Catholic ideas about reverence are grounded, unsurprisingly, in the Old Testament, where there are two Hebrew words for it: “yare” and “shachah”. The first one usually gets translated as “fear” or “awe”; the second is, literally, “falling down” and indicates bowing or prostration (i.e., face down on the ground in humility, submission, or adoration). These … More Reverence

From a fellow Oblate … I have been pretty fragile emotionally ever since our daughter-in-law gave birth to a stillborn son recently. Now Advent is upon us and, of course, Advent is all about anticipating the birth of a son! It has triggered a lot of raw emotions and perplexity. How do I welcome Advent when the experience … More Entering Advent in a Time of Deep Grief

Next Monday, the Feast of St. Benedict, I’ll be renewing my vows at the early morning Mass at my parish church. This has become an annual event. I first asked my pastor—I guess this is seven years ago now—if I might renew them privately with him: show up early; go to Confession; renew; go to … More Vows

[A reflection I’ll be giving at my parish’s Corpus Christi Vigil next Saturday night…] I want to talk about Adam and Eve. I want to talk about the garden. I want to talk about the inexpressible joy of living with God, of walking side by side with God, of having the very breath of God … More Corpus Christi Reflection