It was a warm, sunny day.  All the business people and college students out walking in the noon sunshine were casting off their coats and enjoying one of the first nice days of early spring. 

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:19-23

My beautiful, precious Jesus, you are hurting so much. Your whole body is crying out for love and comfort. Let me love your pain away. Let me kiss your hands pierced by nails.

“My most gentle Jesus, how many times You have forgiven me; and how many times I have fallen again and begun again to offend You!

“And a sword will pierce even your own soul.” Luke 2:35

“A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work on the farm today.’ ‘I won’t,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

Every year it’s the same story when Advent comes around…Advent, which means, “come”.  The ideals that our family holds up, the things we most want to come into our lives are peace, harmony and joy.

I just returned from the grocery store where I was delighted to find the autumnal treat of crisp, sweet and juicy Cortland apples. To me, Cortland apples are not just a healthy treat, they are a memory of love.

My friend Judy and I go way back, 23 years to be exact.  Our lives are so busy that we rarely get to see each other anymore.  Judy is much better than I am at maintaining contact.

“I love to think of the cross as Jesus’ marriage bed where he laid himself down, body, soul, mind and heart, thus giving himself completely to his spouse, which is all of us, reborn in baptism. 

When things seem really bleak, and I feel full of worry and stress over little things, God always seems to find a way to pull me out of myself

When my son Justin was preparing to make the Sacrament of First Reconciliation, he was quite nervous as most children are the first time they confess their sins

“Though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at…rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave.”

I know what I want on my tombstone…At last, her laundry’s done.  -Kathleen Norris     The Cloister Walk

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God”…Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

“Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him.  So he went to the Pharisee’s home and took his place at the table.

My son, John often asks Paul and I questions about our childhood such as “What was your all-time favorite band?” and “What was your favorite TV show?” and “What was your favorite toy?”

A robin built her nest on the sun-porch window ledge, right behind the rose bush.  We can easily watch her from our front window.