Good Saturday evening everyone. 

 

When I was on holidays in January, I was sure that I packed Karen Armstrong’s new book Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life and found it under my jacket in the carry-on as I was packing to go home.  I just finished it this week and in the latest issue of America there is a fairly comprehensive review.  She builds on ideas from her last few books (especially The Great Transformation) and here explores the call to life of compassion in our personal life and in the world.  It is an easy read and this review is helpful.

  

http://americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=12771

 

This is the weekend that we begin the last three weeks of Lent and hear some of the most dramatic stories from the gospels.  The Woman at the Well is a long but powerful encounter and here in this powerful monologue, a young actress captures how the woman might well speak of her experience of meeting Jesus.  Powerful stuff.  It is also a reminder that new media is being used very creatively by individuals and organizations to explore issues of faith.  After hearing the gospel at Mass this evening and watching this monologue again I have a whole new appreciation for this telling of it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q49BbfgJbto&feature=player_embedded

 

Have a good week.

 

Con