Last week’s blog hit a “trendy” stride when I presented the concept of liminality in reference to the spirituality of our liturgical ordinary time and its connection with this pandemic. I mentioned that there is an analogy here between our faith and the condition of the world. I received several personal notes about the blog and the term liminality.... Continue Reading →
Living in a Real Post-Easter Time
Photo Credit: Pixaby Many cultures have rites of passage which can be demanding experiences for the candidate. After a period of separation from his or her community, and faced with seemingly indomitable challenges, the candidate returns home a changed person. Most often the change is for the better as intended by the initiation. The candidate is ready to be... Continue Reading →
What Are We Looking For As We Travel?
One of the stories in this post-Easter week has been the story of the travelers to Emmaus who meet Christ along the way. According to Luke, this happens on Easter evening as Cleopas and an unnamed companion are caught up from behind by a stranger who joins them as they walk. A few points are interesting to notice: the “walkers” are walking... Continue Reading →
“Perfect Love Casts Out Fear” 1John: 16-18
Photo Credit: Patheos.com I remember as a very young child, the fear that World War II leveled on us after the attack on Pearl Harbor. I remember standing in line with my mother at the “truck huckster” station to purchase, with red and blue card board coins, the rationed foods and other goods we needed. I don’t know... Continue Reading →
Holy Week: The Journey and The Promise
Photo Credit: https://www.catholicbishops.ie We now begin the holiest week of the year. My friends and Anonymous Angels, we have experienced a Lenten season unlike any other, no matter what our age. We are aware of pain, grief, separation, and the global zeitgeist of fear overwhelmed at the same time by extraordinary generosity and heroism. We... Continue Reading →
Sheltering in Place and Some Biblical Fun
Photo Credit: Pixaby Right now we are all succumbing to cabin fever. As demanding as it is, why grouse about being together, playing games, reading books, talking to each other and, maybe, taking time to pray together or alone? It got me to thinking. Even in Biblical times we had the nay-sayers when it came to prophets giving... Continue Reading →
A Saint, Her Follower, and a Vatican Office
Photo Credit, Daughters of Charity On March 15, the Catholic Church celebrated the annual feast of St. Louise de Marillac, co-founder with St. Vincent de Paul, of the Daughters of Charity. She is the inspiration and patron for the many congregations of charity which have threaded their way across the world in the mission to serve the... Continue Reading →
An Outbreak of Kindness and COVID-19
Photo Credit: Pixaby A Harvard medical professor and member of the Threatening Health Systems Project, Dr. Margaret Bourdeux, ended an interview with CNN’s Brianna Keilor in a most surprising way this week. She was summarizing ways U.S. citizens could help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. But in addition to all the scientific information... Continue Reading →
Fasting and Kindness
Photo Credit: Pixaby I recently read that a young Christian physician had finally met a woman who suited his desires and needs as a potential marriage partner. Before he proposed to her, he made several intermittent days of fasting to help in his discernment of whether to “pop the question” to her. Wow! For years I had... Continue Reading →
Ashes, Lent, and Kindness
Photo Credit: Pixaby A few years ago I heard a wonderful talk by Sister Teresa Maya which she had delivered to the Leadership Conference of Women Religious at their annual meeting. Sister Teresa drew an analogy between the ashes of volcanic eruptions, in this case that of St. Helen’s volcano in Washington State, and the... Continue Reading →