dialogue around the meaning of the words we use when speaking of the mystery we call GOD
If you would rather listen/view this homily, CLICK HERE for the video link. In today’s Gospel Luke 20:27-38 we hear the Sadducees use a widow—one of the most vulnerable people in their society—as a prop in their theological game. They construct an absurd scenario around her suffering (being widowed seven times) to try and trip... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/Y2JbpsTIPYE The disciples are afraid, huddled in a locked room together struggling to understand what has happened. Their emotions are likely all over the place. Some no doubt were completely overwhelmed with anxiety over being associated with a criminal - wondering if they walk out that door if they too will be arrested…accused…tortured…without any due... Continue Reading →
I had the great honor of preaching at Eucharist yesterday at my church, Christ Church Grosse Pointe Episcopal (click here for a link to listen to the sermon rather than read it). The gospel reading is on the Transfiguration and can be found in Luke 9:28-43. https://youtu.be/eNVBgSvLOvs For those who may need captions, here is... Continue Reading →
Discernment is the practice of distinguishing the voice of God from among the many different voices that vie for our attention, such as the expectations of others, cultural pressures, or even our own inner critic. The root word for “discern” means to “cut away.” So, discernment is the art of sorting through all these voices and our own... Continue Reading →
Meet Me in the Mess: Rethinking the Christmas Story December brings a wonderful tapestry of spiritual celebrations across the world. Whether it's the lights of Hanukkah, the reverence of Mawlid al-Nabi, the enlightenment celebrated on Bodhi Day, or the joy of Pancha Ganapati, this month holds deep meaning for many faiths. Among these traditions, Christians... Continue Reading →
One of the things that I have discovered in accompanying children in their faith development is that much of what I end up doing is un-teaching. Children often ask me to address ideas they've grown up hearing about God that contradict the loving and merciful divine presence that Jesus presents, teaches, and embodies. This experience... Continue Reading →
Rachel Held Evans wrote a terrific opinion piece in the Washington Post entitled “Want Millennials back in the pews? Stop trying to make church ‘cool.’ Here are some highlights: “In the U.S, 59% of people ages 18 to 29 with a Christian background have stopped attending church. When asked why, 87% say they see Christians... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy_rXu5_SjY Part of my work at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Lake Orion is working with our children, many from the Oxford school district in Michigan. We have this beautiful little room in the back called the atrium, with soft lighting and comfy pillows, in which we introduce our ancient prayer of the mass,... Continue Reading →
Fr. Ron Rolheiser says at the center of our lives there is an natural tension. On the one hand, “something in us wants to be different, wants to stand out; from the minute we’re born, we ache for our independence and uniqueness to be recognized. We don’t want to be the same as everyone else.... Continue Reading →
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https://youtu.be/9Uk-XathtjE Video Reflection There is a spin off-on the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector that has been around for quite a while. The Christian version has a priest and a deacon kneeling around the altar praying together. The priest says ” Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.” The deacon prays “Lord,... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/MIPfHSlF6AI Video/Audio of text... We know this story. (Luke 10:25-37) It’s about two religious leaders who, in the name of the law, see someone in unimaginable suffering, but decide to steer clear and cross the street instead of attending to the person’s extraordinary need. We know the context. The Jewish people detested the Samaritans and vise-versa,... Continue Reading →
In the Jewish tradition Sabbath is the observance of a weekly day of rest rooted in the biblical account of God's day of rest after the creation of the heavens and the earth. For thousands of years, the Sabbath has been considered a celebratory day when the Jewish people (including Jesus and all the early... Continue Reading →
From time to time we all experience big events in our lives that change things...that change everything. We might call them “Before and After” events. They are the experiences that we refer to like “Before we had children” or “After Mom died." "Before the car" accident or "After graduation." When I was a little kid... Continue Reading →
If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me “I pray just fine at home. Why do I have to come to Church?” Well, I’d have a lot of nickels. In truth, we don’t “have” to come to church. The weird draw of our old-timey language about our “Sunday obligation” coupled with threats... Continue Reading →
