Life Is Larger Than Death

Have you ever allowed yourself to think about death—not with fear, but with quiet curiosity? For many, death is a subject wrapped in anxiety and avoidance. Yet, when approached gently, it also reveals itself as a profound mystery. Perhaps we cannot truly understand life unless we are willing to sit, even briefly, with the reality of death. Are life and death really opposites, or is that a misunderstanding born of fear?

The Christian funeral liturgy offers a consoling truth: “Life is not ended with death; it is merely changed.” These words do not deny grief, but they gently widen our horizon. Interestingly, science echoes this same wisdom. Physics reminds us that at the deepest level, everything—living and non-living alike—is energy. And energy does not disappear; it only changes form. In this shared insight, spirituality and science converge, pointing to the same reality: death is not the end of life.

Death, then, is not the opposite of life. It is only the opposite of birth. Life itself is far greater than any single beginning or ending. We do not bring life into existence simply by being here; rather, we exist because life already flows through us. Life was before us, life sustains us now, and life will continue beyond us. Death has no final authority over life.

From a Franciscan heart, this truth feels natural. God is Life. There can be no other source. And if God is life, what power could possibly extinguish God? Death is not annihilation but transformation—a passage into another way of being held by the same divine love. People are born, people die, yet Life continues.

Perhaps this is why Saint Francis could name death Sister, not enemy. When fear loosens its grip and trust deepens, death loses its terror. It becomes a doorway rather than a wall. On the other side of that doorway, Life—larger, deeper, and unbroken—continues in God.

Life Is Larger Than Death Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage: 📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot... 🎧 Audio:    • Life Is Larger Than Death (Audio)   🎥 Video:    • Life Is Larger Than Death   

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Joy Begins with Presence

Presence is more than simply being there. It is a way of attending—to God, to ourselves, and to others—that gently opens the heart to a deep and lasting joy. Psychology, Scripture, and spiritual wisdom all point to the same truth: when our scattered attention is gathered into the present moment, joy becomes not something we chase, but something we receive.

Being present to God lies at the heart of spiritual joy. Scripture reminds us, “In your presence there is fullness of joy”(Psalm 16:11). This joy is not excitement or emotional comfort; it is a quiet gladness that flows from staying with God. Simple practices such as silent prayer, meditative reading of Scripture, or repeating a short prayer—“Lord Jesus Christ, you are with me”—help us rest in God here and now. Christian tradition calls this practicing the presence of God, a way of living that offers courage in suffering and a joy not dependent on circumstances.

Being present to oneself is equally important. Psychology shows that gentle awareness of the present moment reduces emotional reactivity and increases well-being. When we notice our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations with compassion, we become less ruled by fear and more open to simple joys. For Christians, this is not self-absorption but honest self-awareness before God. Like the Psalmist, we bring our whole heart—joy and pain alike—into prayer, trusting that nothing within us is outside God’s care.

Being present to others completes the circle. Henri Nouwen spoke of the ministry of presence as the willingness to be with others without trying to fix or explain. This kind of attentive, nonjudgmental presence can be deeply healing. Psychology affirms this wisdom: genuine, empathic relationships are among the strongest sources of human happiness, and such care is communicated less through advice and more through undivided attention.

Joy, then, is not something we pursue directly. It grows quietly as we learn to stay—present to God who loves us, to our own hearts with compassion, and to others with humble attention. Where presence deepens, joy begins.

Presence is the soil where joy quietly grows.

 

Notes

Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and psychological well-being.
https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2003_BrownRyan.pdf

American Psychological Association. (2012). What are the benefits of mindfulness?
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner

Nouwen, H. J. M. (2009). The healing power of presence. Shalem Institute.
https://shalem.org/2009/01/14/the-healing-power-of-presence-a-visit-with-henri-nouwen/

The Gospel Coalition. (2024). How to find joy in God’s presence.
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-to-find-joy-in-gods-presence/

Well-Watered Women. (2023). Rejoicing in God’s presence.
https://wellwateredwomen.com/rejoicing-in-gods-presence/

Joy Begins With Presence.

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage:

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2026/01/joy-begins-with-presence.html

 🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/B9caf9_hE9Y

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/mCc1kNi7-ss

God Is Not Out There

When Friar Richard Rohr was living at the hermitage in Kentucky, there was an ex-abbot who had chosen the life of a recluse. A recluse is a hermit’s hermit—one who lives deep in the forest and comes to the community only on rare occasions such as Christmas or Easter. The rest of the time, the recluse remains in solitude, connected with himself, nature, and God.

One day, as Rohr was walking along a trail near the hermitage, he saw the recluse returning from the forest. Not wanting to intrude upon his silence, Rohr bowed his head and stepped aside. The recluse, however, stopped and said to him, “You get to preach, and I don’t. When you preach, just tell the people one thing: God is not ‘out there’.” Then he walked on.

