Inspired by Scholastica

  God Lightens our Burdens   They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, They will soar as with eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary Walk and not grow faint. (Is 40:31)   During these long winter nights that seem endless and drain our energy, these words bring encouragement. They give us reassurance that God will renew our strength and lighten our spirits. Darkness can affect our mental alertness and emotional well-being. When bad things happen, like wars, shootings, abuse, and illness, a dark cloud seems to hover over our world. We can feel overwhelmed when our burdens seem too heavy to bear. But Christ’s birth has pierced the darkness and brought light and goodness to our world. On that first Christmas, God renewed Mary and Joseph’s strength to continue their journey through the darkness. Surely traveling must have been hard and painful for Mary who was about to give birth, and Joseph must have been worried and frustrated when he could...

  Piercing the Darkness The world seems very dark these days, dark from evil, revenge, hatred, and violence. Martin Luther King lived in a similar world. He admitted, “The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land. Confusion all around.” But he told the people, “Only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.” We need to look closely to see the stars around us:   the boldness of people who risk their lives to save those in danger, especially during war; the moral stature of those who speak out against injustice and evil;   the courage of those who overcome prejudice and adversity with non-violence; the bravery of those who protect those shunned by society even when it means rejection by their friends and co-workers. Millions of stars are barely visible in the night sky. Millions of good people also go unnoticed. We hope they will continue to have the courage to speak the truth whatever the consequences. Jesus tell...

    The Interconnectedness of All Richard Rohr, the Franciscan writer, always stresses, “Everyone belongs.” That is, we all have a place at the table. Moreover, everything is connected. If we believed this, we would have to accept everyone and to see everyone as valuable. This would eliminate racism, sexism, elitism, feelings of superiority, attitudes of rejection and condemnation, and violence against others.   Of course, this would be an ideal world. We would all want to live in this kind of world, but what are we doing to help create such a place? For one thing, we could accept and welcome people, whether they are black, white, brown, or yellow. We wouldn’t have segregated neighborhoods or special privileges for certain races. Some of this prejudice comes from the way we were raised, but it doesn’t have to continue. Women have proved that they are just as capable as men in most fields. Why can’t women be heads of corporations, presidents of their countries, or ...

  Wait for the Lord Advent is a time of anticipation, not for the presents we will receive but for Christ coming more fully into our lives. Each year the church provides this time to prepare, to focus on what the birth of Christ really means in our lives. So it sets aside four weeks to make ready our hearts, to be more open to receiving him, to let him be born in us anew. All the readings and prayers in the liturgies invite us to focus on how the coming of Jesus changes our lives. Paul reminds us on the First Sunday of Advent: “The testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 1:3-9) We have all the spiritual gifts we need to reach our full stature as followers of Christ while we wait in hope.     In Isaiah we read: “I, the Lord your God, teach you what is for your good and lead you on the way you should go.” (48:17) The scriptures encourage us to open ...

  The art of Kintsugi There is a Japanese tradition called Kintsugi that makes damaged objects such as broken pottery into works of art The artists put together the broken pieces by using a lacquer resin mixed with powdered gold. They highlight the damaged parts to call attention to the repair work. The pot can be used again since the lacquer makes it stronger than before. This art reminds me of how God repairs us when we are broken in some way. By his loving touch and mercy, he can make us whole again and more beautiful than before. We might have fallen into some bad habits, such as addictions, abuse, or alienation in families. These causes us to become “broken,” and many would just throw us away. But God with his loving mercy can heal our brokenness and with his “resin” of kindness make us even more beautiful. This new kind of beauty can be a gift to our families and communities. By God’s piecing together our wounds and shattered lives, others can see what the Divine Arti...

It is with a heavy heart that I read about the situation in Gaza. When I hear that the two biggest hospitals in Gaza can no longer operate and that food and medical supplies cannot get through, my heart breaks. Just recently, I heard that a three-year-old child was being held as a hostage. Even though brief periods for food and medical supplies are allowed to the Palestinians, it is not enough. It is not surprising that fear keeps people trapped in whatever shelter they can find. Many lives have been cut short due to this inhumane treatment. This is not a Jewish, Christian, or Muslim way of treating enemies, most of whom are innocent youths. Already 5,000 children have been killed or are missing in Gaza. Thousands have been maimed or disfigured by the constant bombardment. Leaders from the United States, England, and other countries are trying to negotiate a cease-fire; but so far, their efforts have been in vain. The United States and other countries are sending humanitarian aid to Ga...

    “Wonderfully Made” When I took a college English course, our first assignment was to write an essay about whether we would rather lose our sight or lose our legs. It was a thought-provoking choice. If we became blind, we would miss seeing our loved ones and all the beauty of our world. If we could not walk, we would be hindered from traveling and moving around without help. I chose to keep my eyesight since I love to read and write and enjoy the variety and beauty that surrounds us.   Of course, I’m glad I didn’t have to make that choice in real life, but it was a thought-provoking assignment. It made me think about how much we take our bodies for granted. I began to think about all the organs, veins, arteries, canals, nerves, and bones we have in our bodies and how they all work together to keep us alive and healthy. It is not until we lose one of them that we realize how magnificent we are, created in the “image and likeness of God.” God loves each and every o...