September 10, 2023: "A Discerning Community" with Carolyn Jacobs

Preaching for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Carolyn Jacobs, MSW, Ph.D. offers a reflection on community: "The challenges of our church and our world are invitations to continuous discernment of how to dialogue, to forgive, and to be obedient to the urgings of the Spirit. We live in a time when we need to step out and invite others to prayer, dialogue, and action. We need to trust the Holy Spirit to guide us. For the challenges invite us to become open to our personal and collective vulnerabilities in creating and nurturing communities of faith that are inclusive. To remember that we are not alone, that we are because others exist in the world surrounding us. We trust that whatever challenging circumstances or people we meet on our journeys, we are called to listen for God’s voice as we gather in groups of two or more and hold in our hearts the love of our neighbors as ourselves." Carolyn Jacobs, MSW, PhD is Dean Emerita and Elizabeth Marting Treuhaft Professor Emerita of the Smith College School for Social Work and Spiritual Director. Dr. Jacobs was a member of the School’s faculty for 35 years, serving as the dean 14 of those years, as well as director of an Advanced Certificate Program in Spirituality and Social Work Practice for seven years. She received her MSW from San Diego State University, her doctorate from the Heller School of Brandeis University, and her training as a spiritual director from the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. She maintains a spiritual direction practice and is committed to creating spaces for health care providers to discover the rich resources of contemplative practices from many wisdom traditions in developing resilience for self and others. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/09102023 to learn more about Dr. Jacobs, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.