Wrong! Sometimes we get wrapped up in our own life’s struggles and fail to recognize that each person struggles with something on a daily basis–whether it’s something as simple as deciding what to eat for dinner to raising a family with little financial resources. So, we can choose to get annoyed at the person who cuts us in line or buys the last item we want at the store OR we can choose to exercise a little patience and understanding. [...]
Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life by James Martin, S.J. (HarperOne, 272 pages, 2011) How many times have you walked into a church and seen a smiling saint? How many times have you heard that Jesus used a little humor to get his point across? I bet the answer to those questions is “rarely” or maybe even “never.” I’ve long said that I think God has a sense of [...]
The Duty of Delight: The Diaries of Dorothy Day, Edited by Robert Ellsberg (Image, paperback, 752 pages, 2011) June 19, 1973 We feel so powerless. We do so little, giving out soup. But at least we are facing problems daily. Hunger, homelessness, greed, loneliness. Greatest concern of the Bible is injustice, bloodshed. So we share what we have, we work for peace. (571) Dorothy Day’s words can easily be echoed today by the many working on the front [...]
It’s St. Cecilia’s feast day, which means it is the feast day of my dear confirmation saint. I still remember the day I picked St. Cecilia as my confirmation saint. I was a choir girl and seriously considering continuing with my singing for as long as I could. Fifteen years and several months later, I sing in a different way, much like how St. Cecilia sang in her heart on her wedding day. While I can longer use my voice [...]
This Winter’s Eve by Sarah Hart (2011) The Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. It’s the season where San Francisco’s skyline is lit up in millions of tiny bulbs, our church’s altar is decorated with poinsettias, and a time where I can bring out my Christmas music collection and sing along to familiar carols and the occasional new tune. I love the sounds of Christmas, but rarely find new songs that add anything more to such a [...]
Your Time by Sarah Kroger (2011) Once in a while a song pops up that makes one sit up and take notice. For me, those songs are usually lyric-driven and reach to the very core of me. I love songs with depth in the words and interpretation. Anyone can write or sing a song, but not just anyone can really make a song mean something, especially the first time a listener hears it. A few weeks ago, I heard a [...]
Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer: Experiencing the Presence of God and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of an Ancient Spirituality by Norris J. Chumley (208 pages, HarperOne, April 5, 2011) Last month I wrote about Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer, a fine documentary film about the Eastern Orthodox prayer practice of the Jesus Prayer. Shortly after that review, I had the opportunity to read the book that was released in tandem with the film. Like the film, this book is [...]
Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Having attended Jesuit schools since 1996, I am ever appreciative of the contributions of St. Ignatius and the Jesuits to Catholicism and the world. Below is a great video about St. Ignatius as narrated by a Spanish olive. Happy feast day to all the Jesuits and Jesuit institutions around the world, including my alma maters (St. Ignatius College Preparatory, Santa Clara University, and the University of San Francisco)! Ad Majorem [...]
I’ve written about Audrey Assad and her fantastic voice several times on this blog. She is doing wonderful things with her songwriting and her voice. In today’s Music Monday selection, Audrey sings a new and absolutely beautiful version of “His Eye is on the Sparrow” (a song that holds special meaning for me). I love this song and the way Audrey sings it. There is something about Audrey’s voice that speak to the heart. Her honesty, her passion, and her [...]
Check out what the Capuchins did on Ascension Thursday 2011 in Preston (UK). This is brilliant. Talk about bringing Jesus to the people! This took a lot of courage…we could all learn a thing or two from this video. Beautiful!
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Through A Glass Onion by Angelica Quinonez is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.Based on a work at throughaglassonion.com.