Inspired by Scholastica

The synagogue leaders shunned me, deemed me demented, demon-possessed. Stooped in body, crushed in spirit. I hobbled to the synagogue, hidden, eyes riveted to the ground.  Then Jesus called me; hesitant, I shuffled  toward him, fearful unable to lift my head. Jesus touched me and I felt my body straighten, my eyes lift to see his face, joy flooded my soul. I could stand up after eighteen years of being horizontal   to the ground, amazing the crowd. Jesus called me a daughter of Abraham, making me part of the family of Israel . Jesus defied Jewish law by speaking to me, a woman, in front of the assembly, curing me on the Sabbath. He stood up for me and for all those bent over by injustice, hatred, fear or sickness, for when one is crushed, all are laid low and diminished; when one is raised up, all have dignity and worth.

Greg Boyle, SJ I used to think that members of gangs and dope addicts were pretty much lost causes. After attending a  book review on "Tattoos on the Heart" by Father Greg Boyle, I changed my mind. The author, a Jesuit priest serving in the high crime district of  Los Angeles, has proven that tough love and job training can make a difference. He started Homeboy Industries which serves  high-risk, former gang members with a series of free services and programs and operates several social enterprises that serve as job-training sites. Boyle has spoken to groups around the world about his ministry and brings along "homies" to tell their stories. The stories they tell are of abandonment, abuse, neglect, and violence that are shocking to most people. He has been interviewed by Anderson Cooper of CNN and other journalists  who are amazed at his success in turning young lives around. Boyle is truly extraordinary. Not everybody could do what he does day in and day o...

Listening is an undervalued skill. To really listen to someone means more than just hearing what he or she says.  It means spending time to try to understand the situation. As Robert Wicks says in his book, After 50: Spiritually Embracing your own Wisdom Years , "true listening will provide reflection, feedback, and questions to see if we both see the issues clearly." St. Benedict tells us in his Rule, "Listen with the ear of your heart." If we really care about the person who is sharing, our heart will be touched. Good listeners are not just passive hearers, but really try to break open a story. People often have limited under-standing of their own stories. Many times they are filled with shame or regret or discouragment, and have blocked vision.  A caring listener can provide a different perspective and open up new possibilities. In this age of instant messages and immediate communication, it is not easy to find a person who takes time to listen. It's chal...

We are called to be Easter people, Resurrection people. What does that mean? It means to live with joy, with confidence, and with faith. We can imagine the joy of Mary Magdalen and Jesus' disciples when they discovered that Jesus had risen from the dead. When all their hopes were dashed at the crucifixion, suddenly they realize that he truly was the Messiah, the Savior, the one who had destroyed death. His promise that those who believe in him would have eternal life was real. The Resurrection ought to fill us with confidence that we have nothing to fear, that no matter how bad things look. Jesus will be with us and give us courage to persevere. Hope should make us lift our hearts and our heads to face whatever the future holds. Death is not the last word. We have the promise of everlasting life. "Eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has ready for those who love him." All we have to do is love God and the people God sends into our lives. That means the irrita...

Few would admit to being a racist, yet we all have racist tendencies. If we are white, we are often unaware of the privileges we take for granted. We are generally not stopped by a policeman for no reason or looked on with suspicion or fear. Our children are generally safe in good neighborhoods and good schools. In applying for a job, we don't have to worry that our skin color might be a deterrant. When African American athletes kneel during the National Anthem to protest racism, some of us are a little uncomfortable with their defiant stance. We think our country has changed from the time of segregation and civil rights marches, but white supremacists are still found in many parts of the country and the Ku Klux Klan still lurks in the South. Many neighborhoods are still segregated. We have a long way to go to eradicate racism in our society. Yet many are afraid of speaking out, of breaking the racial divides. We fear rejection, retaliation, and ostracism. We would rath...

Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring , was one of the early writers to call our attention to caring for the earth.   She was both a scientist and a writer, and was able to convey the beauty of creation as well as expose the evils of pesticides and contaminating substances.   Her books and articles helped to get DDT banned for use in killing mosquitos and other insects.   She shared her love of the ocean and its inhabitants, as well as the wilderness with its myriads of plants and animals. Her writing often reads like poetry and moved many people to action in the 1940s-50s. She would have been pleased with Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si” about care for our common home, but alarmed at the fracking oil drilling that is ruining our land, the pollution that is fouling our air and water. We need more voices like Carson and Francis. And we need more people and countries to take global warming and pollution seriously before it is too late.   It is diffi...

Although we know that God has no gender , he is frequently pictured as old man with a beard, and most often referred to as “he.” Although there are female metaphors for God in Scripture, they are frequently passed over. Women can easily feel less important and unequal to man when God is envisioned as a patriarchal lord who requires obedience instead of a figure of mercy and love. In Scripture there are feminine images of God as mother.   “Shall a mother forget her child, yet even so I will never forget you.” (IS 49:15) Just as mothers give the gift of life, so God gives humans life, nurtures, and cares for each created being. God is also referred to as Wisdom. Sophia, Holy Wisdom, is a divine image of power and strength. She is the one who blesses the earth, spreads a feast for all to enjoy and protects against evil. She promises, “Whoever finds me, finds life.” (Prov 8:35) And in the parable of the lost coin, Jesus shows the passion of God who seeks for the lost...