Since the beginning of the practice of medicine, the Hippocratic Oath has been used to ensure that medicine remains oriented toward its true purpose: “First, do no harm.” This oath presupposes that medicine itself is not a boundless good, that it must be kept in check. Often we forget that it is possible for medicine… Read More Over at Ignitum Today: First, Do No Harm
Bridget was born half princess, half slave—and what a fitting description this is for our human condition. From her humble origins, she strove toward virtue and goodness and elevated herself to the level of sainthood. She broke free from the slavery that her mother endured, and she turned away from her father’s self-centered lifestyle and… Read More Over at Ignitum Today: St. Bridget
“‘Thomas! Thomas!’ two snickering friars called, rousing their brother who was bent over his books. ‘Look out the window—there are pigs flying about in the sky!’ Thomas rose at once and bounced to the window incredulously. The friars laughed. Putting the finishing touch on the jest, the saint responded, ‘I would rather believe that pigs can fly… Read More Over at Ignitum Today: Sheep Among Wolves
It is very appropriate, I think, that I received my diagnosis of wheat and milk allergies during Lent, three years ago. After all, I was already in a mode of Lenten sacrifice, and it felt good and natural to cut out these foods from my life and stick to a very basic diet. Also, I… Read More Over at Ignitum Today: Beyond My Comfort (Food) Zone
When I was three years old, I had a terrible case of the chicken pox. So terrible, in fact, that my spleen became enlarged, and doctors ran all sorts of tests to be sure I didn’t have leukemia. Fortunately, it really was just the chicken pox, and I recovered just fine. My sister had the… Read More Over at Ignitum Today: Spiritual Antibodies
This time of year is usually filled with traditions: both family traditions and liturgical traditions, which shape our experience of Christmas. Traditions serve a great purpose in our lives. We are creatures of habit, and circling back to favorite traditions year after year helps us focus on those things that are most important, and it… Read More Clinging to Tradition—Over at Ignitum Today
I imagine angels to be like responsible teenagers asked to babysit their toddler siblings. I’m sure that my own guardian angel is often exasperated with me, as tends to happen when babysitting mischievous toddlers. Sometimes the kids are adorable, and sometimes you have to lure the guinea pig out from under the couch because the… Read More From the Realms of Glory—Over at Ignitum Today
Have you ever reached a point in a friendship or relationship where you begin to feel you’re running out of things to talk about? Do you ever fall into patterns and habits with the time you spend together—watching TV instead of having a real conversation, talking only about sports instead of delving into what’s really… Read More Walking Mysteries
work in progress 