Tag Archives: Ignatian Spiritual Excercises

Advent 2: The Meeting Place

Blessed are you …Telling the truth about where you are…Because this is precisely the placewhere God will meet you.–Kate Bowler, A Blessing for Telling the Truth All shall be well.God is always with us.There is nothing to fear. I know … Continue reading

Posted in Advent, compassion, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Advent 1: Your Yes

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”–Luke 1:28 (NIV) You come to us,as you did to Maryand ask if we will bear Christ already seeded in us. Like Mary, we don’t … Continue reading

Posted in Advent, compassion, Poetry, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

This Long Night

And if the morning never comes,I’ll be here for whatever does.–Paul Zach, If the Morning Never Comes I keep hoping. Of course, I do. Who wouldn’t want to be seen, heard and lovedby the ones born to do that? And … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Poetry, Reflections, Songs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Last Coins

I hold back, make myself small. Maybe no one will notice, no one will hear the clink of my measly offering. A part of me scoffs,“Why bother?It won’t make a difference to the church.Why not have one last meal?” I finger the coins in … Continue reading

Posted in community, compassion, Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Patience to Wait

Do you have the patience to waittill your mud settles and the water is clear?Can you remain unmovingtill the right action arises by itself?― Lao tzu, Chinese philopsopher, 6th century BC   El-roi, the God who sees me sees me trying … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Mindfulness, Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Here Now

Between my father’s passingand the spreading of his ashes,my mother whispered to her husband,“I miss you.”I hear in her words how much he loved herand she, him.   I think about my father with us nowas promised in scripture.In God, we live … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Mystical, Poetry, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Penny Drops

The penny drops,and enlightenmentis eclipsedby the realization thatwhat had to be pointed out to mewas obvious to everyone else. Wonder hardly got a foot in the doorbefore embarrassmentshoved past her. Still, I’m glad I see nowwhat I couldn’t see then.It … Continue reading

Posted in community, compassion, Poetry, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Demon of Resentment

We had a great plan.  Then, bit by bit,what took shapechangedand changed againuntil I was left with more than my share of workand responsibilityalong with enough resentmentto keep me awake at night.What could I doto right this ship?I wanted to enjoy … Continue reading

Posted in community, compassion, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Certain

The five-year-old ignoredthe advertised exhibitsand, nose pressed to the glass,patiently waited,until she saw a crack, a tiny beak.Finally, a wet, vulnerable chick emerged from its protective shell. The child learned:if you wait long enough,you get what you hoped for. But certainty … Continue reading

Posted in Childhood, compassion, Poetry, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment