Inspired by Scholastica

I am always struck by the story of the hemorrhaging woman in the gospel. After suffering from a blood flow for 12 years and spending all her funds on doctors, she must have been desperate. She travelled 30 miles to Capernaum to see this healer everyone was talking about. She knew if anyone saw her, she would be banished and probably punished since she was considered ritually "unclean." Weak as she was, the determined woman pushed and shoved her way through the crowd. She got close enough to touch the hem of his robe and felt a change in her body. Thankfully the crowds were focused on Jesus and did not notice her. She immediately knew she was cured. But Jesus was not going to let her act go unnoticed. When he asked who touched his garment, she came forth in fear and trembling. But Jesus did not reprimand her. He commended her faith and called her "Daughter." After years of isolation and exclusion, she was able to hold her head high and feel whole again. She is my her...

Like a woman kneads leaven into dough to make the bread rise, You work the yeast of the new creation into our world to transform it. O, Bakerwoman God, keep kneading the stubborn, stiff dough of indifference, of resistance, of selfishness, to spread your leaven into the remotest regions, the most alienated people of the earth. Let none say they have not heard, they do not understand, for your reign of love penetrates the entire universe and raises up all the downtrodden masses yearning to be transformed into the one Bread of Life.  

Pope Francis issued his new encyclical on climate change yesterday. He called on the people of the world to care for our precious planet and stated in no uncertain terms that humans are responsible for the disappearance of thousands of species, for the melting of the ice caps, for upsetting the balance of nature. He also pointed out that it is the poor who suffer most from these changes since they usually live closest to the upheavals of the atmosphere. His message is urgent and insistent. He may not be a scientist, but most scientists and environmentalists agree he has his information correct. Religious and other concerned leaders applaud his words and urge the world to listen. Those who deny the evidence of global warming do so to their own detriment and the detriment of all who call this planet home. We can no longer bury our heads in the sand. Future generations will hold us responsible for knowing what our destructive actions are causing, and doing nothing. Pope Francis calls ...

My mother was an actress. Not a famous one, but quite dramatic. She tells of being chosen for the lead in a parish play in her little village in Germany. She played a royal lady who had to kill someone with a gun. She told the director she couldn't shoot anyone, but he convinced her that she could. Because he believed in her, she did it and the audiences gave her a big ovation. This was her only time on the stage, but when she told the story, she became the actress with the gun all over again. In fact, every story she told was dramatized with bodily movement and facial expression. She probably could have been a great actress if she had had a chance. Instead she entertained her children with stories from her youth and life in Germany. One thing that added to my mother's acting were the braids she wore around her head. They made her look regal and attracted attention. Unfortunately, I did not inherit her dramatic flare. The one time I did have a role in a play I bungled my lines....

I recently read that some newspapers and other groups are labeling Pope Francis a communist because of his condemnation of capitalist economies. They do not seem to understand that when one percent of the population holds 99 percent of the world's wealth, there is something wrong. Do we really want to live in a world with such inequality? Is it really fair for big corporations to get tax breaks while the working class see their taxes increase? As the middle class evaporates, many countries are turning into places of haves and have nots. When big business controls elections with their large contributions, there is little chance for qualified candidates with little financial backing to be successful. There has to be a better way to run a country than to have the richest party win. I believe the pope is on the right track by upholding Catholic social teaching and the "preferential option for the poor" adopted by the bishops at Medellin, Colombia, in 1968. To be concerned for...

I have always enjoyed writing. Most of my jobs required some kind of writing: journalist, editor, poet, public relations person. I write best when I am passionate about an idea or issue. I also love to read -- words fascinate me. My friend tells people that I even read cereal boxes. The problem is I 'm not very organized or disciplined. So I write in spurts and read when I ought to be doing other things. I admire writers who spend a definite amount of time each day using that skill and readers who can put a book down when duty calls. Of course, now that I am semi-retired, I have more time to devote to these pleasures, but still I waste precious time on unimportant activities. Yet I have enough German work ethic in me to get things done when I have a deadline or responsibility. Sometimes I think I have nothing important to say, but then someone thanks me for writing a poem or an editorial that spoke to her/him. And now I have a blog to express some of my thoughts, so I can tell my...

I saw the movie "Still Alice" last week and found it very moving. A highly respected linguistics professor begins losing her memory and is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Her husband and children try to be supportive, but the disease puts a strain on their relationships. Alice finds ways to help herself by writing down reminders and names and even gives a talk about her disease at an Alzheimer's association meeting. Although it is a somber story, I found Alice's resiliency courageous and uplifting. She struggles to retain her humor, her love of words, her interest in her children's lives, and her love of cooking for her family. Surprisingly, the daughter who caused her the most concern is the one who volunteers to stay with her when Alice's husband goes on a business trip. I thought Julianne Moore portrayed the pathos and strength of Alice very convincingly without any trace of sentimentality. I think those who are caring for people with Alzheimer...

Cracked and broken pieces  need not be thrown away, but rather cemented or adhered together, creating something stronger,  more artistically appealing  with their unusual patterns, and reinforced fragments. Perhaps this Japanese art  can help us embrace our damaged parts, patch up the shattered segments of our lives with a patch of forgiveness, an application  of compassion, a touch of tenderness. Our wounds need not destroy us;  they can make us tougher, more durable, filled with a beauty born of courageous struggle.