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Enter the New Year “Filled with Expectation”
“The people were filled with expectation.” (Lk 3:15) This is how yesterday’s gospel reading for the Sunday celebration of The Baptism of the Lord began. It seems like a foreign phrase, “filled with expectation.”…
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One dark night, kindled in love with yearnings
I like to pray outside. It’s been a challenge when the temperature has been in the twenties, and the ‘feels like’ is 14 degrees! I’ve been starting a fire. Since my feet were…
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Discovering A New Chapel of Ease in 2025
Jesus said, “When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.” (Mt 6:6) I wonder. As Jesus and his disciples traveled through the Judean countryside,…
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Christmas is God’s way of saying, “Excuse me!”
If one ordinary child can change the community in the plane, think about how the birth of the son of God can change the human family. Christmas is our celebration of the God…
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Focus on the Now, not the Next
When my son was in fifth grade, I joined his class on a field trip to the Biltmore House. It’s a mansion in Asheville with over two hundred rooms. In the months before…
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Not this way or that, but something much better
“I have two possible job offers,” a man sprung on me as we met for spiritual direction. “One has a longer commute. The other requires more travel. Both reduce the time I can…
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A Word Only Found in the Desert
“The word of God came to John in the desert.” (Lk 3:1-6) These are words of great hope, not only for the people of John’s time but also for you and me. Just…
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Advent: A Time to See the Incredible in the Ordinary
Advent is a time to lose our skepticism and see ‘incredible things’ every day.
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How to change regular waiting into holy waiting
I volunteer as a case manager at a Strong Life Rescue Mission one day a week. The non-profit assists the homeless with their basic needs. One of my assignments is to help them acquire…
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How to prevent spiritual erosion during the holidays
I’m spending the week on the coast of North Carolina with my family for Thanksgiving. I love being with friends and family, but it takes its toll on my spiritual life. It’s hard to…
