Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

September 14 th is traditionally the Feast of the Cross in the Catholic Church.   Why would anyone celebrate this instrument on which Jesus died?   In his day, the cross was used to kill a common criminal.   It was the death penalty of first-century Palestine.   Like many beliefs connected to our brother and friend, Jesus, the cross is full of paradox.   Yes, it is a symbol for death.   And, it is also a symbol for victory or triumph.   Anytime we see a cross, we should be reminded that love will always be more powerful than hate.   Peace and non-violence is much more successful than war or division.   Did you not hear that in the memorials for 9/11?   Forgiveness and compassion are what have lasted in the stories of that day, even after 10 years.   Have you ever had anyone who would not forgive you?   Or, have you ever held on to some hurt or hate in your own life?   The gnawing feelings inside of us end up h...

Dates, moments and times hold significance - some personally, some communally, some within borders some beyond borders.   In these days, remembering September 11th is significant in all these ways. There is no one that has not been touched by what took place on 9/11/2001 and all that has followed in its wake. In my ministry of retreats and spiritual direction, I refer to my work as the act of accompanying souls.   But we are not just our own person with our personal souls.   We are connected in so many ways.   I listen for these connections especially the connection and journey with God. Our personal and communal souls have been marked by the shock, sadness and dilemmas of 9/11.   In these intervening years what I have heard is the desire to hope in real and deep ways; the call to be compassionate with oneself and each other and the struggle to move beyond revenge.   These are not the normative messages from most media but this is the gleanings I...