Blog Archive
Contemplating the messiness of Christian life
The Messy Jesus Business Blog is an ecumenical Christian gathering of musings about what it means to live the Gospel today. A variety of contributors offer prayer, poetry, book reviews, creative nonfiction and prose about what it means to live a life of faith in our complex, modern times.
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Just sandals and a walking stick
Note from Sister Julia: A version of the following text was written for my coursework in my Introduction to New Testament course at Catholic Theological Union where I am a part-time student. The assignment was to write a Biblical commentary on a particular Gospel passage. The passage I selected was Mark 6: 7-13, which was the Gospel for this past Sunday. Jesus
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Franciscan Bookshelf: “One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are”
By Messy Jesus Business guest blogger K.P. “Eucharisteo always precedes the miracle.”– Ann Voskamp The concept of eucharisteo, as Ann Voskamp explains in One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, is a practiced and disciplined form of perpetual adoration: a choice to thank God in every season, every action, every moment.
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Hearts on fire for the good of all
Soon after I decided to ask to make my perpetual vows and was approved to do so, I became a bit obsessed with fire. It’s not a dangerous obsession or anything, it’s more that I am paying attention to all the ways that fire images and metaphors are incorporated into our culture and faith. I
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The point of Wanda
The last few nights I have been reading and re-reading Pope Francis’ new encyclical Laudato Si’ (Praise be to you, my Lord) on care for our common home. As I do, I keep returning to thoughts of my dog, Wanda. Wanda is not a very friendly or personable dog not a very useful dog. Wanda is
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Blessed Oscar Romero and Sister Antona
I am proud that several sisters in my community have served in El Salvador. In fact, some of them acquainted as friends with the American church women who were martyred in 1980 during the Civil War. The sisters in my community who were in El Salvador were ordered to return to the United States in
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On Love and Suffering: A Conversation with my Dad
In honor of Father’s Day, I decided to ask my dad, Kevin Walsh, a few questions. Considering that many of us do not know our fathers, I am very blessed to have a very loving, supportive and caring father. My dad is a deep thinker, knowledgeable, wise, prayerful and at times, very jovial. He also
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Messy spiritual allergies
Much like a food allergy, I’ve found that something just isn’t sitting right with me and the Church. My experiences in spirituality, what I find inspiring and comforting, just don’t make sense with Mass anymore. Imagine writing that on a religious blog. Eesh. So what do you do with a troubling spirit or food allergy?
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Getting ready for the party of my life
For the past three months, I have been happily preparing for the party of my life. This party will include a beautiful Mass, a locally-sourced dinner and a lively reception. The party of my life will celebrate my perpetual profession of vows with my community. Preparation for my final vows has been busy and enjoyable. But,
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Weaning the weight of wistful nostalgia
I am in the process of weaning my almost two-year-old daughter. Although I have enjoyed a wonderful nursing relationship with her since she was born, it’s time to break it off. Whereas breastfeeding used to be a tender, relaxing, sometimes-euphoric experience, it has recently become a burden of which I wish to free myself. I
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How to be Hot for God
Being Christian is not for sissies, I have heard some say. We must be bold, courageous and purposely enter into experiences of encounter that might make the average person squirm. For starters, this is a life of serious love. And for us Christians, love is a verb, not a feeling. We have to love our enemies,
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Loving wide open
The gaps are quickly filling in between the branches as more and more leaves open up each day. As more leaves open and crowd the trees with bright color I am reminded how we are also like small leaves–alone, we are vulnerable and hopeful. Together we are strong and form a bold, bright, colorful community. We
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Baltimore Life, Abundant and Boiling
Note from Sister Julia: I have asked my good friend and occasional Messy Jesus Business contributor, Amy Nee-Walker, to share her perspective on the recent events in Baltimore for our readers this week. Amy and her husband Ted presently live in the Jonah House community in Baltimore with their one-year-old son. Here are her responses to my questions.
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