I have been blessed not to have had any major experiences with illness, death or suffering, although, as all of us, I have had my share of pain. I’d like to conclude with four insights that I have learned about suffering. First, I remember an experience I had several years ago at the L’Arche Daybreak ...read more

Yesterday we looked at the work of deacons, in the context of the voice of illness. Yesterday was the Feast of the Holy Innocents. These were the baby boys that were massacred by King Herod when the Magi did not return to him to tell him the whereabouts of the newborn Messiah (Matthew 2:13-18). It made ...read more

In the first part, we defined the voice of illness as the voice inside all of us that cries out ‘where is God?’ In Part two we began looking at the work of pastoral ministers and the tension between being and doing. When I look at scripture, Jesus never shied away from healing anyone (at ...read more

Yesterday we looked at suffering as the ‘voice of illness.’ This is the voice inside all of us that cries out, ‘where is God?’ When faced with suffering, it is my tendency (and I believe part of our human nature) to comfort and to take away the pain. This is my first struggle as I meditate on ...read more

Yesterday was the Feast of the Triumph or Exaltation of the Cross. For the last two days on the S+L Blog, we’ve been looking at why we exalt the cross, an instrument of death. We saw that Jesus died to destroy death for ever, so we don’t have to be under the power of death ...read more

Today is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. Yesterday on the blog, we looked at why we honour the Cross: Because it reminds us that Jesus died to save us. And this is where I have a problem. Why do we need to be saved by Jesus’ death? I remember growing up learning ...read more

“Lift high the Cross, the love of Christ proclaim…” That’s a song we all know, but what does it mean? Why do we lift high the Cross? Tomorrow is the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, also called the Exaltation of the Cross. Did you know that we celebrate this feast tomorrow? Have you ...read more

As you know, in this time of Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas, we prepare to welcome our Lord into our hearts.  It is a time of reflection, of penance, but also of subdued joy.  For some though, it can be a difficult time, particularly when December 25th arrives.  The joy of Christmas may ...read more