Morning Rituals
Do you have any morning rituals? Are there little things you do each morning to start your day? For example, do you hop into the shower right away? Or do you grab your cup of coffee or tea first? Do you check your email or do you sit quietly for a few moments? Do you […]
Tippett and Taylor: Two Remarkable Women
One of my favorite podcasts is Krista Tippett’s On Being. She has interviewed a wide range of people including theologians, scientists, social activists, artists, poets, political leaders, and others from all over the world. Recently, she had one of my favorite writers on her show, Barbara Brown Taylor, an Episcopal priest whose best selling books […]
Folklore and Wisdom from Nature
A good friend recently gave me a book entitled Lore of the Wild: Folklore and Wisdom from Nature. The author is Claire Cock-Starkey and the illustrator goes by the name of Aitch. My friend said, “I thought you’d enjoy this, Melannie. You might even use it on your blog.” She was right on both counts! […]
A Few Poems for April
As most of you know, April is National Poetry Month. Before this special month comes to an end, I’d like to share a few poems with you. I suggest you read these poems aloud… and slowly… and maybe even more than once… The first two short poems are attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. They […]
A Little Easter Laughter
The Catholic Church has an ancient and venerable tradition that designates the Monday after Easter as “Joke Monday” or “Laughter Monday.” It was a day when Christians were supposed to tell jokes to each other in honor of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead—when Jesus had the “last laugh.” I’m extending that tradition to the week […]
A Few Details about the Easter Story
Today I’d like to share with you a few thoughts about the Resurrection of Jesus, one of the greatest mysteries of our faith. These thoughts are gleaned from the Gospel accounts of that very first Easter. The first thing that strikes me about the Easter story is how shocked the disciples were on that Easter […]
What Makes Jesus’ Sacrifice Special?
As we enter into Holy Week, let’s take a few minutes to answer the question: What makes Jesus’ sacrifice special? I gleaned many of the ideas here from a March 21, 2009 column by Father Ronald Rolheiser. Father begins by saying it is one thing to love when you are surrounded by love. But it […]
Stay Awake: A Hallmark of Christian Spirituality
Several years ago, a priest friend and I were discussing this question: What are some of the hallmarks of a genuine Christian spirituality. Almost immediately, he gave me one. “Stay awake!” he said. We went on to have a great conversation about this hallmark. In this reflection I will share why this injunction “Stay awake!” […]
“When Breath Becomes Air”: A Book Review
If you’re looking for an autobiography that weaves together great literature, fascinating medical science, a love story, and one that explores the meaning of life, then this is the book for you: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. It’s the story of a doctor on the verge of completing ten years of training as […]
An Open Letter to the Woman at the Well
(I wrote today’s reflection for Give Us This Day, March 2023 issue, published by Liturgical Press. The reflection is based on this past Sunday’s gospel of Jesus encountering the woman at the well [John 4:5-42]). Dear Sister, Thank you! Thank you for coming to the well that day to perform a routine boring chore: drawing […]
