St. Clare of Assisi was a friend of Francis of Assisi and founder of the Poor Clares. She gave advice to her sisters and to us for how to be transformed into God's image through contemplation. Find It. Did…
Category: Lived Religion
Planting Love and Seeing Its Flowering: The Two Ends of Life in a Weekend
In the life of a Catholic community, all of the events of life are celebrated by gathering for liturgy. Most of us don’t see the ebb and flow of joyful and sorrowful events clearly in our day-to-day lives, though parish…
The Road to Eternal Life: Reflections on the Prologue of Benedict’s Rule, by Michael Casey, OCSO
In the Prologue of his Rule, St. Benedict maps out the road that leads to heaven; he lays the foundation for life in a community that seeks God. The themes that are present throughout the Rule—obedience, humility, prayer, fear of…
What Ryan Missed, by Gerald J. Beyer
A good presentation of the concepts of solidarity and subsidiarity that are essential parts of Catholic social teaching and have been cited by Representative Paul Ryan in the 2012 presidential campaign to justify cutting governmental budgets including social services. Beyer…
The Fruit of the Spirit: A way to live a transformed life, by Susan T. Mahan, PhD
In his letter to the Galatians (5:22-23), Paul speaks of the “Fruit” of the Spirit. He uses this term in the singular, implying there is just one fruit, with nine aspects or expressions. Susan Mahan notes that Paul does not…
The Seventh Gift: Awe and Wonder (Fear of the Lord), by Susan T. Mahan, PhD
When I stare at the night sky, especially if I am out in the country, I get almost overwhelmed at the immensity of the universe. I am in awe of the beauty of the stars and then amazed at a…
The Feast of Corpus Christi: Celebrating the Mystery of Divinity Transforming Humanity
Known as the solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ and celebrated on the Sunday following Trinity Sunday, the Feast of Corpus Christi has been officially celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church since the mid-thirteenth century. This…
The Fifth Gift: Courage, by Susan T. Mahan, PhD
Courage comes from the Latin word for heart cor and the French coeur. To have the heart for something means to be able to face something difficult or frightening and to persevere. Courage therefore does not mean not being afraid. …
A Canada Lynx as an Image of God
A brief reflection on a picture of a Canada Lynx with her kitten in a meadow of wildflowers. Seen from the perspective of a mother vigilant for her young, as well as that of the young one protected by an…
A Fourth Gift of the Holy Spirit: Counsel or Right Judgement, by Susan T. Mahan, PhD
Drawing from the example of the approach to invention of a vacuum cleaner, Dr. Mahan offers a reflection on the Gift of Counsel, also known as the Gift of Right Judgement. Noting that the two names of this gift reflect…
