In his article Desert Attentiveness, Desert Indifference: Countercultural Spirituality in the Desert Fathers and Mothers, Belden C. Lane writes: “On the far side of emptiness, where brokenness and disorientation overtake us, where death awaits us, we learn to care – and not to care.” Disruptions in our lives remind us we are not in control of what happens to us. With time and accommodation, we come to realize that our response to life’s disruptions constitutes the fiber – the character and integrity - of our lives. Film artists remind us of these truths and invite us into the spiritual discipline of “wakefulness.” Do we want to be awakened?

Resource Person: Larry Lewis, MM, PhD, ordained in 1975, served in the Hua Ming Counseling Center, Taipei, Taiwan. From 1988-1991 he taught American literature, family psychology, writing and film at Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China. He was Rector of Maryknoll Seminary for 6 years and for 20 years co-coordinated the China Educators & Formators Project. Since 2003, Larry has offered retreats and workshops throughout China. He served 4 years at the Cenacle Retreat Center, Ronkonkoma, NY, and now serves in the Maryknoll Office of Society Personnel. Larry holds a Doctorate in Spirituality from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. He authored The Misfit: Haunting the Human-Unveiling the Divine (Orbis Books, 1997).

Bibliography:

Bussie, Jacqueline. The Laughter of the Oppressed. New York, NY: T & T Books, Clarke International, 2017

Downey, Michael. The Depth of God’s Reach. New York, NY: ORBIS Books, 2018

Fujimura, Makoto. Silence and Beauty. Chicago, IL: IVP Books Doroner Grove, 2016

Karr, Mary. Sinners Welcome. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2006

King, Heather. Holy Desperation. Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 2017

Matthews, Iain. The Impact of God. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1999

Trenshaw, Cynthia. Meeting in the Margins. Berkley, CA: She Writes Press, 2015