My children are light sleepers, so when they fall asleep on me in the rocking chair, it can be a … More
Author: Michael J. Sanem
The Final Word Is Love: A Year In Review
Roughly a year ago, those of us in the middle of the USA faced the prospect of an extended lockdown. … More
Stations of the Cross for the Pandemic
I wrote these Stations of the Cross with the Covid Pandemic in mind, as both a way to pray for … More
The Great Letting Go
At some point in my mid-thirties I realized I was holding on a little too tightly. It manifested as an … More
Harden not your heart
After the actions at our nation’s Capitol this past week, I found myself filled with anger. Maybe anger isn’t a … More
A 2020 Epiphany
The births of our first two children were laborious, frantic affairs. Due to long labors and deliveries, the babies were … More
[I find you, Lord, in all Things and in all]
A poem by Rainer Maria Rilke for the Feast of Christ the King: [I find you, Lord, in all Things … More
They can’t touch my soul
Like many Americans, I experienced a fair bit of anxiety over the course of the election. The morning after election … More
School of Love
It was at the end of a frazzled-to-the-bone day of parenting, when everything seemed to go wrong. I was rocking … More
Holy Ordinary
The holy ordinarya radiant grilled cheeseand flies swarming the dirty diapers A squirrel burst the seed bagate all the sunflower … More
Keeping the Vigil
They didn’t teach me audio engineering or cinematography when I got my Masters in Theology. Maybe they should have, I … More
Hide and Seek
One thing that struck me in reading the multitude of resurrection narratives is the fact that Jesus rarely appears to … More
A Good Friday Prayer for a Pandemic
Jesus never stopped praying. Even as he hung on a cross, desperately trying to breathe, his lungs filling with fluid, … More
Flowers are Everywhere
It has become a sort of rallying cry: “Flowers are everywhere!” “There’s a dandelion growing in the sidewalk!” “There’s a … More
Lent in the Time of Coronavirus
On March 12th I was supposed to be on a plane to Italy, leading a group of travelers through Rome … More
Unraveling that Tangled Knot
For those of you who may be feeling overwhelmed or worried, about war or violence or the general chaotic state … More
A Good Christmas
In a hazy afterglow after Christmas, in the liminal space between the years, when every dying spark of cheer hangs … More
The Stable of the Human Heart
St. Bernard of Clairvaux speaks of Three Advents. The First one we are familiar with, it prepares us for the … More
Poems for an early snow
Snow DayIf I lived a thousand livesof great honor and renownthis simple day with youwould be the jewel in my … More
Divine Mother, Divine Mover: A Marian Spirituality of Pilgrimage
I gave a talk last night at the 1st Annual Mother Mary Dinner at the Precious Blood Renewal Center. It … More
A Violent Summer
In the fading light of evening my son is speaking of butterflies. We had just read the old favorite, The … More
Preparing for Pilgrimage
I’m gearing up for my semi-annual pilgrimage to Italy. We’ll be visiting Rome, Orvieto, Siena, Florence, Monteriggioni, Lucca, and Vernazza. … More
The Liturgy of the Sleep-Deprived Hours
In early April we welcomed our son George to the family, and amidst a flurry of changes to our daily … More
The Wounded Heart of Holy Week
As Holy Week began, we watched Notre Dame burn. As the fire raged, we watched works of art incinerated, history … More
Christ in the Desert, Bored Out of His Mind
Our Gospel for this First Sunday of Lent tells us that Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit … More
True Joy
This Lenten season is designed to prepare our souls to experience fully the joy of Easter. I can’t think of … More
Love in the Ruins
A cold and wet rain has fallen on Kansas City for two days. I sit outside my usual go-to church … More
The Holy Ache of Advent
“The lovely old carols played and replayed till their effect is like a dentist’s drill or a jackhammer, the bathetic … More
The Love That Moves The Sun And Stars
God accepts me, just as I am. God loves me, just as I am. God forgives me, just as I … More
Wounds & Wolves
Driving a long a narrow stretch of Kansas highway last spring, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the sunset, … More