Deep Calls to Deep True Self, False Self, Soul????
As I learned from Ernest Becker’s review of 19th century psychology (Denial of Death, chapter 9), scientists opted for the term “self” to mean one’s history of neuroses going back to childhood that could be studied and understood as a path to happiness. 19th century science opposed religion pretty much at every point. Becker names this as […]
4th SUN LENT – Tug-o’-war with God
What are we to do about the tug-o’-war we play with God? Deny it? Accept it grudgingly? Red badge of courage? Name it for what it is? God pulls me toward living completely in trust and surrender. I pull God toward my will to make myself great. Yep. As best I can discern, I grew up […]
4th SUN LENT – Lenten Blindness / Homily Audio
Another reflection about flagging Lenten resolutions: Why do we give up on Lent? What happens when you commit to fast, give alms, or pray? What does this have to do with being blind – as seen in our gospel. My resolution: give away 8 things a week for a year. Tons of anxiety has […]
LENT 3rd Week Friday – “Are We There Yet…?”
So, here we are on the 24th day of Lent. How long, O Lord!!! How goes your Lenten resolutions? By now, they should be dead in the water. Praying every day. Fasting. Almsgiving. Yep. Down the tubes. It’s time to feel defeated and remorseful. “I should have done better.” Minimize the failure, yet feel […]
Fr. Don Driscoll, SJ – RIP 2007
It’s ten years today since Don died suddenly of a heart attack. He had served as chaplain to the College of Pharmacy at Creighton University for a number of years before. So many of his colleagues and students and friends and family and Jesuits remember him today with a huge sense of loss. Especially […]
3rd SUN LENT – Thirsty people…
We are thirsty people. Where do we go to slake our thirst? John’s gospel highlights this conundrum by using two different Greek words for “well.” …So [Jesus] came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well [pēgē – ‘fountain’] was there, and […]
2nd SUN LENT – The only fear is…
One brief comment about fear – at the sound of the voice from the heavens, the disciples were overcome by fear; Jesus said, “Get up and be not afraid.” What kind of fear…? To fear, be afraid = akouo Matthew 17:6f When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and […]
2nd SUN LENT – Part Deux of Homily
On the mountain, Peter spoke for the disciples, offering to build 3 booths for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. What’s up with that??? This reply seems to come from the same place in Peter as his reply to Jesus previously, “God forbid that you should suffer & die!” Peter and the others want to domesticate Jesus and God […]
2nd SUN LENT – back to the same mountain?
Jesus was tempted on a high mountain. He was transfigured on a high mountain. Hmmm. Matthew 17:1 (NRSV) — 1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. Matthew 4:8 (NRSV) — 8 Again, the devil took him to a […]
1st SUN LENT – Homily #2 / audio
The Third Temptation – Our daydreams about our/my greatness, to control for every outcome, can help us be situated with Christ in Lent. So, “How did you Marquette University fans prepare for the game against Creighton, to prepare against loss?” Should I wear my lucky Creighton sweatshirt or not? I was seeking a way of managing […]
Deep Calls to Deep 