Nothing effects our ability to approach and draw nearer to God quite like our image of God. The way we conceive of our God - as hostile or loving, on our team or the giant task master in the sky, as judge or defender - our personal experience and understanding of God effects our whole... Continue Reading →
I don’t know about you, but I just cringe when in the face of grave human tragedy and suffering I hear someone say “This was God’s will” or “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.” Really? Because it sure seems that some people get a crushing helping of grief on occasion. So many... Continue Reading →
Theologian Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ, in her book, She Who Is, writes: “The fundamental sin is exploitation, whether it be expressed in the domination of male over female, white over black, rich over poor, strong over weak, armed military over unarmed civilians, human beings over nature. These abusive patterns interlock because they rest on the same... Continue Reading →
Most of us are now in full swing holiday-mode, busy with our preparations for Christmas; buying gifts, planning menus for our family parties, decorating our homes, gingerly dusting off our nativity set to place under our tree. This is also the time of year we usually see more guests and fresh faces among us at... Continue Reading →
This week let's consider and ponder the parable of The Mustard seed (Matthew 13:31–32) In order to understand this scripture, it’s important to put it in its first century context and ask ourselves "How would the first hearers of this comparison understood it?" https://soundcloud.com/user-165947833-151164563/small?si=24f7deff9d6c49f782b3d66e3c9bba8c Well, for the Israelites (the Jewish people) of Jesus’ time, there... Continue Reading →
Having launched our holiday season with the celebration of our Thanksgiving meal this yesterday, we remember too our sacred act of “breaking bread” that we share at our Eucharistic table each week. The word Eucharist in Ancient Greek means the ACTION of giving thanks to God. So, our Eucharist is not only a noun, but... Continue Reading →
Often I think we have this image of Jesus in our mind as this peaceful, gentle, pious and soft-spoken person. I’m sure at times, probably most times, Jesus was a very tender person, just like each of us. But without a doubt, Jesus was also a bit of a trouble-maker, a rabble rouser, a rebel. In... Continue Reading →
When we hear the word "God," something goes on in our minds. Now, however wonderful, however deep, rich, powerful, consoling, however philosophically and metaphysically precise, however scripturally sound, and orthodox, whatever that idea of God that is in our mind - is NOT God - and THIS is really the most important thing to know... Continue Reading →
I'm writing this article the day before election day (Monday, Nov. 7th) but it will run in our bulletin on the weekend following. So, I believe I can safely assume some of you (maybe even MY post-election self) are reading this article at this moment and are still “having some feels” as my daughters would... Continue Reading →
Fr. Ron Rolheiser says at the center of our lives there is an natural tension. On the one hand, “something in us wants to be different, wants to stand out; from the minute we’re born, we ache for our independence and uniqueness to be recognized. We don’t want to be the same as everyone else.... Continue Reading →
Let's consider the parable of The Sower found in the Gospel of Matthew 13:2-9. Many of us believe that Jesus is inviting us to think about how ready we are to receive God’s word in this parable. To judge what kind of soil we are and to straighten up and fly right so to speak... Continue Reading →
The parables of Jesus are little “stories with a mystery.” There is no “right” or “wrong” way to understand them - we are simply invited to ponder and tease them out a bit. For me, one of the more baffling parables is that of the Dishonest Steward or Manager found in Luke 16:1-13. https://soundcloud.com/lisa-abad-brown/money?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing The... Continue Reading →
I don’t know about you, but the first person to come to mind when we begin thinking about baptism, is John The Baptist. The authorities of Jesus’ day were puzzled by John the Baptist, They were confused about who he was and what he was doing. They even asked him “who are you? What do... Continue Reading →
If you would rather listen than read, just below is an audio recording, or a video is a little further below: https://soundcloud.com/user-165947833-151164563/indignance?si=c934c144691c45adb6d22f70bece2aaa Our Gospel reading from this past weekend (Mark 10:2-16) says that Jesus was “indignant.” I always thought that one became indignant when insulted, like when someone wounds your pride, but I was mistaken.... Continue Reading →
"The strategy of Jesus is not centered in taking the right stand on issues, but rather in standing in the right place—with the outcast and those relegated to the margins.” - Gregory Boyle, S.J. Dissent, definition: "the expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially held." I don't know many... Continue Reading →
