Exploring the depth of our prayers
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective. — 1 Cor 15:10
It’s a challenge to let God work in my life. And I realize that this is a common journey for most everyone. We want to be in control.
Continue reading “By the grace of God”
As I’ve been praying the rosary in recent years, I’ve consistently worried about my lack of focus. Sure, if I’m saying it as part of a group before Mass, it’s pretty easy to get caught up in the prayers.
By myself? I get distracted. All the time.
But I came to a powerful realization this morning: The ideas and worries that I wake up with are God speaking to me.
Continue reading “God whispers”
Today is such a powerful celebration. Really, the final event in the story of Christmas. Infants were to be consecrated to God forty days after their birth, so here we are. 40 days, February 2nd.
One of the most beautiful parts of today’s readings are what we call the Canticle of Simeon:
Continue reading “Presentation of the Lord”Lord, now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.
“I’ll pray for you.” “Please pray for us.”
I find this a little curious, because we do this all the time. We’re not saying exactly what we’re praying for, or even what we’re praying about. So it’s easy to say, but perhaps not as focusing as we’d like to think.
That’s why I like to pray for something more specific.
Continue reading “Pray for us”
We’ve heard the story so many times that it ceases to amaze us. Yeah, water into wine. Nice trick.
It was Jesus’ first miracle that we know of. But this amazing event had so many other powerful connections for me!
Our own wedding 40 years ago was such a powerful sacrament. I wasn’t Catholic at the time, but it really drew us closer to God and His Church.
Continue reading “The wedding feast”
We just jumped ahead thirty years in a single week. We’re now celebrating Jesus’ baptism, which happened at the beginning of His ministry.
Continue reading “The Baptism of the Lord”After all the people had been baptized
Luke 3: 21-22
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”
The kings of the earth shall bow before Him. All the nations shall sing His praises.
I’m not sure I see that happening. But I imagine that it’s because I don’t see things in God’s timeline or through His eyes.
All I can do is to get the ball rolling on my end. By praising Him every day of my life.
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Today is a new year, and the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. What a perfect way to start afresh!
This very phrase is something to ponder deeply. We don’t believe that Mary existed before God the Father and somehow gave birth to Him. That might be similar to Rhea being the mother of Zeus.
No, we believe that Jesus is God and is with God the Father. Which means that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is mother of God as incarnated in our world.
Continue reading “Mother of God”
So much of our prayers can be summed up in the Holy Family, and we should be honored that God gives our own families as a small image of the Trinity itself.
That’s truly phenomenal.
Continue reading “The Holy Family”
Today we are truly blessed. Our God has come to live with us, showing us how to live with each other and our maker.
I wake today with joy and gratitude. For family, for friends, for the many gifts we’ve been given.
Continue reading “The gift of Nativity”