April 23, 2022
Thought for Today
“When dogs leap onto your bed, it’s because they adore
being with you. When cats leap onto your bed, it’s because they adore
your bed.”
Alisha Everett
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Friday, April 22, 2022
April 22, 2022
Reflection
LIVING LEGACY
Who, what, when, where, the why of my life....
Do I add, "How?"
WHO?
The people in my life?
The key people?
Family?
Surprise people I met?
Those who educated me?
Those I worked with?
The communities I was in?
Neighbors?
What ever happened to what's his/her name?
WHAT?
The moments of my life?
Key moments?
Sea Changes?
Conversions?
Relationships in my life?
History?
Mysteries?
Disasters?
Deaths?
Resurrections?
Splendors
Failures?
Successes?
Tests?
The story of my life?
WHEN?
Time line of my life?
"I remember when ...."
Autobiographies I have read?
5 top moments in my life?
Where was I when?
WHERE?
Born when?
Lived where
Vacations?
Moves?
Main places?
WHY?
I/Why?
You/Who?
Motives?
Unravelings?
Mistakes?
Thursday, April 21, 2022
April 21, 2022
Reflection
CHEERIOS IN CHURCH,
KIDS ARE US
A church that has Cheerios on the floor - especially in the front row - is a welcoming church.
Kids are us.
Parents aren't stupid. When their kid starts crying - screaming - 97% out of 100 times, they get up and walk out to the back of the church and head for the nearest exit with their screaming kid.
Yet, they want their kids up front - so they can see it all - to provide eachng moments - hopefully for some good "Show and tell" moments.
Crying rooms are super - sometimes.
However, I see the whole church as a crying room.
Now that could be another meditation like this one.
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
NICKNAMES
The title of my homily is “Nicknames.”
The subtitle would be “Descriptions of the Other Person.”
When I read today’s two readings what hit me are two
wonderful nicknames from the scriptures of other people. They are not called
nicknames, but that’s what I call them.
From today’s first reading from Acts 3 we hear mention of
The Beautiful Gate. From what I read last night I heard the commentators say
they are not really that sure just what gate into Jerusalem was The Beautiful
Gate.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be the gate to healing – the
gate where people meet Jesus and they are healed.
In this building what would be the place of greatest care
and healing and joy. In one place I was
stationed. It was in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania.
In the kitchen there was a booth -
that had a table – with a light brown vinyl couch on both sides. It was the place where we sat every night
around 10 PM – for about a half hour – had a cup or two of tea – and good
cookies – talked and told stories.
Looking back that was the best moment of the day. It was a
beautiful gate into peace and laughter – joy and fun.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have
as a member of the community someone who was a beautiful gate to God –
to each other - to wonderful moments of
life.
I would call people like that “The Beautiful Gate.”
In today’s first reading from Acts 3, it’s Peter who in the
name of Jesus heals a crippled man who begs at the beautiful gate every day.
In today’s gospel it’s the story of Emmaus – Luke 24:13-35.
I was giving a retreat once and a nun told us about a member of their
community. She never stopped
talking about the Emmaus story. She did
it so often to every class of kids she taught – that the kids nick named her, “Sister
Mary Emmaus.”
Imagine going through life and telling everyone that we need
to recognize God every time we break bread together. Imagine knowing the scriptures so well that
we help others see their life in the breaking of the words – and the breaking
of their lives.
So my homily is about two nicknames: The Beautiful Gate and
Emmaus. Wouldn’t it be neat to get one of those nicknames?
I would call people like that “The Beautiful Gate.”
April 20, 2022
Reflection
DRIVING AND SAYING MASS
He drives his car the way he says Mass.
At least he's consistent.
He turns pages as if he was ripping the page out of the big prayer book on the alr]tar.
He comes to STOP signs - or up behind people - braking fast - heavy and jerkey like ....
He drives fast - very fast - and when he says the Gloria or the Creed, hel'sloud and ahead of evefreyone - not giving anyone a chance to breathe.
I once read a woman author writing that the priest should say Mass as if he were making love.
She had me there - but I guess we priests say Mass as some men make love. "Slam bam - Thank you Mam."
Since being a male, since being in the presence of more women than men at Mass, since I wouldn't want to be criticized how I would make love to a wife, since reading that comment, I have tried to say Mass more gently.
Now as it comes to my driving - since driving with speedsters, I have tried to drive more smoothly as well
Gentle ....
Slow down ....
Enjoy the ride ....
Be present ....
So it's a good move for us to look at how we are when driving, when praying, when eating, when we are doing life - ever so gentle ....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)