Do You Ever Ask for a Sign?
I know some people who are always asking God (or some saint) for a sign. They ask God to send a bluebird, for example, to show that their deceased loved one is in peace. One woman told me she asked St. Therese of Lisieux (the “Little Flower”) to send a rose as a sign that […]
Advent Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus
Advent is a “peculiar” season. Its petition, “Come, Lord Jesus,” is the constant refrain throughout its four weeks. Those words pulse with a holy urgency. But an important question to ask ourselves is this: to whom are those words addressed? This is the question Genevieve Glen, OSB, raises in her new book, By Lamplight: A […]
What Are You Grateful for?
It is fitting to celebrate Thanksgiving Day not only with family, friends, and food, but also with taking a few minutes this week to name some of the things in our life that we are grateful for. This video might help. It is composed of stunning visuals, haunting music, and just a few printed words. […]
Appreciating Your Heart
The other day I had an echocardiogram. (Don’t worry. My heart is fine.) This test is essentially an ultrasound of the heart. The whole procedure took only about 30 minutes. But the experience was something of a religious experience for me. As some of you probably know, an echocardiogram is a non-invasive test that can […]
November: A Time to Reflect on Death
November is the month the Church suggests we take time to reflect on death. For those of us living in the northern hemisphere and experiencing fall, this seems a fitting time to remember death. The leaves have fallen, the birds have flown south, the temperatures are dropping, and the days are getting shorter. Over the […]
The Our Father
The Our Father might be the most prayed prayer in the world. We teach it to our little children, pray it at every Mass, and often recite it at the bedside of our beloved sick or dying. The German theologian, Gerhard Lohfink, has written a new book on the Our Father. It’s small but “meaty.” […]
“Live and Learn and Pass It On”
In 1991 a writer named H. Jackson Brown, compiled a little book entitled Live and Learn and Pass It On. It became an instant bestseller. The premise of the book is simple. All of us, regardless of our age, have learned a lot about life that might be worthwhile to pass on to others. The […]
Retreat Reflections…
Last week, as you know, I facilitated a retreat for 21 Sisters of Notre Dame at Bethany, our retreat center on this campus. Thank you for your prayers for this endeavor. We had a whole week to enjoy all the colors of fall too! At the closing of our retreat Saturday afternoon, I asked the […]
Oops!… Silly… and Odor: A Look at Words
It’s no secret. I like words. In fact, I get a kick out of keeping company with words. So today I thought I’d share a few words about a few words I find fascinating: oops, silly, and odor. I was at Mass one Sunday. The congregation had just finished singing the entrance hymn. As people […]
“Canticles of the Earth”
Some books I can’t let go of. I tell myself it’s time to donate this book to our library here, but I just can’t move myself to do it. Such a book is Canticles of the Earth by F. Lynne Bachleda. Published by Loyola Press in 2004, this little book (it’s 5″ X 7″) “shows […]