So many religious groups emphasize separation and belonging rather than inclusion and openness. They like to judge others rather than scrutinizing themselves. They use isolated Bible verses to judge and scold others without looking at their own hypocrisy. That’s really not what God is about. Think about it—would a parent purposely have a child only to condemn him? Instead, we need to look within ourselves and root out the chaff.

Envy easily finds its way into our lives through our media diet. Marketers feed on this envy, and if we don’t scrutinize it, we can become mad. St. Cyprian was a Latin Father of the Catholic Church, and he has important things to say about envy.

So many spiritual traditions emphasize the need for practice. It’s a letting go of worldly things and behaviors that bring us suffering. Living a life of gratification-seeking only brings suffering. We have to learn this on our own. On this feast day of St. Augustine, let’s reflect on his great passage, “Conquer yourself, and the world will be at your feet.”

How often do we praise God when things are in our favor, but plead with God when things don’t go the way we want? This is our insistence that things are only good when they go the way we want. And when they don’t, we’re disappointed. How many people have tossed out their faith in God because they were disappointed that things didn’t go their way? Instead, we let things play out, remembering that God doesn’t disappoint.

It’s a shame that some of these beautiful writers from our past didn’t have marketing professionals to amplify their work. One of these beautiful voices, Jacob da Todi of Italy, was one of them. Had it not been for Richard Hooper, who put together a beautiful collection of these voices, I would have never come across these words of Jacob da Todi. See if you agree.

Many people today eschew religious practices because they’re too constricting. Perhaps that’s what many of us need. It’s like being on a diet—we want to do what we want even though it might make us sick. Looking through the Jnana Yoga texts made me realize that religious practices serve to liberate us from the worldly practices that keep us stuck in illusion.

Not only do I have a background in higher education, but I also have 10 years of experience in broadcast news. News media and higher ed get such a bad rap among the public these days. It’s probably why I still haven’t found a full-time job! I don’t regret either career because both are critical in a society that is impulsive. We need more people who see things beyond the surface and can translate it for others. So I’ll keep looking for an employer who values what I have to offer.

In this age of tribalism, it might feel comfortable to retreat to our communities. What if, at the heart of it all, we wanted the same thing? Richard Hooper pulled together what’s similar from the works from many religious traditions. My favorite chapter is his compilation about The Beloved.

Too many spiritual movements use clever marketing techniques to sell workshops, retreats, and books. Ultimately we must ask—who is this serving? Gamaliel warned the Sanhedrin to let the early Christians go, because they might be fighting against God.

Our hearts often get tugged toward things of the world—money, success, possessions. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with that. However, if our hearts are seeking approval or recognition rather than God, we become emptied. Instead, riches in heaven depend on what we give away on earth.