The life and ministry of Sr. Monique Monquette can perhaps best be understood through two timeless songs: “Many Rivers to Cross” by Jimmy Cliff and “Bridge over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel. Both songs speak about struggle, transition, uncertainty, and the grace of finding someone who walks with us through difficult seasons of life.Continue reading “A Bridge Over Troubled Waters”
Tag Archives: faith
Finding Humility in the Vastness of Creation
The chapel occupies only a small space within my home. My home, in turn, occupies only a small corner of the city. The city rests within the country. The country finds its place within the Caribbean basin. The Caribbean belongs to the Western Hemisphere. The hemisphere is but a portion of the Earth. Earth circlesContinue reading “Finding Humility in the Vastness of Creation”
The Divine Drama of Salvation
The divine drama of salvation unfolds most profoundly in the liturgies of Holy Week.Here, God in Jesus Christ steps onto the stage of human history,entering fully into its mess, its brokenness, its suffering,not to avoid it, but to redeem it. Palm Sunday serves as the curtain-raiser.It introduces the protagonist, Jesus, yet leaves us with aContinue reading “The Divine Drama of Salvation”
Beyond the Reef
Vulnerability,Brené Brown says it’s uncertainty, risk, emotional exposure—but it feels to me like standing barefootat the edge of the sea,where the sand still remembers my nameand the water does not.Lately, the tides have changed.What once felt like a gentle shorelinenow asks me to swim—past the protective reef,past what is familiar,into waters that are deep, dark,andContinue reading “Beyond the Reef”
The Marriage of Christmas and Emmaus
Christmas is God’s greatest surprise:God steps onto the dusty and rugged road of our human journey.No longer distant—no longer mediated only by fire, cloud, angel, or law—God walks with us now in flesh and vulnerability,as companion, as Child, as Presence.For this mystery, the heavens themselves cannot remain silent:Gloria in excelsis Deo.And yet, so often, weContinue reading “The Marriage of Christmas and Emmaus”
I Am
I am—born and grown under the bright Caribbean sun,cradled in the warm, salt-sweet womb of the Caribbean Sea.Before my ancestors dreamed of freedom,God was already stirring the waters,brooding over chaos, whispering life into broken beginnings.The waves sang my lullaby before I knew my name,and the trade winds carried the stories of those who came beforeContinue reading “I Am”
Breadfruit and hope after the storm
THE EDITOR, Madam: In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, our beloved Jamaica mourns. The wind’s roar has subsided, but in its silence, the cries of families who have lost their homes, livelihoods, and, heartbreakingly, loved ones still echo. Roofs lie scattered like memories; rivers continue to flow through living rooms; children sleep where walls onceContinue reading “Breadfruit and hope after the storm”
God Wink
I was sitting in the peaceful ambience of a restaurant at Fond Deux, St. Lucia, when a man I had briefly met the day before approached me. He asked, “Do you know the meaning of ‘God’s wink’?” I said no, and he explained that it refers to a seemingly coincidental event or personal experience interpretedContinue reading “God Wink”
Rum, salt and blessings
THE EDITOR: Madam: Two events, occurring at different times, caused unease among Christians in Jamaica. On November 17, 2013, The Gleaner reported that Rev Marjorie Lewis used salt to bless offices at the Ministry of Youth (‘Salty Ritual leaves youth ministry staff concerned’). Recently, Minister Daryl Vaz used white rum to bless school buses, prompting the JamaicaContinue reading “Rum, salt and blessings”
Living in the Present Moment
focusing on what is happening now, acknowledging my racing thoughts and strong emotions, and noticing those around me are my greatest challenges. The fierce and gentle winds of distraction, along with clouds of worries about the past or future, shift my focus away from the present, pulling me back either into the past or forwardContinue reading “Living in the Present Moment”
Beloved Reflections 