The tender theology of lullabies
When I was a child, I thought I was the luckiest kid in the world because I got four lullabies sung to me every night -- one each from my mother, father, sister and brother. I can still hear their voices ...
Family is where we learn to serve the least among us
Ask any parent who launched their child only to have them return home or encouraged them through rehab, only to watch them relapse. Ask any adult child who has welcomed their parent into their home as ...
The power of a 'nudge' to pray
During my husband's years in business school, he learned about the power of the "nudge": how to form a new habit by connecting it to a habit you already have. This practice changed my life, because ...
The most important prayer you already know
Want to hear a secret? You likely know a prayer that can reorient you to everything in your life. And it goes like this: "Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy ...
See you in the story
My son stands in the center of his bedroom, wailing to the heavens while his sleepy brothers tuck into bunk beds. Tonight, there has been no time for stories, since the family party ran late. But I hadn't ...
In praise of singing
The first thing I noticed about our parish was the music. Everyone sang. From the moment the opening hymn began, the sanctuary was filled with a robust chorus. I looked around and couldn't believe ...
When reentry is rocky
I recently returned from a beautiful pilgrimage to France, but unexpectedly brought home a stomach bug to my beloved family. Talk about a bumpy reentry to ordinary life: from Lourdes to laundry heaps ...
Faith at home is faith for others
Did you know that one of the most famous lines attributed to St. Teresa of Kolkata was never spoken by her? "If you want to change the world, go home and love your family." What Mother Teresa actually ...
