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Stations of the Cross for Autistic People

One of my more recent “hats” is spiritual advisor/director for the Mission of Saint Thorlak.  This website is devoted to spiritual outreach to autistic people (and others), inspired by the example of Saint Thorlak. He was a 12th century bishop of Iceland who may well have been autistic. A number of people believe that he would be an ideal patron saint for autistic people. Click the link to the Mission website that I gave above for more information.

My most recent project for the Mission is putting together a version of the Stations of the Cross that I hope will be especially helpful for people on the autism spectrum.  As you may recall, I am autistic.  I have not found much in the way of devotions and prayers that speaks specifically to the gifts and the challenges faced by people on the spectrum.  I have put together these Stations as one little attempt to address this need.

The Stations that I have put together are based on the Scriptural Stations of the Cross that St. John Paul II used on a number of occasions. I wrote the reflections for each station, and adapted prayers with autistic people in mind.  People who are not autistic will find some food here as well, I trust.

You can find the Stations here. While you are on the Mission website, feel free to explore further, to learn more about Saint Thorlak, and about the Mission.

Your constructive feedback is most welcome!

 

 

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Preparing for Lent

Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time (C)

In a few days, Lent begins.

Even though Lent begins relatively late this year, it always seems to come quickly after the memories of Christmas and New Year’s have begun to fade. Lent, of course, brings with it its own memories: purple vestments and altar  cloths, giving up things we like, trying to take on a more penitential spirit. Continue reading “Preparing for Lent”

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Free To Love, Free To Live

Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (C): Luke 6:27-38

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect  – from My Back Pages, by Bob Dylan

 

 

Love your enemies.

Offer the other cheek as well.

Lend expecting nothing back.

We are all quite familiar with these words, and with similar teachings of Jesus found elsewhere in the Gospels. We quote these words. We honor them in various ways. We do not often live according to them, however.  More often, our mottoes seem to be more like this:

Fight fire with fire.

An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.

I have a right to everything that belongs to me. Continue reading “Free To Love, Free To Live”

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The Fullness Of Our Calling

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time (C)

The Lord will complete what He has done for me.  –  Psalm 138:7

Great things happen when God mixes with us.  – Carey Landry

 

Today, we are invited to consider the stories of three people – Isaiah, in our first reading (Isaiah 6:1-8); Paul, in our second reading (I Corinthians 15:1-11); and Simon Peter, in our Gospel reading (Luke 5:1-11). All three had their lives profoundly changed by their encounter with God. All three received a new calling, a new mission, as a result of these encounters. Or, rather, it is better to say that, as a result of these encounters, all three discovered their true calling, and that their lives up until now had been a preparation for this very thing.   Continue reading “The Fullness Of Our Calling”

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Demons! Really?

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time: Mark 6:7-13

The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.  – Mark 6:13

In the Gospels, Jesus often confronts people who are possessed by evil spirits, and is often casting them out. In our Gospel reading today, He gives the Twelve authority over unclean spirits, and they also drive them out of possessed people. Continue reading “Demons! Really?”