What important work does Jesus ask of you at this time in your life?

This Pentecost Sunday, one thing comes to mind: “Let the Spirit move!” Let the Spirit move in new and creative and energizing ways, for that is who the Spirit is and what the Spirit does.

With whom have you shared the Good News of Jesus in the past month?

I am blessed to have opportunities to share the Good News throughout the country. This past Advent and Lent I traveled to Barling, Arkansas to co-lead two missions for Sacred Heart of Mary Parish (in Barling) and Saints Sabina and Mary Parish (in Jenny Lind).

I’m one of those strange people who takes notes during Mass.

I long ago realized that certain thoughts and words jump out at me during every liturgy, and I don’t want to forget what they are. Sometimes they come from prayers I hear every day, other times they are from homilies.

One of today’s thoughts was, “One can only understand the breath of God in silence.”

What difficulties have you overcome because of your belief in the Holy Spirit?

Last week, on a particularly balmy day, my husband moved his gardenia tree from its winter space in our family room to its summer place near the bottom of our deck stairs. Then the weather changed back to crisp days and colder nights, and in a few days the leaves of the gardenia were wilting and falling to the ground. Now we will be grateful if it comes back to life this season.

What are some ways you can imitate Jesus when you are on the playground or on a sports team?

Now I know some of you are wondering why I am responding to a question of the week that was obviously written for the consideration of children. But children, and the ways they surprise and witness to us in beautiful ways, are at the heart of my thoughts this week.

For many parents and grandparents, finding ways to cope with caring for children during a pandemic is difficult. Parents are often overwhelmed by too much time with their kids, never really having any time to themselves to recover their energy and balance their own emotional highs and lows.