Category: Spirituality
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7 Teachings from Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet
“When a truly great and unique spirit speaks, the lesser ones must be silent,” Franz Xaver Kappus wrote about Rainer Marie Rilke. Over a period of about six years Kappus and Rilke exchanged letters. Kappus began the correspondence seeking Rilke’s judgment and critique of his poetry. Rilke offered wisdom rather than answers, a way rather Read more
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Believing Like Mary and Elizabeth
What if we really believed God is uniquely present and active in the circumstances of each of our lives, speaking a word? What if we truly believed there would be a fulfillment of the word spoken? What if instead of allowing our circumstances to determine what we believe we allowed our believing to reinterpret the Read more
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Sacred Monotony, the Season after Pentecost
“Let me check my calendar and I’ll get back with you.” Coordinating calendars has become a regular routine for many, perhaps most, of us. We are scheduled people, busy people. Computers and phones buzz, beep, or ring reminding us of our schedule. They send texts and e-mails telling us where to go, when to be there, Read more
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God’s Conspiracy Gives Life
Jesus “breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:22). Recall a moment when you held another person so close that you could hear his or her breathing, the sound of life. Maybe it was your husband or wife, a parent, your child or grandchild, a dear friend. Cheek to cheek. Read more
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Love Could Not Bear That
Over the last week the many statements, opinions, and responses to the bombing in Boston have been broad, varied, and filled with emotion. They expressed, appropriately so, shared pain, sorrow, grief, and anger. They offered gratitude, pride, and support for the courage, compassion, and love shown by the many heroes who responded and cared for Read more
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Struggling to Believe the Resurrection, John 20:19-31
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” That one sentence has left Thomas forever labeled Doubting Thomas. That’s the Thomas with whom we are most familiar. Maybe, however, there’s another side Read more
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The Choice, A Reflection on the Feast of the Holy Innocents
Just a few days into Christmas and the liturgical calendar confronts us with the Feast of the Holy Innocents. “When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under” (Mt. 2:16). The Read more
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Christ is the Fruit of the Faithful
“You see that Mary did not doubt but believed and therefore obtained the fruit of faith. ‘Blessed … are you who have believed.’ But you also are blessed who have heard and believed. For a soul that has believed has both conceived and bears the Word of God and declares his works. Let the soul Read more
Interrupting the Silence 