
Andrew, my four-year-old, loves to come right up to my face and stare into my eyes. It always makes me pause when his little body, his little head, and his little face climb onto my lap to get as close as he can. And yet, his brown eyes probing deep into mine sparks a reaction from the depths of my being. What is it about a son’s desire to look into their father’s eyes? What are they seeking? What are they desiring? And maybe more importantly, what is the father’s response? Being a father has brought many feelings and emotions to the surface. Feelings and emotions that otherwise might not…
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Mt. Pilatus
We had a great time staying the night on top of Mt. Pilatus. (2132 meters (about 7000 ft.) above sea level.)
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Penetrating Light
Last week, during an early morning run, I was struck by the light that penetrated the darkness on one of my favorite trails near our house in Worb, Switzerland. It was a great reminder that as much as I try to hide from the light, the light always penetrates my shadows and invites me into freedom. Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day and through whom you give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour; and bears a likeness of you, Most High. –Canticle of the Creatures, St. Francis of Assisi (Laudato Si, 87)
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U.S.A. vs. Germany
Taking the train through the countryside of Germany brought up some nostalgic emotions as it was the first time in my life that I was in the country of my grandfather’s origin. It was the first time physically being in touch with a part of me that I rarely think about. As an American, most of my generation are “Mutts.” That is, we are a mix of many nationalities. So, although I am 75% Irish and only 25% German, my last name, Illig, is German. I am proud to say that it originates from Germany. Having said that, I am an American citizen. And I am proud and not ashamed…
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The Paradox of the Road
It is within the journey that I find myselfIt is within the silence that I speak the language of peaceIt is within becoming a child that I have the capacity to be an adultIt is within the view from my knees that I see clearlyIt is within death that I find lifeIt is within the great unknown that I find the presentIt is within this life that I find eternal Love.
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My Search for Communion
(Over the course of 2 months living in Switzerland, I have attended Mass in 4 different languages. Here are some thoughts thus far…) What does it mean to be in communion with others? What does it mean to be in communion with myself? What does it mean to be in communion with God? The search for these answers drives my thoughts. The search for these answers drives my actions. The search for these answers drives my soul. And with every attempt to satisfy my desire for communion, I find myself back in the pews of church. I find myself back in a community with those who speak a different language than me yet…
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The Universal Language of Sports
Sports are, without a doubt, an activity that brings the most profound emotions, feelings, and ways of being to the surface. They are primal activities that uncover human beings’ universal language. One of the best experiences of my life was undoubtedly walking into a professional baseball locker room at 17 years old, one of about 10 Americans on a team of 35. This experience shaped me in ways I am still unpacking today. It was the experience of being a minority, of not understanding the language spoken around me, of feeling my teammates’ profound differences yet discovering a commonality with them on the most basic human level. The fundamental lesson…
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To Bless the Space Between
As we walked down to the train stop on Sunday morning, the clouds separated to allow the Bernese Alps to come into view. As I watched, I immediately thought of my Pastor from St. Ann in Phoenixville, PA, and his insight into being able to “Bless the Space Between” in our lives. I knew I had to find his insight this week from my notes, for the “space between” was becoming visible to me right there in my view. If only I could recognize the same “space between” with my wife and children every day. For this is my daily prayer… Here are some insights from Rev. John J. Newns’s…
