For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:8-9 Parables, like the one we have for our Gospel reading today of the generous landowner (Matthew 20:1-16), are an excellent way to encounter God through imaginative prayer. St. Ignatius of Loyola believed that…
The rosary is an ideal tool for spiritual warfare. When the Israelites marched against their enemies, they carried the Ark of the Covenant with them, blowing trumpets announcing the Lord’s presence: “So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.’ And he said to the people, ‘Go forward;…
“…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.” – Matthew 5:44-45 Who is the person that comes to mind when you read this Scripture passage? Just who are your enemies? You may have a person that comes to mind, such as someone who bullied you in school or someone who treated you unfairly at work. Perhaps it is someone who mocked you, stole something…
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. – Luke 18:1 Have you ever imagined what your soul looks like? It is eternal, so of course you cannot see it. But play along with me here. Close your eyes and imagine the hidden yet very real part of you. Is your soul strong and thriving? Is it weary? Thirsty? Sin-sick? Wounded? St. John Henry Cardinal Newman…
Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. – Luke 9:28 In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus took his closest disciples to pray in the quiet of the mountains. Our world is so noisy and full of information. Lent is an ideal time for cultivating quiet in order to draw closer to God. Personally, I am trying to quiet some noise in my own life, so I made a list to…
Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit. – Jeremiah 17:7-8 In mid-February, I start daydreaming about being outside working in my garden or taking walks under…
And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. – Luke 2:19 I imagine Mary’s Immaculate Heart like a beautiful jewelry box: decked with delicate flowers on the outside, yet still pierced with a sword (Luke 2:35). Like Christ’s Sacred Heart, it is on fire with love. Inside, her heart is lined with soft velvet, a sacred place to ponder the mysteries of Christ’s childhood. Her beautiful heart contains precious memories, prayers,…
For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice. – John 18:37 Happy Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe! Wow—what a title. Jesus, our brother who died for us, is the king of the entire universe. Jesus, who we receive in the Eucharist under humble appearances of bread and wine, has “dominion,…
A “masterclass” is a lesson given by an expert to knowledgeable students. Thank you, St. Mark, for blessing us with a masterclass in prayer in this Sunday’s Gospel! Here we have the story of Blind Bartimaeus, the poor beggar who heard Jesus passing by and called out for healing. He had a dialogue with Jesus—that’s prayer! If St. Mark taught us in person, here are some high points he might hit. Approach prayer with listening…
The whole of the Christian life can be summed up in these four words: love God, love others. Our Gospel reading for this Sunday holds a beautiful gem. Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is this: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor…