Praying for Refugees
Today we are going to reflect on and pray for one of the major crises in our world today: refugees. In fact, some historians predict that this current century will go down in history as “The Century of Refugees.” We will begin with a few facts, then listen to a song with lyrics, then pause […]
A Prayer for Spiritual Healing
When we pray for healing, we often pray for healing from physical illnesses of all kinds. But maybe we also need to ask for healing from attitudes and habits that can prevent our faith from being healthy and whole. Here is one such prayer I wrote recently. Perhaps you might find yourself reflected in one […]
God Works the Night Shift
There’s an old saying, “God works the night shift.” This maxim made me wonder about all those people among us who work the night shift too. Do we know who they are? Do we appreciate what they do for us? Do we ever thank them or pray for them? Here are a few thoughts about […]
The Doctor, the Nun, and the Handshake: The Origins of the Mayo Clinic
Two weeks ago I had the privilege of leading a retreat at Assisi Heights in Rochester, MN. Before going there, I was vagually aware that these Franciscan Sisters were somehow “connected” to the Mayo Clinic. But once I was on their beautiful grounds, their incredible story began to unfold for me. Here are a few […]
An Image of Faith: Riding the Tractor with My Dad
June 2, 1914 was my father’s birthday. As a result, he’s always on my mind in early June. I think of him a lot in early August too, because he passed away on August 10, 2003 at the age of 89. I’m wondering: do you think about your deceased loved ones on their birthdays? What […]
The Gift of Teachability
On his 51st birthday, writer H. Jackson Brown decided to jot down some of the lessons he had learned during his lifetime. As the top of a sheet of paper, he wrote, “I’ve learned that…” and came up with 25 lessons. So enjoyable was this excerise, he soon asked others to do the same thing. […]
How Well Do You Know Mary?
I can’t let May slip away without saying something about Mary, the Mother of Jesus. So, I thought we’d have a little fun today. Here’s a 12 point quiz on Mary for you to take. (I can hear some of your groaning… “A quiz? You think that’s fun?” But let me ease any anxiety you […]
Frederick Buechner: Great Writer, Old Friend
Notice: We thank God for our newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, from Chicago, IL. I will say a few words about him before our song at the end of this reflection. *********************************** The other day I came across a quote by writer Frederick Buechner. It was like running into […]
The Healing Power of Tenderness
Years ago when I was novice director, I came across this sentence in some psychology book I was reading: “A definitive sign of human maturity is tenderness.” These words came back to me as I pondered the life and ministry of Pope Francis. In one of his first encyclicals, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the […]
Time (Again!) for a Little Laughter
The Easter season is an appropriate time for a little laughter. As someone has said, “On Easter Sunday, Jesus had the last laugh over Death and the Evil Spirit.” And I always appreciated what comedian Victor Borge said: “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” With that in mind, here are some items and […]