Leaning Toward the Light
The Advent scripture readings lead us directly to the heart of who we come to know in Jesus: Emmanuel, God With Us.
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The Inconvenient Catholic Both/And
…and how it just might save us. After Mass on Sunday, our parish hosted a fair of all the organizations that we support financially with our parish’s own tithe. On a lot of levels, it was an impressive collection of nonprofits. Support for everything from gang prevention programs, to clean drinking water initiatives, resources for
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Midwifing These Words
And yet, us and them is the antithesis of Christianity. We have allowed ourselves to be convinced, or perhaps convenienced, into believing that someone else can do it better than us, and to wash our hands of the matter. This smacks of the story of the Good Samaritan, where all but one passerby had an excuse to not be the one to meet the unmet need. And yet, who did Jesus acknowledge as neighbor, but the one who got their hands dirty and stopped.
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Bearing Light
Photo by Vladimir Fedotov on Unsplash Now that we are in the space before the winter solstice, where daylight savings time has pushed us squarely back into the darkest time of the year, I find myself drawn to the patches of warm light all around: streetlights, candles, and Christmas trees twinkling in yards and windows.
Underpinnings: All as gift
On the feasts of All Saints, we are poised to give thanks for the lives of holy ones who have gone before us—the patterns that make sense for having seen them in context. Just as important, and perhaps more consoling, is the time and space offered for All Souls, the lesser-known, those whose lives and witness may have been obscure, shorter than expected, ordinary, whose underpinnings have yet to be exposed to the Light and celebrated for the grace emulating therein.
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Seagulls & Lamp posts
In the same way, passing gulls remind me of the eventual hope of heaven; entering into Holy Week puts into practice our ability to be present in the Paschal Mystery right now.
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No such thing as a pretty Lent
Call me captain obvious, but I’m finding (once again) that there is nothing pretty about entering Lent. Beautiful? Absolutely. Growing? Definitely. Palatable? Less so.
This morning already, even while chocolate cookies bake for fat Tuesday, I’m mentally readying myself for the stark season we embark on tomorrow, and even the mundane to-do list smacks of little deaths and resurrections:
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Riotous Roots
The newness of the new year feels like it is settling in. One by one, the Christmas lights on our street are being turned off, the stock show is in town, and school is back in session. Maybe you are off and running with your resolutions or re-calibrating and keeping a steady pace. Either way, I wish you peace and a spirit of searching as we mull over the Epiphany that springs us forward.
Humble offerings
This is far and away my favorite season for its metaphors of darkness and light, Love Incarnate, and illustrations of God-with-us. I’m snatching this unexpected window for writing, as the baby finally fell asleep as it was time to leave for Mass, second-hand tea bag steeping in the stolen quiet while the rest of the gang drove off in the frosted car
Preparing to prepare
Because I was expecting last year, one of the best gifts I gave myself was a peaceful Advent. I’ve mentioned before that I attempt to prepare as though Christmas were on November 25 so I am not making myself crazy at my favorite time of year, to lean in and slow down. Everybody has their own system and this may not work for you, but if it sounds appealing, here is a list of some ideas worth preparing for and keeping it simple while having a ripple effect on the wider community.
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