Contemplation for Everyone
Yesterday four of us sisters discussed contemplation. Sounds like a deep subject, but it really isn’t. Contemplation is not just for contemplatives but for everyone. I once read that people pray more often than they think they do. I think they contemplate without even realizing it. The word itself simply means being in the presence of God, in a holy space. Well, now, doesn’t God fill the whole universe? We are always in God’s presence. The trick is to be aware of it. In our conversation, several roads to contemplation surfaced. (more…)
Discernment for Making Decisions
Last week I made a decision that turned out to be the wrong one. When deciding what to do, the people of old cast lots or consulted an oracle. Some fortunate ones heard God speak directly, telling them what to do. Then they simply followed whatever was indicated. For us, decision-making is not so easy. Especially for major decisions, we might feel as though we’re lost in a dark forest with no clear path to follow. Here are eight tips for finding our way out. (more…)
Banishing Fear, Worry, Anxiety, Dread
Years ago when I had just moved in to begin a week-long retreat, a remarkable thing happened. A hot air balloon landed in the field across the way. We retreatants ran outside to watch, and a woman in the balloon called, “C’mon, Sisters! Who wants a ride?” I wanted to accept the extraordinary invitation, but I didn’t. Why? Not for fear of the balloon (well, maybe a little), but for fear of what others would think! How often we miss out on opportunities because fear paralyzes us. (more…)
A Host of Angels
Recently a nineteen-year-old girl was trapped in her car after an accident. While rescue workers worked to free her, she asked them to pray out loud with her. A man appeared who prayed with her and anointed her with oil. Then the mystery man disappeared. The media was hot with reports suggesting that he was an angel. He turned out to be priest. This incident reveals how deeply angels are embedded in our culture. We like to believe in a supernatural world peopled with powerful beings who look out for us. The Catholic Church teaches that angels are a truth of faith, supported by Scripture and tradition. Here are ten things I learned about angels while doing research for my next book. (more…)
Why Catholics Pray the Rosary
Where did the rosary come from? It’s not in the Bible. St. Paul tells us to sing hymns and offer prayers for leaders, but says nothing about praying these prayer beads. According to a legend, the rosary began when the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Dominic in the fifteenth century and gave him a rosary to pray. This isn’t true. This legend arose because the Dominicans promoted praying the rosary. So how did the rosary originate? Long ago it was the custom to pray the 150 psalms. But illiterate people prayed 150 Our Fathers instead on beads called the paternoster (Latin for “our Father”). Lady Godiva bequeathed her paternoster made of gems to a monastery. (more…)
