Why I Like to Write
I have always liked to write. In fact, I wrote my first “novel” in third grade—in a big red tablet with yellow paper. My “book,” called Sugar, was about four pages long. It was the story of a little girl my age who wanted a pony (Sugar) with all her heart. When she asked her father if she could please, please have one, he said, “Yes, you may have a pony.” In real life, I had wanted a pony with all my heart too, but when I asked my father if I could please, please have one, he said, “NO.” I think I began to write in order to fashion a world more to my liking. (more…)
Dorothy Day: Her Life Was a Living Parable
In his address to the U.S. Congress last September, Pope Francis referred to four exemplary Americans. One of them was Dorothy Day. Currently she is up for canonization, something that at one time would have seemed impossible. After all, Dorothy lived with a man out of wedlock, had an abortion, drank a lot, was labeled a communist and an anarchist, was shot at, was jailed four times, and was repeatedly investigated by the FBI. Is this the “stuff” of sanctity? To answer that question, let’s take a closer look at this remarkable woman. (more…)
25 Proverbs for the New Year
I love proverbs, those pithy little sayings filled with advice about how to live life well. Why do I like them? They’re short. They’re wise. And their advice often comes wrapped in a concrete image. Today I’d like to share some proverbs with you. Some of them are ancient. Others are modern. Some have a known author. Most are anonymous. As you read these proverbs, see if any of them make you stop and say, “Hmmm,” or “How true!” or “I don’t know. That hasn’t been my experience!” (more…)
Christmas: Celebrating the Greatest Border Crossing of All
In 2002 I attended a month-long conference in Korea with about 30 other Sisters of Notre Dame from all over the world. While there I had the opportunity to visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the 155-mile border between North and South Korea. (more…)
And Jesus Said, "Once Upon a Time…"
When Jesus taught, he didn’t speak in outlines. He didn’t say, “There are four kinds of humility.” Or, “Prayer has three parts.” Or, “Here are ten keys to success.” No, he taught by saying, “Once upon a time.” He said, “Once upon a time there was a man who had two sons…” And “Once upon a time a sower went out to sow his seed.” And “Once upon a time a man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.” In other words, Jesus often taught by telling stories. (more…)
