Treasuring Even the Difficulties
Mary could have reacted with fear many times—the startling message of Angel Gabriel, no vacancy in the inn, Simeon’s predictions of swords piercing her heart, a caravan of camels and kings, a flight to a foreign country—all within a couple years and while she was still a teenager! Though her heart was racing, Mary reacted […]
Happy New You!
St. Paul writes, “Our inner nature is being renewed every day” (2 Cor. 16). Yeah, 365 days to renew our spirits! How can I “re-new” my spirit? Could my New Year’s resolution be to make a “new me”? How can I make 2021 a year for good things? Here’s a thought. Take your new calendar […]
God Receives This Past Year in Grace
Although still in a pandemic, some are quite relieved to see 2020 pass. Perhaps 2021 will be better. No matter how we feel about putting up a new calendar and bidding farewell to the old one, we need to remember that 2020 was a year of the Lord, a year of grace, even if we […]
At this Moment
At age 84 Anna was still in the temple “worshiping day and night in fasting and prayer.” Maybe she still had a few months or years of life left, but her future became shorter day by day, and death was one day closer. Fortunately for Anna, she was in the right place at the right […]
Second Thoughts
In the First Letter of John, we read about an old commandment, a word that has already been heard. But then the author has second thoughts: “On second thought, the commandment that I write you is new.” We have all probably had the experience of hearing or reading a Scripture story many times. The Christmas […]
Right Away!
When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, the angel delivered a nightmarish message: “Take the child and flee.” Joseph’s response: “He left that night.” I imagine his heart raced to wake Mary, urging her to pack a few provisions, while he got the donkey, a bag of grain and a skin of wine. […]
Holy, Joyful Family
Like all families, the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph must have had some tense moments and challenging days. Imagine racing to Egypt to escape a tyrant or losing a child for three days somewhere in Jerusalem. Yet Jesus apparently had a very blessed and happy childhood. Otherwise would he have spoken so often about […]
The Answers!!
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 2. Silent Night 3. What Child Is This? 4. O Little Town of Bethlehem 5. Good Christian Friends 6. We Three Kings How well did you do??
It’s a Boy!
“The kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared,” and shepherds “went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant” (Christmas Mass at Dawn). It’s Christmas! How will we go in haste to find the Holy Family? Some families, especially those with little children, might sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus today. A […]
Ebenezer Scrooge Had It Right
When Scrooge awakes from his nocturnal visits of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Future and Present, he makes this promise: “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirit of all three shall strive within me. […]
