Author Archives: Marcus Mescher
More than a Day
This Mother’s Day, Americans will spend an estimated $21 billion to show their appreciation and love to the women who gave us the gift of life. That breaks down to almost $170 for each consumer to say “Thank You!” in cards, flowers, brunch, and other gifts. Moms certainly deserve the recognition, thanks, and praise. But […]
A Virtuous Response to Terror?
Boston has been my home for almost six years. It didn’t take me long to love it. I’m not sure if it’s the blue-collar feel to a city that prides itself in not being New York, if it’s the way Bostonians are so passionate about their hometown and hometown teams, or the patriotism that pervades […]
To Practice Resurrection
As the world gets to know Pope Francis, one thing is becoming overwhelmingly clear: this is a man who takes the symbolic meaning of his actions very seriously. From the way he travels to the way he preaches, from where he stays to how he prays, this is a man whose dispositions and actions reveal […]
Let Us Pray
The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI produced an incredible array of responses from Catholics, Christians, and non-Christians all around the world. After the initial shock (and sadness, appreciation, and/or bewilderment) wore off, the pope’s decision was described in a variety of ways, from admirable to destabilizing, cowardly to the epitome of humility. The only things […]
Season of Giving
When the calendar flips past Thanksgiving, that means two things: leftover turkey sandwiches and a month of hyper-saturated, over-the-top Christmas commercialization. Yesterday, CNN reported that between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, U.S. consumers generated $59 billion in revenue. “Black Friday” may be welcomed by accountants who see their corporations climb into the black, but it […]
Not the Time for Heroes
We Americans are fascinated by individuals. We are drawn to their stories of sacrifice, endurance, and accomplishment. Programming from this past summer’s Olympics linked personal narrative to individual achievement to get viewers to root for athletes by sharing their stories. We marvel at rare feats like Felix Baumgartner’s free-fall from 24 miles above the earth. […]
Shouldering Our Weight
Last year I had the privilege of teaching a theology course on Christian faith, service, and solidarity. It was filled with more than sixty college students (mostly seniors) who were deeply committed to these topics in their personal life and wanted a more rigorous, academic exploration into subjects like altruism, compassion, kinship, and advocacy. It […]
