As You Step Out Into the Great Big World
Jesus tells us: “Remain in my love.” He talks about the image of the vine. Jesus says, “It was not you who chose me, it was I who chose you, to go forth and bear fruit. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete…love one another as I love you.” Remain in my love – stay attached to me – I am the vine, you are the branches – stay attached no matter what lies ahead for you. Stay attached even when others around you break away.
Not My Own Agenda, Lord, But Yours
Habemus Papam! (We have a Pope!) Hope surged through me as the newly elected Pope walked out onto the balcony in St. Peter’s square. Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, offered peace to the people of God. He will steer the ship in his own unique way, charting a course in the trajectory of Pope Francis. And, yet, he is not Francis.
From Empty Tomb To New Life
Pope Francis taught by example and word. He pointed to Jesus and he taught us to do the same. He was a global leader of peace and God’s love, even to non-believers. I mourn a man who led our church with integrity and humility. When I woke up to the news, sadness overcame me, as if I was standing in the darkness of the empty tomb. In light of current events, I was clinging to his leadership like a lifeline.
Motivated By Love Not Fear
What Jesus did out of love was to suffer and die in solidarity with us. We are saved because of Jesus’ love for us and willingness to die. Blessed John Duns Scotus believed that God was motivated by love instead of our fear.
It’s Time to Take Flight
“Do this in remembrance of me.” It’s too uncomfortable to touch bare feet, let alone allow someone else to touch mine! “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Peter was indignant and horrified at the idea of his beloved master doing a slave’s work. Jesus, patient and tender, explains that here lies the heart of it all.
Stepping Into Holy Week
As I step into Holy Week, how can the images and stories of Palm Sunday, the anointing of Jesus, and the betrayal and denial of Jesus by his close companions help me to experience what Jesus experienced fully? Together we can pray the Fragrance Prayer.
A Dog’s Persistence
You won’t normally find Buddy without his bear. He proudly prances around with his tail wagging, nudging our legs to let us know that he has the bear and isn’t that the best thing that could be happening at this moment?! Join me in my joy, he says.
Say It Loud and Clear
Then Jesus asked his followers, “Who do you say that I am?” How often do I, like Peter, think as the world does and not as God does? In a world with so many opinions that contradict the Gospels, it’s easy to hear and follow a voice that is not God’s voice.
Did Jesus Really Mean That?
This Lent, I’m trying something new. I’m praying to see those I find difficult to love as God sees them. I can’t say that it affects immediate change in me. In fact, I think that it’s a process and applies to one person at a time. It does tend to slow down my judgment of others. It helps me to bend toward compassion.
A Fragment of Light in You, In Me
There is a fundamental truth that underlies how I see the world and my place in it. It is that God first loved me, forgave me, embraced me as I am, and continues to give me abundant love and mercy every day of my life. Believing this, I am compelled by Jesus in the Gospel (Luke 6:27-38) to treat others in the way that God treats me. It’s not how I think I should treat others or whether or not I feel someone deserves my love and mercy, but how God treats me and every other person in this world.
Expanding Our Circle
Most of us feel overwhelmed from time to time. I recognize that for you, the overwhelm may be of a different nature than my own, though no less important. The overwhelm, for me, stems from my concerns at a national and global level as well as my relationships with and love for my neighbor. Particularly, how can I in this moment love and serve my neighbor?
Can We Walk the Road Together?
We recently celebrated the conversion of St. Paul (Jan. 25) as a Church. How important it is for us to walk together on this road. We are all called to conversion. Metanoia (Greek word for turning, changing course) requires that I turn around and change direction toward God, that I listen deeply and consider another way. Every person has his or her own story to tell and road to travel, except we are never alone. By God’s unearned gift of grace and the fellowship of people on the road, we can take the steps needed to become the people we were created to be. We need one another.
Unwrap the Gift
Steadfast presents.
Presence.
God came to dwell among us.
Settle. Reside. Stay.
God came to stay.
Remain.
Is this the Incarnation?
Steadfast presence
Of God who, even now,
Remains
Today.
The Light Within
Candlelight transforms a room. Growing up, we lit the tapers right before holding hands to pray, the smell of turkey wafting through the room. We’d stare into the flames as we each said out loud what we were thankful for. The prayers, honest and beautiful, held the space in a moment of peace and joy.
We Are Flailing
Today, we consume an inordinate amount of information without time to process any of it: truth (facts) and a constant stream of misinformation and outright lies. It’s difficult to know what is important, true and meaningful. Yet, Paul believes that we can know the truth. It begins with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not preach an ideology, but the words of life that transcended all the cultural and political realities of his day.
A Prayer for Perspective & Trust
My Lord and God,
Remind me today, and everyday, that you alone are God who created this world and universe. Help me not forget that by your hand and your will I was created with love and for love. That even on election day, you reign. Remind me that I am human, that all candidates are human, and that whoever “wins” this election is not You. I am flawed, imperfect, and searching just as who or what I vote for.
Nothing is Hidden
I’m pretty thorough when it comes to cleaning dishes, but every now and again some grime is left on the inside of a bowl. So, I go back and clean it again. Who likes a dirty dish? Even Jesus hated dirty dishes. He questioned the Pharisees and lawyers in his day who focused intently on their purity rituals. Jesus poignantly used the metaphor to accuse them of cleaning the outside of the dish, but leaving the inside neglected. In the Hebrew world, the “inside” refers to the heart, but not the way we think of it in our Western culture.
Too Busy in the Kitchen
Mary, Martha’s sister, just sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his words (Luke 10:38-42). She just sat there, hearing the words of eternal life. Can you imagine it? And he says that she chose the better part. Why would he say that? In the background, we can almost detect Martha mumbling to herself while she prepared a meal...
Prayer for Migrants & Refugees
A Prayer for Migrants and Refugees, written by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Lessons From a Golden Retriever
In the tension of the tug-of-war between dog and child, I think of my relationships today, living in just enough creative tension to promote surprise and growth. As my children return to college for their senior year, the push and pull of our relationships naturally play out amidst my desire to make time stand still. I feel like I’m still learning from Lucky as I navigate this push and pull