Renewal

I'm heading for a desert oasis -- I'm traveling to Austin TX today for a conference featuring 3 of my favorite contemporary theologians: Joan Chittister, Marcus Borg, and John Dominic Crossan. The title of the conference is Mysticism, Empowerment, and Resistance.

I am so thirsty for something like this -- to hear in theological language(as opposed to political commentary) how to get deeply in touch with God in this time of debilitating angst, how to become empowered and empower one another, and how to resist the powerful pull towards fascism and oppression that the United States, and seemingly the world, are headed. Although I am in the throes of my leave-taking here and the movers are arriving in two weeks, I desperately need to take this time to regroup in my spiritual life and translate that into action. This is the time to experience the desert within and without and not succumb to a victim stance or the lethargy that comes with the powerlessness that the vast desert can bring on.

If I can blog from the road, I will. If I can't, I will catch you up this weekend.