The image of God as a shield is found throughout the Old Testament. Clearly it was an important image to the early Hebrew community. But what does it mean to say God is our Shield? God as Shield in the Psalms The image of God as a shield appears eleven times in the Psalms. 3:3 […]
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My home church, St. John the Evangelist in Jackson, Michigan, is filled with beautiful stained glass windows. I’ve long admired them and the way they tell the story of Jesus through art. And so I’ve decided to share them with you, starting with the ones that depict the five joyful mysteries of the rosary which […]
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I love the Advent season. While society is rushing to Christmas, I savor the sights and sounds of Advent with somber purples and music that speaks of longing and anticipation. I love the Advent readings which speak of hope to a people praying for the long awaited Savior. Yes, I’m not a purist. I do […]
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Now doesn’t that sound more celebratory than a chicken dinner? That’s how we celebrate in my family! Steaks, preferably rare and cooked on a grill. On Wednesday at 5p.m. I entered the winner’s circle, having completed my 50,000 words for the NaNoWriMo challenge. The novel isn’t done yet. I have at least another 5,000 to […]
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Season of Gratitude In the end times, at the end of the world, we will be divided into sheep and goats. The Lord tells us so. There will be a judgment. We will be judged by how we treated those who are most vulnerable among us, by our kindness to strangers, the poor and widowed. […]
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Season of Gratitude Oh, how I love that first bite of a cool, crisp, juicy apple! If I could, I would only have first bites of apples. I’d leave baskets full of partially eaten apples to use as fodder for animals. Others relish the whole apple, down to the core. They don’t stop eating until […]
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Season of Gratitude Lord, I am grateful for my children who challenge me to grow in so many ways, who challenge me to be more than I am. Lord, I am grateful for the struggles of married life that challenge me to always be open to new ways of relating. These struggles promote change, growth, […]
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Season of Gratitude I search in vain for someone to blame. My best intentions have gone astray, left on the wayside to be stepped on by other people’s boots–and my boots, too. If I can’t blame another, maybe I can blame circumstances . . . or God? Though I search for someone–or something–to blame, all […]
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Season of Gratitude I praise you, O Lord, for all your works are wonderful. How can I say this with genuine conviction? Do I truly believe in the wonder of all creation, as killer bacteria and viruses wreak havoc on total populations? As natural disasters, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, and tornadoes rumble and explode over your […]
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Season of Gratitude A bouquet of flowers! But . . . they’re so expensive. I leave my thoughts unspoken. You could have spent the money on so many others things: something more practical, gifts more lasting. Flowers fade so quickly! A bouquet of flowers! Why do I find it so difficult to accept the fragrant […]
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