Category: Reflections

The Mathematics of Jesus Christ by Jim Reagan
Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and sheltering the homeless at a personal sacrifice is a cornerstone for “building a new society within the shell of the old” with “a philosophy that is so old that it looks like new.”
July 9, 2020/by tac
Under the Bond of Peace: A Pentecost Homily by Fr. Ryan Lerner
We must pray for the Holy Spirit to come anew into our hearts and help us to embrace the dignity of every person regardless of their race, class, creed, tongue, or their country of origin.
July 9, 2020/by tac
Reflections on Gratitude: Persevering through the Coronavirus Pandemic by Wally Swist
Staying centered in destabilizing times.
July 9, 2020/by tac
Hitting Bottom by Paul Nyklicek
We have a number of injuries that desperately still need healing: a history of racism, a patriarchy that still regards women as second-class citizens, a culture of hyper-individualism, and a destruction of nature in the name of civilization.
July 9, 2020/by tac
Parish Life in a Time of Pandemic by Gene Ciarlo
One certainty has surfaced from this tragic event, and that is a rare, humble, but now frequently uttered admission from people in authority: We don’t know what the future holds.
July 9, 2020/by tac
I Believe That I Shall See the Good Things of the Lord in the Land of the Living by Fran Salone-Pelletier
This is a costly freedom. This is a call to find ourselves in each other and see ourselves as each other. Humanity is us, so to speak.
July 9, 2020/by tac
Prayer During a Time of Crisis by Gene Ciarlo
In our modern world, religion is the last port in a storm. We can put our good theology and moral teachings in modern dress so that the world might sit up and take notice.
May 15, 2020/by tac
Letter to the Invisible Faithful by Fr. Jean-Miguel Garrigues, OP
May this unusual period become an opportunity for us to discover another aspect of the church, an aspect which is invisible but nevertheless very real: the communion of saints.
May 15, 2020/by tac
Suffering unto God by Michael Ford
During these anxious weeks, I have found myself becoming more attuned to beauty, the beauty of our created world and the beauty of our interpersonal relationships. Ironically, even though we have to keep further apart these days, everyone seems suddenly so much closer.
May 15, 2020/by tac
Staying Sane While Secluded by Rose Marie Dunphy
While suffering marks our character, acts of kindness go a long way in making us whole. These are the moments our humanity can shine through and a new normal, one better than the one we left behind, can emerge.
May 15, 2020/by tac
A Spiritual Sisterhood of Faithful Women by Dorothy Yeomans
As a woman I claim this profound gift: love is poured out on me; I am then empowered to pour it out on others, as the women in my life have done so beautifully.
April 8, 2020/by tac
No Greater Intimacy by E. J. Sweeney
Consuming the body and blood of Christ is a wonderful, mystical union. It gives us an intimacy with God we never would have thought possible. But it also arouses a dangerous memory.
April 8, 2020/by tac
On Guidance by Wally Swist
It is not only our responsibility to learn the practice of vigilant listening for our own benefit but also, most specifically, to learn and institute this practice for the sake of all those around us.
April 8, 2020/by tac
Faith or Fear: An Ongoing Struggle by Fran Salone-Pelletier
Both of us felt the prophetic call to be ourselves, while not wishing to suffer both the agony and ecstasy of authenticity. We wanted to speak out—and, simultaneously, were afraid to say too much.
April 8, 2020/by tac