"Every spring is the only spring – a perpetual astonishment."

"Never saw hide and seek with daisies in the snow. The joyful play reminds me to notice and take time to play."

I was recently approved to profess my first vows as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa. The act of public commitment to God in the context of community is both ineffable and concrete: It's sign and symbol and lived reality all wrapped up in one. That's a lot to take in! As I prepare, I again turn to a familiar subject for insight: running and prayer.

The nearly 150 people crowded into the common room listened in awe as Adrian Dominican Prioress Attracta Kelly described how the order grew from six sisters who started a hospital in 1884 to a community with 300 sisters at the motherhouse and chapters around the world.

After fleeing their home countries because of war, people from Iraq and Syria find refuge but no legal status as they shelter in Lebanese refugee camps and substandard housing situations. Only about a third find regular apartments; work is scarce, and a network of service providers see pressure points growing increasingly strained.

It was a privileged experience to be with the people in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, at the Mass celebrated by Pope Francis on February 17 during this Jubilee Year of Mercy. It changed Ciudad Juárez and its people.

"We believe that our efforts to raise consciousness and expend our energy for the cause of justice and equal rights for all people are responsibilities incumbent on us as members of the human family and followers of Christ."

See for Yourself - Pam is a university colleague who teaches in the biology department. "Do you realize how fascinating our brains really are?" she asked. "We just have no idea the power each of us carries around in our brains. Here's just one example for you. . ."

Notes from the Field - There is such power in simply being present, simply being open to listening to someone's story without looking for the perfect response or advice to give, just being. Stories of strength, resiliency, and the love of God are present in every survivor, and it is beyond encouraging.

"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."