Category: Ordinary Time

5 ways to see Christ in a stranger

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Jesus said, “What good is it to love your friend?  Even gangs members do that.”  Okay, He really said tax collectors… but I figured gang members would be a modern day equivalent of the cliché bad guy.

Jesus routinely calls us to do more than love our friends.  In Matthew 25 He tells us, “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do unto me.”  We have to go beyond our comfort zone.  We have to have charity that’s wider than our social circles.  It doesn’t do us any good to only love the people we know.

We also have to love the stranger. Continue reading “5 ways to see Christ in a stranger” →

It would’ve been enough

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A prayer modeled after the Dayenu: an ancient Passover prayer celebrating God’s blessings.

God my Father, in Your infinite Goodness You created me out of nothing.  You didn’t have to do that.  But You did it anyways, because You love me.  If You had created me and done nothing more, that would have been enough.

But in Your generosity, You did more.  You created this beautiful world and all things in it for my delight.  You filled it with incredible sights and sounds.  You gave me the changing seasons so I would never get bored. If you had done that and nothing more, it would have been enough.

But You didn’t stop there.  Continue reading “It would’ve been enough” →

Mary: the perfect spouse of God the Holy Spirit

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Mary is the perfect spouse of God the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, Spouse of God the Holy Spirit, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

Mary teaches me how to love You, God the Holy Spirit, as the perfect spouse, the perfect wife.

The love between a husband and wife is total giving paired with total receiving. It’s a life-giving gift embodied by the marital embrace.

This type of love parallels the Annunciation. You my God, sent Your angel messenger with a proposal for Mary. Will she be Your bride? The mother of Your Son? Unfettered by commitment to any man, Mary humbly accepts.

You, God the Holy Spirit, came upon her.  She conceived Jesus in her womb.

Mary’s love for You was truly a spousal love. Continue reading “Mary: the perfect spouse of God the Holy Spirit” →

Mary: the perfect mother of God the Son

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Mary is the perfect mother of God the Son.

Hail Mary mother of God the Son, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

Mary teaches me to have perfect love for You, Jesus, the Messiah, the Redeemer.

She first gave herself to love you totally with a vow of virginity. She didn’t let any other person come first in her life, so when the Messiah came she was ready to serve You alone. When the angel Gabriel appeared to announce Your Incarnation, Mary’s faith in Your ability to save mankind from our sins made her willing to believe the impossible. She, a virgin, would bear a Son.

She accepted this without hesitation. Continue reading “Mary: the perfect mother of God the Son” →

Mary: the perfect daughter of God the Father

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Mary is the perfect daughter of God the Father.  Part one of a series of three reflections on Mary’s love for the Holy Trinity.

I was in high school when I first heard a beautiful rendition of the Hail Mary that made my jaw drop in realization of how perfect Mary’s love for God is.

The Rosary started as usual.  Sign of the Cross.  The Creed.  Our Father.  But when we got to the three Hail Mary’s, the leader added something special:

  • Hail Mary, daughter of God the Father…
  • Hail Mary, mother of God the Son…
  • Hail Mary, spouse of God the Holy Spirit…

I was caught off guard.  My eyes were opened to the depth of the relationship between Mary and God.

This week, I want to share with you three meditations inspired by these three special prayers.

Today’s meditation reflects on Mary’s love as a daughter of God. Continue reading “Mary: the perfect daughter of God the Father” →

The Gift of Friendship

The Gift of Friendship

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A reflection on the gift of friendship.

I left the kids home with my husband for the entire. Saturday. morning. while I went out to Mass, breakfast, and Adoration with another mom friend.

We were able to actually pray during Mass (imagine that).  We talked and laughed for over an hour as we ate our entire breakfast without sharing (another miracle).  Then we spent a half hour in the adoration chapel in silence (I saw your jaw drop at that one)!

Understatement of the year: We had a great time. Continue reading “The Gift of Friendship” →

A Prayer of Praise to the Holy Trinity

A Prayer of Praise to the Holy Trinity

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Today, my God, I don’t ask you for anything.  I just want to be with You and adore You in Your majesty.

God, You are beautiful in creation.

Your design is amazing.  From the intricate details of the tiniest bug to the great design of the entire universe, Your plan is incredible.

How did you think of so many beautiful things to fill such a blank canvas?  You are infinitely creative. Continue reading “A Prayer of Praise to the Holy Trinity” →

My Dear Friend, I Can't Convert You

My Dear Friend, I Can’t Convert You

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Only God can convert. My job is to evangelize.  A letter to a friend who doesn’t yet embrace the Faith, and a reflection for those who have friends and family whom they desperately want to see come home to the Church.  

My Dear Friend,

I can’t convert you.

But have you ever heard of Saul?

The early Christians were on fire with the Faith.  They taught about Jesus all the time and everywhere.

But Saul wasn’t buying it.

No, more than that.  Saul hated it. Continue reading “My Dear Friend, I Can’t Convert You” →

What I Learned from a Brush with Death

What I Learned From a Brush With Death

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Remember to live for Heaven, because death will come like a thief in the night. 

I’ve never been so close to death.

The car was silent.  My kids were sound asleep, safely strapped into their 5-point carseats. I swung my car around and backed it between the two white lines up to the curb and the grassy divider.

I turned the car off and hopped down from the grey cloth driver’s seat onto the hard black asphalt.  I side-stepped around the car and up onto the divider to open the back hatch, quickly removed the stroller, and hustled back around the car to release my kids from their restraints.

I opened the back door and climbed into the car to unbuckle my one-year old.

Suddenly the furious screeching of brakes and the squealing crunch of metal against metal shattered the silence. Continue reading “What I Learned From a Brush With Death” →

A Reflection on the Quiet Years of Jesus’ Life

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The Quiet Years: a guide to embracing the ordinary.

In a world of information and connection, we can be tempted to share every detail of every moment of our children’s lives.

The adorable thing they said.

The Lego they built.

The meal they ate (or refused to eat) for lunch.

Since every moment is precious and important, we feel we must shout it out loud for all the world to know.

The Quiet Years

But Your childhood, Jesus, is in stark contrast to this attitude.  The first 30 years of Your life were the quiet years. Continue reading “A Reflection on the Quiet Years of Jesus’ Life” →