Yearly Archives: 2019

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Everyday Prophets

Everyday Prophets

Everyday Prophets When we think ‘prophetic’ we need not always think grandly about public tasks. . . It is the vocation of the prophet to keep alive the ministry of imagination. ― Walter Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination When I hear the word prophet, I often imagine a bearded man shouting out the Truth with a…
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Darkness as Essential to Transformation

Darkness as Essential to Transformation

Darkness as Essential to Transformation I have often described myself as a transformation junky.  The resurrection narrative has always been my deep draw to the Christian faith.  I believe in Martin Luther King’s view, that “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice,” and I have worked for that justice…
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2020 Radical Hospitality Series

2020 Radical Hospitality Series

Beyond Fear Helping Communities Choose Welcome Thurs., Feb. 27, 9a-3p The foundation of welcome is the inherent dignity of the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God. We are called to welcome others with a presence that is more than just polite and that extends beyond our reservations. We are called…
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Time to Pause, Move Toward the Center

Time to Pause, Move Toward the Center

Time to Pause We have a labyrinth in our backyard which, weather permitting, is where I do my walking prayer every day.  One day, while I was preparing for a group to come and join us for a walk, my husband caught this photo of our dog, Bella, sitting in one of her contemplative postures…
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Unpredictable: The Invitation to Come Home

Unpredictable: The Invitation to Come Home

Unpredictable: The Invitation to Come Home My summer had surprising experiences with several unpredictable happenings. My body was telling me in no uncertain terms to pay attention to my aging process. More than one round of issues with blood pressure and wellness told me that I needed to let go of a few events I…
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We Can Forgive Even the Most Heinous Wrongs Done to Us

We Can Forgive Even the Most Heinous Wrongs Done to Us

We Can Forgive Even the Most Heinous Wrongs Done to Us Is there a more difficult command given to us by Jesus than to forgive those who wrong us? We know we are called to forgiveness; every time we recite the Lord’s Prayer, we express the plea, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those…
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Writing from the Center: Persistence, Not Perfection

Writing from the Center: Persistence, Not Perfection

Persistence, Not Perfection Kathy Fleming is a talented visual artist (www.kflemingart.com) who serves as the Artist Coordinator for the Benedictine Center of St. Paul's Monastery.  Her canvases are captivating both in their craftsmanship and the deep reflection underlying each one.  Those who see the exhibits she designs in the Monastery Gallery benefit from her uncanny…
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The Search for Vitality and Ways Spiritual Direction Can Help

The Search for Vitality and Ways Spiritual Direction Can Help

The Search for Vitality and Ways Spiritual Direction Can Help “I’ve had more energy around work this past month, but I’m worried because I feel some of that old intensity coming back.  I want to continue experiencing the vitality of living from my centered self.  I’m afraid that I will slip back into the old…
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What Discernment Means to Me

What Discernment Means to Me

What Discernment Means to Me Two questions have plagued me over the years: How does one bring God into the process of making decisions, and how does one know if a thought is appropriate? As a Benedictine Oblate, I knew of the Benedictine Center’s School of Discernment but did not immediately make the connection that…
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Being Real (Part 4): The Playlist

Being Real (Part 4): The Playlist

Recently, my long-time friend and colleague, Eily Marlow and I developed a day-long workshop called Being Real: Practicing Humility, Courage, and Authenticity in Everyday Life. The stories and the challenges that Eily and I shared as we were preparing for the workshop have stayed with me and continued to evolve over time. So have the lessons…
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