Are you struggling? Tired? In pain? Discouraged? “I know from experience that God makes up for what is lacking with great generosity. He gives us inwardly what outward circumstances deny. With him and by him I must become more loving, strong, and peaceful, live the inner life more, and yet give myself generously to those I love and to all […]
Before I was humiliated I was like a stone that lies in deep mud, and he who is mighty came and in his compassion raised me up and exalted me very high and placed me on the top of the wall. St. Patrick In today’s language and grammar, this statement could be confusing. I would like to put a comma after the preposition at the beginning! But I know that in other languages, the meaning is a bit different. I imagine the stone walls or buildings of old. Could this be a stone wall around the sheep’s field? Or the high fortress wall of a great city? This analogy for our little resurrection is literally uplifting! Today, I may be stuck in the chaos and cares I face. Today, I may be stuck in bad habits that I don’t even see anymore! The image of feeling lighter and dropping all the useless baggage I carry has been a theme for me this year. I’m letting go. If the person I want to be is free, I want to let go of the things holding me back. Sometimes, that can be material possessions like clothing or shoes I don’t wear or even need anymore. It could be spending less time with negative people and more time with people that bring me joy. All of this reflection needs to be done with God’s glasses on and prayer. God knows when to help […]
My favorite Scripture is Numbers 6:24-26. It is a blessing that I pray/post for people on their birthday and have used in artwork for gifts. Look it up. Dust off your Bible? Find it? When I looked for the exact verses again today, I looked at the footnote and learned something new! What do your Footnotes say about peace? * [6:26] Peace: the Hebrew word Shalom includes the idea of happiness, good health, prosperity, friendship, and general well-being. To use this term as a greeting was to pray for all these things upon the one greeted. Shalom my friends! The Grace and Peace of Christ to you! #IloveScripture Photo credit: Freepik.com
Psalm Response: The Lord is kind and merciful. Ps 103:8 Last week, Jesus gave us words to live by, The ‘Beatitudes,’ or blessings. Today, Jesus reminds us to be compassionate and forgiving. Jesus continues to explain what he means and how we should live. We are so quick to judge others harshly. Would we want God to judge us that […]
Response: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Psalm 1 The BEATITUDES And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said, “Blessed are you…” Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. Luke 6 We cherish these words of Jesus even today. The ‘Beatitudes,’ or blessings, that Christ gives us takes everything to the next level. We even see that the prophets have said this before! Their message might have been said with a “woe to you if you are satisfied” instead of blessed are you. The paradox of our faith shows itself in these blessings. How can we laugh when we feel like crying? This distinction can be hard to understand for us today. You may have heard ‘happy are those’ in a different translation. We know that we can’t be happy all the time. Words for our blessings are satisfied, comforted and can experience the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s a different way of looking at the challenges we have in life. Interesting that the following verses in Luke Chapter 6 are love your enemies and the Golden rule. Check out the next posts! The Beatitudes are the way to live that goes beyond the 10 Commandments. Taking it up a notch! Why? What do we think? Then how do […]
TRANSFORMATION Part 3 – You, only better! …Although in Holy Communion we are at once united with Christ, his power within us develops gradually. …Nor will the eucharistic God alone transform us. He requires our free, generous cooperation. Only by stimulating our higher faculties can we imitate Christ’s life. …Although Christ dwells in us with His Body, Blood, Soul and […]
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord The Lord will bless his people with peace. Ps 29 In the Gospel from Luke Chapter 3, we see John the Baptist announcing the one who is mightier than he and will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. John was baptizing with water, not with power. Take some time this week to think about what baptism means for your life. Our baptism is different! …The Baptism given by Jesus, which the Church, faithful to his command, does not cease to administer, is quite different. This Baptism frees man from original sin and forgives his sins, saves him from slavery to evil and is a sign of his rebirth in the Holy Spirit; it imparts to him a new life, which is participation in the life of God the Father, given to us by his Only-Begotten Son who became man, died and rose again. 4. Dear brothers and sisters, in a few moments these children will also receive Baptism and become living members of the Church. They will first be anointed with the oil of catechumens, a sign of Christ’s gentle strength given to them to fight against evil. Then blessed water will be poured on them, a sign of their interior purification through the gift of the Holy Spirit, poured out by Jesus as he was dying on the Cross. They are then immediately given a second and more important anointing with “chrism”, to show […]
This was such a great resource from Loyola Press that I had to share it with all of my families in Faith Formation and especially our Grade 7 Confirmation class! The Beatitudes are so difficult to explain and understand, even for me. How can we apply to our lives? Starting in March, we will be giving BEE-attitude awards out in classes. The laminated page from Loyola Press has the Beatitudes from Jesus in Matthew 5:3-10 on one side and the Beatitudes for Families on the other. What a wonderful discussion for your family! One example: Blessed are the families who strengthen one another, encourage compassion, and desire to do good despite life’s blows and setbacks, for they help bring about the Kingdom of God. (Beatitude for Families #8) Praying for all families everywhere, Donna Doherty, Dir. of St. Gall Faith Formation Published in the St. Gall Bulletin for Sunday, 1/16/22
All things are possible with God.
Our next WATW event is about encountering Jesus! We will look at the story of the woman at the well in John 4:1-43. How can we look at this story today, through 2021 eyes? What is important about this story? Why is our women’s ministry named after this woman? ZOOM on October 4, 2021 at 7pm with St. Patrick Church
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