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 […]

Happy Easter!

When I was a child, I loved Easter. For days Mom would be at the stove decorating Easter eggs by dipping a straight pin into melted beeswax and creating delicate designs. On Friday we tried not to talk from noon until 3:00 p.m. and went to church for stations. On Saturday we took a basket […]

The Sacred Heart Is Not Passe

This Friday is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It fittingly occurs during June, the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart. To some people this title for Jesus smacks of times gone by. On the contrary, the concept of the Sacred Heart is relevant and meaningful. Take the idea of heart. To us, […]

Easter Special

Happy Easter! May we all experience new life. Here is a moving rendition of a version of the popular “Hallelujah” for your enjoyment and refection. I especially like it because the lyrics appear with the hymn. The singers are sisters.

The Greatest Love of All

Today I saw this posted on Facebook: “The sweetest time of the day is when you pray because you’re talking to the one who loves you the most.” Valentine’s Day is a good time to reflect on God’s love for us. We all crave to be loved. Sometimes we need to know we are loved […]

Teaching Children about the Crucifixion

Moms and dads and grandparents might find the following article I wrote helpful now that we are approaching Holy Week. Feel free to pass it on! How should you speak to your child about Our Lord’s suffering and death? Convey this powerful story cautiously, sensitive to the impact it will have on your child. Impressions […]

Who Is Jesus in the Gospel of John?

I’ve just completed a week-long retreat on the Gospel of St. John packed with insights about this “maverick” account of the life of Jesus. I thought I’d share some of what I gleaned from the conferences. As background, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were composed rather early. John’s Gospel took shape much later […]

Mary’s Holy Boldness

  In this month of May devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is fitting that we reflect on her. I’d like to focus on one of the many ways that she is a model for all Christians: Mary had courage as she fulfilled her mission of bringing forth Christ into the world and furthering […]

Eyewitness to the Crucifixion: Holy Week Reflection

Since this coming week is Holy Week, I thought I would offer for your reflection this excerpt from my book The Fisherman’s Wife: The next morning Esther and I help Lydia clear breakfast. Tobiah and Seth are out for a walk. Then seated on pillows with the two women and Leah, I tell them about […]

Dying to Rise: Reflections

My weekly post straddles Holy Week and Easter Week, so I pondered whether to focus on the passion and death of Jesus or his resurrection. Then it occurred to me that I should cover both. After all, these paschal mysteries are intimately related. It was only by suffering and dying that Jesus was able to […]