vincentian spirituality
Three Epiphany Words (Mt 2:1-12; Is 60:1-6)
by Tom McKenna, CM | December 29, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 4 Comments
This thread of “Stop, Look and Go” winds through the words and actions of this Feast of Epiphany.
Ready to See (Luke 3:1-6; Phil 1:9-10)
by Tom McKenna, CM | December 15, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 2 Comments
What the teacher had done was prepare him to see. She had given him a way to notice more of what was there.
Intertwining Worlds (John 18: 33-37)
by Tom McKenna, CM | December 1, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 0 Comments
More than most any other, the feast of Christ the King immerses us in this swirling dilemma of negotiating worlds.
Acting Out (Mark 12:38-44)
by Tom McKenna, CM | November 17, 2021 | Formation, Reflections | 2 Comments
When you hear that someone is “acting out” it usually isn’t heard as a compliment.
![Widening The Gate (Luke 13:22-30)](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/02/mckenna-tom-reflections-featured-facebook-1.png?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Widening The Gate (Luke 13:22-30)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 24, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
One of Jesus’ more intriguing images is that of the gate, the entranceway into his Father’s Kingdom. Entrance depends in large part on the practical steps we take to build the kind of unity, accord and cooperation that reflects his Father’s world.
![Widening The Gate (Luke 13:22-30)](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/02/mckenna-tom-reflections-featured-facebook-1.png?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
The Treasures’s Location (Hebrews 11:1-19; Lk. 12:32-48)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 10, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” (Lk 12:34)These words of Jesus shine a light on what it is that a given society values — what it treasures most, what tops its list of things most sought after?
![Widening The Gate (Luke 13:22-30)](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/02/mckenna-tom-reflections-featured-facebook-1.png?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Understand & Listen (Genesis 18: Luke 10: 38-42)
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jul 27, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
Recently I came across an intriguing quote from the 18th century author, Henri David Thoreau, which touched on a theme prominent in the scriptures.
A Life Time of Answering
by Tom McKenna, CM | Sep 12, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
A Life Time of Answering (Mark 8:27-30) People have wondered about the surprising, almost jarring response Jesus makes to Peter right after this apostle gives the exact right answer to the question, “Who do you say I am?” His reply, “You are the Christ.” But Jesus...
The Grace of Visibility
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 29, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
The Grace of Visibility (James 2: 1-5) America Magazine (8/06/18) recently featured an article entitled “Becoming Invisible.” The author observes how in both the early and ending years of life, a person is less visible to the surrounding world. A newly born looking...
The Planted Word
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 15, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
The Planted Word (James 1: 17-27) Early in the last century, a boy came home from school to tell his mother how he had thrown snow balls at a homeless man lying drunk in the winter street. Taking him aside, she drove home reasons why he should never demean...
Swept Up Into
by Tom McKenna, CM | Aug 1, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
Swept Up Into (Amos 7: 15-15; Ephesians 1: 10-14; Mark 6:7-9) Years ago I was part of a raft trip down a river that was mostly tranquil but which every once in a while would hit rapids. Then what was a calm, sit-back-and-enjoy-the-scenery stream turned into...
Up on Your Feet!
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jul 18, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
Up on Your Feet! (Ez 2:2 Mark 6:1-6) If you were to paint a picture of the prophet Ezekiel as he first appears in the Bible, you might have him sitting back in a recliner, at peace with himself and confident that the way he saw his world was the way the world truly...
Acting For Equality — in Faith
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jul 4, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
Acting For Equality -- in Faith (2 Corinthians 8:13; Mk 5: 25-34) If you’re looking for a topical subject in the Scriptures, you wouldn’t have to go much further than the one Paul brings up in a request to the Corinthians. He’s asking them to help their poorer...
Embrace What God is Doing
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jun 20, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
Embrace What God is Doing (Rom 5:1-2) To appreciate the revolutionary thrust of Paul’s message, I think of the story of a young man whose inner voice kept repeating, “You’re not good enough.” Responding to this, he felt he had to keep demonstrating that he had...
Trinitarian Nearness
by Tom McKenna, CM | Jun 6, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
Trinitarian Nearness (Rom. 8; Mt. 28) A woman once told me a lesson she had learned during the last days of her husband’s life. He had all the medical attention possible with hospice workers around the clock. But in those last days, she said, all he really wanted was...
The Face of Forgiveness
by Tom McKenna, CM | May 23, 2018 | Formation, Reflections
The Face of Forgiveness (Psalm 4) In perhaps an awkward way of putting it, one of the psalms has us asking a favor from a face – the face of God. “Lord let your face shine upon us” and a little later, “Let the light of Your face shine upon us.” (Ps. 4). The phenomenon...