Gift

Back in the beginning of January, after praying to the Holy Spirit, each member of my bible study group picked a word of the year and a saint for the year. My word is gift. I have been thinking a lot about it and recognize everything is a gift. Our sufferings, triumphs, and all that…

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Pray and Serve

Todays’ gospel reading has two important themes. The importance of morning prayer and of serving others. Mark’s gospel tells us about Jesus going into the house of Simon and Andrew and healing Simon’s very sick mother-in-law. In the evening, many people gather. “The whole town,” it says. And Jesus continues to heal the sick, many…

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Actions Speak Louder than Words

Actions Speak Louder than Words

“Actions Speak Louder than Words.” If I had a dollar for every time my mother said this phrase growing up, we would all be going out for a steak dinner. She said it so often that it is part of me now. One can talk all he likes, but if his actions and behavior do…

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Where is Your Heart?

Where is Your Heart By Joanne Huestis Dalrymple

The readings from today make me think of two things. The first is my mom saying, “You can’t take it with you anyway.” The second is the late Father Phil Tighe saying, “You should think about heaven every single day.” Okay, three things, that we were warned nearly 2,000 years ago in 2 John about…

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God Sees the Heart

Today’s gospel recounts the story of a Pharisee inviting Jesus to dine with him. The Pharisee is horrified that Jesus neglected to wash hands before the meal. Jesus rebukes the Pharisee, saying “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You…

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Hope

Photo showing divine affirmation

We are very familiar with the parable of the Prodigal Son. And yet, the story presents itself anew every time it is read. Depending on where you are in your life’s journey, something from the text strikes you. For example, if you are a parent of a son or daughter who has strayed, you may…

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Seventy-Seven Times

“Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” Forgive. We are instructed to forgive, over and over and over again. At times it seems like a tall order, does it not? And then…

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Not Peace?

Not Peace By Joanne Huestis Dalrymple

As I reflected on today’s gospel reading, the line about “not peace but the sword” stood out. After I did research about what it exactly meant, I couldn’t shake the memory of an experience I had long forgotten. I am sure we could all tell each other many stories having to do with each part…

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Models of the Faith

Models of the Faith

I have a beautiful hard covered book called, 365 Days with the Saints: A Year of Wisdom from the Saints by Carol Kelly-Gangi. Admittedly, I did not know much more about Barnabas than what we hear at Mass. In this book, it says that Barnabas was given the name “Joseph” when he was born. The…

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Light of the World

Be the Light. It is the last thing I say to our children as they pile out of my huge van in the school carpool line each weekday morning. I do not exactly remember when I started saying, “Be the Light.” It seems like I have been saying it for as long as I can…

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