Posts by Radhika Sharda, MD
From Scapegoating to Forgiveness
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to blame or do wrong to another person, when we gather with others who echo those feelings? Scapegoating I remember when I was in sixth grade there was a new student who faced repeated mockery from the other boys, and one day was even crammed into a…
Read MoreBe Opened!
Have you ever wondered what life would be like for you if you had been born deaf? If you had never heard sounds, or been able to speak words? It is a sobering thought. Recently my younger son was reading a biography on Helen Keller, and as we discussed her story, we reflected together on…
Read MoreTrue Authority
What was it about Jesus of Nazareth that captivated the people who saw him? What was so different about him, compared to scribes and prophets of the past? Amazed and Astonished Today’s Gospel reading invites us to ponder what people experienced in his presence when they saw him teaching in the synagogue or later casting…
Read MoreRecognition of the Lord
Recently while sitting down with my boys and talking to them about our faith, I asked them to name their favorite story from the Bible. My eight-year-old remained quiet for a minute, then answered, “The one where they go up on the mountain and see Moses and Elijah.” His choice of the Transfiguration surprised and…
Read MoreThe Kingdom of God is Among You…or Within You?
If there is anything Jesus speaks of most often in the Gospels, it is the Kingdom of God. The phrase has become so familiar to most people, even to non-Christians, that it has lost some of its original power, especially for us who no longer relate to kings and kingdoms. Yet let us consider today…
Read MoreThere is Something Greater Here
Throughout my childhood I considered myself a skilled reader, until in fourth grade when I received an embarrassing critique from my teacher: I was reading the words and sentences of the story but wasn’t actually comprehending the meaning. Reading, I discovered, was not simply about deciphering individual words, but understanding what was being depicted in…
Read MoreOut of the Abundance of the Heart
What is the nature of the human heart, at its core? Can we ever really mean what we say? Or are we, in our fallen human natures, doomed always to some element of perjury, of internal discord? Today’s Gospel reading, though seemingly simple, draws us deep into these questions. Jesus tells us, “No good tree…
Read MoreGive Away What You’ve Been Given
Generosity is a trait universally admired. Yet how do we tap into the genuine, dynamic spirit of giving? How do we become a gift to others, when human nature bids us to hold on to whatever we have? From Poverty to Wealth Reflecting upon this question, I am reminded of a passage from the novel…
Read MoreDraw Near
The nearness of God: this is one of the most breathtaking claims of Biblical faith. How can God, Creator of heaven and earth, truly come near to us? Is it possible? What do we mean when we speak of the nearness of God? And does this offer us any insight into our relationships with those…
Read MoreThe Still Small Voice
How do we hear the voice of God? This is the question I invite us to ponder today. Recently I came across a reflection question in prayer, prompting me to bring forth to the Lord that specific grace I most desired. The answer came to me almost immediately: Your Voice, Lord. I realized that what…
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