What would you say to your best friend if they failed at something that was important to them and were feeling deflated? Or if your child came to you feeling a bit discouraged and defeated? I think we all realize all too well that we live in a culture that idolizes success, often holding up... Continue Reading →
I've been to three funerals this week, and then we have Covid. The Anniversary of 9/11. Watching my parents, friends, and other relatives age and wane. Lots of time thinking about death. No one knows when the second coming of Jesus Christ will happen or what it will look like. Though countless predictions and dates... Continue Reading →
A spiritual teacher had lost the key to his house and was looking for it on the lawn outside, running his fingers through each blade of grass. His disciples came along and asked the master what had happened. “I have lost the key to my house,” he said. “Can we help you find it?” they... Continue Reading →
A catechist is the "Keeper of the Memory of God," a witness of the source of our hope, and an educator who accompanies those desiring to know more about our loving God and the most essential mysteries of our faith and tradition. The word "catechesis" is derived from the Greek word meaning "to echo." In... Continue Reading →
Eucharist is our central, defining ritual; the center point of our Catholic Christian Identity. Eucharist comes from the Greek word Εὐχαριστεῖν (Eucharistein), which means “to give thanks” So, Eucharist is not only the consecrated bread and wine that we share at our sacred meal each week, but it is also an action - a verb.... Continue Reading →
Whenever people look for guidance laws are sure to follow. We start with general responsibilities like the Ten Commandments and then these general norms give birth to thousands of detailed behaviors. Regulations start to multiply on everything how to pray, how to bless food, what ritual to employ when visiting the sick, and so on.... Continue Reading →
A friend of mine recently observed that children rarely feel the emotion of poignancy. This somewhat crooked, perplexing emotion is most often reserved for those of us a little further down the road. We who know all too well that clarity can sometimes be painful. That even if we know the direction in which we... Continue Reading →
In our Christian scriptures (aka The New Testament), the Greek word "kerygma" (pronounced kuh·rig·muh) means the public dissemination of a truth received from God. It is a proclamation – a message – a sharing and revelation of God among us. The epoch of our Christian kerygma, the high point of this message and revelation of... Continue Reading →
You know the old saying "If I had a nickel for every time...such and such happened"? Well, if I had a nickel every time someone asked me in whispered tones "I have doubts about the resurrection - both Jesus' and ours - can I still call myself a Christian?" I'd have a lot of nickels!... Continue Reading →
“The opposite of faith is not doubt but certainty.” – Paul Tillich I don’t think there is any other character in the bible that exemplifies our modern 21st century mindset and stance, better than St. Thomas, better known as “Doubting-Thomas.” As much as we may want to deny it or fight it, we all have... Continue Reading →
Faith Formation PreK-7th grade here at Christ the Redeemer is rooted in the contemplative, Montessori-based style of spiritual development called The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). CLICK HERE to view some photos of our atria spaces. Below is a short 3-minute video that gives an overview of our program too: https://youtu.be/0Uw0Gu3iIao CGS uses Montessori... Continue Reading →
I was reading through some old journal notes the other day and stumbled upon this story about one of, if not the, most meaningful and overwhelmingly beautiful days of ministry I think I've ever experienced. I was filling in as a substitute catechist in atrium two, which holds grades 2nd-4th. I was leading one of... Continue Reading →
We believe that human beings are a fundamentally good creation and sin is anything that keeps us from communion with God, others and our true selves; anything that distances us from God's mercy or causes alienation. Our understanding of Sin, Grace, Redemption, is called Soteriology and is a rich field of study that is never... Continue Reading →
As you may or may not know, I work as a Director of Religious Education at a large suburban parish in the Detroit area. Recently, our Faith Formation and Education Department was renamed “Discipleship Formation.” My teenage daughter frowned when she heard this new name and said “discipleship? Sounds like a cult or something.” Quite... Continue Reading →
As Christians, we remain "one" though we differ profoundly in a multitude of ways, such as; how we interpret church teaching, understand the role of conscience, discern God’s presence and acting in our unique life experiences. We share a core of unchanging, revealed truths (Dogmas) but we grow in our understanding of truth, and so... Continue Reading →
