Mary, Our Blessed Mother, Unties Knots
Coming across a knot when you are doing needlework is aggravating. The Mother of Jesus must have experienced knots, maybe as she sewed the swaddling clothes or the seamless garment that the soldiers gambled for at the cross. An unusual devotion is to Mary as the Untier of Knots—not the knots in thread or yarn but in our lives. This month of May, which is dedicated to Mary, is a good time to remember that our heavenly mother is ever ready to help undo our problems, especially “knotty” relationships.
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Why Fear?
“Do not be afraid” supposedly appears in the Bible 365 times. That’s one for each day of the year. There’s good reason for this. Recently one night a chandelier came crashing down in church—shades of the Phantom! Palm Sunday services had to be held in the gym. After a fellow worshiper pointed out that the fallen light hung directly over “my pew,” I was tempted to change my seat and let the fear of my own Damocles’ sword control my life. This experience led me to reflect on fear, in particular, the question “What would you do if you were not afraid?” (more…)
Psalms: Prayers from God
Did you know that we pray to St. Anthony for lost articles because he once lost his Psalter and it was returned? At every Mass we pray a psalm. Why do we Christians pray these Jewish prayers? For three reasons: 1. They are in the Bible, which means God gave them to us. 2. Jesus and Mary prayed them. 3. And they express the deepest feelings of human beings. Dorothy Day stated, “My strength returns to me with my morning cup of coffee and reading the psalms.” St. Augustine said, “My Psalter is my joy.” But sadly for many people, the psalms remain an unopened gift. Here are some facts to pique your interest in them. You’ll find more in my book The Catholic Companion to the Psalms, including ways to pray them. (more…)
Death Is Defeated
Self-preservation is the strongest human drive. Next comes the sex drive whose purpose is to continue life on this planet. We long to live on. We freeze dead bodies in hopes that they will live again. We pay for hair dye and face lifts, aiming at eternal youth. Not to worry. We ARE immortal. All it took was for a God to die. This is what we celebrate at Easter. By redeeming us, Jesus gave us the real hope of living forever. His coming out of his tomb alive after his execution assures us that everything he said was true—including his promise that all who believe in him will have eternal life. (more…)
Let a Picture Shape Your Prayer
St. Teresa of Avila, an expert on prayer, knew the power of a picture. Looking at an image of the wounded Christ changed her life. She taught that visuals can “awaken love.” Using the photo at the top of this blog, here’s an example of how prayer can flow from a picture. Some background: The shot was taken in Tiberius. I got up at 5:30 am to capture the sunrise and waited until a bird alit on a tree branch, but this herald of the dawn is barely discernible. (more…)
