Jeremiah 29 is a longtime favorite scripture passage, especially Jeremiah 29:11, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” This weekend as I watched news about events around the world and in our country, I found Read more »
This has been a hard week. Through media, we have met the great fires in California. We hurt for the many involved persons. In a sense we are suffering with them. The Midwest is experiencing snow storms of large proportions. And now the ice and snow are traveling up the east coast. We are in Read more »
On the twelfth day of Christmas, Sunday, January 5, the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, we received what had been predicted for a while, for most of the country. The snow storm blew in from the Pacific, and finally reached us. The snow started falling just as we were leaving the 9:30 Sunday Read more »
Several days ago, I received a Christmas card with a photo of my grandniece’s baby. I find myself gazing at this beautiful, wonderful, perfect infant. I am reminded that she and all of us are born under the gaze of God. It occurred to me that it might be one of the significant reasons we Read more »
December 17 is the first day of the use of these ancient Magnificat antiphons. Each day through December 23, a different antiphon uses a mosaic of scriptural sources, the words of Old Testament prophets, to express the longing for the savior. Each begins with an invocation to the Messiah, continues with text that develops the Read more »
The booklet that I use for daily reflections includes a “Blessed Among Us” page which is, often, but not always, about the official saint of the day. Today “The Martyrs of El Mazote” is featured with a brief account of the December 11-12, 1981 massacre by Salvadoran troops of over a thousand innocent people known Read more »
Advent began this past weekend, a season of waiting and expectation for the coming of Christ. I decided this year to set an intention for Advent to try to be present and not allow it to get lost amidst the busyness of this time of the year. I’m on day three, and find myself contemplating Read more »
For many people in this country Christmas is about gifts and Thanksgiving is about food. Turkey is the traditional focus but my family did not like the smell of the meat cooking. Therefore, we had ham. One year my younger sister received a turkey as a gift from work. We roasted it. When we finished Read more »
Psalm 8 is one of my favorite psalms. It begins, “O Lord, our Lord how glorious is your name over all the earth.” It is a psalm of praise to God for creation. This psalm also speaks to me of gratitude which springs forth from praising God. Gratitude is a positive attitude that one acquires. Read more »
Have you ever heard a homily that stayed with you for days? I heard that kind on Sunday at Mass celebrated by Fr. Stephen Austin, a visiting priest from Texas. Reflecting on the gospel about the rich person giving from excess and the poor widow giving all she had, he concluded with the three virtues Read more »