Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 5

The World Hated Him First

Note: On Saturdays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If you belonged to the world,[f] the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19, NRSVCE)

Seriously, who wants to be hated?

We need look no further than the martyrs i...

On the Nightstand: Jesuit and Franciscan Spirituality

The past few weeks have been crazy busy for me. So I’m grateful my friend Caroline Lawry gifted me Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits. It’s a lovely collection of dozens of prayers, none more than a page long. It’s helped keep me remember faith is more important than any of the world’s noise. I’ll keep dipping into Hearts on Fire this month… and I’m also excited about delving into The Handy Little Guide to Prayer when my copy arrives later this month. It’s by my friend Barb Szyszkiewicz, who’...

“Show Us the Father”

Note: On Saturdays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”  Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:7-9,
NRSVCE)

Philip wanted a God moment.
 

You know, the kind where Moses took the elders to s...

“Rise Up!”

Note: On Saturdays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

Peter had been there the day Jesus raised the synagogue leader’s dead daughter, taking her hand and saying, “Talitha koum!” (Little girl, I say to you, get up!”)

He had had his own doubts at times before the Resurrection, doubts about himself. But after that post-Resurrection day when Jesus asked him to feed the Lord’s sheep, there was no stopping Peter.

...

Storms, Boats, and Fears

Note: On Saturdays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

When they had rowed about three or four miles,a]">[a] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” (John 6:19-20 NRSVCE)

“It is I. Do not be afraid.”

The disciples knew about strong winds and storms, and how to navigate them. They knew well, full well, that people did not wal...

The Awesome Responsibility of Proclamation

Note: On Saturdays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

They didn’t believe Jesus had risen when Mary Magdalene shared the news with them.

They didn’t believe the two disciples who encountered the Lord on the road to Emmaus.

Finally, when they were at table and they saw him with their own eyes, they believed. And after chastising them, Jesus charged them anew to go out into the world and share what had happened.

Then, ...

Let There Be Light

Note: On Saturdays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

And there was light.

God created light out of wasteland… and allowed dark to continue to exist.

We know the light is good. We appreciate it all the more when we find ourselves in darkness—be it mental, emotional, spiritual, physical. We have faith because we know just how warm and loving and gentle the light is. We believe that with God’s help, we can persevere th...

Friends in Faith: Karin O’Reilly

About a year ago, I was in need of someone to do some research into Catholic bloggers, women’s groups, and the like (not to mention resources to replace dead links on my web site). I whined to a friend that she’d be perfect for the work, if she wasn’t already busy with her husband, two darling kiddos, her day job, and ministries. She suggested her mom, and I am not exaggerating when I say that suggestion was Heaven-sent.Karin O’Reilly “gets” me and does a terrific job of finding exactly what I...

On the Nightstand: Becoming an Ordinary Mystic

One day a few weeks back, this book by Father Albert Haase showed up at my place. I knew I hadn’t ordered it, and there was no gift tag in the box. The state where I live has a law that if you get something you didn’t order, it’s yours. I told my Bible study group I thought it must be a gift from God.

I had read the first few pages when I got a gentle note from a Chicago area friend, birthday twin and sister in Christ and writing Letitia Suk asking if I’d received her gift! The mystery was solve...

“Better for You to Have One Man Die”

Note: On Saturdays, you can find me at Your Daily Tripod, owned by my friend TonyD. A longer version of the post below appears there.

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” (John 11:49-50, NRSVCE)

Caiaphas was right, of course.

But he didn’t realize it.

It was better for all of us that one man would die so that the...