April 2024

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

Flowers & buds on a claret cup cactus

Letting go and letting God is easier said than done but, oh, the peace of mind that comes from simply trusting that God knows better than I do.

The following homily, delivered by Fr. Dominic at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI, on August 2, 2021, was recorded, transcribed, and edited (Lanoux, April 12, 2024).

If you have a family to support or take care of, I’m sure you have days when you feel the burden of it.  At times you may wonder how you can purchase something you need, especially if it’s for your children.  Other times you’re physically tired.  You go to work, you come back home, and you are exhausted!  Then, perhaps, an emergency happens and, if you’re trying to serve the Lord the best you can, you feel like Moses— so overburdened that you have to ask, “Why are you so displeased with me that you burden me so much?”  Then God says, “Why don’t you trust me?  I got you to this point.  You know already that your mission is to lead these people to the Promised Land.”

Complaining is human.  You don’t know how many times I complain to God for one reason or another!  It’s human!  But, God simply says, “Trust me.  Place your faith in me.”  Even St. Paul complained to God.  “There is this thorn in my flesh.  Why don’t you take it away?”  And, God says, “My grace is enough for you.  Trust me.”  Just think of the  Israelites in the desert.  God had provided manna for them, but they were sick and tired of it.  “We want meat!”  This reminds me of the people of Bangledesh.  Their staple food is rice and, if they don’t eat it at least once a day, they’ll tell you that they have not eaten.  The poor Israelites probably didn’t eat meat for a very long time.  Can you imagine yourself traveling through the desert for forty years?  When we journey through life, we sometimes feel that we’re going through the desert.

Have you ever felt abandoned by God?  At times you pray to him quietly; other times you like to wake him up.  “Where are you?”  And, again, God says, “Trust me.  I know where you are going.  I know that I’m leaving you there.  Simply trust me.”

Try to think of situations in your own life when, had you had the courage to trust the Lord a little more, perhaps the situation would not have been as heavy, as burdensome, as you found it to be.  Much too often I think that we rely on ourselves more than on the Lord.  We forget who’s in control.  It’s not I.  It’s the Lord.

When we feel burdened, when we don’t know where to turn, why don’t we take time to rest with the Lord?  Jesus oftentimes went to the mountains.  Back in those days, that’s where people thought you could encounter God.  Yet, here we are.  God came down and remains with us so that we can encounter him whenever we find our lives burdensome.

Faith and trust.  These are two virtues we often talk about yet seem so hard to live by.  If I’m behind the wheel, I know where I’m going— or, at least I think I do— but, if I let God get behind the wheel, I don’t know where he’s taking me.  He might surprise me!  And, it’s this uncertainty that makes faith and trust very difficult.  So, here’s a good reason to trust the Lord: He loves us so much that he died for us.  God bless you.

April mailing (English & Spanish)

Top center: Flowers & buds on a claret cup cactusBottom center: Rectangular plaque with quote: “Faith is seeing light with your heart hen your eyes see only darkness.”Top center: Flowers & buds on a claret cup cactusBottom center: Rectangular plaque with quote: “Faith is seeing light with your heart hen your eyes see only darkness.”

Top center: Cactus flowers among the wild dry grass and rocksBottom center: Broken tile with the quote “With God all things are possible” put back together within a square of rocks in a garden settingTop center: Cactus flowers among the wild dry grass and rocksBottom center: Broken tile with the quote “With God all things are possible” put back together within a square of rocks in a garden setting

Left top: Cactus flower within a circle / Right center: Prickly pear blook & two buds    Left top & bottom: Cactus blooms with a quote at the center / Right top & bottom: Cactus blooms with a quote at the center

Left top: Cactus flower within a circle / Right center: Prickly pear blook & two buds    Left top & bottom: Cactus blooms with a quote at the center / Right top & bottom: Cactus blooms with a quote at the center

Prayerful thoughts

And God said to the soul: I desired you before the world began.  I desire you now as you desire me.  And, where the desires of two come together, love is perfected.

The soul speaks to God: Lord, you are my lover, my longing, my flowing stream, my sun; and I am your reflection.

God answers the soul: It is my nature that makes me love you often, for I am love itself.  It is my longing that makes me love you intensely, for I yearn to be loved from the heart.  It is my eternity that makes me love you long, for I have no end (Mechthild of Magdeburg, edited).

“Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God” (A.W. Tozer).

“Trust God that you are where you are meant to be” (St. Teresa of Ávila).

.

Blessings 2024…  January 2024…  February 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…    October 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: faith, homilies, spiritual gifts | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

March 2024

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

Palm Sunday altar with empty jugs on a mat on the floor in front of the altar and a ceiling-to-floor curtain with narrow purple curtain on either side on the back wall. To the left are three full-sized plain, dark-wood crosses--- the tallest in the center draped in red--- with palm fronds and ceramic containers around them on the floor. Palm fronds adorn the back wall, too.

I’m ever so grateful for our faith-filled journey.  God is truly amazing.

The following homily, delivered by Fr. Mike at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI, on March 24, 2024, was recorded, transcribed, and edited (Lanoux).

Sundays throughout the year we hear that Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem.  As we begin Holy Week today, the first gospel tells us that Jesus was welcomed with great jubilation— people were shouting and parading with leafy palm branches in their hands— while the second gospel ends with great sorrow.  But, we might ask, what happened to all those palms two thousand years ago?

Today, we remember that poignant celebration with the blessing of palms.  And, after Mass, we’ll pick up every little piece off the floor because they’re sacramentals: daily reminders that Christ, our savior, suffered with great humility and rose to new life.

During Lent I invite parishioners to return their old palms, which will be burned and used on Ash Wednesday of the following year, when we’re blessed with the sign of the cross that we may repent and believe in the gospel.  So, as I looked at the old palms, some were creatively woven while others were as straight as when they first left church.  But, the one palm with its burnt tip reminded me of Aunt Dorothy, who raised her family on the same street where I grew up.  On her upright piano she kept a little altar with a statue of St. Joseph, pictures of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart, and her palm.  Then, as needed during tornado season in June and July, she’d light the tip of the palm and pray as she waited out the storm in the basement.  Growing up in New Berlin all those years we never had a tornado, probably thanks to faithful women like Aunt Dorothy.

Today, as we gather with our blessed palms, take yours home and put it in a place of reverence, perhaps behind your crucifix or in a vase.  Then, before a storm or during difficult times, burn the palm’s tip and ask God’s special blessing.

In times of joy and in times of sorrow may we invite Jesus into our lives.  May our blessed palm be a reminder that Jesus is with us, inviting us as we invite him to journey together not just through the suffering, but also to the good news of the resurrection.

One of my former pastors said, “Holy Week should never be lived like the other fifty-one weeks in the year.”  Almost forty days ago, we began the Lenten season with the admonition to pray, fast, and give alms.  Some of us have struggled and some of us have been faithful.  But, wherever we find ourselves, may we continue to invite Jesus into our lives.  May our eyes remain focused on Jesus crucified as a reminder of God’s love, forgiveness, and mercy.  And, may we share our love and our mercy with one another.

March mailing (English & Spanish)

Top center: Palm Sunday altar with empty jugs on a mat on the floor in front of the altar and a ceiling-to-floor curtain with narrow purple curtain on either side on the back wall. To the left are three full-sized plain, dark-wood crosses--- the tallest in the center draped in red--- with palm fronds and ceramic containers around them on the floor. Palm fronds adorn the back wall, too.Bottom center: Within an oval, a palm blade cross with a rose-and-stem that are held in place by circular weaving. In the background is a cotton, multi-colored placemat.Top center: Palm Sunday altar with empty jugs on a mat on the floor in front of the altar and a ceiling-to-floor curtain with narrow purple curtain on either side on the back wall. To the left are three full-sized plain, dark-wood crosses--- the tallest in the center draped in red--- with palm fronds and ceramic containers around them on the floor. Palm fronds adorn the back wall, too.Bottom center: Within an oval, a palm blade cross with a rose-and-stem that are held in place by circular weaving. In the background is a cotton, multi-colored placemat.

Top center: A rectangular perspective of flaming-red coreopsis with yellow centers radiating toward the petals’ tips.Bottom center: Palm Sunday altar--- off-white granite with a dark-brown Chi Rho symbol on the front--- with a red mantle, short, stout, cylindrical candles on either end; and the book of prayer open at the center. Along the back wall behind the altar are Mary on the left, Joseph on the right, and Jesus, crucified, draped in red. Palm fronds adorn the bases of the saints and the tabernacle area below the cross.Top center: A rectangular perspective of flaming-red coreopsis with yellow centers radiating toward the petals’ tips.Bottom center: Palm Sunday altar--- off-white granite with a dark-brown Chi Rho symbol on the front--- with a red mantle, short, stout, cylindrical candles on either end; and the book of prayer open at the center. Along the back wall behind the altar are Mary on the left, Joseph on the right, and Jesus, crucified, draped in red. Palm fronds adorn the bases of the saints and the tabernacle area below the cross.

Left top: Lenten altar with the crucified Christ, center, draped in purple; Mary on the left & Joseph on the right, each with a sheer curtain panel behind them. / Right center: Oval of a full-sized cross draped in red, with a crown of thorns at the center where the head of Jesus would be. At the base is a whip and three large spikes on a red cloth.    Left: Stained-glass windows of the first nine stations of the cross. / Right: Stained-glass windows of the last five stations of the cross with a tiny oval depiction of Jesus on the cross, draped in purple, with a kneeling angel on either side of the base.

Left top: Lenten altar with the crucified Christ, center, draped in purple; Mary on the left & Joseph on the right, each with a sheer curtain panel behind them. / Right center: Oval of a full-sized cross draped in red, with a crown of thorns at the center where the head of Jesus would be. At the base is a whip and three large spikes on a red cloth.    Left: Stained-glass windows of the first nine stations of the cross. / Right: Stained-glass windows of the last five stations of the cross with a tiny oval depiction of Jesus on the cross, draped in purple, with a kneeling angel on either side of the base.

Prayerful thoughts

Dear God, your love for us is deep and mysterious.  In this time of anxiety, bless us with the strength and the wisdom to place our trust in you.  As your son, Jesus, prayed for resolve in the garden, so may we have the resolve to endure our current trials.  As he sacrificed his life out of love for us, may we dedicate our own sacrifices, big and small, to the care of our world, especially those most in need (Larry Livingston).

Most gracious and loving God, on the night of Jesus’s birth, his cry burst into song and changed history.  As he grew, his teachings became life-changing songs of love.  When he was tried, crucified, and then died, the world thought his song was silenced.  His resurrection brought forth a glorious song of unending love.  Help us never to forget that, if Christ’s song is to continue, we must do the singing.  May we sing a jubilant song of faith, hope, love, and justice on earth as it is in heaven.  In Christ we pray (Pittsburg Theological Seminary).

“Throughout the year, those palm branch pieces can be a continuing reminder of how much [God] loves me and how deeply I want to respond, ‘Hosanna!  Save me, dear Jesus!’” (Angela Maynard).

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  January 2024…  February 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…    October 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: Easter, faith, homilies, Lent, prayer, Resurrection, spiritual gifts, stations of the cross | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

February 2024

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

On the floor before the Lenten altar is an earth-colored cloth topped with fabric like hay. On that are various gourds and jugs with twigs emanating from the large one on the right and, from the taller one on the left, a long satin cloth like water flowing from a waterfall through the ceramic containers below it.

May this Lenten journey be one of gratitude, friendship, and prayer.

