Grief, Joy & Hope

We had another funeral this morning. This was the seventh sister that passed away this year. Although I did not know Sr. Mary Anne Schiller personally, I always appreciate being able to attend a funeral with the Sisters. The first funeral I attended with the Sisters was a profound experience…

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BLESS

Many times, we find ourselves thinking badly of people, judging, cursing, hating, and resenting. Our minds go down a negative path and we enact vengeance or rehearse the words to defeat our “enemy.” These thoughts continue until we horrify ourselves. We all have our favorite political target, our pet irritations,…

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Promises, promises

“I will never leave you!” “This is my last drink!” “If you come back, I promise never to hit you again!” “I will get you a doll for Christmas!” There are promises that we really want to believe. We become cynical eventually, though, after many disappointments. The Christmas Season is…

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December 26: Holy Family, a Sunday Scriptures blog

Before there were any written Gospels or creeds, groups of believers had begun gathering to celebrate Eucharist together after Jesus’ resurrection. Praying and liturgy came first, and then written Scripture and belief statements. That’s why there is an ancient motto in our tradition: Lex orandi, Lex credendi, which roughly means:…

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December 19: Service, a Sunday Scriptures blog

No matter what liturgical year we are in, A, B, or this year’s cycle C, Mary always makes her appearance in the Gospel of the fourth Sunday of Advent. Cycle A’s Gospel has Matthew’s account of the Annunciation; Cycle B has Luke’s account of Joseph’s dilemma regarding Mary’s pregnancy; this…

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