Wars not only destroy human lives; they destroy homes and heritages, they ravage fields, trees, lakes, and soil. But the life that God bequeathed to all creation is stronger than death. And so it was that, the chalky, bomb-pummeled, soil of a burial ground in Northern Belgium was transformed into a lime-rich environment perfectly suited…
Winston Churchill referred to it as his “black dog.” American writer and educator Parker Palmer speaks of, “the snake pit of the soul.” Whatever we call it, depression is a hard thing – and incredibly common, though often not spoken of openly. Those who experience depression, and those who watch someone they care about go…
On this Commemoration of All Souls, I am reminded of the chant Dies Irae, a liturgical meditation on the Last Judgment. From at least the mid-14th century it was sung as a Sequence on this day and in Funeral Masses. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) removed the Sequence to shift the liturgical emphasis from judgment…
Last week, a relatively young friend of mine died after a long battle with cancer. As his close friends, my wife, Christine and I were asked to offer words of reflection at his memorial service. As Christine spoke of her friend, she was careful to point out that our task in such moments is not…
Photo: Shutterstock Teresa of Avila, also known as Teresa of Jesus, was a remarkable woman of her time. She was practical and no-nonsense kind of woman. She worked at reforming the Carmelites with St. John of the Cross. Her spirituality is profound and calls us to a deep relationship with God that is real. “The important…