The following homily, delivered by Fr. Alex at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI, on February 20, 2023, was recorded, transcribed, and paraphrased (Lanoux, February 24, 2024).

How much do you pray?  You may say “a lot,” but can your prayer lead to the miracles that Jesus performed?  The father in today’s gospel was disappointed that those with Jesus couldn’t drive the evil spirit from his son.  The disciples, no superheroes, were lacking in gifts, so Jesus admonished them: “You aren’t praying enough.”

The boy’s evil spirit could only be banished through prayer deeply rooted in the wisdom of God, for the glory of God.  This is the type of prayer that we should strive for so that, whatever we do, we may glorify God.  This is the type of prayer that helps us grow in our relationship with God as we help others connect with God as well.

At this time of Lent, may we ask the Lord for a deeper connection with him.  As we pray, may we bask in his presence, enjoying him as a friend.  And, may this unity give us a different Lenten experience— or flavor— so that, whatever comes, we may rejoice in the relationship we’re building with God.

February mailing (English & Spanish)

Top center tondo: On the floor before the Lenten altar is an earth-colored cloth topped with fabric like hay on which are various gourds and jugs with twigs emanating from the large one on the right & from the taller one on the left, a long satin cloth like water flowing from a waterfall through the ceramic containers below.https://flandin505.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/lnt22424-2-1.jpgTop center tondo: On the floor before the Lenten altar is an earth-colored cloth topped with fabric like hay on which are various gourds and jugs with twigs emanating from the large one on the right & from the taller one on the left, a long satin cloth like water flowing from a waterfall through the ceramic containers below.Bottom center: Close-up of a Lenten altar (from a right-side angled view). On the altar are a tall white candle on the corner and an open lectionary. On a granite stand In the background are the tabernacle with greenery on either side. Above, the base of the cross can be seen. To the left of that, the red-glass candle holder on the wall. At the bottom, the top part of a chair can be seen.

Top center: Lenten altar: floral bouquets on either side of the floor space around the altar; a six-or-seven-foot Celtic cross hanging down from the ceiling so that it’s midway between the altar and the wall tapestry; natural light coming in through stained-glass windows (top & bottom) on the right side.Bottom center: a simple dark-brown stone cross.Top center: Lenten altar: floral bouquets on either side of the floor space around the altar; a six-or-seven-foot Celtic cross hanging down from the ceiling so that it’s midway between the altar and the wall tapestry; natural light coming in through stained-glass windows (top & bottom) on the right side.Bottom center: a simple dark-brown stone cross.

Left top: Lenten altar viewed from the center aisle three pews down; behind the altar, a colorful tapestry centered on the back wall; a large Celtic cross hangs from the ceiling between the altar and the wall so that it looks like it’s centered on the wall tapestry. / Right top: An oval of a thick, flat cross centered on a montage of light and dark colors.    Left: A quote with the first nine stations of the cross below. / Right top: The remaining five stations of the cross with a prayer below.

Left top: Lenten altar viewed from the center aisle three pews down; behind the altar, a colorful tapestry centered on the back wall; a large Celtic cross hangs from the ceiling between the altar and the wall so that it looks like it’s centered on the wall tapestry. / Right top: An oval of a thick, flat cross centered on a montage of light and dark colors.    Left: A quote with the first nine stations of the cross below. / Right top: The remaining five stations of the cross with a prayer below.

Prayerful thoughts

By getting to know Jesus Christ and learning how to connect with him spiritually, we can become “kingdom-of-God dwellers.”  But, because we have been given the gift of free will, each of us must decide, every minute of each day, in which kingdom we will choose to place our hope and trust (Melissa Overmyer).

God, devoted companion, grace us with prayerful resolve so that this might be a fruitful time for each of us; a time of true repentance, reflection, and self-discipline.  May these forty days be for us a pilgrimage into your heart and into deeper solidarity with our sisters and brothers within the human family.  We ask this in your most holy name.  Amen (Larry Livingston).

God of life, we are grateful for the many gifts that you have given to us.  May we become prudent stewards of your many gifts and not thoughtlessly waste water, food, and other resources.  May we respond to your son’s cry of thirst with lives of peacemaking and just action.  We make his prayer in your name.  Amen (Daniel P. Horan, OFM).

It is a lesson we all need— to let alone the things that do not concern us.  He has other ways for others to follow him; all do not go by the same path.  It is for each of us to learn the path by which he requires us to follow him, and to follow him in that path (St. Katharine Drexel).

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.  Strengthen me under the pressure of temptation.  Strengthen me when principle is at stake.  Strengthen me to do your will, my God.  Strengthen me in moments of suffering, in times of loneliness, in periods of depression.  Strengthen me that I may never swerve from you, dear Christ, nor weaken through human respect through a desire to be popular through hope of social distinction.  Strengthen me to accept my cross and carry it generously to the end.  On the battlefield of life, stand by me that I may never prove a traitor in the ranks.  Stand by me that I may not be dazzled by the glitter and glow of the enemy camp.

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  January 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…    October 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: blessings, faith, homilies, Lent, prayer, spiritual gifts, stone cross | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

January 2024

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

Faux rose--- leaves on stem from which is attached a small heart with a cross on its center--- rests on the center of an open Bible which rests atop a linen cloth with an embroidered edge all around on a wicker background

My Bible has remained open for decades and, on occasion, I turn its pages to show passages other than my favorites.  Yet, regardless of which book is open, Isaiah with its dated, handwritten notes in the margins always beckons.

Whether he calls me to reflect on verses of relevance and/or smile at my penciled messages from years long past, Isaiah has an open invitation for me to visit anytime.  I can stand before my Bible, reflect on the scribbled memories, caress the pages to get a feel for Isaiah’s wisdom, read a specific verse, search for something new, or— as I often do— visit mentally from anywhere I happen to be.

