Receiving ashes this year was different for me than in years past. Instead of attending an Ash Wednesday service at a church, I attended Ash Wednesday Mass in a chapel at the hospital where I typically volunteer on Sundays. That Wednesday at the hospital, I was...
The story of the Prodigal Son gives us a beautiful portrait of the mercy and compassion of God. No matter who we identify with in the story, there is a celebration waiting for us. Matthew Zurcher, SJ, reflects and asks: What is keeping us from going in? Based on the...
Podcast Episode: Jesus says that he is the true vine. That must mean there are false vines out there as well. In this talk, David introduces the meditation on the Two Standards in the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercises. There are forces in the world that draw us...
The following reflection is part of our “Jesuit 101” series, celebrating the Ignatian Year. This piece helps us to better understand the concepts of consolation and desolation from the Spiritual Exercises. To learn more, check out our explainer article: “Jesuit 101:...
The following article is the latest of Dan’s reflections on prison ministry in Belize. His last article can be found here. When I walk into Belize Central Prison, the stench of human waste and sewage hits, wave after wave, the deeper into the compound I get. The...
What does faith in Jesus Christ have to do with politics? Our faith is deeply linked to justice. We know that the Kingdom of God is already among us and that its final fulfillment will come about through God. In other words, our work in the world is our cooperation...
We never know when our time will come, but we don’t need to live in fear. Christopher Smith, SJ, reflects on the importance of living like today is the day of our salvation. Based on the readings for Sunday, March 20, 2022. ‘No man knows the day nor the hour’...
Podcast Episode: With this talk, the retreat transitions to the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Jesus Christ came to bring the kingdom of God to us. He calls us to work alongside him in building that kingdom. It’s a long-term project,...
The following reflection is part of our “Jesuit 101” series, celebrating the Ignatian Year. This piece helps us to better understand the concepts of consolation and desolation from the Spiritual Exercises. To learn more, check out our explainer article: “Jesuit 101:...
This is the ninth installment of A Deacon’s Diary. In the eighth installment, Steve dropped into a retreat in Louisiana. I. A week before Lent began, I was preaching. In the gospel, Jesus instructs his listeners (and us!) to “love your enemies, do good to those who...
