Most Christians would be willing to say that they have a relationship with God, but some doubt that it is a deep, intimate relationship. Some Christians are acquaintances of God that comes from habit, training, or even just out of obligation. Think about your closest human relationship. It takes immense trust, time and commitment to really be in a deep, intimate human relation. This is also true of our…
Mary of Nazareth: the Annunciation Woman
I know the title “Mary of Nazareth” makes sense to all of us because Mary lived in the town of Nazareth with Jesus and Joseph. I also think that we all are familiar with the story of Mary at the time of the Annunciation when she was called by the angel to be the mother of Jesus. But why would I…
Where are the nine? – Gratitude
I chose gratitude for a topic because, hopefully, all of us have gained insights about ourselves over the years, insights that have challenged us to growth. We should be grateful for those insights, even if sometimes they may have been painful for us. We know that scripture provides us with many references for gratitude. For instance, in Psalm…
Love, Faith and Hope
In Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians he begins the letter with these wonderful words: We keep thanking God for all of you and we remember you in our prayers, for we constantly are mindful before our God and Father of the way you are proving your faith, and laboring in love, and showing constancy of hope in our…
Beating the Winter Blahs
By this time in the calendar year many people are feeling depressed because of the frequent cloudy days, freezing cold and occasional snow. It may be very cold outside but that does not mean that you have to have a numbed mind or cold heart on the inside. One way to cure the winter blahs is to…
Making the Most of Lent
This is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly; setting free the oppressed; breaking every yoke, sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, not turning your back on your own. Then your light will break forth like the dawn. (Isaiah 58:6-7) Lent begins February 26th. By definition the season of…
Do You See Anything?
They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the…
Are We Complainers?
Are We Complainers? Some of the readings from the Hebrew Scriptures show the Israelites complaining to Moses time and time again. They complain about having to eat manna when they ate garlic and herbs when they were slaves in Egypt. They complain about the difficulties of entering the land of milk and honey because of their fear of the powerful residents there. They forget all…
The Contemplative Attitude
The Mission of the Ursuline Sisters is to transform society through contemplation, justice and compassion. I believe contemplation and a contemplative attitude are integral to living a deep prayer life, a vibrant spiritual life. Because of my personal commitment to contemplation and the importance I believe it has for all spiritual adults, I would like to share some thoughts on contemplation and the contemplative…
Angela: Model for Today
January 27th is the feast day of Angela Merici, foundress of the Ursulines. When one looks at the life of Angela Merici we see a woman who would be considered extraordinary in any time or culture. She was a woman of the earth coming from a family of farmers and yet she was comfortable in cities large and small. She…
Compassion
Compassion is not something that comes naturally to us. And yet, when we look at both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, we are called to be compassionate people. As followers of Jesus we have no choice but to be compassionate. In order to understand compassion and all its implications, we need to look closely at…
The Good Samaritan
Of all the New Testament stories one of the best known is the story of the Good Samaritan. What strikes me when reflecting on this story is the fact that the injured traveler was a Jew and the kind helper was a Samaritan. The people from these two groups hated each other due to differing religious…
Four Seasons
I have never met a single person who is perfect. Even St. Mother Teresa admitted in her journals that she lived with struggles, including faith doubts. A lay woman, Dorothy Day, is on the road to sainthood. She is now called a Servant of God, the first step on the sainthood track. She was a non-believer,…
New Beginnings
At the end of each year I like to take time to thank God for all the blessings I’ve experienced during the past twelve months. I also look back over my lifetime to see the multitude of gifts I’ve experienced. I am always overwhelmed at God’s goodness. A variety of ministries has brought amazing people…
Angela For Today 