Isaiah’s been my fave since my college undergraduate days.  A prophet for all time, he consoles and encourages in my toughest trials and remains constant through thick and thin.  His rock-solid wisdom is way better than Krazy Glue; his inspiration, universal.  In my darkest moments, Isaiah’s unwavering beacon reassures me of God’s constancy and gives me wings to fly.

For a brief moment I abandoned you; but with great tenderness, I will take you back.  In an outburst of wrath, for a moment, I hid my face from you; but with enduring love I take pity on you… so I have sworn not to be angry with you or to rebuke you.  Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, my love shall never leave you (Isaiah 54:7-10).

Love is patient, love is kind.  It… does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury… but rejoices with the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Because Isaiah provides comfort, wisdom, and hope, I know many of his verses by heart.  Our morning exchanges have been a lifelong staple, so he’s my cuppa joe.  I can’t think of a better way to start the daily subchapter in my book of life than with Isaiah’s steadfast reminders of the many blessings ahead.

O Lord, you are my God.  I will extol you and praise your name; for you have fulfilled your wonderful plans of old, faithful and true.  The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces.  The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken (Isaiah 25:1, 8).

January mailing (English & Spanish)

Top center: Faux rose--- leaves on stem from which is attached a small heart with a cross on its center--- rests on the center of an open Bible which rests atop a linen cloth with an embroidered edge all around on a wicker backgroundBottom center: Sun shining through dark clouds in a dark-blue sky and palm tree-tops in the forefrontTop center: Faux rose--- leaves on stem from which is attached a small heart with a cross on its center--- rests on the center of an open Bible which rests atop a linen cloth with an embroidered edge all around on a wicker backgroundBottom center: Sun shining through dark clouds in a dark-blue sky and palm tree-tops in the forefront

Front top center: Sand dune with an adjacent boardwalk on the right leading to a tranquil beach with the sunrise shooing away the dark clouds showing lighter hues and cloudsBottom center: Tondo of a lush treetop, reminiscent of a Joshua tree, with clouds and sky in the backgroundTop center: Sand dune with an adjacent boardwalk on the right leading to a tranquil beach with the sunrise shooing away the dark clouds showing lighter hues and cloudsBottom center: Tondo of a lush treetop, reminiscent of a Joshua tree, with clouds and sky in the background

Left top: White sunrise in a golden sky with dark clouds in the foreground and calm waters with a bit of gold reflected below & left bottom: White sunset in a golden aura with a fiery sky topped with the coming light and darkness below / right top: Fiery sunrise at the beach amidst a dark sky with intermittent clouds & right bottom: White sunset in a golden aura with a few stretched-out clouds in surrounding darkness.    Left top: White sunrise with a golden aura adjacent to a huge dark cumulonimbus cloud that’s light on its right and to the right a blue sky with a stratus cloud; below, the waters of Copano Bay lit up amidst the dark grounds all around & left bottom: A white sunset with a rainbow roundness with rays extending to the teal-blue sky behind and over trees at the Grand Canyon. / Right top: The white sun rising on the horizon, spreading its fiery hues horizontally with royal blues above and below on the Gulf of Mexico, the beach a near-black hue.

Left top: White sunrise in a golden sky with dark clouds in the foreground and calm waters with a bit of gold reflected below & left bottom: White sunset in a golden aura with a fiery sky topped with the coming light and darkness below. / Right top: Fiery sunrise at the beach amidst a dark sky with intermittent clouds & right bottom: White sunset in a golden aura with a few stretched-out clouds in surrounding darkness.    Left top: White sunrise with a golden aura adjacent to a huge dark cumulonimbus cloud that’s light on its right and to the right a blue sky with a stratus cloud; below, the waters of Copano Bay lit up amidst the dark grounds all around & left bottom: A white sunset with a rainbow roundness with rays extending to the teal-blue sky behind and over trees at the Grand Canyon. / Right top: The white sun rising on the horizon, spreading its fiery hues horizontally with royal blues above and below on the Gulf of Mexico, the beach a near-black hue.

  Prayerful thoughts

In Christ, even our failures become a source of grace when we accept them in imitation of his humility and courage; even our anxieties become a path to holiness when we ally them with his sufferings.  All that we do and say, if it is done and said in Christ, is done and said well; for true wellness is life in Christ (Clayton C. Barbeau).

Real love wants for truth.  Real love accepts the beloved as they are and where they are.  Real love offers itself, as it is, in return.  Real love has less to do with what we want to be true than with our capacity for acceptance and generosity in the face of what is.  Real love is honest (Brendan Busse, SJ).

When we feel anguish, when we have a sense that we do not know who we are, a sense of being profoundly lonely, we become afraid.  We can be willing to give up a lot— friendships, communication, even intimacy— so as to protect ourselves from the feeling of being “nobody,” the suffering of loneliness, our anguish.  It is only when we can see this in ourselves that we can discover freedom from our compulsions.  It is only when we begin to recognize the cry of our own hearts that we can respond to the cry of God to be in relationship with us (Jean Vanier).

Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace.  The gift of grace increases as the struggle increases (St. Rose of Lima).

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  February 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…    October 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: blessings, faith, gratitude, Isaiah, prayer, spiritual gifts | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Christmas 2023

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

Rural setting church with a tall palm tree on either side of the entrance. Below the steeple, which runs from the cross at the top to the doorway on the ground level, are two windows above and below a four- or five-foot statue of Our Lady of Consolation. Above the front doors is a tallish window with similar ones on either side for a total of three, with the ones on the right and the left positioned about a foot lower on either side.

Left center: Tondo of various colorful Christmas items in the background with a prominent cross ornament in the center with “Jesus is the reason for the season” painted colorfully painted on its front. Right center: Long oval of a Christmas angel wearing a finely-crocheted gown with a delicate handkerchief with dainty floral designs. The angel’s eyes are closed, its small arms around a gold-hued cross. The angel is attached at the head and shoulders to a larger pastel-shaded cross with etched roses.    Two potholders on the left. Top: Raggedy-doll boy with overalls and a valentine heart on its center. Bottom: Raggedy-doll girl wearing a bow on her head and a flouncy dress with a wide collar. She’s seated holding hands with her Raggedy-doll baby boy with a valentine heart on its center. Two potholders on the right. Top: Snowman family: dad, child, mom. They’re wearing knitted hats. The dad has a vest on; the child, a large hanging bow; the mom a scarf. They’re standing close together on the snow. Message at their feet: Snow Play on a Winter Day. Bottom: Santa with a mistletoe motif on his waistband. He’s holding a small Christmas tree with undulations of snow and a small star. Message: Keep the Spirit.

Front: Left center: Tondo of various colorful Christmas items in the background with a prominent cross ornament in the center with “Jesus is the reason for the season” painted colorfully painted on its front. Right center: Long oval of a Christmas angel wearing a finely-crocheted gown with a delicate handkerchief with dainty floral designs. The angel’s eyes are closed, its small arms around a gold-hued cross. The angel is attached at the head and shoulders to a larger pastel-shaded cross with etched roses.    Two potholders on the left. Top: Raggedy-doll boy with overalls and a valentine heart on its center. Bottom: Raggedy-doll girl wearing a bow on her head and a flouncy dress with a wide collar. She’s seated holding hands with her Raggedy-doll baby boy with a valentine heart on its center. Two potholders on the right. Top: Snowman family: dad, child, mom. They’re wearing knitted hats. The dad has a vest on; the child, a large hanging bow; the mom a scarf. They’re standing close together on the snow. Message at their feet: Snow Play on a Winter Day. Bottom: Santa with a mistletoe motif on his waistband. He’s holding a small Christmas tree with undulations of snow and a small star. Message: Keep the Spirit.

Poinsettia spray with snow-covered pine cones and greeneryPeppermint candy cane on the J in Jesus & holly clusters top left and lower right in the titlePoinsettia spray with snow-covered pine cones and greeneryTop: Church with a steeple structure that runs from the cross atop to the entrance at the ground level. Palm tree on either side. Rural setting. Bottom: Altar within the church. Dark wood carving of Mother Mary & St. John on either side of Jesus on the cross. Center below is a golden tabernacle with floral bouquets on either side on the wall altar. In the forefront is an altar with a short candle on either side of the lectionary. To the front of it, a dark wood, padded kneeler. On either side of the carpeted altar are side altars. On the left, a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; on the right, the Blessed Mother. The priest’s simple, cushioned chair is next to the left altar. In the forefront, four sets of pews on either side of the aisle.

Painted wood ornament of the Nativity setting with the Holy Family, a donkey, the Star, a palm tree, & greenery with a tiny gold-colored bell and cord at the top.     Painted wood ornament of the Magi and a camel guided by the Star & greenery with a tiny gold-colored bell and cord at the top.     Painted wood ornament of two shepherds with a sheep, a nearby palm tree, the Star, and in the distance the little town of Bethlehem & a tiny gold-colored bell and cord at the top.

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  February 2024…  January 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  December 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…  October 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: angels, blessings, Child Jesus, Christmas, churches, faith, gratitude, Magi kings, spiritual gifts | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

December 2023

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

Church setting with an ornate statue of Santo Nino de Cebu enclosed in golden-brown hollowed-out crown enclosure with a with a cross on top & lit candles & smaller statues on the table below in the foreground

Advent is here!  Christmas is coming!  Lots of familiar traditions await us, but did you know that the Child Jesus is also feted the third week of January?

In 2009, our dear friend, Sam, invited us to the annual Santo Niño de Cebú festivities at St. John the Baptist in Corpus Christi so, of course, I took my Infant in a tote and— would you believe it?

Many others in church had theirs, too.  Only their Infants had legs and were dressed in red, quite different from my flat-bottomed in green.  One woman even gasped at the sight of mine, so I wasn’t sure about placing him on the table with the others.  To complicate matters, I hadn’t taken the small wooden box he normally stands on— the Infant’s cape is a bit longer than he is tall— so his cape would’ve looked odd being too high at the neck.  But, right away the priest sent a woman to get me a small box, and I placed the Infant in a somewhat inconspicuous spot.

Later in the evening, the bishop blessed the Infants.  I was so grateful that I couldn’t stop crying.  My Infant’s history involves mom and her two sisters, and now he’s with me.  I sew his clothes and take care of him.  He also travels with us so, to me, he’s as real as every other child.  What’s more is that the bishop married Steven and me years ago, so this was a double blessing for us.

Homily

Christmas is not over in the Philippines until the Santo Niño de Cebú feast day.  The celebration began in 1521 when Magellan first introduced the statue from Spain.  After a great fire, the Santo Niño statue miraculously remained intact; so it’s now a much-venerated relic.  But, whether the Infant is called the St. Infant of Prague or the Santo Niño de Atocha, the practice is the same.  There are many beautiful stories.  Growing up [in Ireland], there were always statues in homes.  The custom was to place a coin under the statue, so the family would never go broke.  The Infant of Prague statue was placed outside to guarantee fine weather for a wedding.  The message from the Santo Niño has always been associated with humility, love, and trust.  The Santo Niño calls in whispers.  If we listen carefully, we hear him.  The Lord calls us in different ways to give us a message to do what he asks.  The Lord waits patiently for all of us to come to him, nonjudgmentally to follow him.  If we do that— follow his counsel, trust in him— we need not worry.  With Jesus all things are possible (Bp. Edmond Carmody; January 17, 2009).

