Inspired by Scholastica

Sometimes it's hard to keep hope in our hearts when our world is so chaotic. It seems like every time we look at social media or our newspapers there's another mass shooting, scandal, attack, or disaster.  It's tempting to crawl into our shell and avoid the bad news. But that does not make it go away. I'm sure Moses felt like giving up after finally leading the Israelites out of Egypt only to encounter their whining and infidelity in trying to get to Canaan. He himself doubted God once when striking the rock for water. Forty years of struggle and hardship through deserts and enemy territory must have seemed pretty hopeless to these "chosen people." But they did not give up. St. Monica must have been tempted to stop praying for her son Augustine's conversion after 30 years, but she kept on. He went on to become a bishop and a saint. When our world seems to be collapsing and the future looks bleak, we need to keep on prayiing and bringing light to ...

The Leadership Council of Women Religious (LCWR) met recently in Scottsdale, Ariz., to discuss "Leadership in a Global Community." The social justice section of the meeting focused on three critical issues: racism, migration, and the climate crisis. At a time when religious communities are undergoing diminishment and downsizing, I was struck by the fact that these leaders were not looking at their own situation, but focused on the major issues facing our country today. Racism amidst a climate of white supremacy and anti-immigrant attitudes is causing widespread division and violence. Migration is creating another barrier between a Christian stance of welcome and a fearful wall of rejection. And the climate crisis is about our very survival on our planet devastated by pollution, waste, and alarming warming trends .  Also during the meeting the assembly composed a letter to send to President Trump regarding political rhetoric.  The letter states in part, "We implore...

I just finished reading  "The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old."  It was a charming, humorous, and honest look at old age and care homes. It takes place in the Netherlands in 2013. Although the culture and situations are different, the feelings and inter-actions of the residents are much the same as in the U.S. The characters live independently in small apart-ments but eat together in a large dining room. Hendrik and several friends form The Old but Not Dead Club -- Rule #3: No Whining Allowed. The six members take turns planning day outings once a month. The one in charge hires a bus or private vehicle to transport them to museums, restaurants, parks, and even a yoga session. They handle their illnesses with a certain nonchalance, and help each other when there is need. One of the most touching relationships is between Hendrik and a widow in the club. They enjoy each other's company and he is devastated when she has a stroke and needs to move to th...

John F. Kennedy wrote a book called Profiles in Courage which highlighted the careers of eight senators whom Kennedy felt had shown great courage under enormous pressure from their parties and their constituents. He described three types of pressure faced by elected officials: the pressure to be liked, the pressure to be re-elected, and the pressures of the constituency. He admired these men who did not succumb to these pressures. Rep. Elijah Cummings If he were writing his book today, I'm sure Robert Mueller would be among his courageous leaders. With grit and integrity, he undertook the special counsel investigation of  U.S. collusion with Russia regarding the 2016 presidential election. After two years, in a 400-page document,  Mueller and his team concluded there was definite evidence of collusion.    . . Elijah Cummings, a representative from Baltimore, would probably also be included. He is one of the most respected members of Congress and is fearless...

You may have suffered trauma, abuse, neglect, a thousand bitter tragedies in your life. You may have taken countless wrong turns, sunk into despair, endured rejection, unrequited love. But you have survived, surmounted the jagged mountains of sorrow, learned to stretch, to be resilient to grow beyond the narrow confines of pity and resentment. Your cracks and crevises have been filled with the mortar of healing, your heart softened by tears of compassion. You are no longer damaged goods but richer than those who travel roads paved with gold, who roam honey-laden gardens. Your wounds have become tender mercies, your scars badges of courage emblazoned like stars.

As we grow older, our world sometimes becomes smaller. We don't interact with people as much, we don't stay abreast of current issues, we might be fighting sickness and pain. Our outside contacts tend to be doctors, grocery stores, friends, and maybe libraries. Our energy and alertness diminishes, but we need to make an effort to stay involved. A big challenge is to keep informed about the environment crisis and do what we can to preserve our planet for future generations. It is important to search out the truth about issues and candidates running for public office so that we can vote intelligently. We  need to support issues we believe in by writing or calling our congresspersons and urging them to promote the common good rather than special interests. We  also ought to reach out to persons in need such as the homeless, the immigrants, the marginalized, and the imprisoned. One of my heroes is Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg who continues to serve on the Supreme Court with...

In a recent homily Pope Francis gave on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, he made a crucial point:  "The starting point of the Christian life is not our worthiness; in fact, the Lord was able to accomplish little with those who thought they were good and decent. Whenever we consider ourselves smarter or better than others, that is the beginning of the end. The Lord does not work miracles with those who consider them-selves righteous, but with those who know themselves needy. He is not attracted by our goodness; that is not why he loves us. He loves us just as we are; he is looking for people who are not self-sufficient, but ready to open their hearts to him. People who, like Peter and Paul, are transparent before God." Sometimes we have a tendency to look at those who are poor, or uneducated, or suffer from addictions, as somehow not as good as we are. The pope reminds us that Jesus did not work miracles for those who considered themselves righteous, but for those who begge...