On Palm Sunday we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and we hear the narrative of the Passion. Alex Hale, SJ, reminds us that in the joyful celebration of Palm Sunday, we can’t forget the work that is left to be done, including in our own hearts
Why Christian Forgiveness Requires Every Christian to be a Priest
Christians are challenged to forgive daily, but could it also be a sacrament? In a follow-up to his previous article, Erin explores the relationship between forgiveness and the priestly identity of every baptized Christian.
Discerning Democracy: Navigating Civic Life with the Fourth Week of the Spiritual Exercises
Today’s heightened polarization has seemingly erected insurmountable walls in our political discourse. Concluding this miniseries, Ty Wahlbrink, SJ, suggests how we might find joy using insights in the Fourth Week meditations, even though we might still feel stuck mourning near Jesus’ tomb.
Saint Ignatius and the Recovery of True Masculinity
Reflecting on Saint Ignatius’s conversion, River invites us to our own rediscovery of a more authentic vision of masculinity.
Antiracism is Not a Game
If it’s US vs THEM and we are intent on scoring points, we are not making antiracist progress.
White Apathy and the Crucifixion | Know Justice, Know Peace: A Jesuit Antiracism Retreat
Grieving with others is not the only way we commit to solidarity. Becoming aware of one’s participation in the oppression of others, is another way of opening the eyes of the heart and deciding to be responsible. Brian Engelhart, SJ, describes the apathy White people often exercise when dealing with the realities of racism that affect Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and finishes the third week of our “Know Justice, Know Peace: A Jesuit Antiracism Retreat” with one contemporary example, as well as with an invitation to get rid of indifference.
Lament Must Precede Solidarity | Know Justice, Know Peace: A Jesuit Antiracism Retreat
Some realities in life can only be known through tears. The participation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) members in antiracism is not a hobby or an optional venture: it’s a matter of survival.They do not have the luxury that White people have to retire from the conversation of racism and flee from its painful realities. Matt Briand, SJ, invites us to put aside our fear to weep with those who weep because of racism, for true Christian love suffers along the beloved, and commits to justice.
Sometimes I Wonder, What If the Bread Changes but We Don’t?
It happened when I served as a Eucharistic minister at a large suburban hospital over five years ago. When I walked into his room, he looked like anybody’s grandpa. I can still see him lying there: a 90-some-year-old man with smallish frame nestled into the middle of the recliner bed, a tuft of white hair atop a wrinkled but happy-go-lucky face, the flimsy-knit, standard issue hospital blanket pulled up just under his chin. Read as Christopher Alt, S.J. reflects on the Eucharist and our everyday life.
Bear Witness to Suffering | Know Justice, Know Peace: A Jesuit Antiracism Retreat
Feeling grief for the suffering of others is one of the first steps toward a commitment to serve them. It helps us to have a greater sense of urgency for justice, as well as a deeper understanding of what is at stake. When we accompany those who suffer from racism in their mourning, we walk with our neighbors and bear witness to our Christian vocation. River Simpson, SJ, introduces us to the third week of our “Know Justice, Know Peace: A Jesuit Antiracism Retreat,” and invites us to remain faithfully present to the agonizing Jesus, through our accompaniment of the victims of racism.
Humility and Anti-Racism | Know Justice, Know Peace: A Jesuit Antiracism Retreat
Humility plays a vital role in anti-racism work. Intellectual and moral humility allows individuals to admit complicity in a culture of racism and commit themselves to the ongoing struggle of anti-racism. By looking at the Call of Simon Peter, contemplating the story of Martha and Mary, and meditating on what it means to be “childlike,” Sullivan McCormick invites us to reflect on where in our lives we might need more humility as anti-racists.