Spirituality
Following Jesus, daring to fail
By Michelle Francl-Donnay Then Thomas – known as the twin – said to the other disciples, “Let us go too, and die with him.” – Jn. 11:16 I was waiting for a meeting to start when the quote on one of those inspirational paperweights in a colleague’s office caught my eye: “What would you attempt […]
St. Joseph: A model of courage
By Michelle Francl-Donnay When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to spanorce her quietly. – Mt. 1:18-19 “Do not speculate beyond the text. […]
Fasting makes the spiritual, material
By Michelle Francl-Donnay Return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. – Joel 2:12-13a Squished into a window seat in the back row of a packed plane was penance enough for a Lenten Friday, I thought. Then […]
Keep Scripture alive in the heart
By Michelle Francl-Donnay I will bless the Lord at all times; praise shall be always in my mouth. – Ps. 19:2 “But if it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul alive.” Upstairs grading papers, I can hear bits and pieces of King Henry’s rousing words rumbling below me. Mike […]
Read, consider and pray
By Michelle Francl-Donnay In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God. – Jn. 1:1 “Has anyone seen ‘Three Cups of Tea?'” Mike asks as his eyes roam the shelves. His spring semester starts in a few days, and with it the English course that assigned this book […]
Lent: A call to silence and stillness
By Michelle Francl-Donnay Be still and know that I am God, supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth. – Ps. 46:10 “There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong outfit,” says my Swedish neighbor as our paths cross walking in weather that has driven more sensitive, or perhaps more sensible, souls […]
Soup and psalms measure life’s tempo
By Michelle Francl-Donnay In vain you get up earlier, and put off going to bed, sweating to make a living, since He provides for His beloved as they sleep. – Ps. 127:2 Acedia, what the desert fathers called the noontime demon, baked the life of out of a monk’s prayers, leaving the day to stretch […]
El don de la reconciliación
Hna. Ruth Bolarte, I.H.M. En la película «Invictus», Francois Pienaar se pregunta cómo Nelson Mandela pudo pasar treinta años en la prisión, salir y perdonar a los que lo pusieron ahí. Algunos de nosotros tal vez nos preguntamos también como puede ser que víctimas de la violencia puedan llegar a ser instrumentos de paz. En […]
Encountering God when we least expect it
By Michelle Francl-Donnay “Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master.” – Jn. 20:16 Many years ago, when my brother was in the military, his unit’s leaves were canceled and with them his plans to come home to California for Christmas. My mother was deeply […]
Pray for the big gifts and the little
By Michelle Francl-Donnay Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. – Lk. 11:9-10 Si quaeris miracula… “If thou seekest miracles…” So starts the […]