Those words left a deep impression on Rohr’s heart.

To say that God is not “out there” is to say that God does not reside somewhere outside of us, outside of nature, or outside of the universe. God is in here, right now—within us, within creation, and within the whole cosmos. Because of this, we are sacred. Our bodies are sacred. Nature and the universe are sacred.

If we have eyes to see, we realize that this is precisely what Jesus came to reveal: the union of the sacred and the human, the sacred and the body, the sacred and the material—symbolized in the wheat and the wine—and the sacred and the universe itself. God is not distant. God is present.

Yet we often push God “out there”—beyond ourselves, beyond our bodies, beyond the world we inhabit. When we do this, we lose sight of the belovedness with which we were created. The body can begin to feel like a burden or even something to escape. Nature becomes something to exploit. The material world feels empty of holiness. But the truth remains: God is here. God is Emmanuel—God with us.

Recognizing this is a journey. To awaken to God’s presence in ourselves, in others, and in the universe takes time. If God were not here, nothing could exist. As Scripture reminds us, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). May we open our inner eyes to see the God who dwells within.

The spiritual journey is not about going farther, but going deeper.

Notes

Rohr, Richard. Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer. New York: Crossroad, 2003, p. 90.

God Is Not Out There 

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage: 

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2025/12/god-is-not-out-there.html

 🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/dOUSgle_Eo8

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/SFsCDhyPOCg

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Christmas: The End of Separation

 

The event of Christmas breaks the perceived duality between the divine and the human. Across cultures and religious traditions, God is often understood as distant—above, beyond, and separate from human life. Christmas, however, reveals a far deeper and more intimate truth about the human–divine relationship.

At the heart of Christmas is the proclamation that “the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14). God does not merely visit humanity but fully enters into human reality. As Friar Richard Rohr reflects, in Jesus the duality between the divine and the human is abolished—not by erasing distinction, but by rejecting separation. Rohr emphasizes that Jesus “makes visible the hiding place of God,” revealing that human life itself becomes the place where the mystery of divine–human union is disclosed. In Jesus Christ, divinity and humanity are shown to be one inseparable reality. The divine cannot be detached from the human life of Jesus; together they form a single, unified existence. Thus, in Christ, the long-standing split between God and humanity collapses.

This union is not meant to remain exclusive to Jesus. Scripture affirms that Christ is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). To call Christ “firstborn” implies relationship—we are not outsiders but younger siblings, invited into the same pattern of life. Jesus is not the exception; he is the exemplar.

Jesus himself points toward this shared destiny when he says, “The Father and I are one” (John 10:30), and prays “that they may all be one… as we are one” (John 17:21). He goes even further by echoing Scripture: “You are gods” (John 10:34; cf. Psalm 82:6). These passages reveal a profound truth: God is not external to human life but intimately present within it.

Perhaps our struggle is not God’s absence but our lack of awareness. When we begin to recognize God as dwelling within us, our understanding of God, others, and ourselves shifts fundamentally. Christmas invites us to live from this truth—not as distant seekers, but as participants in the mystery of divine–human communion.

Questions for Reflection

1.     Where do I seek God—outside myself or within my lived experience?

2.     How can I recognize and honor God’s presence in others, especially amid human limitations?

3.     How do I respond to my own limitations, and what helps me live into my deeper human–divine identity?

Notes

Rohr, Richard. Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer. New York: Crossroad, 2003, p. 88.

Rohr, R. (2019). The Universal Christ: How a forgotten reality can change everything we see, hope for, and believe. Convergent Books.

Christmas: The End of Separation

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage: 

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2025/12/christmas-end-of-separation.html

🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/J48g7NzcwCQ

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/P_6zfttc1W4

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A Shoot of Hope

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, Scripture offers us a quiet yet powerful image from the prophet Isaiah: “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). When we pause and sit with this verse, it invites us to reflect not only on the coming of Christ but also on our own lives—especially the places that feel broken, barren, or lifeless.

A stem or stump is what remains after a tree has been cut down or has fallen. It often appears dead, stripped of beauty and promise. In many ways, this stump mirrors our human experience. Life can leave us feeling cut down by illness, broken relationships, betrayal, financial insecurity, addiction, or spiritual weariness. For someone grieving the loss of a loved one or enduring the pain of a shattered relationship, life can feel like a stump—silent, empty, and without hope.

Yet Isaiah speaks directly into this place of devastation. From the stump, he says, a shoot will emerge. Not a towering tree all at once, but something small, fragile, and easily overlooked. This shoot of hope reminds us that God’s work often begins quietly, in places we have already written off as dead.

The invitation, then, is to notice the shoot. Ask yourself: What in my life still holds the possibility of growth? What small sign of grace is present, even now? It may be a rediscovered gift, a caring relationship, a moment of prayer, or a gentle support offered at the right time. Compared to the weight of our struggles, these signs can seem insignificant. Yet they carry the promise of life.

If we allow it, this tiny shoot can grow into something life-giving and fruitful. God does not demand that we feel hopeful—only that we make room for hope to take root. This Advent, will you trust God enough to nurture the small beginnings and allow your shoot of hope to grow?

Hope often begins where we think life has already ended.

A Shoot of Hope

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage:

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2025/12/a-shoot-of-hope.html

🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/yGb_smOCEa8

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/8rAddKxufwA

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Living from Abundance

 

There are two ways to live: from scarcity or from abundance. Living from abundance has little to do with wealth, large homes, or possessions. It is measured by the openness of the heart.

Living from scarcity is a subtle, inward posture. It is the habit of being miserly in giving or receiving love. Scarcity whispers, “Protect yourself. Don’t give too much. Don’t receive too much.” Out of fear—fear of being hurt, fear of losing love, fear of being overwhelmed—we close the doors of the heart. Sometimes love is allowed to slip in only through small windows, as if this will keep us safe. Yet this shrinking does not protect us; it keeps us in chronic fear, an emotional drought that slowly shapes our whole being.

Living from abundance is a spiritual perspective. It is the willingness to see our lives, others, and God’s world as overflowing with the capacity to give and receive love. Those who live from abundance choose openness. They allow love to pour out freely and welcome its inflow graciously. They gently remove the inner barriers—old wounds, limiting beliefs, rigid defenses—that restrict love’s movement within them.

Fear can arise when we open our hearts. But Scripture reminds us: “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). Abundance is not the absence of fear; it is the choice to let love have the final word. Every time we choose love, we move from fear to trust, from scarcity to abundance. Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator and social activist, reminds us that “Love is an act of courage, not fear.” Courage expands the heart, while fear contracts it. We need to choose love and keep choosing it every day.” 

To live from abundance is a conscious, daily decision. It is choosing openness over self-protection, trust over fear, generosity over guardedness. When we let love lead, we begin to taste the quiet freedom of a life that overflows with care, connection, and wholeness.

 

Notes

Paulo Freire in Yellow Flag Programme (2025, December 7). Love is an act of courage – Education is freedom

 

Living from Abundance

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage:

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2025/12/living-from-abundance.html

🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/AWyw9pj2W4Y

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/9lH2-1Tm1QI

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The Heavy Weight of Small Cuts: Understanding Microaggressions and Responding with Compassion

We move through life surrounded by countless small exchanges—comments, glances, questions, assumptions. Most pass quietly. But sometimes a single remark or action lands heavily on the heart. Repeated over time, these moments shape whether we feel welcomed, understood, and connected—or subtly pushed to the margins. These subtle, often unintentional slights are called microaggressions. They are quiet messages that say, “You don’t quite belong.” 

Here are two everyday examples many people face:

• A store employee follows a young man of color while he shops “just to make sure everything is okay,” sending the message: You are suspicious, not trustworthy.
• A professional, such as a physician or manager, is assumed to hold a lower-status role, like a nurse or assistant. This communicates: You are not expected to be in a position of authority.

Repeatedly experiencing such microaggressions can drain emotional energy, create self-doubt, and increase stress. Yet there are ways to respond that honor your dignity and restore a sense of belonging.

5 Ways to Respond

1. Name the Experience (At Least to Yourself)
You don’t have to pretend it didn’t hurt. Simply saying internally,
“What happened was wrong, and it affected me,”
validates your reality.

2. Ground Back Into Your Worth
A quiet affirmation can interrupt the internalized message:
“This does not reflect who I am.”
Spiritual grounding may help:
“I am created in God’s image and carry inherent worth.”

3. Set Gentle Boundaries (When Safe)
You can respond calmly:
“Actually, I’m the doctor.”
“I felt uncomfortable when you followed me in the store.”
This is not about confrontation but clarity.

4. Seek Connection Instead of Isolation
Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or faith companion.
Sharing the experience restores belonging.

5. Engage in Self-Compassion
Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer someone else in your position:
“Anyone would feel hurt by that. I deserve care right now.”

Henri Nouwen reminds us that beneath all wounds lies a deeper truth: we are God’s beloved. By honoring our dignity and practicing self-compassion, we can lighten the weight of these small cuts and reclaim a sense of belonging.

 

Notes

Nouwen, H. J. M. (1992). Life of the beloved: Spiritual living in a secular world. New York, NY: Crossroad.

Sue, W., Sue, D., Neville, A., & Smith, L. (2021). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (9^th ed.). Wiley. 

 

The Heavy Weight of Small Cuts: Understanding Microaggressions and Responding with Compassion.

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage:

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-heavy-weight-of-small-cuts.html

🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/mpN-aOS9PLs

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/hPFXEj_BRio

Read, listen, watch—then comment and share!