Breath of the Spirit

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Pastoral, Liturgical, Teaching, and Social Justice Moments brought to you by www.DignityUSA.org.

Breath of the Spirit is DignityUSA’s electronic spiritual and liturgical resource for our members and potential members. Nothing can replace your chapter or other faith community, but we hope you will find further support here for integrating your spirituality with your sexuality and all the strands of your life.

We welcome relevant homilies, inspirational writings, social justice opportunities, or theological articles from other sources also — particularly from wise women and men who can help us grow as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) and allied Catholic/Christians. You may volunteer to help with this program or send your comments by e-mailing info@DignityUSA.org ATTN: Breath of the Spirit.

JULY 2ND, 2017: THIRTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

As a kid, I often daydreamed about dying a heroic death. Especially with the rise of atheistic Communism in the late 40s and early 50s, I imagined being martyred for my faith. That kind of death best imitated the deaths of the saints I frequently heard about in my catechism classes and the pastor’s... more

JUNE 25TH, 2017: TWELFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

Today’s first reading is from what I regard as the Bible’s most depressing chapter: Jeremiah 20.

JUNE 18TH, 2017: BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

The early biblical Christian community would have looked at today’s feast through different eyes than those looking at it today. We’ve been trained to see the “feeding” element of Christ’s Body and Blood; they saw the “presence” element.

JUNE 11TH, 2017: HOLY TRINITY

All the theses we were expected to defend during our seminary dogmatic theology courses began with a “definition of terms.” We had to give the meaning or “essential nature” of every word or concept in the thesis. A good way to begin if one is an “either/or” Greek thinker. But if one thinks like our... more

JUNE 4TH, 2017: PENTECOST

If you’re participating in a Bible Trivia contest, how would you answer the question, “On what day did the Holy Spirit come down on Jesus’ disciples?”

MAY 28TH, 2017: SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Today’s liturgical readings seem to have been chosen precisely to prepare us for next Sunday’s feast of Pentecost.

MAY 21st, 2017: SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Many of us have a built-in problem keeping us from correctly understanding today’s three readings. Our catechism-oriented education assured us we’d always know we’re doing what Jesus wanted us to do as long as we’re following the teachings of the institutional church. The Galilean carpenter... more

MAY 14TH, 2017: FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Serious students of Luke/Acts realize how exceptional today’s first reading is. Usually, in depicting the early Christian community, Luke assures us that everything is going along hunkydory. Jesus’ first followers are living an ideal existence: constantly loving one another, always sharing their... more

MAY 7TH, 2017: FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

There’s no more important question in all of Scripture than which comes from the Pentecost crowd in today’s first reading: “What are we to do, my brothers?” In other words, “How, in the biblical sense, are we to be saved?”

APRIL 30TH, 2017: THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

Many of us are so accustomed to relating only to the institutional church that we can’t appreciate the early church’s quest to relate to the risen Jesus. The first followers of Jesus presumed he/she was with them as a “new creation,” a unique individual. As Paul reminded his Galatian community in... more

APRIL 23RD, 2017: SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER

Today’s second reading tells it like it is. The unknown author of I Peter accurately describes the situation in which followers of Jesus find themselves after his resurrection and before our physical deaths. “. . . Now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the... more

APRIL 16TH, 2017: THE EASTER VIGIL

It’s interesting to discover that one biblical author often depends on another biblical author. That’s the case with the inspired person who penned tonight’s first reading (the “priestly” author). Scholars agree he read and was influenced by Deutero-Isaiah – Isaiah 40-55 – the prophet responsible... more

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Breath of the Spirit

Pastoral, Liturgical, Teaching, and Social Justice Moments brought to you by www.DignityUSA.org.

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