Inspired by Scholastica

In the Catholic Church the time after Epiphany to Ash Wednesday is called Ordinary Time. That seems to be a misnomer in our world today. In some parts of the country, there have been record snow storms, tornados and hurricanes.  In the political sphere, there have been big divisive issues such as the Jan. 6 insurrection, and voting and filibuster bills that are polarizing groups in Congress. In the Church Pope Francis’ Synodality gatherings around the world are holding difficult discussions about how to come together as communities of mercy and love.   And in the health care area, there are different views about the treatment of Covid and its variants.   This is anything but ordinary time. It seems like we are living in extraordinary times of discord and hate. Just as in families everyone does not agree, so also in these wider realms, there are opposing viewpoints.   Divisiveness seems to be the agenda for this time in history. Upheavals are constantly on the horizon...

In her book The Body of God and Ecological Spirituality , Theologian Sally McFague describes creation as the Body of God. We tend to think that God is out there somewhere invisible and untouchable, yet actually he is here in the reindeer, the elm tree, and the girl next door. God is resplendent in all the myriad species of creation. When we pray to God, we can meditate on any of God’s creatures, relishing the shape, color, and majesty of their being. This is hard to do if the creature is violent or unappealing or misshapen. We have to get our mind or soul around the idea that every being has to be perfect to lead us to God.   The Body of God is varicolored and multi-shaped, something like an enormous zentangle (a configurated art design). In a sense we are surrounded by God since God is all in all. As we rest in the comforting realization that the Body of God surrounds us, and that God rejoices in being close to his creatures, we become more aware of the need to protect and c...

The launching of the James Webb Space Telescope on Christmas Day 2021 was a milestone in space exploration. The telescope has mirrors that will reflect to NASA what the universe was like all the way back to 4.54 billion years ago, when the Big Bang occurred and planet Earth was born.   What does this mean for us earthlings? It will provide information on what caused the Big Bang and how Earth evolved gradually over the years to the present. As we believe that all life is interconnected, we will be able to experience this evolution and development through the mirrors of the Webb telescope. Scientists have already confirmed that there are over 4,480 exoplanets, orbs many twice to ten-times the size of our earth. They estimate that there could be over a trillion exoplanets in the Milky Way alone, but we know little about them. These are exciting times we live in, but most people are not too interested because they think it is not relevant to their daily lives. However, anything that w...

A microscopic virus, tinier than a speck brought the world to its knees. Not enough   ventilators, not enough breathing tubes,   not enough space for those who were struck down.   The pandemic spread from country to country,   leaders issuing stay-at-home orders which many ignored.   Large group meetings and events cancelled, churches closed, people connecting through Zoom, Facebook and e-mail. Scarcity spread as some   hoarded. Fear prevailed as this evil obliterated   thousands of people before scientists could find a successful vaccine.   When a vaccine was developed, the world rejoiced, although doubt inhibited some to take the jab. Then variants appeared, hospitals again overwhelmed,   health care workers unable to keep up with demands   for treatment of a new plague, fierce Omicron exploding and threatening our world with increased devastation. This crisis demands action, testing to stop the spread before it creates an uncontrolled...

We step into the New Year with anticipation and trepidation with hope lifting us up with new visions and expectations of blessing and mercy. Yet we know we must work to overcome obstacles, divisions, and ruptures along the way. We clothe ourselves with the armor of courage and the breastplate of boldness and steadfastness united with our loving community of faith. Glad that we are not alone on this new journey Into the grayness of unknown, untread paths, No map to guide us except the Word of God beckoning us to trust, to follow the blinding Light. We cannot see the future, cannot know for certain what success or failure it will bring to our world. We only know that God has promised his hand to keep us on the steady course toward home.

When I read of all the murders, cruelty, wars, and hate crimes in the news, I become depressed and sad.  So it warmed my heart to read of Robert Flores in Kansas City, Kansas, who repairs houses without charge for people who cannot afford to hire someone. In 2016, he began a charitable organization called Habitaciones Para Latinos Association to aid Hispanic residents in Wyandotte County. With the help of a part-time assistant, he adds railings, renews worn out steps or porches, patches roofs, and other minor repairs. He uses his own money and some donations to pay for materials.  I also read about a young mother who gathered a few other women to help furnish apartments for new immigrants. They collect furniture and other household items to make the bare rooms habitable and attractive. They take joy in decorating the rooms and welcoming the new residents.  These people live the Christmas message of bringing good news for all the world. I'm sure there are many other exampl...

At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ as a baby in Bethlehem. More significantly, we celebrate that Christ is born in us. How do we understand this mystery? Christ is pure love, poured out abundantly to the whole world. When we love, we want to be like a vessel spilling over, never running empty. We can only love like this when Christ is born in us and we become his hands and feet and body. As Teresa of Avila once said: Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which He looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are His body. . . The holy ones have let Christ take over their lives so that he is loving through them. It is an awesome responsibility to carry out this mission, but Jesus is there to be our strength and courage. He guides and carries us as we go about our ...