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 […]
Month of the Sacred Heart
June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Some people might dismiss this devotion as outdated. That is a shame. The meaning behind this title is awesome and makes it relevant. To us, a heart means the entire person, one’s whole being, the core of oneself, the most important part. We say, “I love […]
The Happiest Feast: Easter
Children may assume that Christmas outranks Easter, probably because they receive more gifts on that day. However, on Easter we celebrate the greatest gift of all: immortality and the chance to live in eternal bliss. Jesus’s rising from the dead assures us that someday we will come back to life too. That is why on […]
God’s Love Is Forever
As I was decluttering my computer, I came across a list of quotations that I collected as I was writing my book A Love Affair with God: Twelve Traits. You might find that some of these speak to your heart today. Sit with them quietly and be attuned to God’s love enfolding you and flooding […]
The Parables in General
The Bible Walk in Mansfield, Ohio, is a life-size wax museum that houses many large oil paintings of the parables by Mark Pedro. Some are pictured at the end of this blog. Did you know that parables are one-third of the Synoptic Gospels? They are a main teaching device for Jesus through which he revealed […]
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 […]
Making Suffering Meaningful
Who hasn’t suffered? Suffering may stab us periodically, like a toothache or a friend’s betrayal. Or we may be awash in it constantly, as when we have a chronic illness. The mystery of suffering has always tormented us—in particular, why do the innocent suffer? Why is there such devastating misery in Ukraine? No answer satisfies. […]
The Cross of Christ, a Redeeming Symbol
On Ash Wednesday, people around the world will have a cross traced on their foreheads with ashes. It is a sign of death, but also of new life, thanks to Christ. My favorite crucifix used to hang in Cleveland Benedictine’s St. Andrew Abbey. It showed Jesus on the cross … but he was leaping off […]
The Value of Little Things
Christmas is more than a month away (although you wouldn’t think so judging from the displays in stores). However, this post is a reflection on gifts—small gifts that can be given anytime. You’ve probably heard the saying “Good things come in small packages” and the rejoinder “Like dynamite and arsenic.” Nevertheless, there are multiple cases […]
Pros and Cons of Criticism
A friend was deciding whether to volunteer to be a reader at Mass. I warned her that if she did read, she had to be ready for feedback, not from the mike but from people! She might hear things like “You were too soft.” “You were too loud.” “You were too fast.” “You were too […]