Those Who Shape Our Lives
February 18th is the birthday of Frederick Douglass (1817-1895), social reformer, articulate writer and statesman, and the greatest orator for the nation-wide abolitionist movement. Born a slave in Tuckahoe. MD, for 8 years he was a houseboy for the Auld family. There he learned just enough reading and writing to complete his formidable education on…
January 28th is the saint day for Thomas Aquinas (1222-1274), called “the Doctor of the Church” for his theology and philosophy. A Roman Catholic Dominican priest, he said that God is the source of humanity’s natural reason, and the light of faith. He was the most influential thinker of the Middle Ages. His “Thomist” approach…
Here’s to Scotland’s poet, Robert Burns, who was born this day, Jan. 25th, in 1759, and to those hearty souls who will celebrate Burns Night tonight in his honor. Yep, he wrote “Auld Lang Syne,” “To a Red, Red Rose,” “Brig o’ Doon,” and many more poems and songs, all linked to Scottish culture. His…
January 19th is our country’s day this year to celebrate the life and witness of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Many people think of him as a political figure, but he was primarily a spiritual leader and person of faith. It’s his faith that led him into addressing the need for social change. We need…
“Faith is the first factor in a life dedicated to service,” said Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. “Without faith nothing is possible; with faith nothing is impossible.” Mary McLeod Bethune was a pioneering Black educator, women’s rights activist, and civil rights leader. She also was advisor to Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman. She founded…
Sunday, Jan. 11th, is Rabbi Abraham Heschel’s birthday. I first “met” him through his best-known book series, “The Prophets.” That two-volume work became my first deep dive into some of the Eighth-Century BC prophets, whom I had long admired. The depth of his research and the breadth of his insights still make his commentaries essential…
The more I learn, the more I sense “wonder all around,” even in deep space far from our humble planet. American astronomer Vera C. Rubin (1928-2016) has named a few of these stunning, new understandings about those far, far away regions. Like dark matter spinning throughout the universe. And how galaxies whirl around in space…
November first is All Saints Day: a perfect time to think about Henri Nouwen, Dutch Catholic priest, writer, & theologian. He taught for nearly twenty years at the University of Notre Dame, and at both Yale & Harvard Divinity Schools. Then he was pastor for ten years at L’Arche Daybreak, a community of people with…
Did you hear that incredible young-adult poet recite her poem at President Biden’s presidential inauguration a few years ago? I was awestruck by her passion and love of country, calling us to band together as a nation and pull ourselves out of a dark place. —October 17 is Black Poetry Day, and you might not…
October 14th was Leslie Weatherhead’s birthday. (He lived from 1893 to 1976). Weatherhead was an English Christian theologian (Methodist), and part of the liberal Protestant tradition in his thinking. He served as pastor of the huge City Temple in London from 1936 to 1960. Many traditional church folks considered him controversial because of his beliefs.…
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