The fourth part of my personal credo may be the most important… I am called to emulate Jesus… I am reminded of the magnitude of that aspect of my belief most strongly on Palm Sunday as I prepare to share with millions of people around the world the final steps of Christ’s final journey. Up …
Category Archives: Mind
The Children Are in School
Despite the gunfire and gang violence, we managed to complete semester testing at the Barefoot School in Cité Soleil in February. I received the report cards for 149 students this week. Regardless of performance, THESE CHILDREN ARE IN SCHOOL and are trying. That is MOST important: THEY ARE IN SCHOOL, which is a major accomplishment …
Prayerful Momentum
Many years ago during a trip to Haiti, I had the pleasure and honor of sharing dinner with Patrice Millet, a CNN Hero of the Year in 2011. As we chatted over dinner, Patrice told me the final thing he did every day with the children and young people he worked with was to pray. …
Living & Learning with Mustard Seeds
Two years ago, I envisioned supporting our work for the children of Haiti exclusively with the agricultural project that I committed to with my friend Dwight. Working in the excessive heat, limited water, and poor soil of the Sonoran Desert, we’ve learned another lesson that supports the ‘easier said than done’ theory. After a brutally …
A House Filled with Laughter
Is there anything better than laughter? I think not. Our house has been filled with smiles and laughter in recent days.
Revisiting the Rich Young Man
I was thinking about the story of the rich young man this morning. You know the one… A rich young man asks Jesus how to get to heaven. Jesus tells him to follow the commandments. “I do!” the young man replies happily. “One more thing,” Jesus adds, “Sell everything you have and give the money …
I Had the Blues
According to a recent report on Haiti from the World Bank – November 2022 – Haiti remains the poorest country in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region and among the poorest countries in the world. In 2021, Haiti had a GNI [gross national income] per capita of US$1,420, the lowest in the LAC …
Core Message
Every Saturday morning, the Pray As You Go website presents an examen, a Jesuit tradition involving reflection on and moral evaluation of one’s thoughts and conduct. I find this morning’s examen particularly inviting. In it, I am asked, “If you had the chance to give just one sermon, what would be your core message in …
A Lesson in Bipartisanism
According to Wikipedia, ‘bipartisanship’ is a political situation in which opposing political parties find common ground through compromise. As an adjective, ‘bipartisan’ suggests the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies. In today’s political environment, the word ‘bipartisan’ is tossed about like a cheap dinner salad thrown together as an afterthought with no commitment, no …
Do You Believe in Miracles?
One week after we discussed the value of Abraham’s belief in our previous post, middle son Brad shows up at the house with a special gift. Gifts are funny things. You’re never quite sure how the receiver will take them. With a few notable high-tech exceptions, Brad’s fairly good about giving gifts. He knows that …