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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A Feast of Love in the Darkest of Times
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper tonight marks the beginning of the Paschal Triduum, the Church’s celebration of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. Celebrated on the evening of Holy Thursday, it is my favorite night of the year — a radical feast of love in the darkest of times. We wash one another’s sweaty, aching…
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Michael Poffenberger: Contemplation and Transformation
Episode 91 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Michael Poffenberger about activism, contemplation, interiority, right relationships and the true self, vulnerability and control, transformation, wholeness, and much more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show…
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Holy Week Hour of Prayer Open to All Online
During Holy Week, all are invited to join Messy Jesus Business writers, podcast guests, and audience members for an online hour of prayer, reflection, and faith sharing led by Sr. Julia Walsh, FSPA. We hope you can join us for this special gathering to contemplate the mess of Holy Week. It would be a delight to…
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The Discomfort of DEI
Keep your windows rolled up, we were told. Don’t leave a wallet or purse out in sight. Being confronted with race is uncomfortable for white people. I’ve felt that discomfort. One of my earliest recollections of it was when our all-white rural Nebraska high school football team played against a team from North Omaha, a…
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Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?
I recently read the famous line from Robert Frost’s poem: “good fences make good neighbors.” I remember my Dad quoting it to me, making a point about the importance of privacy and boundaries for healthy relationships. I always imagined the fences to be waist-high and white-picket, kind of like in the movie Terms of Endearment,…
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Lisa M. Hendey Live from RE Congress
Episode 89 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. This special episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast was recorded live at RE Congress 2025. In this episode, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Lisa M. Hendey about CatholicMom.com, blogging and podcasting, unconditional love, the importance of questions, the Chime Travelers, belonging and hospitality,…
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Ashen timelines
we inherit historyhistory of horror, heartachethe systemic sinsthe memories of line after lineof penitent, penitentour breath, our skinheavy hearts –no denial, only Truthrepent, repentancestors lamentgaze into flamessmoke, smog, ash:reality invades temptations to escapeyet we must remain, remainso we say Amento mortality, humilityto dust & decayto being todaythe bodiesalong linesof time smearedwith sorrow,with truth,with ash who…
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Rev. Ricky Manalo, CSP: Worship and What it Means to be Human
Episode 88 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Rev. Ricky Manalo, CSP, about faith and culture, vocation, liturgical music, what worship is, AI, what it means to be human, and polarization and unity. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Email | RSS | More…
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Dreaming and Discernment
Recently I dreamed that I changed congregations. As a Franciscan sister (FSPA) who made first vows almost 20 years ago, I have never thought of being in a different order. But that morning, after the dream, I had my regular prayer time. As I prayed and talked to God, suddenly a desire started to take…
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The Good News
Based on Luke 4 I never have good news for Jesus. I deal in the gloom and doom. But that doesn’t make me any less welcome in his home. I lower my head as I meet his mother at the threshold, then allow myself a half grin as her arms wrap around me. I am…
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Fr. James Martin, SJ Returns: Pilgrimage and Parable
Episode 86 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In the return of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Fr. James Martin, SJ about his vocation, the raising of Lazarus, pilgrimages and Jesus’ parables, and Fr. Martin’s experience at the Synod. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Email | RSS | More A transcript of…
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Staring into the Abyss
“They who fight with monsters should be careful lest they become a monster. Gaze too long into the abyss, and the abyss will also gaze into you.” – Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil We all know the quotation. Like many of Nietzsche’s aphorisms, it has taken on a life of its own, and people…
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