spiritual insights on religion, social justice and comparative theology
Author Andrew Klaven tells a story about Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter “playing through pain.” I’ll get to this in a minute, but first a little background on Klaven’s story. Klaven was raised a Jew and started studying the Gospels because he was interested in the literary quality of the stories. His father caught … Continue reading Playing Through Pain by William Klein
As I was working through my biblical studies, I came upon a curious statement that stayed with me. “I AM the immaculate conception.” Mary is quoted as saying this at Lourdes during one of her appearances. Maximillan Kolbe pointed to it as he said that “Mary recognized the Holy Spirit within her.” The Immaculate Conception is … Continue reading Marian Devotion and “The Great I Am” by William Klein
We recently lost the great Harry Belafonte who died in NYC at the age of 96. During the taping of the song “We Are the World,” an activist song recorded to help the famine ravaged people of Ethiopia, the star-studded celebrity cast pays tribute to the man by singing his famous song “Banana Boat Song.” … Continue reading Belafonte by William Klein
There is a price for everything in life. A friend of mine once shared with me, “You can have anything you want in the world. Just pay the price and take it.” In other words, we are beholden to the consequences of our decisions, and we are going to pay a price for the moral … Continue reading The Price We Pay by William Klein
Last weekend, I attended the Lucille Ball Museum and National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York, with some friends and family. Jamestown is the hometown and final resting place of comedy legend Lucille Ball. Ball’s last wishes were for the city to honor the art of comedy itself, hence, the unique placement of one of … Continue reading The Social Beast of Comedy by William Klein
I was walking at the old school. One of the silver haired walkers said, “These kids today have no respect for their elders.” I said, “What have we done to earn our respect? Have we kept them safe from harm in schools? Have we kept them healthy? Do we listen to them and acknowledge their voices? Have … Continue reading Intergenerational Angst by William Klein
The winter doldrums can stifle us, but for artists it helps them turn inward, inspiring deeper concentration and turns a contemplative gaze to see greater wisdom. We hibernate by going inside to create and emerge to a sunbaked day to carry our creations and new understanding with a palpable sense of hope in communicating lively … Continue reading Shining Light On Artfulness by William Klein
In spiritual direction we are always considering helping the individual see where he is with himself and where he is with his spiritual understanding of who he is in relationship to God. Do the following exercise with a trusted helpful advisor who can assess and help you move through your feelings. Seek a trusted counselor … Continue reading A Personality Exercise by William Klein
My old high school is about to be torn down, and I’m conflicted about it. I see that things need to change and supported the decision. It is not as cost effective as it was when it was first built. I believe it costs a million dollars a year to keep the lights on, maybe … Continue reading Walking The Halls by William Klein
At my former school, there was a social service science fair called “Kingdom Fair.” It was started at the school by Tom Cendejas, my predecessor. Students would go out into the community and seek out and serve at non-profits to fulfill their community service requirement. They would serve as ambassadors for the organization and present … Continue reading The Kin’dom Within by William Klein
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