Saturday, March 31, 2012

And So it Begins..

Holy Week is here - our annual walk with Jesus Christ to the Cross, the grave and beyond. It is a powerful time. Yet how often do we take it for granted.

Do we know deep in our hearts what this all means? Sometimes. We know Christ's Passion in our bones when we are going through suffering in our own lives and these moments in the liturgical year intersect with that suffering.  Yet it is so easy, when everything is just fine and life is stable, to distance ourselves from the suffering and death of Jesus.

This powerful short film from Spirit Juice Studios reminds us that if we truly listen to the Passion this week with our whole hearts, Jesus can break into our complacency.


May you have a blessed Holy Week - filled with conversion moments that pull you deeper into the heart of Jesus.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Celtic Spirituality - God's Power and Beauty in Everything

On this St. Patrick's Day, I am mindful of the considerable gift to the Church of Celtic spirituality - rooted in a sense of God's presence, power and beauty perceptible in all of nature, all of time and space.  It is a prayer life deeply conscience of the Catholic principle of sacramentality and a theology of blessing.

The late poet John O'Donohue was a master at putting this sensibility into beautiful words.  This lovely video captures the essence of this - and of the blessing he was to many while he was here.  "I would love to live like a river flows," he wrote, "carried by the surprise of its own unfolding."

May it bring you peace today:

Monday, March 5, 2012

Great Discussion Shaping Up: How Do We Enliven the Liturgy

Interesting discussion over at Joe Paprocki's Catechists Journey blog on how to wake up the liturgy.  Joe had posted last week a link to his article from Ministry & Liturgy magazine, which I shared on a social network... and after a discussion there, I suggested Jeffrey Pinyan post  his well-reasoned, civil response directly to Joe's blog, which he did. Joe has graciously featured that response..  Check out the discussion - and add to it, if you will, but keep it civil. The reconsideration of enculturation of the liturgy for our time, especially as we implement the new Missal is important.