I manage to roll out of bed just a tad earlier than normal. I stumble down the stairs, collapse into a great, leathery chair, and pull out my pile of spiritual reading. I close my eyes, take in a deep breath, bless myself, and… I hear the scampering feet of my two little girls as […]
I’ve been enjoying watching the family of bluebirds in my yard. I watched the parents’ courtship, the nest building, the egg laying, and the hatching and fledging. I was fascinated with how the parents brought food back to the nest, where they were met by open-mouthed baby birds fully prepared to accept what was given […]
What is the best gift you have ever received? This question is a favorite icebreaker question, and I am always stumped when I try to answer it. As most icebreakers involve quick thinking, I usually give a superficial answer that, upon further reflection, is not actually a true one. The things that always come to […]
One of my grandmother’s favorite expressions was, “One of the things you can always count on in life is change.” There were many times as a teen or young adult when I did not appreciate her words, especially if they came right after I shared my struggle with change. After listening to my moaning and […]
When I was young, each autumn I waited anxiously for the Sears Christmas catalog to arrive in the mailbox. Three to six hundred glossy pages, the famous Wish Book held almost everything a child could dream of. My friends and I would sprawl on the floor, pencils in hand, circling and starring items that seemed […]
Advent is a sacred season of preparing space for Christ to come into our lives. Yet in life’s busyness, sometimes I find it difficult to embrace fully the spiritual depth of Advent. Ignatian spirituality offers a contemplative and transformative way to deepen our experience of Advent. The first week of Advent begins with a message […]
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? […]
