Faith is the bird that feels light and sings when the dawn is still dark. -Rabindranath Tagore

On this day in 1977, Jesuit priest Rutilio Grande was assassinated as a victim of El Salvador’s civil war. Rutilio was a courageous person of the people, who advocated for an end to the war and equal treatment for all. A visit to El Salvador decades ago had a profound influence upon me as a young teacher, especially my visit to the home and chapel of slain Archbishop Oscar Romero. Many years later, their witness for peace still resonates with the needs of our world today.

Enjoy this week’s quote along with another great, joy-filledTiny Desk performance by one of my favorite hip-hop groups, De La Salle. Blessings on your week ahead!

Rutilio Grande, SJ, on LOVE
“In the pursuit of justice, we can expect to encounter discord and opposition; and in such cases, conflict is sometimes unavoidable. Yet love does not allow us to stand on the sidelines of such conflicts; it commands en-gagement. In such situations we do not advocate physical violence. Instead we should engage in the struggle by employing the moral force of the power of love. Therefore the code is one word, LOVE: against all anti-love, against sin, against injustice, against the domination of peoples, against the destruction of peoples.”

Leading with an open heart helps you stay alive in your soul. -Ronald Heifitz & Marty Linsky

Last night we played a family board game and listened to a Bob Dylan record. It was so nice to wind down our evening together and connect over laughter, music, and healthy competition. I had plenty of time to recall last night’s enjoyment on my drive into the office this morning, when I found myself following a tractor trailer truck around some twists and turns of the beautiful Wine Country roads. I find myself welcoming opportunities to slow down.

This week I share a quote from my morning prayer book today, along with a song that infused my weekend workout on the elliptical. I hope they bring some perspective to your day. Blessings on your week ahead!

“Today, more than ever, we need to pray…for the light to know the will of God…for the love to know the will of God…for the way to do the will of God.” -Mother Theresa

Every act of virtue is an ingredient unto reward.- Jeremy Taylor

We spent time in Chinatown over the weekend and it felt glorious to begin to celebrate the Lunar New Year. I had hoped that this past January might have offered a chance to re-set and renew with the start to 2026, but alas, my life had other plans. And so I’m now embracing this “Year of the Horse,” as characterized by “strength, energy and resilience”…along with “happiness, good health, and prosperity.” I’ll take it, please:)

Blessings on your week ahead!

a blessing for when love makes you brave (Kate Bowler)

Blessed are we,
when love makes us brave.
Be it our friends or teachers,
Our mentors or partners.
Our siblings or parents or grands.

From the littles who remind us to get in the game,
even if there really is something more pressing to do in that moment.
To the parents who remind us how quickly it all goes,
whose wild, ungrounded belief in us gives us courage

To try something new.
To make a big leap.
To take a chance on love.
To risk, to fail, and to try, try, try again.

This is the kind of love that sticks.
So bless all of us, in our great big web of love.

Practicing silence means making a commitment to take a certain amount of time to simply be. -Derek Chopra

At a team meeting this morning, we discussed the distinction between “listening,” and “listening for”…with the idea being, when we simply “listen,” we meet people where they are. Without judgment, nor pretense. A colleague stated, “listening is at the heart of healthy community.” Amen!

This week I share the below prayer along with the sincere hope for peace in our world. Respect for all begins with an honest embrace of the inherent dignity of each one of us, and through time in dialogue, time in quiet, and time together, may we build bridges and be peace to one another. In prayer and community we can move forward with hope. Blessings on your week ahead!

Emergency Novena for Peace, Justice, & the Protection of Human Dignity

Through the Intercession of Servant of God Dorothy Day.

God of all peoples, Your heart aches for every person who suffers.

You are near to the brokenhearted and close to those crushed by injustice.

We bring before You the violence of our time, the fear that grips many communities,

and the despair that tempts us to believe nothing can change.

Through the witness of Servant of God Dorothy Day, stir us from passivity,

move us toward our suffering neighbors, and teach us to love in ways that change the world.

Servant of God Dorothy Day, you chose the way of radical love in a violent world.

You trusted that small acts of faithfulness could reshape history.

You believed every human life mattered.

Intercede for us.

Pray that our nation may be healed of cruelty.

Pray that fear may not have the final word.

Pray that we may become builders of peace,

even when peace feels impossible.

Help us to live the Gospel with integrity, to love without conditions, and to seek justice without ceasing.

God of mercy, receive the prayers we have placed before You.

Hold close those who are suffering.

Protect those who are in danger.

Strengthen those who labor for peace.

Remain with us in the days ahead.

Do not let our hearts grow hard or our hope grow thin.

Make us instruments of Your compassion in a wounded world.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

“God, You stayed. Thank You. I did what I could. Now, You keep watch.” -Modern Serenity Proverb

I have been thinking quite a bit about the concepts of unconditional love and radical forgiveness. Both of these traits seem to be needed in today’s world, and I also find moments for practice within my life these days. Embracing these belief systems and placing them into action require a discipline and intentionality that at times can feel impossible. Today’s reality calls us to conversion of our collective and individual hearts, toward a peaceful revolution of sorts, one that invites all “in,” rather than cultivating division. One that is grounded in the recognition of God in others.

Alas, I give thanks for family, community, and the fulfilling sense of purpose that encompass my identity as a person, partner, dad, and educator. I trust and pray that communities in need, across our Church and in our society, find similar experiences of belonging and purpose. Blessings on your week ahead!

