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New Additions to the Litany of Humility
Many Catholics form a love-hate relationship with the Litany of Humility. They love to pray it, but hate to be convicted by it. I’m guessing most people are like me. The first time through,…
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How to Wait with Blessed Hope
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. (Lk 12:32-48) When I combine the message in all of the readings for the liturgy, one phrase comes to mind:“As we…
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How to name that spiritual ‘funk’
“Is this a dark night, spiritual desolation, or the cross?” That’s a question I asked a person who was going through a tough time. He assumed the burden of caring for his adult…
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A New Image for the Star of Hope
I’ve been preparing my notes for a day of reflection for Campus Ministers. The theme is “Hope”. With hope on my mind, I’ve also been working with a homeless man named Tom. He’s…
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Homeless in a World of Unforgiveness
In my work with the homeless, I’ve run across a puzzling situation. Many may have a place to live – with a sister, a mother, or a father – but don’t. Instead, they’re…
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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…
