From Death to Heaven: Preparing Now
Looking down from my balcony, I saw this lovely tree in full bloom. Quite an Easter-y sight! A few days later 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts stripped the tree and carpeted my balcony with its white petals. The shadow on the left side of the photo was like an omen of what would befall the tree. And […]
An Explosion of Celebrations
Monday, April 8, was a day to remember. It was jam-packed with celebrations. First of all, living in Cleveland, I was treated to the splendor of a solar eclipse. Moon pies and blackout forest cake were served for dessert the night before. People dressed in yellow and black. I played songs like “Moon River” and […]
2024: Year of Prayer before Jubilee Year
Did you know that Pope Francis declared this the Year of Prayer? It is a prelude to next year’s Jubilee Year of Hope. At the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on March 28, he stressed the importance of rediscovering our need “to cultivate prayer that is not obligatory and functional, but freely chosen, tranquil […]
Mary’s Sacrifice: When Nothing Is Too Much
This week a Gospel was about Mary of Bethany anointing the feet of Jesus. I love this outrageous gesture that expressed a wholehearted love. Mary, her sister Martha, and her brother Lazarus were Jesus’s best friends. He enjoyed their company and no doubt saw his visits to their home as a welcome respite. We […]
St. Joseph, Second Greatest Saint, a Foster Father
In a humorous video on Facebook, a man lamented that St. Patrick’s feast was celebrated in grand style, while the Solemnity of St. Joseph two days later was observed quietly. This subdued celebration reflects the personality of the foster father of Jesus. The Gospels report not one word that he spoke. (By the way, the […]
In Praise of Life
As I grow older, I’m valuing the gift of life more and more. As Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” This echoes Psalm 90: “Our life is over like a sigh. Our span is seventy years or eighty for […]
A Jesus Who Laughs
Since Jesus is true man, he must have had a funny bone. The gospels don’t record times when Jesus laughed, grinned, or even smiled. Still, it’s easy to think of his joy in certain situations. – As a baby, he must have laughed, as babies do, when Joseph tossed him in the air or as […]
God’s Forgiveness & Our Mercy
This week on Wednesday evening all churches in the Cleveland Diocese will be open for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a Lenten tradition. No matter how sinful, a person can experience the mercy of God. During Holy Week we will ponder the climax of God’s mercy: washing everyone clean by the blood of his Son. Years […]
A Rest Test for the Stressed
Some (or most) days do you feel trapped in a hamster wheel? Your to-do list is a mile long. Taking a break, a rest, or, horrors, a nap seem out of the question. You are depressed, anxious, and feel an ulcer coming on. You don’t remember when you last laughed, had a good time with […]
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Today in honor of Valentine’s Day I’ve assembled a collection of quotations about God’s love for us. These are from my book A Love Affair with God, Twelve Traits. This February 14 is also Ash Wednesday. We are on the threshold of Lent, a season when we prepare ourselves to commemorate God’s stupendous act of […]
