“Listen and Respond.” If there ever were a pair of words to stir up action, these are the ones.
McKenna
Drinking At The Fountain of God’s Word (Isaiah 55: 10-11)
by Tom McKenna, CM | July 26, 2023 | Formation, Reflections | 1 Comment
With this hot weather scorching many parts of the globe, it’s not hard to appreciate the metaphor the prophet Isaiah offers as a picture of how it is between ourselves and God — more specifically, between ourselves and the Word of God.
Receiving Me (2 Kings,4; Mt 10:40)
by Tom McKenna, CM | July 12, 2023 | Formation, Reflections | 0 Comments
Two agitated men, just coming from a disastrous happening, were walking down a country road and pouring out their shared troubles. Each was focused on his own grief, but each was also was taking in the pain of the other.
Hearing God’s Love (Matthew 10:26-33)
by Tom McKenna, CM | June 28, 2023 | Formation, Reflections | 2 Comments
We readily readily recognize the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the symbol of his great love for us. But as we know from the experience of many, this message given is often enough a message not received.
Naming God (Exodus 34: 8-9; John 3:16)
by Tom McKenna, CM | June 14, 2023 | Formation, Reflections | 1 Comment
Two people are in a conversation, asking how they feel about each other. After much back and forth, one says to the other, “How would you name that feeling?”
A Very Personal Question (Matthew 16:13-20)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Sep 6, 2023 | Formation, Reflections
To get at a pivotal question in Matthew’s 23rd chapter, consider the distinction between two types of answers, one standard and the other personal.
Prayer Visuals (I Kings: 19; Matthew: 14)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 23, 2023 | Formation, Reflections
The Scriptures are filled with striking visuals for our lives of faith, and in particular for our lives of prayer. One...
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (Rev. 22: 16; Jn 17: 20-26)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jun 1, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
The word Glory shows up frequently in the Scriptures, all those praises of God’s Glory and in particular Jesus’ petitions to His Father asking to give the disciples (and all of us) the Glory that the Father has given Him.
Hearing The Voice (John 10:1-10)
by Tom McKenna, CM | May 18, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
Years ago, walking along a crowded beach, I came upon a group of people gathered around a crying, screaming child.
Recounting Grace (Luke 24:35)
by Tom McKenna, CM | May 4, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
“They recounted how…he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”
Brimming Over (Lk 15: 1-32; 2 Corinthians 5:17-25)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Apr 6, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
In Luke’s 15th chapter, Jesus relates his perhaps most famous parable, aiming to open another window onto the Kingdom of God, especially its meaning for the present.
“Something More” (Exodus 3:1-15)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Mar 23, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
Through the ages, the episode of Moses and the burning bush has figured into the religious experience of many.
Storing Up (Luke 6:42-45)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Mar 9, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
In a Lukan parable, Jesus uses the image of “storing,” accumulating and building up a certain quality inside one’s heart.
Moving Ahead (Jeremiah 1:17-19)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Feb 23, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
“Call,” a notion that figures prominently in the Scriptures, God summoning people to change direction. Heading nowhere in particular, someone senses an inner prod to take some new course.
One More (Luke 5:1-11)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Feb 9, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
I can imagine Peter’s consternation when Jesus challenges him to head out one more time. Likely shaking his head, Peter nonetheless gives his “ok, one more!”
Taking In (Nehemiah 8; I Corinthians 12; Luke 4: 18-21)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jan 26, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
“Taking in the news.” It can refer to events both good and bad, taking in the news of a baby’s birth, for instance, or at the other end, receiving word of a loved one’s passing.