Month: October 2018

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The Cloak

Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time (B) – Mark 10:46-52

He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. – Mark 10:50

At the time of the year when visions of pumpkins, candy corn and black cats dance in our heads, it may be easy to miss the context of our Gospel for this Sunday. It takes place not in fall but in early spring. Passover is imminent. Jesus and his disciples are nearing Jerusalem. This is the last event Mark gives us in Jesus’ life before Holy Week. Everything that Jesus has been saying about his life and purpose is about to be fulfilled. Jesus will be put to the test. So will his disciples.  Continue reading “The Cloak”

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Saint Thorlak of Iceland

Patron Saint for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Telling the digital world that I am on the autism spectrum tends to draw certain kinds of birds to this blog’s nest. I have had feedback from a number of people who are also autistic – sharing comments, questions, and experiences with me. One of them, Aimee O’Connell, told me that she is involved with The Mission of St. Thorlak, a ministry for and with people on the autism spectrum. I had never heard of St. Thorlak before, but he is officially the patron saint of Iceland. Aimee O’Connell is among those who believe that St. Thorlak may have been on the autism spectrum himself. They are proposing him as a patron saint for autistic people. Continue reading “Saint Thorlak of Iceland”

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The Reconciling Family

Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (B)

Since the first reading and the Gospel for this Sunday deal with marriage and family life, I have taken article that I recently wrote for the Harvest on Pope Francis’ teachings on family life and used it as the basis of this blog post.  No one will complain if I steal from myself!

In The Joy of Love, Pope Francis explores the richness of marriage and family life in Catholic teaching from a number of angles. Here, I am going to focus on the family as the place where we first learn reconciliation.  Continue reading “The Reconciling Family”