[Pearls Ep 169:  Answering atheism Tuesday.] Have you noticed some people are remarkably successful with just one thing? Thomas Kinkade essentially painted the same cottage over and over. The script and co-stars may change but Jack Nicholson is always Jack Nicholson. Kenny G’s saxophone ballads… We’re taking nothing away from those artists – they found Read More >

[Pearls Ep 169:  Bringing Sunday into the week.] If you have kids, or perhaps were one at some point, the question “How long till we get there?” has come up. Actually, when Steve was a kid, that question only came up once.  It was rewarded with a look of withering consternation from his mom that Read More >

[Pearls Ep 169:  Preparing for Sunday.] For sure you’ve gotten some of “those calls” in the past.  The bad ones.  And you know it from nearly the first syllable.  We can think of a few: Steve’s sister’s voice on the phone the morning my brother in-law suffered a stroke. Karen’s sister’s voice on the phone Read More >

[Pearls Ep 169:  Preparing for Sunday.] How do we recognize Jesus’ voice? This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday and the 4th Sunday of Easter.  The Gospel reading (John 10:1-10) brings us Jesus’ message that He is the Good Shepherd. Leading up to Easter Jesus promised us new life.  And in the Sunday Gospels following Easter Read More >

[Pearls Ep 168:  Answering atheism Tuesday.] We’ve been looking at how the account of the road to Emmaus has much to do with coming to terms with loss and suffering. The two disciples were gripped with despair because their hopes were dashed. Then comes Christ and His amazing response – “Was it not necessary that Read More >

[Pearls Ep 168:  Bringing Sunday into the week.] On Friday we looked at how the account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus has much to tell us about dealing with loss (as well as other trials of life).  That was “key #1” to praying with this passage. What, then, do we do with Read More >

[Pearls Ep 168:  Preparing for Sunday.] We are looking at 3 key aspects of how we can connect with the Emmaus episode in prayer.  Specifically, we are looking at ways that might open up new dimensions of relating with Christ, especially in our losses and trials. Today we look at the first key, which is Read More >

[Pearls Ep 168:  Preparing for Sunday.] This Sunday’s Gospel reading (copied in the postscript) brings us the account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  They are descending into despair following the crucifixion of Christ. But low and behold, they are joined by a certain someone, and their fortunes take a dramatic turn. Read More >

[Pearls Ep 167:  Answering atheism Tuesday.] Go to any best-seller list – New York Times, Amazon, Barnes & Noble – and at any given moment in time half of the list might be self-help books. Purpose Driven Life, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Your Best Life Now, and new ones each day. There’s Read More >

[Pearls Ep 167:  Bringing Sunday into the week.] In this week’s Pearls of the Interior Life (and this series of messages) we’ve been looking at the transition from the Lenten Gospel message of Jesus’ promise to bring us new life, to the Easter Gospel message that we can trust Jesus to make good on that Read More >