In this week’s Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12), we read about John the Baptist preaching repentance in the desert and baptizing the throngs of people who came, acknowledging their sins. In case his readers and hearers miss the significance of this seemingly simply man, who dressed in camel’s hair and survived by eating locusts and wild honey,Continue reading “Making Straight the Path”
Category Archives: Claire Bischoff
Feast of Christ the King
This coming Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, a relatively new feast in the two century-long history of the Catholic church. It was instituted in 1925 through the encyclical Quas Primas by Pope Pius XI, who believed that respect for Christ and Christ’s Church was waning due to the rise of secularism.Continue reading “Feast of Christ the King”
Not to Worry
“So make up your minds not to worry about your defenses beforehand…” Luke 21:14 It was a beautiful fall day, clear blue skies, warm sun shining through the autumn leaves, which is why my mother allowed me to walk home from piano lessons with my two younger siblings rather than pick us up. Halfway home,Continue reading “Not to Worry”
Seen through God’s Eyes
When I was seventeen, I registered for a religion class on prayer and spirituality at my Catholic high school. Even though I was convinced that prayer was not for me, it was a pass/fail course that included an overnight at a retreat center and my best friend was planning to take it, too, so IContinue reading “Seen through God’s Eyes”
Resurrection
“When you have kids, D-E-A-D is a four letter word,” a friend who is a mother of four once told me. I did not fully grasp what she meant until we had the first death in the family that my boys were old enough to experience. After my Uncle Paul’s funeral, when I was lyingContinue reading “Resurrection”
Serenity Prayer
Through its comparison between the prayer of the Pharisee and the tax collector, this week’s Gospel from Luke invites us to consider our own prayerful attitudes. As I indicated a few weeks ago, I have found myself praying the Serenity Prayer multiple times a day lately, and I am curious what this says about myContinue reading “Serenity Prayer”
Why We Go to Church
A few weekends ago, my husband and I took our two sons to Saturday afternoon mass and then left them with a baby-sitter so that we could go out to celebrate my birthday at a restaurant that does not have macaroni and cheese on the menu. Maybe it was the pre-dinner glass of rosé thatContinue reading “Why We Go to Church”
Football Season
There is a chill in the morning air. The leaves are turning color. And the Vikings are off to a dismal 1-3 start in the National Football League. It must be fall in Minnesota! Football is indelibly connected with my fall experience. Even before I was in high school, my dad would let me tagContinue reading “Football Season”
Fall Leaves
Each year, when autumn arrives, it takes me three times as long as it does in summer to walk the six blocks from my house to my favorite coffee shop because I stop for each gorgeous leaf that catches my eye. I cannot bring myself to pass by the sunrise orange elm leaves, the goldenContinue reading “Fall Leaves”
Religious Identity: A Complex Story
In my line of work, I get asked about my religious affiliation a lot. The easy answer is to say that I am Roman Catholic. But this easy answer does not feel like the most honest or complete one. When faced with an inquiry about my religious identity, my temptation is to launch into aContinue reading “Religious Identity: A Complex Story”
Keeping Faith Today 