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Saints For Complex People
“I was born into this world with a tortured sensitivity. For long I have puzzled over the causes of my psychological anguish.” Thus writes Ruth Burrows, the British Carmelite, in
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Easter Arsonists Of The Heart
Theologian-poet, John Shea, once commented on the resurrection appearances of Jesus: “On the road that escapes Jerusalem and winds along the ridge to Emmaus two disillusioned youths
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Keep Your Faith In Balance
I share with you here four tales of imbalance. Each is the story of a person who is sincere, Christian and dedicated, but has fallen from wholeness. From these stories
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Living In Joy Is Hard Work!
Perhaps the most demanding asceticism within life is the discipline of joy. Rarely is this recognized. For most of us, the word joy itself rings superficial. It speaks of empty
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Conversion Is Revolution!
We live too frustrated by our own mediocrity. The problem lies not in our unwillingness to convert, but in our inability to convert. We keep trying, by the way of
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When Sinners Rationalize
Several years ago, after the pope had been heckled during his visit in Holland, a Belgian newspaper ran an editorial that commented as follows: The difference between the Dutch and
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Signals That Spell Sanctity
Self-delusion is always easy, and nowhere is it easier than in our assessment of our own spiritual health. How do we know whether we are healthy or not? How do
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The Martyrdom Of Obscurity
We crave few things as deeply as self-expression. Deep within the eros that makes us restless and dissatisfied lies the incurable need to express ourselves, to be known, recognized, understood,
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Born Into The Ordinary
Christmas is about God in the ordinary. After the birth of Christ, we need not look to the extraordinary, the spectacular, the miraculous to find God. God is now found
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Like Green Logs In The Fire
Nikos Kazantzakis once commented: “People are impatient, but God’s not in a hurry!” That’s a good line to reflect upon as we enter into Advent. Looking at the religious history