Inspired by Scholastica

Why do I drag my past unkindnesses, my failures, my selfish deeds, my regrets behind me, trailing like Medusa’s venomous snakes ready to poison any goodness I have acquired, any virtue I have practiced? Misfortune takes precedence, strangling my assets, swallowing any qualities that might alleviate my slips and slides. I hang on to the vices in my life, enlarging them into elephantine proportions, thinking all who pass by cannot miss my sullied character. Yet Jesus said, “Although your sins be red as scarlet I will wash you clean as snow.” Lord, strip away the deadly toxins that cloud my days, eradicate them forever – may your glory overshadow my shortcomings, and my r ighteousness shine through like the sun.

When I was young I was determined not to be like my German mother who never wasted money on frivolities, who spent most of her time cooking and cleaning her house, who washed delicate clothes by hand, who used coupons at the grocery store, and who never bothered about being overweight. I was not going to be constrained by guilt and fear. I was determined to be a freedom-loving woman. Well, I've been able to eradicate a few of those characteristics, but I am not as free as I would like to be. I'm able to spend money on fun things, do all my laundry in an automatic washer, and try to maintain a manageable weight. But I'm still very work-oriented, always looking for bargains, have guilt feelings when I'm not being productive, and am fearful about many things. When I take time to exercise or get a massage or go to a movie, I congratulate myself on not being like my mother. But when I won't buy something unless it's on sale, fail to try something new, or need to ha...

Pope Francis has urged all of us to reach out to the poor and marginalized of the world. Last Sunday at Benedictine College in Atchison, Dr. Carolyn Woo spoke about how Catholic Relief Services (CRS) responds to his message which is really Christ's message (Matthew 25). The mission of CRS is "to serve the poorest and most vulnerable on the basis of need, not creed." Dr. Woo, president and CEO of CRS, told how the organization helps over 100 million people in about 103 countries every year. They were there when a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, distributing food, clean water and temporary shelter. After World War II, CRS was founded to provide emergency assistance to survivors and refugees in Europe. Today they are reaching out to the 60 million displaced people around the world with food, shelter, and health care. CRS respects the capacity of local partners and attends to the root causes of poverty. Most of us cannot respond directly to the poor in ot...

According to the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers, there are 15 million people in the world who earn a living by searching for recyclables. Some of them are garbage pickers who scavenge landfills looking for recyclable objects to earn some extra money. Others are high-tech versions of waste sorting and treatment. One such company is SRI in Aversa, Italy that processes nearly 80,000 metric tons of material each year. They use conveyer belts and sensors to sort cans and bottles. The plant processes over 5,500 pounds of bottles every hour to produce plastic flakes for reuse. Most garbage pickers are treated as the scum of society, but many recyclers have organized to gain better working conditions and rights. The Global Alliance of Waste Pickers is now an umbrella network of thousands of recycler organizations with groups in more than 28 countries. Last year Pope Francis sent a video message to recyclers around the world telling them to "continue developing new forms of dignified wo...

When I see summer fading, trees losing their lush green, flowers shriveling  up, , earth caking and creating dust particles, I want to hang onto the blooming gardens the sheltering shade and ripening harvest. I try to extend the warm lazy days, listening for chickadee chirps and  buzzing bees, children splashing in backyard pools, unwilling to face the dying leaves, the crisp fall air, the inevitable stealth of darkness swallowing up the light, and geese flying south for winter. Yet autumn too holds its pleasures if I am open to the change of season. 

   During this Church year, women and men religious are encouraged to "Wake up the World!" What does this mean and how can we carry out this message? As I reflected on it, I thought the pope was asking sisters and other religious to make people aware of the importance of spirituality and prayer in a world filled with violence, war, consumerism, sexism, and materialism. We who have consecrated our lives to God can make an impact on our world by our peaceful, compassionate, loving presence and example. But even more, we have to speak out for those who have no voice: the poor, the immigrant, the elderly, the imprisoned, the trafficked, the children. The Nuns on the Bus are doing this by calling attention to social injustices; teachers are doing this by emphasizing Catholic social teaching in their classrooms; catechists are doing this by teaching acceptance and respect for all people; homilists are doing this by speaking of Jesus' inclusive love and forgiveness; cloister...

The psalms in the bible are ancient prayers of the Israelites who experienced the gamut of human emotions. Their words are still relevant today. Is your spirit flagging and discouraged? Try praying Psalm 142: "With a loud voice I cry out to the Lord;/ with a loud voice I beseech the Lord./ My complaint I pour out before him;/ before him I lay bare my distress. Are you grateful for God's help in need? You might use Psalm 116: "I love the Lord because he has heard my voice in supplication./ Because he has inclined his ear to me the day I called." Do you feel like God has abandoned you? Turn to Psalm 130: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;/ Lord, hear my voice!/ Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication." Do you want to thank God for his many gifts? Pray Psalm 147: "Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;/ sing praise with the harp to our God, /Who covers the heavens with clouds, /who provides rain for the earth;" Do you want...

The newspapers are full of heartrending stories of immigrants drowning or turned back as they try to escape from the war-torn countries of Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and parts of Africa. We also have refugees risking their lives to cross our borders to come to the United States. These migrants are fleeing to Europe and the U.S, for a safer, better life for their families, and who can blame them? Wouldn't any of us flee from persecution and hunger, especially to save our children? These are human beings, not "collateral damage." These are our brothers and sisters who have the same Father. These are the ones of whom Jesus says in Matthew 25: "I was hungry and you gave me food; I was homeless and you welcomed me. . ." Sure, they disturb our complacency, our comfortable lives. Sure, we may have to endure some disruptions to our regular schedules. Sure, we may have to go out of our way to make room for them. But how can we call ourselves Christian if we allow them to ...