Recently a disagreement with a friend took a turn it shouldn’t have when I walked away rather than trying to resolve our difference. Within moments, I knew I’d chosen the wrong path, but I wasn’t sure quite how to make a correction. I walked away because I didn’t want to argue, but almost instantly I realized that silence wasn’t the better path. Later in the day, when I had a few minutes, I called to apologize, but that conversation didn’t go so well, either. It took two days

Date: Wednesday of the 2 nd  Week of Advent Scripture Text:   Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said to the crowds: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."       Breaking the text open – background and summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls us to “come to me” and promises us rest from the weights

In 1975, I was living in Beloit, Wisconsin. I had three children, ages 3, 2, and 1. I was struggling with some health problems and after several tests, found that I had cervical cancer. We scheduled surgery, and the doctors were able to get all the cancer. But my dream of having lots of kids was gone. And between my illness and a bout of depression, I sort of dropped out. Then one day, my doorbell rang. Fr. Albert Schubiger was at my door. He’d missed me.   Fr. Schubiger and

Date: Tuesday of the 2 nd  Week of Advent Scripture Text:   Matthew 18:12-14 Jesus said to his disciples: "What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost."

I will be taking a short break for the next three day. The blog will return on Tuesday, December 9. In the meantime, Happy St. Nicholas’ Day and may your second week of Advent, the week of “peace” be blessed.

Date: Saturday of the 1 st  Week in Advent Scripture Text:   Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8 Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the mas

Date: Friday of the 1 st  Week of Advent Scripture Text:   Matthew 9:27-31 As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, "Son of David, have pity on us!" When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done for you according to your faith." And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows

Yesterday, I was running errands with my husband, and we decided to stop at Kwik Trip for a couple of items before returning home. As I began my shopping, I heard a shout, “Hi, Cooper.” Then a few second later, I heard another greeting, “Hello, Cooper.” I thought it must be a familiar customer or delivery person. Then there was another one, “Cooper, hello buddy.” I lost interest in my item search and wanted to know who this Cooper was. Imagine how surprised I was to find out

We are midway through the final year of preparation for the confirmation candidates in our parish, so last evening, the students and I did a wellness check on their spirituality. We considered the challenges that have been put before them and the requirements they are asked to meet. We discussed whether they felt their spirituality and faith had grown or not. It was an interesting conversation that carried over to my nighttime conversation with the LORD on the porch before be

Date: Thursday of the 1 st  Week of Advent Scripture Text:   Matthew 7:21, 24-27 Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.   “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set

Last evening, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Madison, nearly 150 women gathered for a special event called “Lighting the Way.” I was invited to attend as the speaker, but I was not the main event. The “main event” were the women themselves ranging in age from their 20s to 80s who served one another, accompanied one another, encouraged one another, and demonstrated so well how we are each called to bring Christ’s light into this world and to others.   Each table had a “hostes

Date: Wednesday of the 1 st  Week of Advent/Memorial of St. Francis Xavier Scripture Text:   Isaiah 25:6-10a On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will r

Would a burglar entering my home know I am a Christian? Is there anything in my home that signals my spiritual identity, my spiritual beliefs, my spiritual practices?   Visual symbols play an important part in our journeys. They not only remind us of who we are, but they can unite us around what we share. They speak to us in shorthand; we get it with a glimpse.   I am wearing a wedding ring. It is for me to remember, to live according to my promise. It is for others to tell t

Date: Tuesday of the 1 st  Week of Advent Scripture Text:   Isaiah 11:1-10 On that day, A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, But he shall judge the p

Date: Monday of the 1 st  Week of Advent Scripture Text:   Matthew 8:5-11 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And

It’s officially December. It’s officially Advent. And ever since I was a child, each makes me think presents and together…well let’s just say there will be bows. But before we get too caught up with “presents,” let’s focus on “being present.”   Yesterday, we started with prayer because we know that anything worth doing is worth beginning with prayer. And hopefully, daily, we will begin with prayer as we make the Advent journey. Today, let’s focus on preparing and anticipating

This morning, as I went to my porch with my cup of needed hot coffee in hand, I looked out at an unbelievably beautiful landscape of white fluff adorning fir branches, topping roofs, and drifted about the ground. Its whiteness reflected the night lights and dimly lit the whole scene. It’s almost winter; this is a beautiful teaser for the season that is soon to come. And thinking of seasons, I remembered that today begins Advent. And I recalled what the wonderful Franciscan Si

Date: 1 st  Sunday of Advent Scripture Text:   Isaiah 2:1-5 This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come, the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths." For from Zion s

This morning, I awoke to a snowy Saturday, just the day I needed between the craziness of Thanksgiving week and the beginning of Advent. As I bundled up in my ugly but warm brown coat and shuffled out to my porch with a cup of fresh coffee, the first thing I recognized was the stillness that comes with the snow, it is so quiet, almost as if the tiny flakes are buffers that absorb the noise of the world. I brought in my day with the LORD and thanked Him for the wonder of snow.

Date: Saturday of the 34 th  Week in Ordinary Time Scripture Text:   Daniel 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87 R.  Give glory and eternal praise to him. "You sons of men, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever." R.  Give glory and eternal praise to him. "O Israel, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever." R.  Give glory and eternal praise to him. "Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever." R.  Give glory and eternal prai