- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
Who do you think you are? God’s gift to the world? You’re right! Just for a moment, accept that you really are God’s gift to the world. You can make a positive difference in the world. This is what we pray for when we pray “Renew the face of the
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
Do certain persons come to mind whenever you see a particular object or do a specific thing? When memories are of deceased persons, I appreciate the reminder of their unseen presence and recall the days I lived with them. Whenever I throw towels in the dryer, I hear the voice
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
Jesus professed to be a servant as he washed feet and commanded his followers to continue his example of servanthood. The apostles should not have been surprised by Jesus’ unusual gesture. They had been with him three years, enough time to see Jesus putting others before himself. Once again, Jesus
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
The word: “Fiat” The Word: God become flesh. The word: “Flee.” The word: “You yourself shall be pierced with a sword.” The Word: “Why did you search for me?” The word: Silent compassion The Word: “There is your mother.” The word: Silent grief The word: Silent faith.
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
On Good Friday I reflect on the suffering of Jesus as an individual, as one person stumbling to Calvary and hanging on a cross. However, I need to reflect more on Jesus’ solidarity with all the suffering and powerless people of the world before and after the first Good Friday.
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
When eaten, food becomes us. Once external and on a table or in a garden or on a grocery shelf, food is internalized as nutrients. At the Last Supper Jesus gave to his apostles his very self, and this continues in the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharistic Sacrifice. How profoundly self-giving
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
Jesus said that by their fruits we can know them. We know God by what God does. And what does God do? In Jesus we see God giving food and life and healing and forgiveness. We see the God-Man taking on the sins of the world, actually becoming sin. Could
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
In Lent we read John 5 when Jesus speaks about testifying to the truth. Jesus praises John the Baptist for his testimony, but says that his own testimony is “greater than John’s.” Jesus claims that his works testify on his behalf. And, above all, God the Father testifies on his
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
What doe God do for a living? Well, God is always on mission. How do I know? When we see the Son, we know the Father. After spending about 30 years in obscurity, Jesus is in the synagogue when his friends and neighbors ask him to read. This was his
- By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider
Throughout Scripture God habitually claims “I will be your God and you shall be my people.” Yes, God has chosen his people of old, and he chooses us now. God promises to be just (sedegah), faithful (amunah) and kind (hesed). And God lets us hold him to his part of

