MSI Press Blog

  We speak often of life and liberty as if they are given, as if they arrive on our doorstep like sunshine. But in truth, they are cultivated. Life is nurtured through care—by hands that hold, meals that nourish, voices that soothe. Liberty, too, must be sustained. Not just through law or politics, but through the daily dignity of choosing how to speak, how to serve, how to dream. And yet it is hope that makes these two sing. Hope is not a distant promise—it’s the quiet ember tucked beneath life’s routines and liberty’s declarations. It is the spark in the caregiver's resilience, the teacher's persistence, the patient's bravery. It is what fuels both the striving and the stillness. In seasons of hardship, when life feels stripped of rhythm and liberty seems shadowed by constraint, hope becomes radical. Not because it denies suffering, but because it refuses to be diminished by it. Hope says: there is meaning still to be made, there is ground still sacred, there is breath st...

  Life moves—always. Through calendar pages and caregiving tasks, through kitchen sink reflections and late-night vigil prayers. And in its movement, we often forget to ask: what does it mean to truly live? Liberty, when seen merely as independence, can feel like a solitary drumbeat. But liberty paired with belonging—that is symphonic. It is choosing not only our path, but the posture with which we walk it. Not just the freedom to act, but the freedom to feel without judgment, to rest without apology. And then there is inner peace. Quiet, unmarketed, rarely trending. Inner peace doesn’t need to be loud. It exists in the rituals—slicing strawberries for a patient, lighting a candle at dusk, whispering a truth that asks nothing in return. It’s not the absence of storms but the ability to stand in their midst and still hum a lullaby to the soul. Together, life, liberty, and inner peace form a sacred braid. One strand frays without the others. To live fully without peace is to cha...

  Dennis Ortman, author of several award-winning books, offers the following reflection for MSI Press blog readers -  FULL LIFE “I came that they might have life and have it to the full.” --John 10: 10   We have two natural desires: to live forever and to be happy. Modern medical science promises the first, but cannot guarantee the second. However, a recent bestselling book suggests that we can have both, now. Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles wrote  Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life  (New York: Penguin Books, 2016) in which they described the natural steps to a long, fulfilled life. They journeyed to Ogimi, Japan, where a large portion of the population lives into their hundreds. They interviewed dozens of the elderly residents to discover their secret. What they learned was a natural way to live longer with joy. Here are some of their recommendations: ·           Live an active life doing what y...

  BOREDOM “Behold, I am making all things new.” --Revelations 21: 5   We often use slogans to guide us through life’s complexity. I recently learned two slogans popular among young people today. YOLO: “You only live once.” It proclaims that we have only this one precious and wild life. So, we must make the most of it. This maxim reiterates the ancient wisdom, “Life is short.” Take advantage of our allotted time. A second piece of complimentary guidance is FOMO: “Fear of missing out.” There is a sense of urgency to fill our brief time here with stimulating activities. We want to cram as many experiences as possible in our available time. Only then can we feel satisfied and happy. We Americans assume that a fast-moving, active life is a fulfilled life. “An idle mind is the workshop of the devil,” a time-honored epithet reminds us. A boring life is a useless one. We want to do as much as we can as quickly as we can. Our goal is to be productive and efficient. We confess...