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When little children make their Christmas list for Santa, they feel sure they will receive some of the things they enumerate. If they've been very, very good, they might receive most of them. But usually they know there are limits to what Santa will bring them unless they have over-indulgent parents. But with God, there are no limits to his goodness. In John's gospel for Christmas we hear, "From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." We have all been blessed with fullness, pressed down and brimming over, but we are mostly unaware of it. When we receive the fullness of God, we know it will never run out, but keeps on coming because there is no end of God's  grace. To be flooded with grace is like receiving continually flowing water. We never have to thirst or worry about running dry. It refreshes us constantly. We can do nothing to earn it; it is given to us freely. We take it all for granted most of the time.The changing beauty of the seasons

People had been waiting a long time but their blinders kept them wandering in circles, missing what was in plain sight, unable to grasp the wonder of a Child born in a manger, in a stable with donkeys braying nearby, hidden behind cud-chewing cows. This is not what they expected, this is not the way they envisioned his coming even though the prophets foretold it eons ago. Will we continue to seek him  in places of honor, in places of power and wealth, where servants spread tables of rich food and fine wines? When will we open our eyes to the humble ways our Savior comes today: in the immigrant struggling to cross the border, in the homeless living under bridges, in the lonely elderly. in the abused and abandoned children, in the prisoner waiting on death row. Will we pass him by like the innkeeper, like Herod, like the soldiers of old blind to his unadorned disguise?

He will rejoice over you with gladness, And renew you in his love.   (Zephaniah 3:17) Is it true? Can it really be? Can I give God delight and joy in spite of my weakness, my failings? You mean I don’t have to be all shiny and clean, my blemishes covered over my rough spots sanded smooth? You say I don’t have to earn God’s love, kneel all day long, say a thousand prayers spend hours in silent sorrow? That God will still see me as lovable,   cuddle me with tenderness, lavish me with a mother’s warm embraces? This is truly good news! We must tell everyone to take off their sackcloth and celebrate with songs of gladness.

Advent always seems to get lost  between Thanksgiving and   Christmas. What’s this time all about anyway?   For Christians it’s a good reminder to slow down, reflect, anticipate, wonder. As our ancestors of old waited thousands of years for a Savior, we wait for God to make himself known to us anew during this holy season. We know that Jesus has already come, yet we get bogged down, distracted, forgetful of his presence in our world. So the Advent readings remind us to “Be alert!” “Wake up!” Your salvation is near at hand. What does this mean today for 21 st century people? For one thing, it calls us to be hopeful people. In the midst of all the conflict, confusion, and chaos around us, God assures us he is near. He wants each of us to bring his presence into the messiness of our world and do what we can to spread his peace and love. That might mean visiting shut-ins or prisoners, caring for aging relatives, writing cards to people we have not thought of for a while, volu

As we grow older many of us experience weakness or pain in various parts of our bodies. We slow down and often have memory lapses and sight/hearing losses. We may joke about our age-related difficulties but they are no laughing matter. We don't like to admit some of our problems because it makes us look deficient. If we forget someone's name, we try to cover it up. If we miss what someone says, we nod and pretend we heard it. If we need larger print to read, we are reluctant to ask for it. We want to appear "with it" and not needing additional help. We want to keep up appearances as long as possible. We have to realize that needing assistance is not the end of the world. It gives younger people a chance to be helpful and know that others depend on them to some extent. Sometimes disabilities are not visible, but just as real. It is good remind ourselves that everyone is doing the best they can with the limitations they have. Some of us can make light of our aches

Around this time of year there are many occasions for family gatherings. The holidays often bring families together to celebrate with elaborate dinners. When members are in loving relationships this is fine, but what if they aren't? What if Aunt Betty doesn't get along with cousin Flo? What if Uncle Tom always argues with sister Mona?  What if brother Jim is uncomfortable with sister Kit's second husband?  Unfortunately, families aren't as perfect as they are in Family Circle. Families need to set some ground rules for conversations. First of all, avoid discussions of politics and religion. These tend to be heated and no-win situations. Second, be positive and affirming of each person. After all, most people are doing the best they can with the limitations and backgrounds they have. Some are dealing with sickness of mind or body and others may be caring for an elderly relative or a special needs child. Third, relate some funny family stories or tell a few jokes

"God is always a surprise. You never know how or where you will find him. You are not setting the time and the place of your encounter with him. You must therefore discern the encounter."                                                                          -Pope Francis I'm sure that the election of a progressive Jesuit cardinal from Argentina was not the expected choice of a successor to Pope St. John Paul II. The election of Donald Trump as president was a surprise to many also. Sometimes we are not happy with the surprise, but we must discern the message. We expect to find God in prayer, in the chapel, in the cemetery, in the cathedral, yet he is often more present in simple ordinary places and times. God comes in very unexpected people: in the homeless veteran on the street, in the young girl whose mother just died, in the weary bus driver on his last run, in the old woman lonely and afraid, in the prisoner on death row. God comes

What do you do when    you hear that  your grandmother has been in a car accident and there is little hope of recovery?    Or your 94-year-old father who has dementia    has fallen and broken his hip?    Or your Aunt Matilda has stage 4 ovarian cancer that has spread?    How do families make decisions in these kinds of situations?   To support caregivers faced with life and death decisions, Reverend Jamie Haith designed a five-part series called the Hope Initiative that covers love, hope, peace, joy, and faith. It has a Christian focus, but is relevant to people of all faiths. They need to focus on the last chapter of the person’s life and know that God is there to bring peace.   According to Mona Hanford, an end-of-life activist and teacher, “having God in our lives and having spiritual lifelines that attach us to God’s care are so important, because otherwise we are left with the grim reality of looking at the furnace or the dirt.” Often families feel they have to do ev

A careful look at the causes behind refugees flooding our southern border is very revealing. The US has a long history of backing political leaders in Mexico and Central America who oppress the poor, eradicate those who resist, and utilize corrupt justice systems. During the Salvadoran civil war in the 1980's, the US supported the military government which was using death squads to wipe out any resistance. Military and monetary aid to the Salvadoran government from the US continued until 1990, averaging 1.5 million dollars a day. Only when the United Nations exposed human rights violations did things begin to change. But corruption and oppression continues, causing the indigenous people to seek a better life. Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua have similar histories with the US supporting right wing leaders who regard any resistance as a threat to their power. Drug cartels and gang wars have been creating havoc and the wealth continues to be in hands of the upper one perc

The path of descent is the path of transformation. Darkness, failure, relapse, death, and woundedness are our primary teachers.                                                                                                                                     - Richard  Rohr Most of us shun darkness, failure, relapse, death, and woundedness. They are things we would not voluntarily seek. Yet Rohr tells us they can teach us how to be transformed.  If we think back on our lives, our so-called negative times have made us more understanding and compassionate people.  Our periods of darkness when we are discouraged and confused  don't seem to have any redeeming features. Failures  make us feel inadequate and humiliated. When we relapse into behavior that drags us down we are ashamed. When we are wounded we fall into self-pity. And death seems so final and hopeless.  How can these lead to transformation? The secret is not to get stuck in these paths of descent, but to learn fr

Through the research of astronomers and improved telescopes we now know that the universe is  approximately 13.6 billion years old. Most scientists believe it began with what is called the Big Bang, a monumental explosive force that formed cosmic gases and dust. About 200 million years after the Big Bang, stars appeared in the firmament. Eventually stars clumped together to form galaxies. The Milky Way, our galaxy, is estimated to be almost as old  as the universe. Recently astronomers have discovered that there are billions of galaxies in the universe.  Humans are a rather recent development, coming on the scene only about 200,000 years ago  after the dinasaurs and other pre-historic creatures became extinct. Conditions had to be just right for humans to survive in this vast universe. The universe story is an amazing story of mysterious origins and monumental proportions that scientists are still uncovering. The main discovery is that everything is connected and dependent on eve

In "Fields of Compassion," Judy Cannato tells a story of beached whales and how they found their way back to the ocean. A man saw first one, then two, then three whales washed up on the shore, flailing,and called for emergency rescuers. When he realized they would not arrive in time, he waded out to the first whale and pressed his hand on its back until it became quiet and then turned it back toward the ocean. He did the same with the second and third. By the time rescuers arrived, the whales were safe in the ocean again. It reminded me of the role compassion plays in our lives, how calming it is to lay one's hand or give a comfortng word to someone who is anxious or upset. It could be a person with Alzheimer's, a child throwing a tantrum, or a belligerant teenager. I tend to back away when someone is angry or shaking. It is better to respond with quiet empathy. In the face of evil and contradiction, a compassionate response can often smooth things out. It has to

As many of us in the Midwest embrace the crisp fall air, we look forward to the splendid array of colors that usually accompany the season. I remember how I used to press leaves with waxed paper to decorate bulletin boards or windows. They always looked like they were dancing and cheering us on. I am often reluctant to let go of summer with its seasonal flowers and sunshine to brighten our days.   Even though I complain about the heat, the fields of sunflowers, rose gardens, and honeysuckle bushes remind me of my childhood and freedom from the rigors of studies. Winter too has its beauty with snow-laden fir trees and ice-covered rivers and lakes.   The frost and howling winds are not so cruel if you have a fireplace and blankets to keep you warm.   The outdoors seem frozen in place like a black and white silhouette. Spring is perhaps my favorite season when the cold, dead earth suddenly comes alive again.   First the delicate crocus peeps out, then the forsythia and t

As I listened to the testimonies of Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh this week, I reflected on how one's past can come back to haunt a person. For Dr. Ford it's a sexual assault and for Kavanaugh it's his excessive drinking and unacceptable behavior in high school. I don't know who is telling the truth, but both have gone through a terrible ordeal and it's far from over. So many women have kept silent about sexual abuse in the past but they are now finding their voice. With all the powerful men who have been brought down by women's accusations (e.g. Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, Charley Rose, Matt Lauer), more women are speaking out. They are no longer stopped by shame or fearful of not being believed. They are tired of being victims. Girls/women who are abused suffer psychological damage the rest of their lives. Many teenagers get carried away by the fun and excitement of the moment without thinking of repercussions or consequences. That's why there are

