Peter’s Denial of Jesus
After arresting him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest; Peter was following at a distance. Luke 22:54
One of the high priest’s maids came along. Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus. “But he denied it, saying, I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” Mark 14:66-68
Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord: May it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38
On March 25 (nine months before Christmas), we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation when the angel Gabriel visited Mary and told her of God’s great plan for her to be the mother of Jesus.
I can only imagine this young teenage girl never dreamed she would become the Mother of God!
Her fiat (Latin for yes) launched God’s great plan of salvation, bringing Jesus into the world.
Pause and ponder:
Think of a time that God brought a surprise into your life.
Thank Him for this unexpected gift.
Death’s Call
With gratitude to St. Marie Maravillas de Jesus
The call is faint – or is it loud
the call weaves through the cryptic crowd
where there’s more roar than ought aloud
The call is faint – or is it loud
The call is not from reaper, grim
the call is sweet, a hallowed hymn
and through the chaos we do swim
The call is not from reaper, grim
We shut our eyes and stuff our ears
thinking we’ll live beyond our years
but soon or late, we’ll face death-fears
We shut our eyes and stuff our ears
The call leads to the endless door
where bodies fall from breath no more
with some souls dammed, and some that soar
The call leads to the endless door
When comes the day you cannot stall
and loud death blares its fated call
in arms of Love do blindly fall
When comes the day you cannot stall
St. Maria Maravillas de Jesus, 1891-1974, was a Carmelite nun whose quote, “Death is no more than falling blindly into the arms of God,” inspired this poetic reflection.
What does infertility have to do with the feast day of Saints Anne and Joachim, Mary’s parents, and Jesus’s grandparents? Continue reading
“Art is meant to be shared, loved, and appreciated by others, and that is the best thing about it.” Jake Blaszak
November 1st is All Saints Day when many recall their favorite saints. It is easy to place these virtuous men and women on a pedestal and think you could never achieve sanctity. Some people say, “I’m no saint” like it is an unreachable goal. The fact is that we are all called to be saints.
Continue reading
Just spent the weekend with my mother in my hometown. She has taught me so much about love and service and my faith. For example, when I struggled down some stormy roads earlier in my life, her unconditional love and maternal tenderness was a beacon for me in my dark time. From big things, like her Continue reading
“Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.” This song by the famous Nat King Cole has been on my mind lately. The three adjectives, lazy, hazy and crazy are pretty good descriptors of my summer so far. Yesterday was the feast day of Mary Magdalen. As I contemplated her inspirational life it seemed to me that crazy, hazy and lazy, were fairly good descriptors of her life too. Continue reading
I am in a writing slump, so a guest is filling in. Only problem is—he’s dead. Good thing he left behind some of his writings!
Brother Jacopone Da Todi, died in 1306. He was a Franciscan poet and mystic. He did not know about computers, but he did know how to write profound words about God’s love. With “permission” (obtained through prayer), Brother Jacopone is the guest poet today! Continue reading