December mailing (English & Spanish)

Top center: Tondo of a large ornate statue of Santo Nino de Cebu enclosed within an 8-10 ft. golden-brown, hollowed-out crown with a cross on top. Lit candles & smaller statues adorn the table in the foreground. Greenery & flowers embellish the area below the cross atop the apple and the table below.Top right: Tabletop statue of Santo Nino de Atocha, seated & holding a crooked staff with a ribbonTop center: Tondo of a large ornate statue of Santo Nino de Cebu enclosed within an 8-10 ft. golden-brown, hollowed-out crown with a cross on top. Lit candles & smaller statues adorn the table in the foreground. Greenery & flowers embellish the area below the cross atop the apple and the table below.Top right: Tabletop statue of Santo Nino de Atocha, seated & holding a crooked staff with a ribbon

Top center: Stained-glass depiction of the Holy Family within a radiantly-lit snow-globe setting - Mary with Jesus in her arms at the center, Joseph to their right, & a shepherd to their leftTop center: Small tondo showing the Holy Family lovingly gazing at Baby Jesus in Mary’s armsTop center: Stained-glass depiction of the Holy Family within a radiantly-lit snow-globe setting - Mary with Jesus in her arms at the center, Joseph to their right, & a shepherd to their leftTop center: Small tondo showing the Holy Family lovingly gazing at Baby Jesus in Mary’s arms

Left top center: Wall mural of the Holy Family working – An older Jesus assisting Joseph with his carpentry as Mary sits to their left sewing in the forefront in a desert-like home setting / right center: oval depicting Our Lady of Guadalupe in a golden aura looking down at Juan Diego as he kneels before her in reverence – desert-like setting with pink roses among the rocks    Right center: An oval vintage not-quite-traditional photo of a full-bodied Our Lady of Guadalupe within a golden aura, the moon at her feet & an angel with outstretched arms seemingly holding them up. Above OLG’s head are two angels, one on either side, as if readying to place the golden crown atop her head.

Left top center: Wall mural of the Holy Family working – An older Jesus assisting Joseph with his carpentry as Mary sits to their left sewing in the forefront in a desert-like home setting / right center: oval depicting Our Lady of Guadalupe in a golden aura looking down at Juan Diego as he kneels before her in reverence – desert-like setting with pink roses among the rocks    Right center: An oval vintage not-quite-traditional photo of a full-bodied Our Lady of Guadalupe within a golden aura, the moon at her feet & an angel with outstretched arms seemingly holding them up. Above OLG’s head are two angels, one on either side, as if readying to place the golden crown atop her head.

Prayerful thoughts

Adorable Infant Jesus, you not only humbled yourself to assume our human nature, but chose also to come to us as a little child, weakest and most defenseless among men.  Teach us, then, to learn the real greatness of humility and that human strength is made perfect in weakness by your divine aid.  Lovable Infant Jesus, have mercy on us and help us in our need.  Let us rely alone on God, our most provident Father who watches over us always.  By your grace may we approach our heavenly Father in confidence with a trust like that of a little child.  Admirable Infant Jesus, have pity on our littleness and weakness and assist us by your divine power in our present necessity.  Please help us today to reverence all life and, for your sake, to love all living things which your goodness created and your coming recreated (Franciscan Mission Associates).

For a child has been born for us, a son given to us.  Authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  February 2024…  January 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…    October 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: blessings, Child Jesus, Christmas, faith, gratitude, homilies, Our Lady, prayer, spiritual gifts | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

November 2023

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

A fallen spade-shaped green leaf with yellow veins on a short, thin stem on a concrete surface

The ol’ pea brain processes information at warp speed and goes off on many tangents, but only meaningful connections— usually prompted by discomforting disequilibrium— impact real learning.

The following homily, delivered at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI, on July 13, 2023, by Fr. Dominic, was recorded, transcribed, and edited (Lanoux, November 7, 2023).

Today we gather to celebrate God’s love, God’s mercy.  Quite an interesting story about Joseph in the first reading, isn’t it? [Genesis 44-45].  Imagine if something like that happened in your life, something that you couldn’t understand.  Maybe you even got angry?  But then, looking back in time, it all made perfect sense.

Back in 1979, I had returned from Bangladesh when I was recalled for another five years.  After the fourth year, I wrote a letter reminding my provincial that “my last year is just beginning, so I expect to be reassigned to Bangladesh.”  The provincial came to my room and said, “Your request was accepted, but the provincial council (of five people) is asking that you stay one more year so we can find your replacement.”  I told the provincial, “What kind of a game is this?  You say yes, but you also expect me to say yes to an additional year?  Then, if I say no, I’m the one who feels guilty?”

I said yes, of course.  And, after the sixth year, I took my sabbatical in Italy before departing for Bangladesh.  But, what happened because of that one-year delay?  Within two weeks of my arrival in Italy, my dad passed away unexpectedly.  Then, thirty-seven days later, mom passed away.  So, my one yes to God made it possible to be by the bedside of my father and my mother when they died.  I was present for their funerals and stayed close to my grieving sister with whom my parents had lived since I’d first studied in Rome.  This experience was an eye-opener for me!  It told me how generous God is when we give him a little bit.  “Delay one year.”  Think of all that God gave me.

Have you ever been afraid to say yes to God?  I don’t know what’s coming.  I don’t know what I might have to deal with.  If you say yes to God’s plan, he gives you the strength, the courage, the ability to do what he wants from you.  Experience his generosity.  God always gives plenty more than we ask.  So, if he asks for a sacrifice— regardless of what it is— will you be able to say yes?  Don’t be afraid.  Then, too, maybe you already have a similar story to tell about having said yes to God? 

In my younger days if I had twelve o’clock Mass on Sunday— I’m a Packers fan, you know; I’ve been in Wisconsin a long time— I would sometimes ask another priest to trade with me.  “Would you mind taking noon Mass so I can do seven o’clock in the morning?  I don’t want to miss the Packers.”  That’s how important their games were.  Am I richer or poorer for having missed a Packers game?  No!  What matters is that I was finally able to say yes, miss the games, and do what was expected.

