Posts by Joe Colletti
Pondering the Sorrow of the Coronavirus and the Joy of Christmas
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people (Luke 2.10)” has additional meaning this Christmas because of the pain of the pandemic and vaccine for the COVID-19 virus Pondering the sorrow of the Coronavirus and the joy of Christmas as intricately linked can generate our…
Read MoreIt is Time to Restore the Tradition of Fasting During Advent Because of the Pain Precipitated by the Pandemic
–Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly– – Joel 1.14- Approximately 1,500 years ago, fasting was a widely practiced tradition of Advent unlike today. Fasting became increasingly deemphasized during the past several centuries, differentiating the spirit of Lent from that of Advent. The spirit of Advent today is embedded in honor and hope. We…
Read MoreHow Should We Respond to the Pain Precipitated by the Pandemic?
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is within your power to act (Proverbs 3.27) Therefore, as we have occasion, let us do good to everyone (Galatians 6.10) For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Pandemic: How Should We Respond to the Dying of the Elderly?
You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD. –Leviticus 19.32– –Let Us Envision a Post-Pandemic Era in Which We Rise in the Presence of the Elderly and Honor the Aged Unlike Ever Before– You are to rise in the presence of the…
Read MoreCOVID-19: How Should We Respond to the Death and Dying?
“The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing.” (Job 24.12) The groans of the dying rise from the city We hear the groans through the media, the distressing daily stories and updates about the number of persons…
Read MoreSocial Distancing and Social Distance: What’s the Difference?
–Social distancing provides a time for deeper reflection on social distance— Health and government officials define social distancing in disaster preparedness terms such as “shelter in place” and “Safer at Home” to prevent the spread of an infectious disease such as the new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) by ordering people to stay in their residences…
Read MoreSenses and Census: Creating a Sense of, and Solutions for, Social Justice
Our senses often allow us to grasp and understand our surroundings if we allow it. Through our senses, we receive information about our external everyday world. Such information often helps provide daily reasons or purposes for our actions including moral discernment. We formulate opinions and seek consensus when we engage others in light of our…
Read MoreCollective Responsibility and Homelessness: Integrating individual and shared responsibility
William Johnston, S.J., one of the twentieth century’s mystical theologians, and who I once met, wrote the following in his book entitled: Christian Mysticism: “The inward journey can be described as a journey into the depths of one’s being, a journey to the true self and through the true self to God, who is at…
Read MoreIntegrating Scripture, Social Capital, and Social Reform
While there is no set and commonly agreed upon definition of social capital, common elements include the sum of the social, economic, and moral resources that accumulate through a network of mutual relationships; goodwill among the persons and organizations that make up the network to disseminate the resources within the network; and positive benefits from…
Read MoreIntegrating our Passions, Probity, and Prayers
The Spiritual Practice of Praying the Psalms and Seeking Social Justice Integrating our passions, probity, and our prayers can be accomplished by praying the psalms. These Old Testament prayers serve as examples of powerful petitions filled with passion and probity and often centered on social justice which can serve as patterns of prayers for us…
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