Brad Bursa

Pondering the light that shines in the darkness. The light shines in the darkness, I pushed and pulled my way up the janky staircase. The uneven and narrow treads required some familiarity. Turning your foot at a slight angle made it easier, but no less awkward. At the top, muscle memory took over. I slid…

A brief reflection on faith. From some bottomless well deep in my innards, a bellow of rage worked its way up and spurted out of my lips. “Why did you do this to me?” The words lashed from my mouth in the general direction of God. Heat pervaded the whole surface of my face the…

Introducing an “everyday” saint. Madeleine Delbrêl was determined to do one thing: to relive Christ. She wanted to live the Gospel without limit. This did not mean working for Christ. Working for Christ was too distant, too transactional. She didn’t want to be Jesus’ functionary. She didn’t want to be his employee or volunteer. She…

A Theological Reflection on Writing “In the beginning was the Word (in Greek, Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Thus begins John’s Prologue. What is this all about? What does it mean that the Word is in the beginning and why does this matter? The classical mind perceived the…

A Midsummer Reflection “Dad, can we play catch?” “…” [No response.] “Dad?” I was on my phone, busy with an inconsequential email. The older kids were at school and my wife had the baby at an appointment. It was just me and the boy, whose requests I’d been batting away all morning. I was distracted,…

Our actions are to be a glove of soft leather on the fingers of the Holy Spirit. As I’ve noted elsewhere, Venerable Madeleine Delbrêl was determined to relive Christ. Reliving Christ does not mean working for Christ. She didn’t want to be Jesus’ functionary. She didn’t want to be “used” by Jesus. No. She set…

Is there a spiritual core to this thing? Over the next several months, I intend to peel back the layers of parish consolidation (aka parish mergers) to consider the spiritual or theological underpinnings of such efforts. Namely, are there any? Is there a deeper core to these often painful realities that might serve as a…

It is Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday brings to mind fiery images of an Upper Room filled with wind and flame. The noise of a gale blowing through the window toppling whatever’s in its path. The din of confusion and surprise. Lights and sounds. The babbling of tongues. Excitement all around. Acts of the Apostles presents the…

On entering more deeply into Advent as a family. Parenting in Advent Parents, for their part, play a central role in shaping the experience of Advent for their children beyond the formal liturgy. Not surprisingly, living Advent in the home is a radically countercultural affair. To be sure, living Christian in the home is a…

An Advent Reflection from a Mexican Restaurant She flipped the lid off her burger and stared at it.  “This is not what I was expecting. What is this?” She reached down, picked up the patty, and held it in front of her, limp.  “What is this?” “That’s a hamburger,” I replied. “From the moment you…