by Mary | Apr 4, 2023 | podcasts
I think we imagine that if we are truly faithful, we will never have doubts about our faith, but that’s not the case. Not only is it normal to have doubts, it can be essential to our spiritual growth. If you don’t believe me, you’ll hear quotes from Pope Francis to back me up. Doubts and questions can contribute to a deepening and ever-expanding understanding of this amazing spiritual journey. Join me for the conversation over on the latest Life Lines podcast at the link below. And don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes.
by Mary | Feb 15, 2021 | Cravings Tribe
We started out on this revolution-not-resolution journey of inner transformation at the beginning of the new year. The plan was to bring some new habits into our lives — things that might foster peace, balance, and a sense of gratitude despite the craziness of the world around us. I can tell you that, for me, it was definitely a dance of moving forward a little bit, slipping back now and then, and standing still more than I would have liked. And that’s okay. After all these years of trying to make spiritual “progress,” I know this is par for the course, and I’ve come to accept the slowness of this work. This is not the kind of thing that can be rushed.
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by Mary | Feb 9, 2021 | Life Lines
Flannery O’Connor, the American Catholic southern gothic writer,
once said, “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.”
That line has always resonated with me, but never more so than
when I sit down to write reflections on Scripture readings, verses that can
feel so familiar there seems nothing new to uncover. My latest book of
reflections, Not by Bread Alone 2021: Daily Reflections for Lent (Liturgical
Press), is my third book of Lenten meditations and prayers, and so the
challenge is real — but realer still is the truth that lives within Scripture.
Old passages can speak new hope to us at any particular moment of our lives if
we are willing to open ourselves up to the work and words of the Spirit. Even the
familiarity of Lent itself can turn a season of growth into a rote spiritual
exercise if we are not prepared to be surprised by God, sometimes in
uncomfortable ways.
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by Mary | Jan 19, 2021 | Lent
Ash Wednesday is only four weeks away. I know if feels like we just got through Christmas, but, trust me, Lent will be here before you know it, and wouldn’t it be nice to have a companion to guide you through the desert, especially when getting to church these days is difficult if not impossible due to COVID? I have just the thing for you. My latest book of Scripture reflections, Not By Bread Alone 2021: Daily Reflections for Lent.
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by Mary | Jan 11, 2021 | Cravings Tribe
When I was thinking about what I would tackle during Week 2 of our revolution-not-resolution journey of self-transformation, I looked at the original blog post and noticed that setting up a sacred space was my #2 suggestion. Perfect. Last week we started on #1 — using a gratitude journal — so why not move in order and take a look at another simple and concrete thing you can do to make this plan easier, more peaceful and more beautiful.
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