Pope Francis tells us that gossip is “a plague worse than Covid.” He goes on to call it a tool of the devil to divide the Church. Erma Bombeck tells us that some say our national pastime is baseball. She believes it is gossip. Eleanor Roosevelt says that great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss…
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Reflective Moments September 2020
In his letter to the Galatians, Saint Paul tells us that as we sow so shall we reap. We see a lot of reaping going on right now. Farmers and gardeners are reaping what they sowed earlier. At our meals we are enjoying fresh tomatoes, green beans and squash. Riding along the road, one can…
Reflective Moments August 2020
Recently our country said goodbye to Congressman John Lewis. John Robert Lewis always wanted his voice to be heard. When he was young, he used to preach to the chickens. Perhaps that was because the chickens couldn’t talk back to him like people can. Congressman Lewis suffered many hardships in his life; however, he allowed…
Reflective Moments July 2020
Recently I came across a saying that tells us the poor have much to teach us. As I thought about that I asked myself what the poor can teach us. Dependence is one thing. Most of us like to be independent. I remember when one of my nephews was little and his mother wanted to…
Reflective Moments June 2020
The writer of Saint Matthew’s Gospel tells to love our enemies as well as our friends. It is easy to love my friends. My enemies? That’s more challenging. Psalm 145 tells us that God is good to one and all. God makes no distinction. As I look at what is happening in our country, I…
Reflective Moments April 2020
Thomas Merton tells us overwork and constant activity is a violence we modern folk do to ourselves. I recalled this as I was thinking about the Coronavirus and what it is doing to us. I believe it is instilling fear into many of us. Is that what we want it to do? No. Maybe we…
Reflective Moments March 2020
On Ash Wednesday, we, in our Catholic tradition, were marked with ashes on our forehead and told to repent and believe in the gospel. Earlier wording told us to remember that we are dust and to dust we will return. No matter the wording, Lent is a season for growth, for repentance, for reconciliation and…
Reflective Moments February 2020
We all make mistakes. Many of us have a hard time forgiving ourselves for those mistakes. Jesus, however, is quick to forgive us. His love for us will not be influenced by our mistakes. Jesus’ love never changes. We only have to turn to him and ask. Someone said God doesn’t choose the qualified but…
Reflective Moments January 2020
The god, Janus, has two faces, one looking forward and one looking backward. As I muse with that it seems an appropriate symbol for a new year. An invitation perhaps. As I look back at the year just past, are there things I did that enriched me and others? Are there things I wish I…
Reflective Moments December 2019
Henri Nouwen tells us God is a God of the present moment. Recently, a friend gave me a booklet of Advent reflections. The title is “The Time to Be Awake.” Yes, Advent calls us to be awake. The word Advent means “coming.” Who is coming? What is coming? Jesus, our Savior, is coming. Not really.…