Cultivating Peace through Mercy

Today on the first day of our Novena of Peace, Pope Francis invites us to “become islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference!” Seeing the Sacred in all things will be the Spark that lights our way. Seeing with Merciful Eyes Changes Everything Our world is infected with religious fundamentalists who …

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Birthday Gifts

Today is my sweetie’s birthday. On this day over 40 years ago I made him a birthday cake and invited him over to my house to surprise him with it. It was a very bold move on my part but his birthday fell on a Friday that year so I was hoping he’d say yes. …

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Day 9 – Novena of Peace 2013: The Servant’s Way (Part 2)

The Servant’s Way Isn’t Easy The servant’s way is a challenging paradox; if it were easy, everyone would be following it. St. Francis understood the paradox of the servant’s way. Jesus mastered it. And teachers and prophets from many traditions teach the same paradox contained in the final words of the Prayer of St. Francis:           For …

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Day 6 – Novena of Peace 2013: Light

Where there is darkness, let me sow light Darkness is threatening. Darkness—whether physical, psychological, spiritual, emotional, or social—disturbs and perturbs us, sometimes to our very core. But just like a single candle pierces the darkness of the night, a single person can pierce the darkness in our world. Just look at Malala Yousafzai, the young …

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