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Month: March 2015

Millennial Lenten Reflections: A Holy Challenge

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation.” (Psalm 71:…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Which role will you play?

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Jesus’ hour has almost come: the actors are ready to play their roles…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Do all that you can

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The anointing of Jesus at the house of Simon the Leper causes quite…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Divine Forgiveness

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s Gospel we hear Caiaphas explain to the Pharisees why he wants…

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Rooted in Mother Earth

Life as a Franciscan missioner is full of transition and change. We learn to expect the unexpected and that we are never in control. And the more I reflect on it, the more I realize that these are all just parts of being an adult, the challenging process of learning to embrace change. The Bolivian…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Keep Calm

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.” Today’s gospel tells us about…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Reflect on your actions

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The image presented to us in today’s Gospel is stark. Jesus, having publicly…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The greatest gift

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  For the past few years, I’ve felt especially lucky to have been born…

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All that glitters

“Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.”— 1 Peter 3:3-4 I have always loved the world of fashion. Some of…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Stay the course

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  We’re well into Lent. Perhaps what we gave up (or promised ourselves to…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Have Mercy

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Today in the Gospel, the scribes and Pharisees present Jesus with an adulterous…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Go forth

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” What a powerful way…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Judge not

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s Gospel, Nicodemus questions the Pharisees by asking, “Does our law condemn…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: He is close to me, and to you

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Jesus knew His purpose in life would require intense suffering and the ultimate…

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The Dippas

After the long wait, I finally arrived in Jamaica, and it has not failed to impress. Immediately I notice the unspeakable beauty of the island. Lush jungles, incredible coastal vistas, soft sand beaches, and cooling gentle breezes whistling through the palms. I also took note of the massive houses speckled around the island hills. Alongside…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Actions speak louder than words

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Actions speak louder than words, they say. But aren’t some words helpful? Today…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: He lives in you

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Today’s Gospel speaks of the intimate union between the Son and the Father…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Calling all servants

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  I’m writing this on a Sunday, and as I lay resting after guiding…

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Ten things that I could give up for Lent in Cochabamba without trying

Starbuck’s…oh how I miss you, chai tea latte! Television…don’t have one, and don’t need one! Driving…public transportation is the way to go! Microwave…nope, don’t have one of these either. A friend and I were just talking about all of the years we could add onto our lives by avoiding potential dangers associated with microwaves…even though…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Eternal spring is ahead!

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  This time of year it’s easy to get caught in the late-winter doldrums.…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: A call to action

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The second reading from St. Paul to the Ephesians doesn’t always strike me…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Let go of control, embrace God

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  It is tempting to measure the health of our faith—and that of others—by…

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Journey to the Blue Mountains

Recently one of the priests in Savannah la Mar had a friend visit Jamaica. For the occasion, we were given the opportunity to hike to the top of the famous Blue Mountains of Jamaica located near the capital of Kingston. Since I arrived here in Jamaica, we’ve been constantly busy with our new lives here,…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The Commandments for Dummies

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Today’s Gospel is a simple, straightforward exchange between Jesus and a scribe—you could…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Harden not your Heart

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The first reading and the reading from today’s Holy Gospel strike a similar…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The Bigger Picture

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  For much of Lent, our attention is turned inward as we examine our…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Time to Double Down

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The question posed to Jesus in today’s Gospel speaks to our Lenten journey.…

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Embracing God’s Plan

I have been a planner my whole life. I rely on my color-coded calendar, countless to-do lists, and multiple email tabs everyday to keep myself organized and structured. I generally don’t enjoy being spontaneous or going with the flow. When I committed to FMS I liked knowing that I had a plan and a goal…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Building Anticipation

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  For Christians all over the world, Lent is a season of prayer, almsgiving,…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The House the Father Built

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s Gospel, I hear loud voices of men bartering in the temple…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Lost and Found

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “‘My son, you are with me always; everything I have is yours. But…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: All you need is love

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Joseph in his beautiful tunic is a familiar image from the Bible and…

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Libre Soy

Editor’s Note: The name of the individual involved has been changed.  During my first year in Bolivia, I was visiting a group of inmates in Hospital Viedma when I met Jose. He had been sent from the prison to the hospital to receive treatment for TB and to prevent an outbreak in the prison. After…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Don’t Worry, Act Faithfully

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…Is not life more than…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: A Break from Distractions

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  What is it about our constant desire to be the best? To be…

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My Bolivian Angel

I remember the moment well. It was April of last year. I was on a Skype call with Kim, the director of FMS. I was telling her about how, with language school behind me, I was just starting to settle into my new ministry sites. We had just moved into the Centro Social, so that…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Confronting Fear

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Fear is an emotion I know well. I feel afraid daily living as…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Godly Compassion

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s gospel, we are challenged to stop judging one another. Instead, we…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: God Knows Best

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s readings, we read two seemingly competing stories of God speaking of…

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