Between Amens — Understanding the ‘Mandatum’ of Jesus
I don’t know about you, but I am certainly tired of hearing about mandates. Mask mandates, vaccination mandates, capacity mandates, social distancing mandates. Which…
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Between Amens — The church needs more Josephs
For almost a year, Zoom meetings have been a regular part of our social and professional lives, and now researchers are taking a closer…
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Between Amens — What is your level of spiritual fitness?
Like approximately 80 million other Americans, I set some fitness goals for the new year. And like about 79 million of them, I would…
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Between Amens — Christmas remains in our hearts
Like many suburban neighborhoods, mine is loosely governed by a homeowners’ association. For an annual fee, I cheerfully subjugate myself to its many regulations…
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Between Amens — Need for God’s ransom endures
“O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.” It’s a familiar part of our Advent repertoire, but what does it mean? The concept…
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Between Amens — November full of ‘liturgical delights’
The month of November serves up so many liturgical delights. It begins with the beautiful feasts of All Saints and All Souls, which remind…
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Between Amens — A palpable longing for normalcy
Many months ago, I said a prayer of blessing over the family laptop. It’s a 10-year-old relic of simpler times, and the limits of…
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Between Amens – Catholics need careful planning and joyful hope
We are in the midst of a plandemic. That’s not a typo. Among the many frustrations we face in light of the ongoing health…
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Between Amens — A topsy-turvy world
My family and I have tried our best to follow CDC guidelines lately, but we have struggled with one recommendation in particular. Did you…
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Between Amens — True leisure is the briefest glimpse of eternity
Major League Baseball recently announced plans to start a shortened season at the end of this month. My excitement for the possible return of…
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Between Amens — An opportunity to increase reverence
These are strange times. I think we all feel a profound need for prayer and togetherness, perhaps more than ever. At the same time,…
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Between Amens — No barrier can hold back the grace of God
Let me tell you about my smelly Upper Room. You see, after the Chrism Mass, my office normally goes about the immediate task of…
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Between Amens — To trust beyond our senses
March 15 was my last public Mass. A few hours earlier, I had seen newly dire guidelines from the CDC and a request from…
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Between Amens – How do we embrace baptism during Lent?
Here’s a mid-Lent pop quiz for you: What are the two parts of what the church calls the “twofold character” of the Lenten season?…
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Between Amens – A life of faith is seamless
Last Saturday morning, I paid $4.00 for the privilege of sitting in the stands at a grade school gymnasium to watch my son’s fifth-grade…
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