March 31, 2017

 

 

 

Jesus, today You were heard in the temple area saying, “You know me and also know where I am from.”  It may not have been comfortable for those present, but it is so comfortable for me. I know You are the Son of God.

I know You are loving and compassionate and forgiving.  I know that no matter what direction my day takes, no matter how much grumbling goes on in my head, no matter how many times I neglect to give thanks – I know You are right beside me and probably laughing at my silliness.

I know that You can heal and calm.  I know that Your touch is never far from me, that You always hear my prayers and send others to allay my fears.  I know that Your Way is the way to peace.

I know who You are, Jesus.  Today, I want to try to live as You modeled.  I know I may fail but I will reach out to hold onto Your hand.  I know You will lead and guide me.  Amen.

March 30, 2017

The beautiful Nun’s Orchid has bloomed again – and it is as awesome as last year! Three pots of extraordinary grace bring praise to our great God each day with a big smile and an unbelievable “WOW!”!  How good God is to allow this elegance to be ours!

As I moved the pot to take this picture one small orchid fell off the stem.  It looked healthy still but the brush against my arm gave just the amount of movement that off it came!  I was reminded once again of the “fragments” in the miracle of the loaves and fishes.  I found a tiny container and adorned my Prayer Bowl with this special gift.  This was another simple way to offer the names and intentions held precious to a God Who loves us so deeply and sees the beauty hidden in pain or worry.

Today, I raise up in prayer all who are reading and praying and reflecting and finding yourself in a tiny orchid.  Today is a great day to pray for one another as connected on the one stem and budding forth into an awesome succession of flowers one after the other.  Today is a day to recall our one-ness in God and our unique differences that present one beautiful picture! Enjoy your special contribution this day to the beauty of the whole!

 

March 29, 2017

The Lord is gracious and merciful.  (Psalm response for Wednesday, March 29, 2017)

God is so good to us.  God forgives us with great compassion no matter the magnitude of our offenses.  God sees the good in everyone and everything.

God’s words are comforting, loving and challenging.  God raises up those who are discouraged or sad or feel alone.

God is ever near.  God listens and responds in ways we cannot imagine.  God will never leave us; God is present in troubling times, in discerning moments and when we feel we have lost our voice.

God, You are so good to us!  We thank You and praise You on this Lenten day.  We know that without You we would fail and fall.  We are grateful for Your quiet presence, Your loving hand and Your gentle smile.

The Lord is gracious and merciful.

March 28, 2017

From the Weekly Update of Queen of Peace Catholic Academy, March 23, 2012:

“Another Lenten week has gone by with a challenge for all of us at the Academy. A passage from the Book of Samuel which was read at the weekend Liturgies became our focus:

“Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart.” 

How comforting for all of us that God sees the seeds of goodness planted in our heart! God sees the efforts and the intents, whether they are positive or negative. God sees what God created and God is pleased – most of the time. Our bad days with pained facial expressions and slow body movements are not what God looks for (although God is walking with us during those times); God sees directly into our beauty and kindness and love.

And herein lies the challenge as we try to imitate God. Of course, we cannot be as good as God at looking into the heart, but we can surely give it our best. We can surely spend our days knowing that God created all that is good, therefore God created good hearts. We can know firmly that God made us all to be our best selves and to live in peace and harmony with one another. Definitely looking for the good in another is life-giving and brings a happy demeanor and a great big smile.

Join the challenge and be aware of how many times you see into the heart of another. Let someone else know what you see there and together praise and thank God for God’s creation!”

 

March 27, 2017

 

The first reading from Sunday was a great reminder of how God’s ways are not ours.  God had sent Samuel to anoint the future ruler who supposedly would be strong and  bearing a powerful appearance.  However, that’s not how God’s plans played out – the future King was the youngest, the unexpected one.

We often hear how we plan and God laughs.  How very true this is.  Perhaps it would be great to be able to think as God does, but I do wonder if our human minds, as great as they might be, could ever fathom the wisdom of God.  So many times, Jesus in His ministry, pointed to little children as models, to those who were handicapped in some way as our faith-filled ones, to those who struggled and were weak as the leaders.  Often, our minds can’t see the greatness in the weaknesses; we can’t see the richness in the poor.

If a few moments present themselves today, ponder you own limitations and praise God for the manner in which the All-powerful One used those limitations to attain some good.

March 26, 2017

The Bel Alton Firehouse held a very special place in the heart of our family and still does today.  Although this modern building looks nothing like the one in my memory, what happens here remains the same.  It was the place where volunteers gathered to enjoy one another’s company or to prepare to go on a “call”.  It was the place that our family gathered to celebrate when the numbers were too large for our backyard.

But something else stands out in my memory of the firehouse.  At the unfortunate moment when the alarm went off signaling a fire, there was a motion in our house not experienced at any other time.  My brothers-in-law (and some of my nephews) immediately went into firemen mode and all else ceased to exist – it might be a delicious meal, or an intense Scrabble Match or even a baseball game.  The jump, the run, the dash to the firehouse demonstrted the urgency to dress and prepare to fight a fire.  It was always quite impressive!

Little else brought this  measure of intensity to be of assistance to someone(s) who were in need.  I often picture our God in this role.  Our God is always attentive, ready to go into action at any given moment for us.  Our siren, our request, our deep pleading signals the giving like no other.  God waits for that “noise”, that acknowledgement that we need God’s presence in a way that it can be felt.  God responds just as the volunteer firefighters.  How blessed we are!

Enjoy your Sunday Family time!

March 25, 2017

 

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Annunciation!  Since Mary is very dear to my heart, I cannot resist this opportunity to share (and maybe repeat) some thoughts about her.  She is among my favorite people in Heaven and quite often I can feel her presence with me here on earth.

Without question, Mary may have been too young to have experienced that visit from the Angel Gabriel. It is quite understandable why her parents and Joseph were disbelieving. The “really”s and the “how”s and the “why”s flowed freely in their questions to this teenager who remained calm and confident and full of trust in the message she had received as well as in her affirmative response.  She well could have turned those same questions back to those who grilled her for in her heart it was all so simple!  God asked and the request was affirmed.

For us, simplicity has almost left our vocabulary.  We research, take apart, gather opinions, talk with trusted friends  – all before a decision is even considered.  Faith in another is often hard to come by.  It’s a far cry from Mary whose faith was so pure in a God Who created her and sent a message to her of a plan that was way out of the ordinary.  For her, faith was her answer, trust was her stronghold and love made it all come to be.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.  Amen!

March 24, 2017

Loving God, this Lent has been a series of ups and downs just as You and I had expected it would be.  Some days, the promise is easy to keep while others are a struggle.  Some days I can find good in everyone and then just as easily I find faults and idiosyncrasies craving my attention.

And, as always, God, You do something to place me in Your loving embrace just where You want me to be.  You remind me that it is love that triumphs, love that overcomes all, love that is the answer.  You remind me that love can encapsulate the down times and turn them into something very beautiful if only I allow You to be the God You are.

Today, I will listen for You voice.  I will wait for Your embrace.  I will look for You.  And I know that I will hear and feel and see because You have promised it.  You are my God and I love You.

March 23, 2017

The cross covered with nails stands in the sanctuary of Queen of Peace Catholic Church. Each nail was hammered in on Ash Wednesday as a reminder of sins committed and sins redeemed.  This cross with all its nails tells a story every day of a loving, caring, compassionate God Who gave His Son for us.

These Lenten days are among the usual challenging ones of our lives.  We do some good, we take steps backward, we listen, we hurry away, we tell the whole truth, we admit to half truths.  This is life.  This is what we humans are all about.  This is WHY Jesus lived and taught and modeled for us.  We spend a lifetime trying to get it right and being aware of a God who loves us no matter what!

This day, why not renew your Lenten resolve and spend time in praise and gratitude to our Creator who smiles on us every turn of the way.  We are truly God’s beloved!

March 22, 2017

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem!  (Psalm response for Wednesday, March 22, 2017)

Glorify the Lord, America!  Glorify the Lord, parents and children!  Glorify the Lord, everyone!  For God has blessed us more than we can imagine.  He has gifted us with life and blessed us abundantly.

God sends people and events into our lives to cheer us and to make us strong.  God gives us each new day to begin again, to reach out, to help.  God gives us freedom to know, to speak, to discern.

God gave us God’s Son, Jesus to model compassion and forgiveness.  God challenged us to follow, to be a disciple.  God gave us all we need to live productive and fulfilling lives.

God lives and breathes through us.  God smiled on us and said, “It is good!”

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem!