There is a Longing

We might think the Apostles were lucky.  They were given a specific mission from Our Lord and received clear instructions in carrying it out.  They were sent in pairs and could help each other along the way.  And now we know the Lord has a mission for all of us too, but doesn’t it often seem the case that He leaves us to figure it out on our own and doesn’t provide the instructions? Despite how the situation may appear, we’re not just playing some sort of guessing game when it comes to our mission as Christians.  Note how Jesus entrusted this mission of spreading the Gospel with the Apostles, the Twelve men who had left everything to follow Him.  Similarly, if we are unsure of how to fully live out our mission as faithful Christians, we too must cultivate a deep relationship with Jesus Christ and follow Him.  From there blooms the call, the mission, He has in store for us.  Perhaps that call is to work among the poor or in schools.  Maybe there’s ...

        From an outside perspective, we can take a critical view of the people of Nazareth.  Shame on them for doubting Jesus!  They shouldn't have been so quick to turn Him down.  If only they listened to Him!           But what if we take a look at this event from the inside?  Let’s draw an analogy: how would you feel if your brother or sister took up street preaching and successfully converted thousands?  How would you respond to your cousin if he claimed to have God-given healing abilities?  Would you believe your niece if she started prophesying?            You might respond with some doubt.  This relative, who you’ve known since they were a kid and who has always happened to be completely normal, is suddenly doing something different .  Maybe they’re entering into a realm of the spiritual life that’s just too remote for you to accept.  But what’s r...

  I saw the above quote on a friend's Facebook page recently & right away, I felt the message was directed straight to me!  How many times have I been overwhelmed with the trials & struggles in my life? And during those times, how many have I gone directly to God for guidance instead of attempting to solve the issue in my own ?  Many people think that having faith & trust in God means they'll never face adversity & problems. Everything in life will go exactly as planned & they'll always be happy. The thing is, the plans are theirs not God's. An ytime we deviate from what God has planned for us, things will go haywire. Oh, they might seem great for a while, but eventually, we realize that what we thought was fulfilling a need deep within us was just a fleeting thing. There is still an emptiness inside that we find (hopefully sooner rather than later) can only be filled by God. We sometimes have a tendency to trust God only until our immediate need or ...

Two Sundays ago, I used the above image with the Gospel Reflection for that weekend for Mark 4:35-41. It was an image which I had never seen before, but was drawn to immediately. Since then, I’ve learned it was a painting by Rembrandt titled, “Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee” . Dated 1633, it was the only seascape he’d painted in his lifetime. Unfortunately, the painting, along with twelve other pieces of art, was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990. To this date, they have not been recovered. When I first saw the painting, I saw the darkness of the storm & the fearfulness of the disciples while Jesus slept. Basically, I saw the description of the event from the Gospel. I tend to look at the broader picture when I first see a beautiful piece of art, appreciating it for its overall design. As such, I didn’t notice all the striking details. It wasn’t until I took a closer look, zooming in on the men in the boat, that I saw the following: Four d...

  The words of Psalm 30 today could easily have been prayed by the woman with the hemorrhages after she’d been healed.  Through her bold faith, all she needed was to touch the hem of His garment.  “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”   -  She praises God for rescuing her from the hemorrhages and ridicule which have plagued her for many years.  “...drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.”   &  “You changed my mourning into dancing.”  -  She was alone, mourning the loss of companionship with family and friends.  Where once she was considered unclean by society’s standards, she has now been healed of her affliction and has no fear of being near others. At the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, OH, there is an altar in the lower level called the Purgatory Altar.  It is a piece of art depicting the Consecration and the joining of Heaven and Purgatory through the Mass on Earth.  As t...

  Like many children, I was afraid of thunderstorms, especially lightning.  In various cartoons, characters were usually struck in the behind.  Therefore, to avoid a backside striking during a storm, I would walk around the house with my back against a wall, sleep on my back, & sit so my back wasn't facing the window.  Nowadays, I love a good storm.  Several years ago, my son was at Children's Hospital after major brain surgery.  He’d recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  One night during a thunderstorm, I stood at the window in the 12th floor hallway & marveled at the spectacular light show over Columbus.  I felt that storm within me as the events of the past month had turned our lives upside down.  But I also felt a great sense of peace.  I knew that people all over the world were praying for him and he was under God's protection.  I’ve often wondered how some people can go through the storms in life without turning...

Many of us have family members who have left the Church, whether it be our children, grandchildren, siblings, etc. We may feel helpless in our attempts to encourage their return. We wonder why they’ve turned away from God and worry about their eternal salvation, wondering where we went wrong. In most cases, it's not something we’ve done that pushed them away.  Getting angry and talking until we're blue in the face will do nothing to win them back to the Church.  We can only lead by example in loving them and praying for their return.  We plant seeds that we hope and pray will take root in their hearts, drawing them back to God's loving embrace.  How?  Share stories of how God has worked in our lives.  Perform small acts of kindness for them.  Be cautious of our speech and actions.  Let them see us take part in spiritual activities and invite them to join us (prayer, Bible study, going to Mass).  These are just a few of the seeds we can plan...