Outsider women, and dogs, and crumbs, and silence, and arguments, and mind changes, and enlarged tables, and a healing. This passage has it all. But have we missed the deeper truth it holds? In this episode, we open up a passage from Matthew 15:21-28, refuse to explain the hard bits away, dare to ask it some difficult questions, and see where it all gets us...

Why does sadness sometimes seem to deepen as we become more spiritually awake?

In this episode, we explore a question sent in by one of our Patreon community, Sara. She shared a profound struggle:

"I see beauty everywhere... but right beside it I see human cruelty."

Rather than trying to explain sadness away or offer quick solutions, we turn to the wisdom of Scripture and the Christian contemplative tradition to ask a different question:

Can sadness become a place where we encounter God?

Together we'll reflect on Jesus' tears, the mystery of the Cross, the quiet hope of Holy Saturday, and what it means to remain open-hearted in a world that holds both breathtaking beauty and deep suffering.

This is a conversation about learning to abide with God in the midst of sadness and discovering that a tender heart may be one of the Spirit's greatest gifts.

We have been exploring these themes more deeply through a Patreon series featuring extended teachings, contemplative reflections, guided meditations, and Scripture studies on sadness, grief, hope, and the transforming presence of God.

If you've ever wondered how to carry both joy and sorrow with grace, I hope today's podcast offers you companionship for the journey.

Who are you—really? In this episode of Monk In Docs, we dive deep into the question of identity and discover a radical truth: Who you are IS Christ. But what does that actually mean? Does it mean we are Jesus? Are we claiming divinity for ourselves? Or is there a deeper mystery at work?

Through Scripture, insights from theologians like Cynthia Bourgeault and Fr. Greg Boyle, and the teachings of Jesus Himself, we explore how our true identity is found in union with Christ. This oneness with Him also calls us into a profound unity with others—because to be in Christ is to be in love, to be in service, and to be in communion.

Join us as we unravel the mystery of our being and rediscover what it means to live as Christ in the world.

We are all tied up in our heads at some other place and some other time doing some other thing. And yet Jesus tried to show us that the antidote to worry and malcontent and lack of joy and so many other ills we carry every day can be found somewhere we don’t stay very often… somewhere now.

You know you’re beautiful, right? Warts and all? Time to embrace *everything* about being your true and real self…

Have you been yelling - at the world, at yourself, at God?!

Take some wisdom from a new, elderly friend of mine, and perhaps know it might be time to whisper for a while…

Let me share with you about my friend, throw in some of Sarah’s story (Gen 18), and a little bit of Frederick Buechner for good measure.

What started out as a conversation about a spirituality of sustainability turned into a conversation about how relationships (not projects) must be at the core. Lisa is a speaker, author and spiritual director, and a regular volunteer. Join us for this intriguing, surprising and thought provoking conversation. Links mentioned in this podcast:

Earthship Puerto Rico - https://www.earthshipglobal.com/puerto-rico

Lisa's Website - https://lisadelay.com/blog/

Lisa's Podcast "Spark My Muse" - https://sparkmymuse.substack.com/podcast

Lisa on Instagram - https://instagram.com/lisacolondelay

Mark's Website "The Table" - https://monkindocs.podia.com

Mark on Instagram - https://instagram.com/monkindocs

In this episode:

00:00:00 About this episode

00:02:00 Meet Lisa DeLay

00:10:45 About The Earthship

00:21:15 Making Changes

00:32:54 Shifts and changes (this is where the conversation changes gears!)

00:40:00 The power of "coming alongside"

00:47:45 Creating truly sustainable life

00:52:50 It all boils down to relationships

00:56:15 Beware the Ego Project!

00:57:40 Inner work required

01:07:10 Linking up with Earthship and Lisa

Episode 12

What if I told you that the things that brings you joy isn’t actually the thing that brings you joy?

And that when you see this, the things that bring you joy will always bring you joy whether they are there or not?

Episode 11

00:00:00 Introductions

00:10:00 The problem with "becoming"

00:13:58 Gaby's personal journey to "already are".

00:20:00 The difficulty of false images (God, grace, sin, self).

00:25:55 What false images do to us.

00:32:32 Turning it around/holding on.

00:55:13 How to become who you already are.

01:01:00 Fruit for the journey.

Find out more about Gaby and her work at https://www.gabrielledik.nl/