How Mercy Shaped My Life

How Mercy Shaped My Life

I grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon, during the civil war that lasted from 1975 until 1990. I even witnessed the 1982 Sabra and Shatila Massacre when a Lebanese Christian group killed anywhere from 300 to 3,000 people – mostly Palestinians and...
Risking God’s Mercy

Risking God’s Mercy

Shortly after ordination, doing replacement work in a parish, I found myself in a rectory with a saintly old priest. He was over 80, nearly blind, but widely sought out and respected, especially as a confessor. One night, alone with him, I asked him this question: “If...
The Gift of Well-Placed Shame

The Gift of Well-Placed Shame

Well-placed shame is not an easy gift to receive. But it is indeed a gift. Few things are more harmful than the misplaced, abusive shaming of others — or the weighty, unjust self-shaming some people experience. Yet, when rightly applied and humbly received, shame can...
Ramadan: A Vaccine for the Heart

Ramadan: A Vaccine for the Heart

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which follows the lunar cycles throughout the year. Since Ramadan rotates throughout the year, sometimes sunset in the middle of the winter season is at 5 p.m. and in the summer it can be at 9 p.m. We still love it...