Responding to God’s Call by Lucinda M. Vardey As we enter more fully into the New Year, and settle into what the Church calls “Ordinary Time” we are given the opportunity to hone our prayer life and begin again with God. God can call
How God Works by Lucinda M. Vardey In Matthew’s gospel Jesus explains that the grace of God usually works in paradox. One of these is turning around the emphasis of external desires, positioning, privilege, and being honoured by others. Jesus’ way leads not so much to an
TESTING MIND AND HEART by Lucinda M. Vardey The readings for this Sunday turn what our cultures consider normal or usual to the obscure ways of God, always a mystery to our human reasoning. We are told by Isaiah to seek God while God may be
PARTAKING OF TRUE FOOD by Lucinda M. Vardey When Jesus taught that his flesh is true food and his blood true drink, many of his followers left his community. Yet, in fact, Jesus was establishing the binding of community, the future church, the body of Christ.
STEWARDS OF GOD’S MYSTERIES By Lucinda M. Vardey Today’s readings are full of predominantly feminine expressions and understandings. Isaiah refers to God’s care and compassion for us as being like a mother’s. The psalm reflects a similar maternal theme of the soul waiting patiently in silence,
THE HEART OF MARY By Lucinda M. Vardey Today’s scripture recounts Mary’s reaction to the words the shepherds heard from the angels, that she treasured and pondered them in her heart. During our parish’s Magdala seminar on feminine theology in Rome last year, French theologian, Anne-Marie Pelletier, helped
SLOW DOWN AND SEE By Lucinda M. Vardey We are reminded in today’s scriptures of the beauty and love of God that is present in all creation. I have the privilege of living in the countryside for about one-third of the year and it has allowed
LET YOUR FACE SHINE UPON YOUR SERVANT by Lucinda M. Vardey Today’s readings perfectly complement the canonization in Rome of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. We can look to many saints in our Church and see how their love of Jesus inspired them to act and serve him in others.
OUR PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED by Lucinda M. Vardey Many of us carry around lists of the needs of all the people, projects and problems we ask God to solve. We light candles in church, we pray the rosary, we have Masses said, and we ask others to join
OBEDIENCE by Lucinda M. Vardey One of the necessary commitments to leading a holy life is obedience. In a religious order obedience to one’s superiors is central to the health and stability of the community and the growth and freedom of its members. But what about the rest