God Cherishes Deeds

Genuinely caring what another thinks, cherishing the actions of another: the result of both is a deeper relationship. It is so with God. Ignatian praying allows one to feel God cherishing, respecting, vivifying oneself. Spiritual director Tim McEvoy considered a dictum of St. Ignatius of Loyola: actions for others exceed words. Praying allows actors to notice and share God's delight. 

How does @Pontifex call us to transform our culture in order to care for our common home in #Laudatosi? https://t.co/9gpKaUrJQd

— Thinking Faith (@ThinkingFaith) May 16, 2020

Respect

WATCH: ‘When you wear a mask you say 'I respect you,'’ said Governor Andrew Cuomo as he called on New Yorkers to wear face masks pic.twitter.com/pJHF7lS2Em

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 16, 2020

Ecological Conversion Involves Transformation

The pandemic has caused many to think about living differently. Conversion describes living differently; the word is not strictly religious, although its use often is.

Pope Francis has issued and continues to issue a call to conversion on many fronts of human living. Conversion drives ecological initiatives. They begin at the personal level before gaining societal momentum. Habits—unreflected and unchanged—provide inertia for individuals; consumerism is inertia, too, especially for wealthy societies. Theologian Donal Dorr considers both levels through the lens of the call to conversion issued by Pope Francis.

How does @Pontifex call us to transform our culture in order to care for our common home in #Laudatosi? https://t.co/9gpKaUrJQd

— Thinking Faith (@ThinkingFaith) May 16, 2020

Faith-Turn of Ecology

Laudato Si! helped people appreciate that integral ecology and faith go together. Conversion is word Pope Francis used before his encyclical and since. Questions arise: “What is to be understood by...ecological conversion? How would this conversion come about? What would it look like as a community conversion? Do the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius have a role to play in bringing it about?” Jesuit spiritual director and author Eric Jensen opens his article with those questions.

Eric Jensen SJ explores ecological conversion through the thought of #Jesuit theologian Bernard Lonergan and considers what it looks like in practice. https://t.co/iXjTijwxeu #LaudatoSiWeek

— Thinking Faith (@ThinkingFaith) May 16, 2020

Being and Doing

Jesuit Michael Rozier reflected well about human character during the pandemic. “This crisis can make us feel that we are the objects of other people’s decisions, but as I wrote in a previous column (“We must not allow the coronavirus to rob us of our humanity. How can we (safely) preserve it?”), reclaiming our agency is a spiritual task as much as it is a temporal one.”

Seniors who lived through earlier challenging times offered some 1^st-person advice about character, namely being a person who makes the world better. The seniors shared their memories with 2020 graduates.

How the coronavirus can help us reclaim the virtues of self-sacrifice and prudence https://t.co/bF3eEq0gcw

— America Magazine (@americamag) May 15, 2020

Here is some guidance — senior to senior — from people who graduated in the midst of epidemics, wars and the fight for equal rights. https://t.co/hifOVPrIUw

— CNN (@CNN) May 15, 2020

Integral Ecology Week: 16-24 May

Integral ecology runs through “ Laudato Si!—On Care for Our Common Home.” Pope Francis invites everyone to revisit and celebrate his 2015 encyclical for the sake of our planet, its biodiversity and its cultures. Thinking Faith posted an anniversary alert with some anniversary resources.

In our latest alert: Pope Francis invites us to use Laudato si' week (16-24 May) to build a better world together. Plus: International Day of Families; and Emily Dickinson. https://t.co/YSmhfTRNVy

— Thinking Faith (@ThinkingFaith) May 15, 2020

Not the Same

Live-streamed masses are giving way in some areas to masses in churches. Yet prudent physical distancing continues to make singing difficult (“Singing, to a greater degree than talking, aerosolizes respiratory droplets extraordinarily well. Deep-breathing while singing facilitated those respiratory droplets getting deep into the lungs”); not to mention limiting numbers of people.

In the U.S. the communion service is being considered as a way to offer communion. “Since most bishops and priests have not spent any time explaining the Eucharistic prayer to their people, they should not be surprised if the people don’t grasp the difference between a Mass and a Communion service."

"The requirement to practice social distancing means that many more U.S. Catholics are going to attend a Communion service on Sunday rather than a Mass," writes @ThomasReeseSJ.

"Preparing the American Catholics for Communion services will not be easy."https://t.co/creD9m1bS6 pic.twitter.com/AJbJRuWh3a

— Religion News Service (@RNS) May 15, 2020

Anniversary & 2 Cs

Catholics and Evangelicals joined together around the common good—specifically, the SARS-CoV-2 and climate change: “both the coronavirus and climate change require people of faith to be united, more compassionate and more charitable.” The online dialogue between Catholic and evangelical leaders in Central Florida also recognized the 5^th anniversary of Laudato Si!.

Catholics and evangelics mark Laudato si anniversary by considering its lessons for a global pandemic.https://t.co/PCtZvr9tMu

— Crux (@Crux) May 14, 2020

Late But Correct

The word that the coronavirus more adversely affects peoples of color has been announced sooner than in past circumstances. The announcement is nevertheless late; it began in typically understated fashion. Today the U.S. bishops supported the needs and rights of indigenous peoples.