Today’s first reading tells us that Joseph was sold because his brothers were jealous.  But, God had a plan and, years later, Joseph saved his brothers and his dad from famine.  May you and I put on the right glasses to look at situations from different perspectives.  Think what we might see not with our eyes, but with God’s!  Then, everything will be clear, understandable, and even acceptable.  God bless you.

November mailing (English & Spanish)

Tondo of a fallen spade-shaped green leaf with yellow veins on a thin stem on a concrete surfaceSmall singular flower among the greenery at ground level off concrete surfaceTondo of a fallen spade-shaped green leaf with yellow veins on a thin stem on a concrete surfaceSAC11723-S2a

Horizontal oval of three plumeria blooms and two budsBoardwalk leading to the beach with the glowing sunrise and clouds aboveHorizontal oval of three plumeria blooms and two budsBoardwalk leading to the beach with the glowing sunrise and clouds above

Left top & bottom: Hallway with glass windows opposite doors and artwork / right center: Music of the Heart sculpture of Fr. Casey playing violin    Four depictions of the spiritual Works of Mercy with text at the bottom / right: Three depictions of the spiritual Works of Mercy with text at the bottom

Left top & bottom: Hallway with glass windows opposite doors and artwork / right center: Music of the Heart sculpture of Fr. Casey playing violin    Left top & center: Four depictions of the spiritual Works of Mercy with text at the bottom / right: Three depictions of the spiritual Works of Mercy with text at the bottom

Prayerful thought

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.”  And they came closer.  He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.  Please do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, for having sold me here.  God sent me here ahead of you so that I could save your lives” (Genesis 45:1-5).

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  February 2024…  January 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  December 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  October 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: blessings, faith, gratitude, homilies, prayer, spiritual gifts | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

October 2023

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

Stained-glass window of the Sacred Heart of Jesus seated on a rainbow with the words “YOUR HANDS” on the left and “ARE MY HANDS” on the right

We have so much to be grateful for.  Family.  Friends.  Folks we meet here and there.  Our faith.  Building community within God’s kingdom is what life is all about.

The following homily, delivered at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI by Fr. Alex on September 18, 2023, was recorded, transcribed, and edited (Lanoux, October 14, 2023).

I wonder what Jesus would do in these times of VIP (Very Important Person) treatment.  If you have the money, you simply pay for what you want.  And, if you’re well-connected, you have others do your bidding, as in today’s gospel.  The centurion wanted healing for a valued slave who was dying, so he sent some Jewish elders to urge Jesus to comply.

Many times I’ve heard someone say, “I’ve done this, this, and this for the church,” to which I say, “Very good.  Thank you.”  Other times, my big mouth says something else:   “It’s good that you’ve done that.  So what!”  This doesn’t go well, but what motivates us?  Are my works helping others to encounter God?  Am I growing in my desire to thank God for all the gifts he’s granted me?  Is what I do self-serving?  On the other hand, I’m amazed when people have no expectations.  I wonder, Could I do the same?  Am I fine without the recognition?  We have to be comfortable with doing what we must for the sake of others because, good intentions aside, people will either appreciate us or hate us.

In the gospel passage, the elders approached Jesus because their commander was deserving of the request.  The centurion loved the nation and had built a synagogue for them, and he was pleading on behalf of a community member (Luke 7:1-10).  So, is your reason for helping a must of your faith— not because you’re inheriting heaven, not because God will write it down, but because you recognize that God has been so generous that you have an obligation to help others?

Many times, I’ve wanted to disappear when the telephone rings, especially when callers feel a little more entitled than the rest.  I want to say, “I’m not here!”  But, instead, I tell my assistant, “I can’t choose.  Whomever calls, even if you know I don’t like the person, just say ‘yes’ and make the appointment.”  I have to do it!  There’s no other way.

Do you recall yesterday’s second reading?  Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.  We’re all brothers and sisters and, if we don’t care for each other, we can’t communicate at the same table.  So, hopefully, we can learn to do what we must.

October mailing (English & Spanish)

Stained-glass tondo of the Sacred Heart of Jesus seated on a rainbow with the words “YOUR HANDS” on the left and “ARE MY HANDS” on the rightStained-glass tondo of the Crucified Christ in the centerStained-glass tondo of the Sacred Heart of Jesus seated on a rainbow with the words “YOUR HANDS” on the left and “ARE MY HANDS” on the rightStained-glass tondo of the Crucified Christ in the center

Stained-glass tondo of an adult hand reaching down toward a child’s handLunar solar eclipseStained-glass tondo of an adult hand reaching down toward a child’s handMER101423-S2

Left top & bottom: Hallway with glass windows opposite doors and artwork / right center: San Damiano cross    Left top & center: Four depictions of the Works of Mercy with text at the bottom / right: Three depictions of the Works of Mercy with text at the bottom

Left top & bottom: Hallway with glass windows opposite doors and artwork / right center: San Damiano cross    Left top & center: Four depictions of the Works of Mercy with text at the bottom / right: Three depictions of the Works of Mercy with text at the bottom

Prayerful thoughts

Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.  For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.  For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living (Romans 14:7-9).

Lord Jesus, come and stay with me.  Fill my life with your peace, my home with your presence, and my heart with your praise.  Help me to show kindness, mercy, and goodness to all, even to those who cause me ill will or harm (Don Schwager).

We set forth our petitions before God not in order to make known to him our needs and desires, but rather so that we ourselves may realize that in these things it is necessary to turn to God for help (St. Thomas Aquinas).

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  February 2024…  January 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  December 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: blessings, faith, gratitude, homilies, prayer, spiritual gifts, stewardship | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

September 2023

Posted on September 11, 2023 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

The Holy Angel wooden sculpture from Jerusalem

A lifetime ago I attended a catechists’ Christmas luncheon and, in the spirit of the season, mentioned that I very much wanted to be an angel.  Not a saint, an angel.  Of course, the director overheard and immediately intruded into my personal space.

