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An Irritated Melancholy
We live in a world where, as Karl Rahner says, our lives are always an unfinished symphony. In this life there is no final fulfillment. Mostly we are unconscious of
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Toward an Understanding of Suicide
Every year I try to write an article on suicide because it is perhaps the most misunderstood of all deaths and it wreaks a unique havoc among the family and
https://ronrolheiser.com/toward-an-understanding-of-suicide/
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When Are We Home?
More than anything else, we long for home. Our deep ache for intimacy, security, and comfort is, in the end, a longing for home, nothing more. We are forever restlessly
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Reflection and Poems on Heartbreak
When I reflect on the spirituality I was raised on, I’m deeply grateful. No spirituality is perfect, but what I have been given through our rich Christian tradition stands up
https://ronrolheiser.com/reflection-and-poems-on-heartbreak/
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Spirituality and Steadiness
Something in us is dissatisfied with the ordinary. There’s something in the ordinary that can have us think that predictable routines, domestic rhythms, and commitment to duty can weigh us
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When the Bloom Has Left the Rose
There’s a difference between being in bloom and being fruitful. Take a flower for example. It begins as a wee bud, hardly noticeable, and eventually in full bloom grows into
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What is Purgatory?
Most Christian denominations do not believe in purgatory. This is specifically a Roman Catholic belief. And in the popular Catholic mind, purgatory is too often mistakenly conceived of as a
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Unfinished Business and the Communion of Saints
When I was growing up, as part of our family prayer we used to pray for a happy death. In my young mind, I had a certain conception of what
https://ronrolheiser.com/unfinished-business-and-the-communion-of-saints/
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Our Sometimes Stingy Hearts
John Muir once asked, “Why are Christians so reluctant to let animals into their stingy heaven?” The same might be said of us as churches: why are we so reluctant
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A Naivete of the Heart
Darkness is only bad because there is light. Sin can only happen if first there is love. Karl Rahner makes a very insightful comment about the text in the Gospels