September 2018 – Ralph Patrick

Car Shopping…And Suffering

Saturday morning I went car shopping with my daughter Meghan in Aurora. I don’t know that much about cars, but this is something dad’s do. We pretend to possess some level of expertise, while what we’re actually doing is simply providing some support and reassurance. We looked at a number of vehicles and test drove…

“I See People’s ‘Ness'”

Working with people who have Alzheimer’s, I hear an incredible array of comments, usually about their disease and the difficulties that arise as a result. This last week I heard something that was so profound that I haven’t been able to shake it. In fact, it has in a sense, shaken me. I was in…

A Barking Dog

It’s 2:21 a.m. I’m awake. I’ve been awake for an hour. I’ll bet you think I’m going to write something about the darkness, right? NOPE. I’m awake not because I’m sick, not because there’s something bothering my conscience, not because I had a bad dream or because I thought of something really good to write…

Very Religious People

“I see that you are very religious.” St. Paul There’s not much that I miss about being a pastor. I miss some of the people some of the time. I miss being at the major events in people’s lives, whether it be a crisis or some cause for celebration. And I miss the preaching. I…

Living in the Gray

“Just as the day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples didn’t recognize Him.” John 21:4 “You have to live in the gray, or you got no kindness in your heart.” From On Living by Kerri Egan. Being an empathetic, compassionate and genuine human being requires not only recognizing, but becoming comfortable living…

Solitude and Silence:Beauty in Darkness

“Be Still . . . “ Psalm 46 Jesus went up on a mountain by Himself to pray. One of the many benefits of darkness is that it gives one the opportunity to have solitude and silence, rare commodities in our culture. Solitude is not the same as being alone. In solitude one is sequestered…