Wounds

I have been reading a bit about the idea of Stigmata lately.

(And by the way, if you're looking for a fantastic novel that explores the concept, you should definitely check out "Wounded" by Claudia Mair Burney - which I read last fall and loved.)

In the meantime, tonight I read several articles about Padre Pio, a saint from the last century who had the stigmata, and thought I'd stick the links here for your interest, but mostly for my future reference.

Padre Pio's Saintly Return

The Stigmatist

Miracle Maker

Padre Pio, Pope Benedict: Soul Mates?

More Headlines

Northwest Basement Fire Claims Third Victim

God Showing up in Older Women (liked this essay)

Radical Love: The Sisters of Summit, New Jersey

Choosing Joy - Henri

Sometimes I think that whoever sends out the various daily emails I receive has been closely observing my life, eavesdropping on conversations. Then I decide that I'm being a bit paranoid, and that God just has a bit of a twisted sense of humor. Today's latest from Henri Nouwen plays right into ongoing conversations I've been having with God and with a dear friend.

Choosing Joy

Joy is what makes life worth living, but for many joy seems hard to find. They complain that their lives are sorrowful and depressing. What then brings the joy we so much desire? Are some people just lucky, while others have run out of luck? Strange as it may sound, we can choose joy. Two people can be part of the same event, but one may choose to live it quite differently than the other. One may choose to trust that what happened, painful as it may be, holds a promise. The other may choose despair and be destroyed by it.

What makes us human is precisely this freedom of choice.