“Not all criticism is blind negativity. People who love something have also earned the right to make it better and keep it true to its deepest vision. We hope and vision when we own the problem…accept the light as well as the darkness. When we can use the language “us” and not “them” then we... Continue Reading →
There are countless reasons why it is important for us to understand and appreciate the great wisdom and beauty of Jewish history and tradition. For one, Jesus was Jewish as were all his first disciples; all were steeped in the Old Testament texts and the ancient customs therein, so it’s darn near impossible to understand... Continue Reading →
Developmentally, children begin to view God as a “judge” by age seven. Studies show that nurturing the relationship between the preschool child and God; helping them to “fall in love” and introduce lessons and create an environment in which they can truly listen and hear Jesus introduce himself as the “Good Shepherd” is extraordinarily beneficial... Continue Reading →
Has a more beautiful dream ever been put into words then when Isaiah writes “Can a mother forget her infant? Be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget…God will never forget you.” God will never forget YOU. If we were to boil down and distill all that Jesus taught and lived... Continue Reading →
In Jesus, in his dying and his rising, God is telling us that death is not the end…death does not have the final word… The Gospels assure us that, like Jesus’ birth, the resurrection was physical. Jesus’ tomb was empty, people could touch him, he ate food, he was not a ghost. The full nature... Continue Reading →
As parents, we are aware of our child’s growth in many ways. We measure their growth physically by the little lines that mark their height in our doorways or by the way they rapidly grow out of their clothes. We measure their academic progress by listening to them read aloud and discussing their report cards.... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/9YJZMYu0NQE More years ago then I care to mention, I remember picking up my youngest daughter from preschool on a beautiful fall day and I arrived a few minutes early, during their end-of-the-day outdoor recess, so I decided to just sit in the sun and watch her and her friends play for a bit. In... Continue Reading →
I’m a child of the 1970's and a big thrift shopper. On one trip I discovered one of those big aqua blue picture bibles they used to have in doctor’s offices at a local resale shop. Some of you might remember them. They had very colorful and intricate illustrations and so for nostalgia, since I... Continue Reading →
Haven’t been to Mass in a while? Have you been hurt by the church? You are not alone. As Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.” I can’t tell you how often I have heard variations on this statement over my 30-year career working for the Church. So, on... Continue Reading →
Imagine that today you are one of Jesus’ followers in the first century. You traveled a long way and arrived with several other followers to Jerusalem a few days ago. It is Passover, so the streets are jam packed with over 2 million pilgrims in a city that normally holds only 20,000 (according to the... Continue Reading →
A metaphor is a powerful image - a powerful figure of speech. It is more than just saying one thing is another thing. Sallie McFague, in her book Models of God, has this to say about a metaphor, "What a metaphor expresses cannot be said directly apart from it. It is an attempt to say something... Continue Reading →
So. How are all those “New Year’s Resolution” style Lenten disciplines going? Have we failed to follow the diet, stick with the exercise regimen, and begun yelling at the kids again? If you, like me, are mourning how hard and fast your perseverance fizzled and are eating a great big piece of humble pie this... Continue Reading →
Many of us bemoan the great number of our family members and friends who don't attend church anymore. Seems none of our nieces and nephews have been baptized, our grandchildren are not being raised in a church community, and its almost impossible to find a sponsor for our teens preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation... Continue Reading →
https://soundcloud.com/adeeperlook/how-are-we-saved-by-the-cross?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing AUDIO PODCAST if you prefer to listen Theologian Fr. James Alison describes our common misunderstanding of Jesus’ death like this: "We sinned and offended God, so God was angry with humanity and demanded justice or some kind of payment for our blunder. But humanity couldn’t offer any kind of divine gift big enough to diffuse... Continue Reading →
In the Gospel of Mark 9:30-37 Jesus speaks to his disciples and predicts his death - and the disciples are baffled and become afraid. Jesus can’t die! Why is Jesus spouting all this crazy talk? Then right after this, it says that the disciples started to argue about who was the greatest among them. Now, I... Continue Reading →
