Leif Kehrwald
May 16, 2021

Have you heard of the book, and Netflix program, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat? She identifies these four elements as the essentials of good cooking. She says “Salt, Fat, Acid, and Heat are the four elements that guide basic decision making in every single dish, no matter what. The rest is a combination of cultural, seasonal, or technical details…"
 
In the same manner, what would you consider to be the four essential elements for faith growth? For example, my four words are: story -- relationship -- community -- reflection.

Sr. Phyllis Jaszkowiak
May 2, 2021

​Today Jesus says: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own, unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.”
 
An author Isaac S. Villegas tells the story of the vines in his yard.  “The vines behind my house creep along a fence, then trespass into my neighbor’s yard to crawl onto the roof of a toolshed and jump into the tree canopy.  There’s a wildness to vines, which Jesus offers as a metaphor for his movement in the world.”

Leif Kehrwald
April 18, 2021

As we tentatively emerge from a year of isolation, and a year of racial strife, events that have touched and changed each and every one of us, events that for the rest of our lives we will mark and remember other experiences as either pre- or post- pandemic, pre- or post- George Floyd, we find ourselves asking the very same question that surely the disciples of Jesus were asking after his death: How shall we live now?
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Sr. Phyllis Jaszkowiak
April 11, 2021

​The readings for today give a glimpse of the various responses to Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Jesus says “Peace be with you”, a sign of his love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion.  The community, confused, in a muddle and fearful, gathered together, behind locked doors, for strength and courage.  So Jesus’ first word is ‘Peace”.
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Leif Kehrwald
March 28, 2021

As we contemplate the passion and death of Jesus, how are we supposed to feel? How are we to respond to all this? How do we get through it? How does this go?
 
In an odd way it brings to mind, for me, a current favorite book of my granddaughter’s – at least when her Papa reads it to her. She is just shy of two years old, and for some reason has latched onto We’re Goin’ on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury.