Arise / Vol. XXV / No. 9 / May 2014

The Splendor of the Spirit Twenty-fifth Anniversary year / No. 9 / May 2014

The Splendor of the Spirit is to encourage gifts. To invite risk. To reach out beyond safe boundaries. To make connections. To unite. To celebrate diversity. The story of Pentecost states that the Spirit of God is uncontrollable—by us. It comes as a “strong driving wind’ and “tongues [on] fire! Or in “Trekkie” language, to go “where no one has gone before.”

Arise / Vol. XXV / No. 8 / April 2014

The Victory of Our God - A reprint of Vol. XIV / No. 9 / May 2003

I was having difficulty writing this issue; it was 2003 and the Iraq war was raging. Then a friend reminded me that Easter was the feast of faith; so I was Ok then and realized that Our God is always Victorious. I conclude this issue with a meditation on the wonderful story of the Jesus walking along with two men on the road to Emmaus and "their eyes are opened and they recognize him in the breaking of the bread." (Luke 24)

Arise / Vol. XXV / No. 7 / March 2014

The Mystery of Human Suffering

As we approach Holy Week and Easter we're in the final stretch of our Twenty-fifth Anniversary celebration of Arise. This issue will resonate with most of you, my readers, since human suffering cuts into our lives at least once and may leave us deeply wounded—depending on the resilience of our faith.

What immense suffering is there in the human condition! Perhaps the psalmist prays for us all, at one time of our life or another: Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in distress. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighs. ~ Psalm 31 There have been times when I have felt like this, even to the sense of isolation and desolation expressed herein.

Arise / Vol. XXV / No. 6 / February 2014

To Be Human

This is the sixth of the series of the "The Best of Arise;" this one from 1978. My dog Shivvy makes an appearance; he was still a puppy at the time; I had him for seventeen years until 2011 and now have another sweet dog named Shoney. I wrote: "As I become aware of this body-to-body connection with this wonderful little creature, I wonder about the similarities and differences between us. You see, reflecting on this little one who shares my apartment and my life, I think about who he is and who I am. He and I share life in common and having him around prompts me to reflect on the mystery of life, as at this moment."

Arise / Vol. XXV / No. 5 / January 2014

Living in the Present Moment

Where can we find God?
We may have found God in the past in inspiring liturgies or nourishing retreats or wonderful conversations with a friend. But God does not dwell in the past. And we all long to find God in our future. But I propose that the only way we can find God and ourselves is in the present moment. The present moment is the only one in which we can be conscious. It is the only moment in which we can take in everything before us and be fully alive.

Arise Vol. XXV / No. 4 / December 2013

From Loneliness to Solitude

My retreat at the Holy Cross Abbey over the All Saints weekend, followed by my Thanksgiving and Christmas has prompted me to reflect on my experiences of loneliness.

What I've realized is I've been given a wonderful Christmas gift this year: My loneliness has been transformed into a peaceful, joyful solitude! I shared this realization with a priest-friend and he quoted me a wonderful line from St. Bernard:

"Numquam minus solus quam solus." "Never less alone when alone."

Arise Vol. XXV / No. 3 / November 2013

The Journey Inward

The journey inward is bittersweet, also filled with adventure, excitement, trying times, and sometimes, danger. I was impelled on my own journey inward in my early thirties when my life started to unravel. I was terrified at first, but soon began to see how important that journey was. There I found my strengths and weaknesses, my goodness and my potential for evil, the glory and folly of myself.

Arise Vol. XXV / No. 2 / October 2013

The Human Power of Touch

We're in the Twenty-fifth Anniversary Year of Arise and in this issue you'll find that I had just gone to Baltimore in 1992 to get a second degree in professional writing. I only knew a few people there and was feeling quite isolated. Even my body seemed to feel the isolation. I got to thinking: Is everybody like that? Do most people like to be touched? Do people miss that kind of contact when they are isolated—when they live alone, perhaps? And so, I wrote this reflection about the Human Power of Touch.

Arise Vol. XXV / No. 1 / September 2013

The Courage To Change

We're celebrating the Arise Reflection/Letter's Twenty-Fifth Anniversary this year with a look back at some of our best. This one was published in 1991 and it looks at personal change over against the courage that it took for the Russians to stand up against Communist tanks that year. Nobody really likes change. It's always difficult ~ whether the changes be internal or external ~ even if the change is for the better.