Melanie Rigney's Blog, page 51

Friends in Faith: Michele Huey

Michele Huey and I met in 2005 at a writers’ conference in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Michele, an evangelical Christian, seemed to do everything right: She was (and is) a wonderful wife and mother and a terrific writer. She’s an award-winning columnist, and also had a radio show for ten years.

I was excited (and a little worried) when we ended up in an online writers’ group together. But I needn’t have worried. Michele is a pro, that’s for sure… but she gives it all to the Lord, all the time...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Blandina

The Basics: Born second century AD in France; died 177 in France; canonized pre-congregation; feast day, June 2. Martyr.

The Story: Blandina, a slave, learned about Jesus from her mistress. Then there came the day when her mistress was decapitated for her faith. It was a difficult time for Christians in Lyons, France; torture upon torture resulting in death occurred. Blandina was taken into custody during this time of persecution. But her tormentors complained they could not break her. It is...

Jesus, Pray for Us

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

“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have belie...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Magdalena de Pazzi

The Basics: Born April 2, 1566, in Italy; died May 25, 1607, in Italy; canonized April 28, 1669, by Pope Clement X; feast day, May 25. Women religious; mystic.

The Story: Born into a wealthy family, the child who would become St. Magdalena experienced her first ecstasy at age twelve, and entered a Carmelite monastery near her home two years later. Her life was marked by significant highs and lows; it appears she suffered from anorexia and enjoyed experiencing pain. Magdalena also spent more t...

What to Do in an Earthquake

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

I’ve been in three noticeable earthquakes. The first occurred in September 9, 1985, while I was on a Chicago el platform; the second, exactly 16 years later while I was in a Los Angeles hotel room (I figured it’d be the biggest memory of that business trip, but obviously, not); the third, in my day job office here in DC on August 23, 2011. I can...

Commandments: In Theory or Practice?

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

 

“They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” (John 4:21 NRSVCE)

In the literal sense, we all “have” the Lord’s commandments. They’re easy to access—type “ten commandments” in your favorite search engine, and you get million...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Plautilla

The Basics: Born early first century AD in Italy; died 67 in Italy; canonized precongregation; feast day, May 20. Wife; martyr.

The Story: The wife of a Roman official, Plautilla converted to Christianity as an adult. Tradition has it that Saint Paul was responsible for her conversion, and that she was baptized by Saint Peter. While we know little more about her, she is featured in this haunting draft of a Peter Paul Rubens altarpiece, painted between 1635 and 1640. In the painting, Plautilla...

Pondering Power

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

In The Wizard of Oz, Glinda the Good Witch brushes off a threat from the Wicked Witch of the West with a laugh and “Oh rubbish! You have no power here. Now be gone, before somebody drops a house on you too!”

In Doctor Zhivago, the chained anarchist headed for a “voluntary” labor camp sneers at his keeper and the others headed east in a crowded c...

Wednesday’s Woman: St. Solange

The Basics: Born about 863 in France; died 878 in France; canonized precongregation; feast day, May 10. Martyr.

The Story: Solange was a young shepherdess, born into a poor family but rich in her relationship with the Lord. She lost herself in prayer frequently, and decided she would not marry. However, her beauty caught the eye of a young nobleman,

By Julien Descloux (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)], via...

Self-Made Suspense

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

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24 NRSVCE)

They only wanted to know. All he had to do was tell them, stop speaking in riddles and metaphors and parables.  Was he or wasn’t he the  Messiah?

He told them again, clearly and quite bluntly, tha...