Contents Introduction 11 NOT BELONGING/ALIENATION The Message in the Machine (2012) 15 Daughter of Doubt (2002) 17 My Burden Is Light (2014) 20 Nevertheless, She Persisted (2017) 22 FAMILY STRIFE What Makes a Family? (2020) 26 Jaime and His Not-So-Sacred Life (2005) 28 The Prodigal Daughter (2019) 32 ILLNESS, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL The Pain and Point of Suffering (2014) 35 Mental Health Challenges (2004) 37 Panic (2021) 42 CAREERS/MONEY Failure High: My First and Last Year of Teaching (2006-2007) 45 The Thinner Wallet (2009) 65 A Living Wage (2017) 67 ADDICTION Good Morning, My Beautiful Child (2020) 71 The Other Deadly Plague (2020) 74 CRISES OF FAITH Sunday Crybaby (2017) 77 Emangelization, or the Stone Age of Spirituality (2015) 80 The Theme of Change Remains the Same (2015) 82 A Dry Spell (2019) 84 Fall Down; Lift Up; Repeat (2019) 87 ROMANCE/MIXED-FAITH MARRIAGE Making Other Plans (2004) 89 40 Shades of Gray (2020) 92 The Marriage Couple (2021) 95 RAISING CHILDREN Sugar and Spice and Everything Pierced (2003) 97 The Nest, Empty (2010) 99 WWJD (2009) 101 Child of Mine (2021) 103 CLIMATE CRISIS The Eighth Work of Mercy (2016) 107 Vegetarians for God (2011) 109 INJUSTICE IN THE SYSTEM/VIOLENCE To Life! (2000) 116 Ashes in Parkland (2018) 119 System of Injustice (2017) 122 The Privilege of Skin (2021) 129 AGING Evil to Graceful in 60 Seconds (2005) 133 It Takes a Village (2013) 136 A Thankless Child (2015) 140 MORTALITY/DEATH Death's Small Gift (2009) 143 A Labor of Love and Loss (2019) 145 Shopping with the Dead (2018) 148 Postscript 151.