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Acts of the Apostles
The “Before” and the “After” of the Ascension
by John Freund, CM | May 14, 2021 | Formation, Reflections, Vincentian Family | 1 Comment
The question “why are you looking at the sky?” is addressed to us today. Today, we are those dazed apostles looking up rather than within and around ourselves.
Reacting to Different Ways of Thinking
by John Freund, CM | April 9, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 2 Comments
Looking at Jesus through the eyes of a Jewish person or a Gentile.
Acts of the Apostles, Systemic Change and Polarization
by John Freund, CM | April 7, 2021 | Formation, Reflections, Systemic change | 0 Comments
Over the next several weeks the liturgy, drawing from the Acts of the Apostles, presents selected stories of ordinary people who coped with severe polarization some 2,000 years ago.
What is the Most Important Room In the World?
by John Freund, CM | May 21, 2020 | Formation, Reflections, Vincentian Family | 2 Comments
Reacting to Different Ways of Thinking
by John Freund, CM | Apr 9, 2021 | Formation, Reflections
Looking at Jesus through the eyes of a Jewish person or a Gentile.
Acts of the Apostles, Systemic Change and Polarization
by John Freund, CM | Apr 7, 2021 | Formation, Reflections, Systemic change
Over the next several weeks the liturgy, drawing from the Acts of the Apostles, presents selected stories of ordinary people who coped with severe polarization some 2,000 years ago.
What is the Most Important Room In the World?
by John Freund, CM | May 21, 2020 | Formation, Reflections, Vincentian Family
What is the most important room in the history of the world… and our lives? The Oval Office, Buckingham Palace? …...
Identity Politics In the Early Church
by John Freund, CM | May 6, 2020 | Formation, Reflections, Systemic change
We often read Acts 6 with a focus on the institution of the diaconate without realizing that the underlying problem was one of race, class, etc. Let’s read Acts 6 as a solution to the identity politics in the early church.
The Reality of the Church – Then… and Now
by John Freund, CM | Apr 29, 2020 | Formation, Reflections
The church of almost 2000 years ago Many times we think of an idealized version of the early community as presented in the second chapter Acts 2:42 and repeated in the fourth chapter Acts 4:32 to highlight the importance for St. Luke. ... they devoted themselves to...
The Acts of the Apostles Are About Us – Today
by John Freund, CM | Apr 22, 2020 | Formation, Reflections
We can read the Acts of the Apostles as interesting history detached from our lives. Or we can read them as stories about real people – people like ourselves, people facing the same issues we do today.
Reacting to New Ways of Thinking
by John Freund, CM | May 1, 2019 | Formation, Reflections, Systemic change
I don’t think I ever really appreciated how much of a radical change in thinking observant Jews were asked to make regarding their deeply held identity and beliefs. The Acts of the Apostles reveal the struggles to understand and accept a new way of thinking and living. It did not happen all at once.
T. McKenna – Barnabas, Patron Saint of “Visitors From Headquarters”
by John Freund, CM | May 9, 2015 | Formation, Reflections
Barnabas was in close touch with the Spirit within and all around him.
Reflections on Mary, Mother of the Church – at Cana and Acts
by John Freund, CM | May 6, 2015 | Vincentian Family
“Mary, Mother of the Church”. Sr. Regina Bechtle, S.C. reflects on Mary in the Wedding at Cana, and as part of the community of disciples after the Resurrection.