When my first son was born, I lost my breath. I looked at this exquisite, tiny person looking up at me and couldn’t breathe or speak. Time seemed to stand still. There were no words, none that I knew anyway, that could express the depth of the feelings I had in that moment. Gratitude and […]
We are all living the unlived lives of our parents and our culture. In Anna Karenina, Tolstoy writes, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Now we speak of dysfunctional families. We’re wounded by our beginnings, even if we just had a “good-enough father” when we wanted a […]
Each year, as Advent approaches, I think to myself how familiar and comfortable this all feels: the lighting of our Advent wreath, the readings from Scripture, and saints our family shares as we count down the days and make our home cozy for Christmas. And yet, each year I think to myself, I want to […]
The Ignatian Volunteer Corps is hosting an Advent Morning of Reflection with Fr. Andy Alexander, SJ, on December 6, 2025. Register here for the online event. Fr. Andy co-founded Creighton University’s Online Ministries and is the co-author of Praying Lent: Renewing Our Lives on the Lenten Journey. If that event doesn’t meet your schedule, enjoy […]
Editor’s note: Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2026 suggests six steps of prayer and contemplation for exploring the daily Scripture passages: The Presence of God, Freedom, Consciousness, The Word, Conversation, and Conclusion. We’ve invited our Ignatian bloggers to explore each step in a series concluding today. Conclusion “I thank God for these moments we have […]
Now that Halloween is over, most of us are taking a collective deep breath because we know what’s coming: The Holidays. In a few short weeks, we will sit at Thanksgiving tables, and even as we clean up the dishes afterward, we’ll already be thinking ahead to Christmas feasts. If all we had to deal […]
Advent begins November 30, 2025. Here are a few resources to keep in mind as you prepare to observe the season. The Gifts of Advent Explore the gifts of the Advent season from the ease of your e-mail inbox. Inspired by The True Gifts of Christmas by Megan Alexander, we’ll take time each day to […]
Editor’s note: Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2026 suggests six steps of prayer and contemplation for exploring the daily Scripture passages: The Presence of God, Freedom, Consciousness, The Word, Conversation, and Conclusion. We’ve invited our Ignatian bloggers to explore each step in our continuing series. Conversation “How has God’s word moved me? Has it left […]
Gratitude and hope have a powerful connection and are even inseparable. Gratitude is a perspective that acknowledges and appreciates the positive aspects of life. It embraces the good, even in adverse times. Hope is the optimistic expectation that the future holds opportunities for positive outcomes. Hope motivates us to action and brings us to work […]
Have you ever been afraid of using your voice as a conduit for Christ’s voice in the world? A familiar prayer by St. Teresa of Ávila says, “Christ has no body now but yours,” reminding us that our physical bodies are meant to be used to carry on Christ’s work. We are meant to use […]
Editor’s note: Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2026 suggests six steps of prayer and contemplation for exploring the daily Scripture passages: The Presence of God, Freedom, Consciousness, The Word, Conversation, and Conclusion. We’ve invited our Ignatian bloggers to explore each step in our continuing series. The Word God speaks to each of us individually. I […]
Everything in God’s universe is present-tense. Divine love transcends time and place. So it’s never really too late to pray for a person or to express love to that beloved soul. It’s a good message as we celebrate All Saints Day and All Souls Day this weekend.
I grew up in a family notorious for not being able to make decisions. Everyone had a different opinion on what to do, and if we did agree on something, there were multiple options on how and when to do it. Going out to dinner was a major affair that stressed everyone out to the […]
Editor’s note: Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2026 suggests six steps of prayer and contemplation for exploring the daily Scripture passages: The Presence of God, Freedom, Consciousness, The Word, Conversation, and Conclusion. We’ve invited our Ignatian bloggers to explore each step in our continuing series. Consciousness “How am I today? Where am I with God? […]
Lord, thank you for all the people who have proclaimed your name throughout the past two thousand years. Many have given their lives so that today I can encounter you. I feel happy and fulfilled by my faith, knowing that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one awaited through the ages. You […]
“No pain, no gain.” We’ve heard it a thousand times. It’s a spiritual truism: You find God in pain and suffering. You find God when you learn how much you need him. Pain, failure, and suffering are your friends and teachers. Don’t run from pain; face it, and find God in it. Leonard Cohen’s lyric […]
Editor’s note: Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2026 suggests six steps of prayer and contemplation for exploring the daily Scripture passages: The Presence of God, Freedom, Consciousness, The Word, Conversation, and Conclusion. We’ve invited our Ignatian bloggers to explore each step in our continuing series. Freedom “By God’s grace I was born to live in […]
Each year my family and I enjoy going apple picking together here in New England. Yes, I know that I could just as easily buy these apples at the local orchard, and no, I don’t always know what to do with all the apples that we bring home once I’ve made apple crisp, my husband […]
In response to the Jubilee Year’s call to be pilgrims of hope, the Office of Ignatian Spirituality is asking spiritual directors, “What is your hope for spiritual direction?” Joseph A. Tetlow, SJ, hopes people in spiritual direction “will discover their own call from God.” He says, “What I should feel first of all is joy. […]
Editor’s note: Sacred Space: The Prayer Book suggests six steps of prayer and contemplation for exploring the daily Scripture passages: The Presence of God, Freedom, Consciousness, The Word, Conversation, and Conclusion. We’ve invited our Ignatian bloggers to explore each step in a series beginning today. The Presence of God “‘Be still, and know that I […]
