Heartache
“Son, why have you done this to us?”[i] Okay. I’m just going to say it. I don’t want to contract covid–19 and die. I don’t want any of my loved … Continue Reading Heartache
Abandonment
“Remain here and keep watch with me.”[i] I’m quite helpless. And I’m afraid. This Lent, as I continue to examine my struggles and weaknesses in the light of Christ, I … Continue Reading Abandonment
Pain
“It was our pain that he bore, our sufferings he endured.”[i] I love being alive, body and soul. Sometimes, though, I think that my diseased, crippled body looks like it’s … Continue Reading Pain
Agony
“Not my will.” How many times have I desperately longed for my life of progressive disability to be different? For countless hours upon hours I have agonized, with teenaged hormones … Continue Reading Agony
Ashes
I’ve never felt betrayal, but I have known loss and change. The world in which we live is terribly beautiful: here is where we experience blossoms and sunlight, as well … Continue Reading Ashes
Approaching Lent
How do you deal with suffering? This is a question that I have been asked more often than usual lately, and there really is no quick answer. Because I’m a … Continue Reading Approaching Lent
Lenten Reflections
My deepest fears, my worst pain, the agony of being human — all explored with intimate meditations upon the Passion of Christ that will be posted here weekly through Lent. … Continue Reading Lenten Reflections
Are you loved?
What is love? Our words can confuse the answer. I say: I love cheesecake; I love my family and friends; I love writing; I love watching football; I love God. … Continue Reading Are you loved?
Beautiful and Unchangeable
from Sermons 241, on the occasion of Easter 411 A.D. Through faith and reason we witness the seen and the unseen, the profound beauty of God’s creative love—love that never … Continue Reading Beautiful and Unchangeable
God and Evolution?
Are Christianity and the theory of evolution in contradiction to one another? Right now, I’m taking an online enrichment course* that explores this question, along with the bigger question of … Continue Reading God and Evolution?
March for Life, March for You
You were once a zygote. The moment that you were conceived, spermatozoon fertilizing ovum, the genetic foundation that identifies you as you was established. You were living life while smaller … Continue Reading March for Life, March for You
Beyond the Comfort Zone
It feels like I’m starting a new chapter in my life story. And it’s all kind of overwhelming. Yesterday, I was interviewed about my book, It’s Good to Be Here, … Continue Reading Beyond the Comfort Zone
So Tender and Mild
I’m about to share something very personal. (And I’m a bit scared. Though I hear, “Be not afraid.”) Last Sunday, at the Mass celebrating The Epiphany of Our Lord, while … Continue Reading So Tender and Mild
Happy New Year
How many New Year’s resolutions have you made and failed to keep? For me, let’s see … this is 2020 and I was born in … okay, too many to … Continue Reading Happy New Year
Merry Christmas
Having been sick the week before Christmas, I missed my extended family’s annual Christmas gathering, Midnight Mass, and sleep. Thankfully, I had recently been with those members of my family … Continue Reading Merry Christmas
Christ Is Fully Human: Dreams
Did Jesus dream? Yes. While sleeping, images, sensations, and thoughts occur in the minds of humans, and Jesus was fully human. We know that He slept and He woke and … Continue Reading Christ Is Fully Human: Dreams
