Reflection The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. Mark 1:21-28 Jesus spoke and acted with authority. He didn’t offer the same prosaic line, the empty religion of the scribes and of our culture, a “good-enough” religion. Jesus preached something completely new and radically different. To his listeners,
Reflection What is everyday spirituality? We were taught that spirituality was the part of religion that focused on the “inner life.” It was something that you did in a special place or time, usually a quiet room at home or on retreat. However, we discovered that many religious traditions encouraged people to engage in a search for the sacred as
Reflection In this troubled and troubling world we are continually forced to choose sides or else risk indifference or complicity by virtue of inaction. But taking sides also perpetuates a society of winners and losers, of “us vs. them.” How can one seek peace and inclusivity and at the same time work for justice when working for justice means choosing
Reflection To have occasional feelings of isolation is part of our human experience. Sometimes things that seem so clear and self-evident to us are viewed with skepticism or even rejection by others. It causes us to wonder if we walk on the same planet and a sense of frustration or separation can absorb us. This is when withdrawal
Reflection Blessing means to lay the hand upon the shoulder and say, “Despite everything you belong to God.” That is how we deal with the world that inflicts so much suffering upon us. We don’t give up, reject or despise it; we call it to love; we give it hope, we lay our hand upon it and receive God’s blessing
Reflection Our instilled belief that earth was created for the human species and given to us as masters for its use and abuse has been exploded by both science and theology. With the knowledge we now have, we are understanding that the living earth is sacred and we are all part of one creation. Everything that exists is a reflection
Reflection We cannot look behind us for answers. They do not live there. We must imagine ourselves forward, envision the world we want to create, and feel the new reality in every cell of our beings in order to bring it about – for it is our feelings, our passion and compassion that will propel us toward the future we
Reflection He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him Matthew 4:12 -23 For the Apostles this was a powerful moment. It changed their lives forever. The gospel doesn’t tell us that they talked it over. They didn’t have a discernment process. They didn’t stop
Reflection To follow what one is convinced is true requires a critical, open, and informed mind and a willingness to take time to sift through the media impact of each day before passing it on. Unfortunately, social media provides a vehicle for sharing information without taking time to critique it or evaluate its potential impact. Mental inertia is one cause
Reflection True hope is rooted in a Reality beyond ego and illusion. Hope that rises in our hearts is like a buoyant bubble of champagne; for some, it brings tears of relief, while others, may sense a new way to the future that will bring healing to us — personally, communally, nationally, globally — to all of Creation. Hope recognizes