08/19/2026
We are living in an age when some are experiencing physical pain due to illness and old age. On a larger scale, we are struggling to manage intense psychic pain – the pain of seeing democracy die, the pain of growing up in a world where young people as a whole will struggle more than previous generations, the pain of seeing the planet and her people suffer from excessive human consumption, the pain of seeing our neighbors disappear, the pain of poverty due to social stratification. And so much more.
In Buddhism, pain is not viewed as a punishment or a permanent trap, but rather as an inevitable part of existence (dukkha) that can serve as a direct doorway to awakening and deep inner peace when met with mindful awareness rather than resistance.
I pray that you are able to join us for worship this week as we reflect on our opportunities to be like midwives, where we acknowledge the pain of living in these days, and then imagine the awakened awareness that might come from that very pain.
Christ-love,
Pastor Mark
