Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn

Why is “Ordinary Time” so – ordinary?

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Jun 7, 2017 | Uncategorized |

It’s Ordinary Time according to the greater church calendar. After Easter, after Pentecost comes Ordinary Time, just plain o’ ordinary… time. Here’s the scripture where we find the basis for Ordinary Time… Acts 1:6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both...

The Benedictine Regular Fast- My Lenten Experiment

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Mar 20, 2017 | An Unbidden Life |

French Benedictine Hermit, Adalbert de Vogue begins his little (rare) book “To Love Fasting” with his personal experience of “the regular fast…” “Having risen at three o’clock, I first celebrated the night office for an hour and half, then attended to various occupations, the heaviest of which was four hours of study.” He continues to describe the day… communion, practical jobs, a walk, meditation, “and the little hours of the divine office. But no breakfast: I have not eaten breakfast for almost ten years” (de Vogue, To Love Fasting, 5). He travels in to the monastery to pick up...

Are Demons Real?

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Mar 2, 2017 | An Unbidden Life |

On Ash Wednesday I mentioned an ancient Christian fighting off a demon. Here’s the actual story from Abba Elias: An old man was living in a temple and the demons came to say to him, “Leave this place which belongs to us,” and the old man said, “No place belongs to you.” Then they began to scatter his palm leaves about, one by one, and the old man went on gathering them together with perseverance. A little later the devil took his hand and pulled him to the door. When the old man reached the door, he seized the...

Is Social Media Bad for the Soul?

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Feb 17, 2017 | An Unbidden Life |

I am working on an article about gluttony. Yes, that’s right… that old archaic sin of gluttony. I believe our American culture has evolved into an insatiable instantaneous cult of appetite. Maybe what gave me energy for this was the Super Bowl Doritos ad that promised fresh Doritos in ten minutes by drone. Or maybe it was the Simon Sinek “millennial question” YouTube where he suggests many of us are addicted to social media – and he thinks it is not healthy. Sinek states that checking your email on your smartphone before a meeting at work is a dysfunctional interpersonal habit...

Charity is the doorway to prayer

Posted by Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn | Dec 3, 2016 | An Unbidden Life |

Eventually every earnest young Christian asks, “So if a gangster steals and gives the money to the church, is that okay?” The desert fathers reply ‘yes.’ Why? First, let it be said there were no more morally perfect Christians than the desert fathers – ever. Those original 4th century Egyptian desert hermits had the entire Bible memorized, never looked at women, ate little, worked hard and gave everything they had away to the poor, following Jesus’ command, “If you wish to be perfect then sell all you have and give it to the poor and come follow me” Mt...