• PSYCHO-PATHS: Grief for Good, Part Two: Mourn and Heal

• VIEWFINDER: Peace at the Thorncrown Chapel

• Share your Favorite Book!

A grieving woman faced a choice. Her late husband had filled a storage building with his beloved collection of baseball mementoes. The unit was virtually untouched since he passed away years ago. Many times she had stood in front of the locked door, crying and unable to turn the key. Yet, so much had changed in her life since the funeral. Now the choice came. What should be done with all this stuff that he worked so hard to collect and enjoy? Is it healthy to sell it, donate it, trash it, or keep it to honor his memory? What will help her the most on her journey of life?

Grief is the universal human experience. The deep sadness may come when a dream is gone, a loved one lost, or in the words of a doctor who has no treatment left for the disease. In Part One I spoke of the reality of grief as we understand it in modern psychology. Let’s now explore ways that we can move forward in the work of living. 

The process of moving forward can be called “mourning.” Mourning describes the emotional work of adapting to the loss that we suffer. Rather than merely waiting for time to “heal all wounds,” the mourner has the power to act, reframe, adapt, and learn…

Watch or listen to the full episode as I explore finding a healthy path through the wisdom of faith and science, bringing good from our grief. In this second of a two-part series, I explore the shape of grief and the value of accepting this emotional journey

The Thorncrown Chapel near Eureka Springs, Arkansas struck a rich chord of worship as I walked toward the towering entrance. Designed by E.F. Jones, the inspiring building was named as one of the top architectural achievements of the 20^th century. For me, the power lay in the crisscrossing beams that top the building, a representation of the Crown of Thorns thrust on Jesus’ head. The sight carries the imagination to that hill of Calvary.

From the simple interior, the view through the glass walls connects to the beautiful wooded hills. The peaceful visage drew my thoughts to the contrast of peace against the horror of the Cross. “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself.”^[1] How?  The 12^th century philosopher Abelard emphasized the love of God expressed in Jesus, as did the 13^th century Scottish theologian, John Duns Scotus. “The cross was a freely chosen revelation of Total Love on God’s part… The cross, instead of being a transaction, was seen as a dramatic demonstration of God’s outpouring love, meant to shock the heart and turn it back toward trust and love of the Creator.”^[2] The cross of Jesus brings the pinnacle of God’s connection with the universe. God the Father was not a distant spectator who turned his back on the dying Jesus, as some classic doctrines teach. The cross instead is the deepest experience of suffering for God. Because God is connected to all creatures, and was especially active with the obedient Jesus, God suffered as Jesus suffered: vulnerable, reviled, and condemned. “In Christ, we see that God is a cross-bearing God and not a cross-building one.”^[3]

Jan and I made the walk down the hill in silence. The message of the Chapel, where Love conquers Hate, said it all.

[1] 2 Corinthians 5:19

[2] Scotus, quoted by Rohr, The Universal Christ. Convergent Books, 2019. P 144

[3] Fuller, Divine Self-Investment, p 124

What was your favorite book of 2024? Folks in the TRACKERS COMMUNITY want to know!

Most of us have enjoyed several books during the past year. We may have been inspired, informed, shocked, or thrilled with the story woven by a skilled writer. Was there one that really stood out? Let others know!

The TRACKERS COMMUNITY is a Facebook group following this TRACKS FOR THE JOURNEY NETWORK. We are interested in all resources that promote well-being! I’ll be sharing the results in future issues of TRACKS EXPRESS.

Don’t use Facebook? Just email me at the address below with your title and what you liked.

Click the link below to share a comments about your favorite read in 2024.