Blog Archive
Contemplating the messiness of Christian life
The Messy Jesus Business Blog is an ecumenical Christian gathering of musings about what it means to live the Gospel today. A variety of contributors offer prayer, poetry, book reviews, creative nonfiction and prose about what it means to live a life of faith in our complex, modern times.
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Anxiety at the Crossroads: Where We End and God Begins
The couple sits next to one another on the two-seater couch in my office, not minding the imposed closeness, arms intertwined. They have worked hard for and in this relationship, and it continues to flourish. In fact, they are getting married in two days. And they are so anxious. What will the weather be? Will…
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Hope the size of a hazelnut
I don’t pray much anymore, in the traditional sense. But in times of trouble, there are certain recitations I return to. One I’ve been repeating lately comes from the Medieval anchoress and mystic Julian of Norwich: All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. The lines…
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Why contemplation is messy
I’ll admit it. Even though I am a Franciscan Sister, I sometimes struggle with prayer. I mean, how am I supposed to contemplate when I’m busy and the world is loud, thick with violence and oppression? Doesn’the world need more do-gooders than navel-gazers nowadays? But of course, I am contemplative and being reflective is an…
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The invisible, embodied holiness of parenting
I have this image in my head of me, in twenty years, receiving some kind of award – maybe it’s the most dedicated parishioner, catechist of the year, peacemaker extraordinaire. Something acknowledging how my life exemplifies the Holy Spirit at work in the world. I imagine my grown children being invited to speak on my…
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Wade in the Water: On Floods and Finding My Footing
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the flood. That one from the book of Genesis where humanity reached such an epic state of depravity– The Lord saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen. 6:5, ESV). – God decides…
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Through blighted pastures, by poisoned waters
The roaring outside my window is loud as a freight train, but it’s a train that keeps on going, hour after hour, never making its departure. The sound of it sometimes wakes me in the night. It’s not a train, really. It’s the drill from the fracking site down the road, where my dad used…
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Works of Mercy
It was one of those days in late April in North Carolina where the cool breeze of the morning slowly gives way to a sunny, sweaty afternoon. Our little group of friends toted a blue cooler full of ice cold waters through the streets of downtown Durham. The 30 bottles ran out quickly, as we…
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Rules for a messy and holy creative practice
I’ve been feeling depressed about many things. I’ve been depressed about AI—about people using AI to write books and articles; AI stealing art and gobbling up water from poor communities; AI ruining mental health. Not to mention endless wars and genocides, climate despair, rising wealth inequality, and more. In all of this, I’ve found myself…
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Walking the path of discernment: from chaos to clarity
My friend calls it the “D” word. I talk about discernment frequently, as an inherent part of my life. My friend, who is not that familiar with it, would say, “Oh, you are talking about that ‘d’ word again.” I discern frequently, both with small daily occurrences and large life-changing choices. What makes this thing…
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Living as Easter People in the Darkness
At the Easter vigil, we sit in darkness. It’s the first time I’ve brought my family to this service. The dark church is a new experience for my three children. My 7-year-old is fixated on the small flickering candle in my hand, whispering questions about the dripping wax and helping me to blow it out…
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The journey from service to solidarity is a rocky road
In my religious education, service began with keeping score. Confirmation was scheduled for Spring of eighth grade, but my classmates and I understood that reception of the sacrament was reserved for those who completed the requisite checklist. The list item that loomed largest was obtaining sign-off on 30 service hours. Eighth graders could be found…
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