Category: Blog
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‘God is in the Air’
Last week I heard a song on the radio that I haven’t heard in yeeeaaarrrsss – maybe even in a couple of decades. It took me back to a very happy memory, and I was grateful. (I was also amazed I remembered the words.) Hearing the song felt like I’d…
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A Season for ‘New’
Tis the season for graduation and new beginnings. As high school and college graduations take place this month, I think about the graduates and the incredible journeys ahead of them. College graduates especially are stepping into something very new. They are trading what has been a life of school for…
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“Follow Me”
In last Sunday’s Gospel reading (John 21:1-19), we continue to receive rich images and thoughtful words to guide us through this enlightening and joyful Easter season. Even though this narrative is a very familiar one to us, I invite you to reread it when you have a chance and spend…
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On the Road of Easter
Though we are still early in the Easter season, I admit I already started growing slightly impatient. Throughout the poignant images and reflections of Lent, I had been awaiting the joyful hope and promise of Easter and what it might bring. The celebration of Easter was wonderful – the flowing…
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Courage in the Resurrection
I attended an event as part of my preparation for Easter. The word ‘courage’ was mentioned directly to me, and it made an impression. It was still on my mind when I heard it a second time just three days later at another event. That got my attention. I hadn’t…
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Holy Week – A Time to Put Jesus First
In last weekend’s homily, Father reminded us to put Jesus first, especially during this Holy Week. Certainly good and appropriate advice, but on the surface, I couldn’t help but think to myself: Aren’t we doing that? I mean we’re here, gathered together in prayer at church. We likely plan to…
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Our Stations of the Cross
A week from now, we will be getting ready to take a journey with Jesus. The Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Way of the Cross, and the silence of the tomb – all of them powerful places of prayer to know God’s merciful and healing love for us,…
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Keep Moving
Last week I heard another swimmer encourage the person in the lane next to her: “As long as we keep moving, we’re doing okay.” She’s right. I’ve had plenty of exercise sessions that fit under the ‘something is better than nothing’ category, especially when I didn’t really feel up to…
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Vocabulary of Faith
You likely have words that immediately come to mind when you think of your faith or of prayer or of the Lord: love, spirit, grace, blessed, hope, rejoice, strength, comfort, peace, grateful, mercy, forgiveness, etc. When we take time to discern and focus on them, we find ourselves surrounded by…
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Spiritual Traditions – Old and New
I was at a friend of a friend’s recently and was surprisingly struck by two different items in the kitchen. There was an authentic old-fashioned tin bread box on the counter. (I’ve seen modern versions, but I think the last bread box I saw like this was at my Grandma’s…
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Because By Your Holy Cross
Though we are weeks away from Good Friday and observing the Lord’s passion, it’s not too early in Lent to begin praying with the cross. We look at wood all around us and often see it as a supportive building block, a crucial part of a structure, or in a…
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Key Words for Lent
When we search online for just about anything, we include key words to help narrow our search: Not just shoes, but athletic shoes for walking. Not just a house, but a three-bedroom ranch with two baths. Not just a job, but a sales job in the communications industry within 15…
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There’s Always Work To Do
Throughout the year when I look out my kitchen window into the backyard, I’m often reminded there’s more work to do—even though I feel I’ve already done a lot. Currently, I see the need to rake and clear out winter debris soon to prepare for the next season. (Didn’t I…
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Choosing Hope When It’s Gloomy
At a recent gathering, I was disappointed to learn a friend was not joining us. She explained it was gloomy outside, and she felt gloomy. Though I was bummed not to see her, I understood her decision not to attend. Two days later, her word ‘gloomy’ came to mind. I…
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Spin Toward Something New
While watching television a few months ago, I observed a scene that surprisingly stayed with me. It remained on my mind days later, so I searched for it online and printed out a photo of the exact moment. There was something about it I wanted to see again and not…
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One Bloom Makes a Difference
I am far from having a green thumb, though I try my best. The plants in my house are all green and look to be doing well, and that’s good enough for me. So, I’m extra happy when a bloom shows up once in a while. The one you see…
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The Voice of Encouragement
Though I no longer watch her videos, I’m often reminded of the encouraging words an exercise instructor offered to her class (and to those of us watching via DVD). I have since taken what I’ve learned from her class and developed my own sessions with my own music selections, but…
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Our Part in the Body of Christ
Many years ago, I took a couple of anatomy classes. My studies focused on soft tissues and bones, and the first thing we learned was ‘muscles move bones at joints.’ One of the next items we learned is that each muscle has a specific function and comes with a ‘set…
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How Long Is This Train?
A couple of things came to mind as I recently waited in my car for a very long train to pass by. First, I thought fondly of my mother with a smile and a little laugh. She was an extraordinary woman of patience and grace – until she had to…
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God Is Love
While on a walk through my neighborhood this week, I noticed many bare Christmas trees on their sides along the street, waiting to be picked up and taken away. Having once stood tall with wrapped gifts of all shapes and sizes nestled under them and with their many branches graced…
Journeying to Grace 