St Thomas More said, “The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.” The soul has to undergo tremendous mortifications at first, and then more refined detachments, until finally its Divine image is revealed. Because mortification is recognized as a practice of death, there is fittingly inscribed in Latin on the tomb of John Duns Scotus, “twice died, but buried only once.”
Continue reading “Daily Practice “
Anxiety and peace. Fear and faith. Am I living well in the balance of “and” today? I’m learning that I really don’t like “in between” but in this vulnerable place, I hold the tension of “and.” This is the holy space in the middle of things despite my wanting to be firmly placed in what I deem “the better side.”
Continue reading “The Balance of And”
All of us live with the unsettling reality that at some point, our life will cease to be as we know it. We know in our bones: no matter how good, beautiful, true, or exciting a thing or state of affairs is here below, it is destined to pass into nonbeing.
Continue reading “Focusing on What Matters”
As I examine my life, I see it littered with little sufferings. Some are simple—interruptions, inconveniences, annoyances. Some are a bit bigger—a family member’s health crisis, financial difficulties, a job that is not fulfilling my expectations, or watching your child grow into adulthood —beyond the suffering and illness and even death. Trauma, tragedy, it’s all there no matter what our vocational state—suffering is part of all lives.
Continue reading “Suffering Into Detachment “
God invites us to have it be done “on earth as it is in heaven.” Most of us see these two realms as interpenetrating fields of force where heaven, the arena of God and the angels, touches upon and calls out to earth, the arena of humans, animals, plants, and planets.
Continue reading “Where Heaven and Earth Meet”
Throughout Scripture, we are called to “wake up” and “stay awake.” This is the intention of growing awareness which leads to responsible adulthood and a mature Christ-centered life. So often, we want to live in the past or future, when all we have is the moment before us.
Continue reading “In This Moment”
We must fight for justice, for our safety, and for the right to live in a world where we can thrive. It is a reality that we are living in turbulent times.
Continue reading “Dancing In The Dark”
We are not to be afraid.
When we fear, we cling to who we are and what we have; we see ourselves as the threatened center of a hostile universe. Fear is the “original sin” of which the Church Fathers speak. Fear is the poison that was injected into human consciousness and human society from the beginning.
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One of the most psychologically and spiritually insightful remarks from Jesus in the New Testament is not to judge, lest you too will be judged in the same manner — “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1) Let’s face it: a favorite pastime of most human beings is criticism of others.
Continue reading “Understanding Myself”
The call of the spiritual life is to live in the balance of our strengths and weaknesses, integrating our body and mind with our spirit. This process leads us to our best self and to living a good life. We bring heaven on earth as we align our wills with God’s purpose for us.
Continue reading “Faith Over Fear”
