Did you hear about the Doritos' ad that was planned to run during the Super Bowl that got pulled for being offensive to Catholics? It seems the premise of the ad was a pastor (priest?) needed money to pay his parish's bills. He uses Doritos' as a substitute for the Eucharist and Pepsi as a replacement for the blood of Christ to supposedly increase the crowds in his church. The ad agency that created the commercial claims that it was not meant to mock Catholics but what else would it mean? Thankfully it will never see the light of day although I am sure it is going viral on the web as you read this. There was an interesting article in a national newspaper that described a more recent phenomena about prayer. It seems that many protestant churches have begun to use the web to promote an increase in prayer. More than four in 10 Protestant churches with websites now invite people to post pleas to the Lord on the main church site so volunteers and staff can chime in on the soulful call, according to a new survey. Catholics have joined in on the "prayer for busy people" methods as well. It is the latest cyberspin on religious life, updating traditional prayer rooms and supplementing other familiar prayer request paths such as e-mail or social networks. I will close with the words of St James who says in 4:7, "So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...
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