“The law of love demands that we become people of the towel and water, that like Christ we wash the feet of our neighbor. This simply means that we wash the feet of one another when we implement the Gospel. That and that alone is the true revolution that will change the face of the earth.” -Catherine de Hueck Doherty, Grace in Every Season

True love always brings joy to ourselves and to the one we love. -Thich Nhat Hanh

This week marked the third anniversary of the passing of Zenmaster, Poet and Monk Thich Nhat Hanh. In recent years I’ve come to appreciate him as an example of inner strength. I hope this quote and video remind us of the peace within us. Blessings on your week ahead!

“We don’t need to wish our friends, ‘peace be with you.’ Peace is already with them. We only need to help them cultivate the habit of touching peace in every moment.” Thich Nhat Hanh

May you be safe. May you be happy. May you be healthy. -Calm Meditation App

I recently sat in the corner of my backyard with my dog, soaking up the rays of sun. The ten minutes I spent sitting still and petting Bingo felt like a lifetime. In the busyness of life, I never cease to be amazed by how important it is to slow down. Rest. Reflect.

In this new year, my wife introduced me to a “Calm” meditation app on our phones – sponsored by our healthcare provider – that’s been a fantastic, grounding experience for us to both benefit from each day. It only takes a few minutes! It’s working for me to integrate this into my daily rhythm.

Speaking of rhythm, I’m pleased to share the new Bruno Mars video that brought a smile to my face last week. Along with this quote from Father James Martin, I hope you find them refreshing resources for your own reflection. Blessings on your week ahead!

Loving Beyond Boundaries – Fr. James Martin, SJ

What would it mean for us to love beyond boundaries? It means loving when you are tired or stressed or overwhelmed….[it] means loving people who live in places we may never visit – or have heard of….Loving without boundaries also means putting that love into action.

Peace is the answer, Joy is the goal, Thanks is the prayer, Love is the road. -Mary Davis

I am grateful to be home and settling into the new rhythm of a new year. My morning workout at the YMCA reminded me of the richness of everyday activity and everyday people. Following some wonderful holiday time with family near and far, my kids and I are all eager for the return to our friends at school and at work…blessings on your week ahead!

A Prayer for 2026

This year. This space. This wonder. This grace.

All gifted from the heart of God. For you. For me.

Our world is wonder. Our world is worry.

Both are made Holy by prayer and gratitude.

Let us encircle each other with kindness, understanding and mercy.

Let “Deo Gratias” be our new year prayer.

-adapted from Sr. Joyce Weller, DC.

Today is a new day, a day you’ve never lived before. Perhaps each little act of love can be like a note in a symphony. Perhaps each loving choice can become part of a harmony, a song to give God praise. With every new chance to love, say yes to blessing God’s name.

—Excerpted from 2026: A Book of Grace-Filled Days by Julia Walsh

Knowledge is fostered by curiosity; wisdom is fostered by awe. Awe precedes faith; it is the root of faith. We must be guided by awe to be worthy of faith. 
—Abraham Joshua Heschel

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. -Corrie ten Boom

My recent travels have afforded me the gift of time to reflect, broadened perspective through the differing experiences and cultures of others, and an enhanced appreciation for the life I live and the gift of community that abounds within and around me. I treasure this gift of awareness and seek to integrate it into my daily flurry of life activities, personal and professional demands, and spiritual ups and downs. Perhaps this is my life journey.

Blessings on your holiday weeks ahead!

The Gift of Generosity

Gratitude and generosity coexist within us. We cannot nurture one without building up the other. Each quality shapes our mindset about and our posture toward being in this world. Resentment and selfishness grow in an environment of fear, unfreedom, and the perception that there is not enough—of anything—for everyone. Gratitude and generosity grow in an environment of faith and freedom. These virtues are honest responses to a world that brims over with God’s love for us.

—Excerpted from “Gratitude Leads to Generosity” by Vinita Hampton Wright

The Gift of Second Chances

Today is a new day, a day you’ve never lived before. Perhaps each little act of love can be like a note in a symphony. Perhaps each loving choice can become part of a harmony, a song to give God praise. With every new chance to love, say yes to blessing God’s name.

—Excerpted from 2026: A Book of Grace-Filled Days by Julia Walsh

Good theology opens the doors to stuffy rooms. -Timothy Radcliffe

This week I am sharing just a couple resources of wisdom on Sabbath days and spirituality. I found these to be welcome reminders to me this week during a time that is a flurry of activity otherwise. Blessings on your week ahead!

The Gift of Life

Sunday is the day to rest and enjoy the gift of life. So play family games, visit relatives, carry out a hobby, go swimming or hiking, play pickleball, work a jigsaw puzzle, attend a play or a concert, take a nap, or maybe even have a girls’ night out. Make yourself happy by making someone else happy this day. Make God happy by spending time with him in extra prayer.

Christians moved the Lord’s Day from Sabbath to Sunday because Jesus rose from thedead that day. Each Sunday is a little Easter. After observing it well, on Monday morning you arise from sleep, a little death, fresh and full of life.

—Excerpted from Cherished by Jesus
by Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND

Reflection on Spirituality

“When we expand our awareness, strengthen our center, clarify our purpose, transform our inner demons, develop our will and make conscious choices, we are moving toward deeper connection with our spiritual self.” “ – Molly Young Brown