After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22) Sometimes I like to…
So, this week some depression symptoms have come back. Fatigue, heaviness, a dull pull at the sides of my mouth, a silent scream in my throat, anxiousness, and a few intrusive thoughts of self-harm. But, I’m a veteran. I know what to do. Give it to Jesus. Increase self-care. Decrease stress. Pull out my toolbox…
The beatitudes have been called Jesus’ version of the Ten Commandments. They sum up the heart of his message, point us in the right direction, show us the truth of God and grant eternal hope. Except they are a lot harder to understand. And to follow. What does it really mean, that “Blessed are the…
Question from the audience: I am a rich Christian. What should I do? Shane Claiborne (smiling hugely): Ha! If only Jesus had said something about that! Sometimes I feel that if only Jesus had left some concrete teachings, a pattern of life to follow and a community of believers to hold on to, it…
Happy Easter! On this Holy Saturday the Easter story, read from the Gospel of Mark, left me more confused than comforted. This is how Mark tells it: early on the third morning, three women come to the tomb with spices to care for Jesus’ corpse. They worry about how they’re going to move that impossible stone….
By Guest Blogger Sarah Hennessey, FSPA How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? — Matthew 7:4 I have started watching an Australian cop show, a drama called Rush, in which the main focus is…
Sitting on the porch, I watch a robin alight on our lawn, a hopeful sign of spring. She pecks in the newly turned dirt and nibbles a seed. My mind rages. “Hey! That’s my grass seed we just planted! What do you think you’re doing?” Big muddy bare spots dot our lawn now that the…
By Guest Blogger: Sarah Hennessey FSPA Usually when people find out I’m a Catholic sister there follows some basic assumptions. Some people wonder where I’ve put my “black get-up” or habit, my wooden ruler and my stern look. More stereotypes than assumptions, I’m still surprised how often these come up. Behind these images are the…
Sister Sarah Hennessey is a spiritual advisor for her local conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s National Council of the United States and serves as an emergency contact for those who find themselves in urgent need. The call came on a Sunday evening. A woman was at our grocery story and had…
Guest blogger: Sarah Hennessey, FSPA Photo by Chandra Sherin: http://chandrasherin.wordpress.com/ “She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.” – Mark 5:29b I’ve never noticed this phrase before. But a few days ago during Mass these words shouted at me. The woman with the hemorrhage reached out bravely to touch just the hem of…
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