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Morning Briefing
… the web: Commentary: … Kids can fix our gun fixation … Perspective: … I'm Not Catholic, But Lent Is Just What My Busy Soul Needs … Commentary: … After Florida, will American evangelicals …
Morning Briefing
… Dennis Coday … Join NCR's stable of publications for the Lent (and when appropriate) the Easter season: Start your day inspired with daily Scripture …
First Sunday of Lent
… our knees in gratitude for the gift we could never deserve. As we move through the Sundays of Lent, we reflect on God’s covenants and Israel’s growing understanding of God’s promise and offer … and the lives of those around us. The essence of this psalm, at least for this First Sunday of Lent, is the first verse: “Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, guide me in … and teach me, for you are God my savior.” One of the greatest challenges we could take up in Lent would be to make that verse the theme of these 40 days. Doing so will lead us to end our …
First Sunday of Lent: Teach me your ways of love, compassion
When we were teenagers, my brother and I spent a lot of time playing the guitar and singing the folk songs of the day. Our parents loved our singing, but Mom couldn't bear to hear us sing songs about war, especially the laments over the dead or the soldiers who came home maimed. We weren't allowed to sing them in her presence. When Mom heard of someone who had died in Vietnam, she would visibly…, Editor's note:, This Sunday scripture commentary appears in full in NCR's sister publication Celebration, a worship and homiletic resource. Request a sample issue at CelebrationPublications.org . Sign up to receive email newsletters every time Spiritual Reflections is posted.
Morning Briefing
… Dennis Coday … Join NCR's stable of publications for the Lent and, when appropriate, the Easter season: Start your day inspired with daily Scripture … a pencil sketch and a short meditation. Or commentaries from NCR and Global Sisters Report: … Lent: missing pieces, finding fullness … by Sr. Colleen Gibson, a Sister of St. Joseph of …
Florida school shooting an act of 'horrifying evil,' says Miami archbishop
… the wounded in their healing. "Catholics and many other Christians have begun the journey of Lent today," he said. "I encourage us to unite our prayers and sacrifices for the healing and …
Lent is time to notice God's work, receive God's mercy, pope says
… Cindy Wooden … Catholic News Service … Lent is a time for Christians to get their hearts in sync with the heart of Jesus, Pope Francis … of flesh,'" the pope said Feb. 14, celebrating Mass and distributing ashes at the beginning of Lent. After a brief prayer at the Benedictine's Monastery of St. Anselm, Francis made the … church" pilgrimage in Rome. In his homily, he said the church gives Christians the 40 days of Lent as a time to reflect on "anything that could dampen or even corrode our believing heart." …
Morning Briefing
… . Part 2 of his review is up today; Part I is here . If spiritual reading is one of your Lent practices, we have reviews of three faith-related books , including novelist Amy Tan’s new memoir. Don't have a Lenten plan yet? Try an online Lent retreat or a modern version of an ancient prayer wheel . … Listen up! … To mark the beginning of Lent, BackStory, a podcast about American history, is looking at how what it means to be Catholic …
Ash Wednesday
… Ash Wednesday … By: Joan DeMerchant … Introduction … Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a time set aside to examine our ways, repent our failings and imitate God’s love and mercy. …
NCR Podcast: Contemplation for Lent
Nancy Sylvester, a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Monroe, Michigan, is a talented speaker and an expert in leading contemplative reflection. She talks about why this practice is more important now than ever, and she’ll teach the setup for starting your own contemplative practice., On the show today:, Sr. Nancy Sylvester, former president of LCWR, founder and director of the Institute for Communal Contemplation and Dialogue, Background reading:, Nancy leads readers through the practice of using a mandala to facilitate a new year contemplation. Sister leaders in the Leadership Conference of Women Religious connect contemplation with the real world at their annual meeting. Nancy Sylvester explains the Welcoming Prayer , a powerful, transformative practice., How do I listen?, We can let you know when new podcast episodes are published. Sign up for emails here. From your iPhone or iPad: Open the preloaded app called "Podcasts." It has a purple icon. If you're reading this from your phone, tap this link , which will take you straight there. (You can also use the magnifying glass icon to search; type "NCR in Conversation.") Once you're on the series page, you can tap…
How to cope with the odd match of Ash Wednesday, Valentine's Day
… each bears characteristics of the other. Penitents with smudges may enter into the mystery of Lent with a joy that passes understanding, taking hold of the invitation to devote themselves to …
Ash Wednesday is Valentine's Day -- for God
… Sound familiar? Reminds me of the prayer, fasting and good works that are the hallmarks of Lent. If we're going to nurture our romance with God, we need to renew and refresh our passion for him, and in Lent we do it especially with prayer, fasting and good works. Lent should be a time of more intense prayer, and it is nothing more than communication with God. …
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
… may be celebrated with children if they are old enough to benefit from it. Ash Wednesday: Lent begins this week. Planners should consult with priests and deacons to determine the best …
Morning Briefing
… Kong cardinal … The bishops of Australia are calling Catholics to use the first four days of Lent (Feb. 14-17) as … days of fasting and reparation in sorrow for child sexual abuse and for …
Lent is time to become aware of false prophets, cold hearts, pope says
… Carol Glatz … Catholic News Service … Catholics should use the season of Lent to look for signs and symptoms of being under the spell of false prophets and of living with … "the soothing remedy of prayer, almsgiving and fasting," the pope said in his message for Lent, which begins Feb. 14 for Latin-rite Catholics. The pope also invited all non-Catholics who … and thus lessens our missionary zeal." The remedy for these ills can be strengthened during Lent with prayer, almsgiving and fasting, he wrote. Praying more enables "our hearts to root out …
Spending Lent with Alexa
… gadgets like Alexa, that I probably should give her and my other electronic attachments up for Lent. That would be a real penance! Doing penance is one of the ancient traditions of Lent. It reflects the Christian’s desire to spend 40 days fasting in imitation of Jesus, who … has historical roots in the time when public sinners were required to do public penance during Lent, only to be readmitted to church at the Easter Vigil. But I am not giving Alexa up for Lent. …
Bishop lays out plans for 'eradicating this plague' of racism
… Archbishop Robert Carlson has asked priests to preach about racism on the first Sunday of Lent this year. Bishop Murry, in his plenary address, said Catholics cannot "sit on the sidelines …
Classifieds
… Books; Artwork by Brother Mickey McGrath - www.EmbracedbyGod.org … PILGRIMAGES … CAP YOUR LENT with a Paulist Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Frs. Thomas Kane and Bruce Nieli. March …
Call to Action national office tells Lincoln bishop: end excommunication 'immediately'
… 1:55 p.m., CDT, with comments from Call to Action Nebraska. The national Call to Action office lent public support Tuesday to its excommunicated members in Lincoln, Nebraska, and the recent …
Why can 'Catholic' bloggers disrespect the pope?
… include This external link will open in a new window Sacred Silence: Daily Meditations for Lent and This external link will open in a new window In the Image of Christ: Essays on Being …