Reflections
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A mystical message from a pop song of the 70’s
It was a year of sadness. But it was also a year when Mary spoke to me in a most unlikely way – through a pop song of the 1970’s. First the sadness. I…
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What makes God the best listener?
“That’s how God listens to us.” Fr. Robert Presuttie said this during the half-day retreat at Divine Mercy University. The curious statement caught my attention. The retreat was tucked away in a five-day spiritual…
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I made a difference for that one
“I am numb after this week.” This was the ominous text I received from my wife last Friday evening. I was miles away at Divine Mercy University helping with their spiritual direction residency. I felt…
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The Lord Spoke to Job in a Storm
My heart reaches out to the people in Western North Carolina. The devastation is unlike anything I’ve seen. I feel a deep emotional connection to the places that Helene has destroyed. Even The…
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Living in the Now
One day, the honeybees appeared in great numbers on plumes rising above the pompous grass by my mailbox. They found a treasure trove of pollen from the late summer blooms and celebrated maybe…
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A lesson from the resurrection lily on the spiritual life
Dotting gardens and landscapes around Western North Carolina are resurrection lilies. They are so named because the leaves appear lush and green in February, resembling daffodils. Unlike daffodils and many other bulbs, the…
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An ordinary dream demands a new interpretation
“What’s it like?” That’s a question Michele McCreary, a long-time acquaintance, asked me in a dream. She was talking to someone I used to work with before I retired. When our eyes met,…
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“What happened to the sun?” asked the two year old
Last week, I was at Emerald Isle with my family. In addition to my delight in being with my children and grandchildren and their spouses and partners, I received a neat lesson on…
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Three reasons God places a stranger in your path
Occasionally, I experience what I call a ‘random ministerial encounter’. I think we’ve all had them. It’s when God places someone in your path, and you realize it’s not a coincidence (as nothing…
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A new delight in icon gazing
I’ve been practicing something called ‘icon gazing’. In ancient times, it was called visio divina. Similar to lectio divina, which could mean ‘spiritual reading’, visio divina is ‘spiritual gazing’. The practice is basic.…
