A current meme starts with “I don’t know who needs to hear this…” and then says something. I’m going to use my little corner of the internet to say something. Our country, we’re responsible, but we don’t got this. We don’t got whatever it is that needs getting. We’re not sure what it is we have, except we know one thing. This country? It’s a mess. Everywhere we look, the messes pile upon each other. All the systems and institutions... Read more
It’s not entirely true. One can learn a discipline and convey it to others, but if you want to convey love of the thing, you must love it yourself. So people who do not love the faith can teach the tenets but because they do not love the One who is the essence of our faith, there will be something amiss. The lack of passion comes through, just as surely as the passion for a thing is inescapable. When a... Read more
“Easy for you to say God.” my brain things. You know already the outcome. However, for all of us in the Church Militant, the worries of this world, they can crowd out the spiritual life. There isn’t enough time for everything, which means we should recognize when we reprioritize away from God. It’s so easy. We put it on the list and let it drift through the day. I’ve had this happen enough times to know, if I don’t jump... Read more
Today, I hopped on Facebook and saw on two different pages, hearts rendered by pain. They needed prayer, and neither was exactly asking for it. I thought back to two years ago when I decided there would always be food in my classroom because a student ate poptarts and ran away for two days. I knew the last food I knew he ate, was from my room. I used to type, “May I pray with you today?” and the petitions... Read more
We’re nearing the end of Summer. Do you feel like you flunked? Did you not go white water rafting or read Joyce? I got to August and said wait, I’ve not done enough time by and in the pool to be ready for school. Likewise, I’m prepping to teach Creative Writing starting next week. Am I ready? No. Am I excited? Yes. We spent the evening with seven of our children, over at our daughter’s apartment eating pizza. It... Read more
Today, we packed off our seventh. We’ve done this before, but now it feels closer to the close, when we won’t be doing this. This child was always one of the “youngers” or “littles” as we called them. Putting all her things away, we wanted to fill the room, to take away all the struggles we could. There were some struggles we could not evade, like the hard reality of living in a city where the struggling walk the streets... Read more
Growing up, I drew all the time. Art allowed me to figure out what I felt, what I thought. For a time, it seemed I would never run out of pictures. One day, shortly after I got married, in the midst of drawing, I knew the well was dry. I couldn’t finish the piece. There were moments of inspiration. I still drew from time to time, but the art wasn’t constant. I didn’t need to draw. In 2004, I started writing. ... Read more
At the start of every summer, I make a list of fun things to do –not so they all get done, but so that if ever the words are uttered, “Mom, I’m bored,” there is an answer. Here’s the follow up. 100) Ice Cream. It’s always summer if you’re eating ice cream. DONE OFTEN. 99) Fireworks (Ditto) DONE! 98) Playing cards. –DONE OFTEN. 97) Going to the pool. NEED TO DO MORE. 96) Going to the library. DOING NEXT Week.... Read more
The state of politics in our nation leaves most sane people exhausted and wondering how we ever could get to a better place. This past week’s Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis reminds us, the answer is always “yes.” Yes, we can become a better people. Yes, we can cooperate with grace and see each person we encounter as Christ in his distressing disguise. Yes, we can reorient our lives so that we are a source of healing to those around us. ... Read more
There’s been a ton of internet ink spilled on the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics. The best take I’ve seen is Simcha Fisher’s, “The Table Where You Sit.” The giant “ah, you’re overreacting” vs. “this is blasphemy” argument ignores the reality. Neither argument addresses the other person, but merely reflects the side of the person speaking. “I like this, so you must be overreacting.” “I hold this sacred, therefore this is blasphemy.” The arguments disregard that people... Read more
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