Category Archives: Poetry

What Would You Like to Do?

“I don’t want to be here,” my insides were shouting. For months, I disregarded my feelings and kept doing what I should, what a good Christian would. Then in Advent, God, who hears my thoughts and feels my feelings, asked … Continue reading →

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At the Edge of the Year

I stand at the edge of a virgin year, hallowed with a light dusting of snow. Skates in hand, I hope the ice is thick enough the surface smooth enough my ankles strong enough to do something beautiful. But I’m … Continue reading →

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What Can I Bring Him?

What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man, I would do my part; –Christina Rosetti, In the Bleak Mid-Winter Oftentimes it is easier … Continue reading →

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Preparing the Way Home

From the moment I stepped into this chapel, it felt like home. Wood, stone, glass, and flame together breathed a silent welcome. . . . Advent invites us to prepare the way for the Holy One who comes to meet … Continue reading →

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In the Shadows

Those who have sat in the darkness know how the shadows give way to desire. Without sight, without our heads swimming with the images of what others tell us we want, we can turn our gaze inward and search our … Continue reading →

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Joyful Mysteries and Silent Dreams

“Let there be Esther,” I heard God pronounce, speaking right into my life-long struggle to exist. During the Ignatian prayer retreat I was leading last week, I had a chance to pray with one of my “joyful mysteries.” As I … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Creation, Ignatian Spirituality, Poetry, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Imperceptibly Shaped

Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something … Continue reading →

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The Wisdom of Tara Brach and Pádraig Ó Tuama

Last week’s Love Mischief led me to a talk by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Before I had a chance to listen to it, this short video from Tara Brach landed in my inbox. What came up for me as I listened … Continue reading →

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The Big Reveal

(Warning: This video contains strong language.) Comedian Hannah Gadsby begins her new show, Douglas, by telling her audience what to expect. “This way I can meet your expectations–or alter them,” she says with a smile. Gadsby goes on to say … Continue reading →

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Embracing the Power I Have

If Jesus were my spiritual director and had read Becoming What I Eat and Drink, he wouldn’t ask me about my desire to be Mr. Rogers. He would ask me about the agitation I felt watching that scene from Jesus … Continue reading →

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