Many times in our scriptures Jesus seems to be pairing God’s forgiveness of us with our forgiveness of others. He says "The measure with which you measure will be measured back to you…” "Do not judge others, and God will not judge you"…Even in the Our Father, that we pray together each week, we ask... Continue Reading →
The traditional definition of a Sacrament is "an external sign of God's internal presence and acting" or "an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace." 1 We hold a strong conviction that God wishes to communicate with us, every minute of every day. That is why many theologians speak of grace as "God's... Continue Reading →
A short reflection on the story of Mary and Martha found in Luke 10:38-42. A few years ago, my best friend in the whole world got engaged and started planning her wedding. Although she and many of her family members had moved away from Michigan, she still considered this area her home. And St. John... Continue Reading →
Thomas Merton once said, “the rush and pressure of modern life is a pervasive form of contemporary violence.” In his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer asks "Can you imagine a hurried Jesus? Hurry kills all that we hold dear: spirituality, health, marriage, family, thoughtful work, creativity, generosity…name your value. Hurry is... Continue Reading →
“Our lives are about trying to imitate the God we believe in. But, we are so used to the ‘One-False-Move’ God we're not accustomed to the ‘No-Matter-What-ness’ of God: the God who is too busy loving us to be disappointed with us! This is the hardest thing to believe, yet everybody knows it is the... Continue Reading →
We believers hold a very strong conviction that God wishes to communicate with us. God wishes us to hear how much we are loved, what a good and treasured creation we are, AND to direct us to what will bring us “life to the full.” How does God speak these beautiful truths to us and... Continue Reading →
I often get asked during the Lenten season “Does this count?" My answer is always the same: "The spiritual life is not about counting. But if you’re counting, it doesn’t count." Jesus was not about counting. Jesus was about transformation and that is what our Lenten disciplines are designed to lead us to. The first... Continue Reading →
The parables we hear today in Luke 15: 1-32 speak to our deep longing for a sense of wholeness and belonging. By God’s design, all of creation is connected in ways that we couldn’t even begin to understand. Just like a bee is drawn to pollen and a flower turns towards the sun and soaks... Continue Reading →
Most scholars agree that the parables are the most authentic and original words of Jesus found in our sacred scriptures. Parables not only brilliantly elucidate WHAT Jesus taught, but also HOW He taught. The parable in and of itself is a method of teaching. We can even say it is THE method of the teaching... Continue Reading →
The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard found in The Gospel of Matthew 20:10-16 is arguably the most infuriating words of Jesus ever to make it to print. There is a deep sense of something gone wrong when we hear that the ones who only worked one hour are paid the same as the... Continue Reading →
According to John Shea, renowned theologian and professional storyteller, the parable of the Persistent Widow found in Luke 18:1-8 violates rule number one of good storytelling. The author of the Gospel of Luke tells us the moral of the story before telling us the story itself. It reads “Jesus told his disciples a parable about... Continue Reading →
Even if we come from strong families and have ample social bonds, we still have moments when we feel excluded, misunderstood and involuntarily cut off. The problem of loneliness, obviously, is not a new problem or one unique to our age. But, some sociologists tell us that it is, at best, an intensifying problem. Others... Continue Reading →
One of our traditions most treasured mystics once said, "It is a lie - any talk of God that does not comfort you.” The way we conceive of our God; as hostile or loving, “on our team” or “the giant task master in the sky”, judge or defender, etc. effects our whole life. In a... Continue Reading →
"Fundamentalism is a willful ignoring of metaphor" - Paul Tillich One of my friends made a commitment in the New Year to spend more time with our sacred scriptures. As she was sharing this new resolution with her sister who attends a non-denominational Christian church, she was taken aback when her sister declared "Well,... Continue Reading →
The definition of Perfectionism: “A disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable; especially the setting of unrealistically demanding goals accompanied by a disposition to regard failure to achieve them as unacceptable and a sign of personal worthlessness.” Hi, my name is Lisa and I’m a recovering perfectionist. I know some people wear that... Continue Reading →
A father suggested instead of giving up candy, as his children did every year, they should focus on giving up a bad habit or a sin; anything that hurt their relationships with others. His youngest son decided to give up fighting with his sister. When his Dad asked how he was doing on his Lenten... Continue Reading →
STRONG LANGUAGE: 