- By Melannie Svoboda SND
As many of you know, I love children’s stories. When I finished my term in community leadership, I signed up for two classes as a “reward” for my service. The first was a course at our local seminary entitled “The Psalms and Wisdom Literature in the Bible.” The teacher, Fr.
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
We’ve all heard the proverb: “Curiosity killed the cat.” Yet I remember what my mother always added: “But satisfaction brought it back to life again!” So, which is it? Is curiosity something dangerous and should be avoided? Or is it something life-giving and should be encouraged and even nourished? What
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
The full title of my blog is “Sunflower Seeds: Celebrating Everyday Spirituality.” Today I’d like to explore that word spirituality. In my book, Traits of a Healthy Spirituality, I say this about my use of that word. Spirituality is our essential outlook on life, the way we perceive reality. Spirituality
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
(Note: On my blog, I occasionally feature other peoples’ writing–such as their poems, excerpts from their books, or interviews with them. Today’s reflection is written by Sister Valerie Sweeney, SND, a good friend of mine. Her reflection grew out of a conversation we had recently.) Many of us are probably
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
Have you given any thought to the moon lately? If not, I hope today’s reflection will lead all of us to a greater appreciation of earth’s only natural satellite. (This post is adapted from my book When the Moon Slips Away.) Let’s begin with a few facts. Where did the
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
Today I am sharing a reflection I wrote for the March 2025 issue of Give Us This Day, published by Liturgical Press. First, I will give you the Gospel on which the reflection is based. Then I’ll share the reflection. ***************************************************************************** Matthew 13: 31-35 Jesus proposed another parable to them.
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
Up until a few months ago, I had never heard of Dorothee Soelle, a German theologian (1929-2003). Now I own one of her books (Essential Writings), I’m reading it enthusiastically, and I’m posting this blog about her! I thank Robert Ellsberg in the April issue of Give Us This Day
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
Sometimes I come across a phrase that stops me in my tracks. It’s a phrase I find startling, intriguing, seemingly contradictory, but definitely worth pondering. One such phrase came from Pope Francis when, in 2017, he made a surprise appearance at a TED conference and called for a “revolution of
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
This year we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America–for many of us, our cherished country. But anniversaries are not merely a time for nostalgia and celebration. As Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore wrote: an anniversary “calls us to consider not only who we have been,
- By Melannie Svoboda SND
It’s summer time here in the northern hemisphere. And when we think “summer,” we usually think vacation or enjoying more lesisure time–especially outdoors. Consequently, I thought it would be fitting to give you 20 quotations on rest, leisure and play from a variety of individuals. I invite you to reflect
