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How to live with goats in the rear-view mirror
When I leave my house, I drive along the Catawba River. One morning, I happened to look in the rear-view mirror. Much to my delight, I saw the pink sun rising over the water. Much…
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Prodded to be a Good Samaritan
The question the scribe had for Jesus was, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers with the parable of the Good Samaritan. A man is robbed and abandoned on the side of the…
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Racing down the beach with John of the Cross
On the Fourth of July, I ran a 5K with my son down the beautiful beach of Hilton Head Island. Most had earbuds, listening to music with a strong beat to keep their…
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The Illuminative Path of the Sea Turtle
One early morning while walking down the beach on Hilton Head Island, I saw the footprints of a loggerhead sea turtle. The night before, the female turtle came ashore, laid her eggs, and…
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Marveling at those little acts of surrender
Last week, I attended the Spiritual Direction Symposium in Latrobe, PA. It had a slate of speakers who are the ‘rock stars’ in the spiritual direction universe. They included Dan Burke of Avila, Fathers…
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When the Holy Trinity Speaks in the Trees
I thought I would share one of my regular prayer practices. It might be something you want to try. I have a colloquy early in the morning with the Holy Trinity. Colloquy is…
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How to begin a relationship with the Holy Trinity
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? It's a good question. On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, a better question might be, “Do you have a relationship with the Holy…
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The Divine Prisoner is the Best Restorative Niche
In a recent pilgrimage to the shrines of Mexico, one of my three prayer intentions was to make this a great experience for my wife. This was our first big adventure after her…
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A new image for healthy boundaries
Last week, I was helping with a residency for the spiritual direction program at Divine Mercy University. There were 20 in the cohort – a beautiful and diverse mix of men and women,…
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A new way to practice of the presence of God
I just finished leading a retreat which included reflections on practicing the presence of God. I used examples from the 17th-century spiritual classic, The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. …
