On Pelican Wings

This final episode is actually the series of extras that I promised in my opening statement. These are not found in the ebook edition of "On Pelican Wings," so this audiobook and my blog are the only places to find them!

This episode may be the one you'll prefer to skip. These are some eulogies I've written about individuals, public and private, who affected my life. These are heart-felt memorials, but I always hope I won't need to write any more of them in the future.

"The Lent Laboratory" gave me a new way to see this ancient season of the Church. One thing I learned was how much I DIDN'T see, even when facts were right in front of me. I also pondered one of the most amazing things Jesus said, when he talked about the things he could NOT do by himself.

St. John of the Cross wrote a list of "Precautions" for some sisters at a neighboring convent. His simple advice ended up helping me while I was in the middle of writing my meditation about it! There is also a reflection on the baselines we always use in our judgements, whether we are conscious of them or not.

This episode begins with a meditation that recalls the Desert Fathers and the battles in our mind. I also share the story of the woman who called and asked me to pray with her. But she hung up before I could do that. There's also a report on a class project to consider what is NOT included in the Ten Commandments.

The first meditation is about what each of us owes to those who have gone before. The shoulders of giants allow us to see even farther than the giants could, and certainly farther that we could manage on our own. I also talk about the "pelican" title and image that I've used for this collection. Other meditations consider the gift of small beginnings, and the "dark night of the soul."