  You must no longer live as the Gentiles do… put away the old self of your former way of life, … and put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. (Eph. 4:17, 20-24) Recently our prioress, Sister Esther Fangman, spoke about critical junctures in our lives – times when we have to decide whether we are going to live our old way of selfishness and uncaring, or adopt a new self of kindness and compassion.   She emphasized the power each of us has to build others up or tear them down with our words and attitudes. We may not be conscious of this power in our day to day encounters, especially when we have our minds on other things. It takes awareness and effort. For example, we have a lot of guests and employees in our monastery. Sometimes they come with heavy burdens and sorrows that weigh them down. Sometimes they are tired or in a hurry. We can lift them up or ignore them. We also have sisters in our care center; many are elderly

Although Joan Putthoff was 93, her death last week came as a shock. I had not talked to her for months, but I knew she was in long term care at the Little Sisters of the Poor.  She had been a Benedictine sister for a number of years and was a teacher, counselor, civic leader and prison volunteer. Many remember her as a free spirit and a wonderful friend. I have many memories of her. One was the tradition of helping put up her Christmas tree and decorate her house for the holidays. Joan would invite a couple friends to a delicious dinner and then we trimmed the tree and sat around enjoying a glass of wine and lively conversation. It was never just chit chat --we discussed situations in the Church and the world, people we admired or didn't, and national and local politics. Once I took a class on transactional analysis from her and learned about "I'm okay; you're okay." I don't remember much else, but she instilled the importance of a good self image and rega

I wish I could make words become flesh, become embodiments of my thoughts. Somehow they always seem to fall short of what I really want to say, lack heart, everything needed to capture the moment. Perhaps I strive for too much ornateness, too much cleverness and catchy phrases, not enough emotion or passion to convey the beauty, the splendor of a pink dogwood in May, a white-capped  ocean wave in summer,  a Kansas sunflower, or fields of golden wheat in fall. Poets are supposed to capture the juiciness, the utter delight of what they perceive so others can savor the pulp, the aroma, the bodily fullness of their penetrating vision. And often they do. Like Mary Oliver's  poignant words: "it is a serious thing/ just to be alive/ on this fresh morning/ in this broken world."

I never thought I would read or like a book about ice hockey. I don't know anything about the sport. But I picked up the book "Us against You" because I had read another book ("A Man Called Ove") by the same author, Fredrik Backman. Actually the book is more about human relationships than about hockey. There are two rival hockey teams in two small towns, Beartown and Hed, but the relationships of the team members and their families and friends is what held my attention. The book deals with rape, homosexuality, death, marital tensions, alcoholism, local politics, friendship and leadership. The author explores these situations with honesty and realism. There is never any sentimentality or condemnation. Backman shows the weaknesses as well as the strengths of the characters. He makes the reader care about what happens to them. One of my favorite characters is Ana, whose boyfriend is a member of the opposing team. She is strong and independent as she deals w

I recently spent some time with another sister's brother and sister-on-law. Jack, her brother celebrated his 90th birthday while we were there. He is amazing for his age. He still drives, cooks, tends a garden, walks the dog, play cards and board games, enjoys watching baseball and keeping up with politics. He has some health issues, but he keeps plugging along as if he's 70.  As I grow older, I find traveling is not as much fun as it used to be. Airports are challenging, plane seats are uncomfortable, walking is tiring, and suitcases are heavy. At my age, I'd rather curl up with a good book, watch a movie on TV, or play a game of Scrabble. Now I understand why I could hardly get my mother to go anywhere with me in her later years. Going away makes me appreciate my familiar surroundings and people more. Even if I've heard the stories before, I usually forget some of the parts.The way my memory is going, they'll soon all seem new. And sleeping in one's

At a recent meeting of my religious community, we had a discussion on "critical junctures," in light of planning for our future. It brought to mind critical junctures in our personal lives where we have to make a decision that will impact our future. It might be a time of selecting a field of study in college, choosing a marriage partner, or taking a particular job. It could also be smaller junctures like having an argument with a neighbor or friend and making a decision to resolve it peacefully or carry a grudge. Or perhaps a choice of whether to say something uplifting to another person or ignoring her or him. Critical junctures can give us the opportunity to be kind and loving or mean and hateful. Our lives are full of choices and what we choose determines what kind of person we turn out to be. We are affected by the examples we see around us. If our parents were generous, loving people, hopefully we will be too. If they failed to model good behavior, we have o

A careful look at the causes behind immigrants flooding our southern border reveals some astounding facts.The US has a long history of backing political leaders in Central America who oppress the poor, eradicate those who resist, and utilize corrupt justice systems. During the Salvadoran civil war in the 1980's, the US supported the military government which was using death squads to wipe out any resistance. Military and monetary aid to the Salvadoran government from the US continued until 1990, averaging 1.5 million dollars a day. Only when the United Nations exposed human rights violations did things begin to change. But corrup-tion and oppression continues, causing the indigenous people to seek a better life. Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua have similar histories with the US supporting right wing leaders who regard any resistance as a threat to their power. Drug cartels and gang wars have been creating havoc and the wealth continues to be in hands of the upper one percent