For Orthodox Christians, Lazarus Saturday, with its brightly colored vestments, its relaxation of fasting and its little sweet-smelling pastries, is a joyful time.
The pope’s monthly prayer intentions reflect the tension between the comfort and challenge of the Gospel. On March 13, the 11th anniversary of Francis’ papacy, there is no better gift than to pray with and for him.
Amid all the wrestling with theology we do, maybe our job is also to notice what is being done to us. To behold the way God uses vexing things like conflict in the church to work on us, to purify us.
I understand that yoga can be a controversial practice. But for many of us older people, it helps us pay attention to our bodies and our minds, to the way they can work together for our health and well-being.
On the surface, the message of the Jesuit maxim “men for others” is simple, but its history and evolution only add to its layered and meaningful message.