…there was great calm. (Mark 4:39) Let’s do some Ignatian prayer with this Sunday’s Gospel passage (Mark 4:35-41). Read the passage, then place yourself in the scene with Jesus and the disciples as they encounter the storm on the Sea of Galilee. What do you see, hear, even smell? What emotions arise as you imagine an impending storm? Excitement, fear, even terror? What do you feel as you see the waves swell around you, completely…
Jesus spoke of His Kingdom often. Sometimes He spoke of it directly: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Other times he used parables to explain it, such as the parables of the Sower, the Weeds Among the Wheat, the Mustard Seed, the Yeast, the Treasure, and the Pearl of Great Price, all found in Matthew 13. In today’s Gospel passage,…
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 This time of winter is always a little “low” for me. Can you relate? The weather is often cold and dreary, although we’ve had some really nice days lately. Illnesses, stress, and grief seem to weigh on our hearts a little harder in February. It leaves me wondering what happened to all that Christmas joy from just a few weeks ago? It seems to…
Recently I was inspired to create a Mary Garden to honor Our Lady, especially because May is dedicated to Mary. I decided to make a tiny potted garden in a small, secluded spot in my yard where I like to pray and read. As I began researching different flowers and their various Marian names legends, I realized that many of the plants we have around our home have Marian names and meanings. So, it is…
God has done so much for us. We can ask ourselves if we truly give thanks each and every day for all that God has given us. Like the leper in today’s Gospel reading who returned to give thanks to God for his healing, the first step of gratitude is simply to notice how God cares for us. Each of us has so much to be thankful for. We’ve received small, everyday gifts and large,…