Opinion

“Hard is stone, soft is water; water will wear away stone.  If one has plumbed the mind, the Enlightenment of Bodhi is certain.” If true entrusting is at a distance, intensive listening to the Buddha Dharma ends in entrusting due to the Buddha’s compassionate...

Disappointed that Greenway is on ballot I was saddened to see the Greenway millionaires have succeeded in getting the signatures required for their initiative to vote on the future of clean passenger rail service for the branch rail line.  The current plan is to build the...

Renowned 20th-century theologian, Karl Barth, said that one should, “preach with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.” That is to say, what pastors and priests preach ought to be faithful to scripture and applied to our current context. There...

Around this time last year, I wrote that 2020 was “a year that changed the world.” And I stand by that. But in my opinion, 2021 was just as challenging, if not harder. Sure, we got to see friends and family again, maybe go...

Many believed 2021 was supposed to be a year of recovery. I remember attending a press conference during the late spring in which county health officials said that they expected the pandemic would largely be winding down as we reached the final quarter of...

How do you wrap up the year without saying Covid 100 times? It spills across nearly everything. But the world keeps turning and things happen. For me, the following topics we covered have left a lasting impression: ‘Watsonville Brillante’ Another giant mosaic from Watsonville artist Kathleen Crocetti and...

For most elected bodies, the new year brings newly appointed Presidents and Vice-Presidents—or board chairs and vice-chairs. This seldom controversial move is a way to end the year and begin with new leadership. The first meeting of the new year is usually the first time...

The gospel of John (one of four gospels in the New Testament) proclaims, “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16). It is the proclamation of the mystery of Incarnation. Lutheran Bishop Stephen Bouman tells of standing behind an altar in a small crypt chapel of...

Over 2,500 years ago Siddartha Gautama attained Enlightenment at the age of 35 as he sat meditating under the Bodhi Tree. The term Bodhi means Enlightenment and since that time each Dec. 8, Buddhists throughout the world express their gratitude to the Buddha for...

What sort of news would make you celebrate wildly? A clean bill of health? Escaping financial worries? Newfound safety? The true end of the pandemic? How might you respond? Would you run? Would you dance? Would you sing? Would you write a new song...