“We hold in prayer our brothers and sisters who are suffering and grieving in these communities, and we stand with them in calling for a robust response to the pandemic in their lands.” #Catholic #COVID https://t.co/YJ2gHTlORJ

— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) May 15, 2020

Today: From the Pope’s Prayer Network

#HumanFraternity #PrayTogetherToday, "believers of every religion are invited to unite themselves spiritually in a day of prayer, fasting and works of charity, to implore God to help humanity overcome the coronavirus #pandemic." (Pope Francis) pic.twitter.com/UgyMTbivqy

— Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network – Vatican (@popesprayernet) May 14, 2020

Time Not Withstanding

The story below spans two continents and several cultures. It recounts a past favour being repaid today. 

The Irish are repaying a favor from 173 years ago in Native Americans’ fight against coronavirus https://t.co/4C7Q5KwPIE

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 13, 2020

Travel Stories

On returning home vacationers abide in their travel lands through stories—ones they share with one another; ones they share with others. Traveling is not possible at present, but telling stories is. The Guardian has been making that possible with their Readers’ Travel Tips.

Travel serendipity: tell us about a chance encounter that made your trip https://t.co/1we7JCr3WZ

— The Guardian (@guardian) May 13, 2020

Announcement: 18 May Marks an End

Pope Francis will interrupt live-streamed masses.

#PopeFrancis will celebrate Mass on 18 May at the tomb of Pope St. John Paul II for the 100th anniversary of his birth. As of that date, the Pope will no longer live-stream his daily Mass in the Casa Santa Marta.https://t.co/KQ1RXM1BCZ

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 12, 2020

Intimate, Whole Self

At the last supper Jesus asked his disciples to pray. He had their future, their mission, in view. Asking is also loving. The image of vine and branches brings to the centre continuity—Jesus with us, we with Jesus by the power of Holy Spirit. At today's General Audience Pope Francis listed some characteristics of prayer.

#PopeFrancis reflects on the essential characteristics of prayer, saying it is universal, intimate, and entirely trusting in God. #GeneralAudience https://t.co/ZvJZuig3lv

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 13, 2020

Conversion for All

Jesuit Federico Lombardi offered another post in the Vatican News series, “Living Beyond the Crisis.” He noted the pandemic affects everyone; “it is a shared illness.” The experience of the pandemic has shown how “contingent” humans are. 

The largest sharer in the pandemic is the Earth, providing home and sustenance to all. To welcome the conversion ahead Salesians of Don Bosco Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam listed “7 Reflections on the coronavirus emergency from an ecological perspective.” He is Coordinator of the Sector on Ecology of the Vatican Dicastery [Department] for Promoting Integral Human Development.

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Wiki-image Sun over the Lake Niassa Reserve by “USAID Africa Bureau Uploaded by Elitre| PD-US"

Repeating Invitation

A chorus of voices speaking different languages joined Pope Francis’ plea to pray and act in the face of the pandemic—14 May. 

As #PopeFrancis invites people of all faiths to pray on 14 May for an end to the #coronavirus pandemic, we get a snapshot of people around the world who plan on taking part in this unique initiative. https://t.co/PALYH6j5SY

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 12, 2020

Annexation Obfuscated by Pandemic

The Palestinians have rejected partial statehood that includes land removal. That continues to inch forward though not reported.

The U.S. has expressed support for the annexation plan, which would bring 30% of the West Bank under Israeli permanent control, contingent upon the offering of limited statehood to the Palestinians in the remaining territory -- something the Palestinians have rejected. https://t.co/ddOiSxLxRO

— Catholic News Service (@CatholicNewsSvc) May 12, 2020

Focus on Health

A pandemic add to the observance of International Nurses Day. It coincides with the birth of Florence Nightingale. This year it also evokes prayer for nurses and their expertise and selflessness.

On this International Nurses Day, birthday of Florence Nightingale, we also remember the Sisters of Mercy who accompanied her to Scutari to nurse the wounded. We pray today in gratitude for all nurses& nurses in training. https://t.co/hISPy2qkG7 pic.twitter.com/D6RgVgyL8G

— Sisters of Mercy (@mercyworldwide) May 12, 2020

Amid pandemic, nurses have given heroic example, pope says https://t.co/zue82tN1Da

— Catholic News Service (@CatholicNewsSvc) May 12, 2020

Returning and “Reopening” Challenges

Faculty of the University of Toronto authored the first peer-reviewed study of the novel coronavirus and its interaction with warm weather. “Summer won’t bring an end to transmission of novel coronavirus.”

If quarantine has been challenging, then emerging from it may be more challenging. Discover Magazine supplemented a recent post with wisdom from various of disciplines. “A slew of fresh obstacles will force us to adapt our old habits and create new ones” as we emerge from quarantine.”

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Wiki-image A quiet clear summer day in a beach by “Genpasaporte2 | CC BY-SA 4.0"

Music and Healing Comfort

A physician with a background in music had an insight. She enlisted the help of friends to present music from far distances to the physician’s patients and to her colleagues.