Prayer as vocation Some people find it hard to pray. Others see it as a tiring task, a mandatory and muscular endeavor, to gain God’s blessings. For Anna, however prayer is a joy, and continually deepens her relationship with the One whom she loves above all others. She also knows what many don’t — that prayer involves all the senses and...
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Peering into the darkness. Talking about it. It’s what women do. And at this time in history, when women are looking squarely into the darkness of sexual misconduct, rape, and gun violence, we in the religious life delve deep into the story of women who peered into the darkness, found their souls transformed, and changed history. Mary, the mother of Jesus, saw...
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The story of Jesus’ life and death could have turned out differently, had Pontius Pilate listened to his wife. Kind and intuitive (and unnamed), she is known for these few words: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man [Jesus], for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.” Matthew 27:19 Allow me to paint the story....
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“I did something no mother should ever have to do: I sat with the dead bodies of my beloved sons for five months. Oh, that the soldiers would have killed me instead of them! But it was not to be. My boys were dragged away and publicly executed under the orders of that treacherous King David. Their crumpled bodies were then...
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Without the sun to heat the Earth, this planet would be dark and cold. And without the women at the tomb on Easter morning, perhaps Jesus would have had to (choose one): 1) wander the streets of Jerusalem looking for his male friends 2) knock on Peter's door 3) hike to Bethany to see Martha and Mary. But the women were there. Each gospel tells the...
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Over sixteen years ago, I had cancer (and have been blessedly cancer-free since then). Walking within sight of the valley of death is a pretty scary place. But I believe in angels. So I looked for an angel during each chemo treatment, each medical procedure, each visit to the hospital. I expected to find one, and most of the time I did. Twice I was...
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Bottom line: What is your dream life telling you? What is your intuition telling you? Save your soul by speaking up. My goodness. Dreams in scripture are a big deal. They’re all over the place in the Old and New Testaments…twenty-one of them to be exact,* not including various visions…and only one is reported by a woman. The woman is Pontius Pilate’s...
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No human being in the New Testament -- besides Jesus -- listens better than Mary of Bethany. As we go deeper into Holy Week and come closer to the cross, consider the unmatched gift she gave him: the deep and profound gift of listening. And it’s not just a gift for him --for through her endeavor, we learn how profoundly active real listening...
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Bible women aren’t the only heroic women in our life of faith. Today, March 7, we celebrate Perpetua, a young mother who gave up her life rather than deny her love for Christ. Her story reminds me of brave women across the world who are making life and death decisions—often putting their very lives on the line—so that their children...
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This is a tough time for many in the country, me included. My heart and soul grieve deeply the change of both leadership and mood in this country. And part of my sadness comes from the deep divisions found not only in our nation but around our dining room tables as well. Don’t get me wrong. I have a political preference;...
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