“Antibodies to Indifference”

Pope Francis spoke of healthcare workers as “the saints next door” and “the antibodies to the virus of indifference.” The Gospel tells us that those who lose their lives save their lives (Mk. 9:24).  Doctors, nurses, and others in the forefront of the pandemic are willing to lose their lives so that others may live.…

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Optimistic Gospel

The Gospel passages early in Ordinary Time are full of optimism. Jesus comes to Galilee to proclaim the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand.” Jesus tells the Eleven to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel.”  Jesus claims everyone is his family: “For…

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Our Deepest Truth

“The deepest truth is our union with the Absolute, Infinite Being, with God That’s the root of our reality” (Beatrice Bruteau). Our days can be dull, unfulfilling, seemingly pointless. Or the events around us can be chaotic, even irrational. But beneath our days that hardly resemble reality, there is the deepest root of our reality:…

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Our National Stories

Our nation has many stories from the myths about Paul Bunyan to the biographies of Presidents. Its overarching story is one of justice, peace, liberty, dignity. It’s from our stories that we create our present and our future. Are we a more truthful people, because we’ve heard the story of George Washington’s “I cannot tell…

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Mercy Is God’s Nature

Mercy is God’s nature. God’s merciful love holds nothing back. As the psalmist says, “His mercy endures forever.” A wave of mercy is poured out over all humanity. As Saint Faustina quotes God in her diary, “I am Love and Mercy itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My Mercy. .…

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Prayer for Peace

Pope Francis wrote a Prayer for Peace in 2014. As the nation looks to Inauguration Day, let us pray for a peaceful transition with the Pope’s prayer: Lord God of Peace, hear our prayer! We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by…

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Church Unity

The week for Church Unity begins today and ends on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul on January 25. This special week of prayer for unity among all denominations began in 1908. This year’s theme is “Abide in My Love” (John 15). Can there be any greater source of unity than to remember…

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Prayers for Justice and Peace

The events of the past weeks prove that “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools” (Martin Luther King, Jr). We Sisters of Notre Dame throughout the nation divided the hours on Friday, January 15 so that a community of Sisters would be praying continuously during the day. This event…

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Sympathy and Empathy

Today’s First Reading to the Hebrews tells of the Son of God who is able to “sympathize with our weaknesses.” Such empathy is often found with saints who have worked with children, such as Saint John Bosco. Similarly, the foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame had a great love for poor and neglected children.…

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The Letter to the Hebrews

The lectionary this month gives us passages from the Letter to the Hebrews. Its authorship, audience, and even its inclusion in the New Testament canon are uncertain. What is certain is that the author teaches that Jesus is the One who can take us to God. He writes, “Let us draw near…in full assurance of…

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