Don’t you know that angels were never human?  That they’re nothing more than God’s helpers.  That God loves us more than angels.  You should want to be a saint!

That night I dreamt I was standing alone in a rather large field, like the one at the airport near mom’s house.  Suddenly, I was jolted from my reverie by the loud flapping of very powerful wings.  I turned my head slightly and—  Oh, my, gosh!  What a sight!

As dusk had become nighttime, angels were landing all around me.  I couldn’t believe my eyes!  A whole field of willowy elegance in white satin or chiffon with waistbands in various hues!  Some angels landed as others rose with quiet grace, their countenance peaceful yet intense.  Gorgeous beings, they were totally oblivious to my standing in their midst.  And, I was totally entranced!

Facing west again, I sensed something wonderful near me.  I turned to my right and there, not two feet away, stood the most beautiful angel I could ever have imagined!  He must’ve been eight or ten feet tall, wearing a resplendent white gown with a bright, medium-teal satin sash.  His hair was brown; his face, masculine yet soft-featured.  Poised and self-confident, he was so focused on straightening his sash that he never once turned to look at me.  And, everywhere, there was silence, except for the flapping wings that spanned eight feet or more.

The angel beside me, much taller than the others, seemed to be in charge; yet everyone came and went at will.  Did they communicate telepathically?  Did they work in shifts?  Did they return for the night, like the two angels that God sends to earth daily to collect petitions and thanksgiving and praise?  And, did they fly off on emergencies each time I sensed urgency?  I was so in awe yet so at peace that I never thought, much less dared, to speak.  All I could do was simply be.

My eyes water when I think about the angels I was privileged to share space with.  What’s more is that, even now, the dream is just as vivid, the sensations just as real.  Words elude me, though.  Sharing what I felt is as difficult as describing what I saw.  And, I haven’t stopped looking for the beautiful angel with the medium-teal sash, especially when I come across angel sites online, prayer cards and books, statues, and stained-glass windows.  So, I’m biding my time, enjoying my angel gifts as reminders of the extraordinary field of angels in my dream decades ago.

September mailing (English & Spanish)

  A full-sized wooden angel holding a concertinaThree small Christmas angels in different posesA full-sized angel holding a concertinaThree small Christmas angels in different poses

two-toned stained-glass angel with pearlized face & metal halo    acrylic angel with fine-metal bodice, white rhinestone face & metal halo

translucent (top) / transparent (bottom) glass angel / right: floating translucent angel etched in thick glass    two-toned stained-glass angel with pearlized face & metal halo / right: acrylic angel with fine-metal bodice, white rhinestone face & metal halo

Left: Ceramic angel with a cello / right: ceramic angel holding a mandolin    Left: Ceramic angel holding a flute / right: ceramic angel holding a book

https://flandin505.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/pa9623b.jpg    Left: Ceramic angel holding a flute / right: ceramic angel holding a book

Prayerful thoughts

The angel is the daily gateway to transcendence, to the encounter with the Father; that is, the angel helps [us] to go forward because he looks upon the Father, and he knows the way.   Let us not forget these companions along the journey (Pope Francis).

If the fury of your enemies is great and their numbers overwhelming, the love which God holds for you is infinitely greater.  The angel who protects you and the saints who intercede for you are more numerous (Dom Lorenzo Scupoli).

“Our prayers are so dear to God that he has appointed the angels to present them to him as soon as they come forth from our mouths” (St. Alphonsus Liguori).

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  February 2024…  January 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  December 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  God’s gift…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…  October 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: angels, blessings, faith, gratitude, prayer, spiritual gifts | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

God’s gift

Posted on September 11, 2023 by Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

  side view with tree branches overhead of the cathedral’s front entrance

Left: tondo of the left alcove with the Madonna & Child pictured above the altar, lit candles at either side in the forefront & two large pictures: the Divine Mercy on the left & the baptism of Jesus on the right / right: side view showing a concrete pathway through the wrought-iron gate leading to the cathedral’s front entrance    Left: oval of the left alcove with the Madonna & Child pictured above the altar, lit candles at either side in the forefront & life-sized angels bent in prayer on either side of the altar / right: individual photos of the two angels once keeping watch on either side of the altar over which is the picture of the Madonna & Child

Left: tondo of the left alcove with the Madonna & Child pictured above the altar, lit candles at either side in the forefront & two large pictures: the Divine Mercy on the left & the baptism of Jesus on the right / right: side view showing a concrete pathway through the wrought-iron gate leading to the cathedral’s front entrance    Left: oval of the left alcove with the Madonna & Child pictured above the altar, lit candles at either side in the forefront & life-sized angels bent in prayer on either side of the altar / right: individual photos of the two angels once keeping watch on either side of the altar over which is the picture of the Madonna & Child

close-up view of the Madonna & Child over the altar in the left alcove: lit candles on either side at the forefront of the altar, floral arrangements on either side of the altar, & framed pictures on the wall (left: Divine Mercy; right: baptism of Jesus)

.

Blessings 2024…  April 2024…  February 2024…  January 2024…  March 2024…

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  Christ’s glory…  Christmas 2023…  December 2023…  February 2023…  Flame within…  January 2023…  July 2023…  June 2023…  Love’s heart…  March 2023…  May 2023…  November 2023…  October 2023…  September 2023…

Blessings 2022…  August 2022…  December 2022…  Journey’s light…  July 2022…  June 2022…  Kiss of God…  May 2022…  Mourning joy…  November 2022…  October 2022…  October saints…  Presence…  September 2022…  Sight…  Sitka’s St. Michael…  St. Michael prayers

Filed under: angels, blessings, faith, gratitude, Madonna & Child, prayer, spiritual gifts | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Next Page »
  • April 2024
    S M T W T F S
     123456
    78910111213
    14151617181920
    21222324252627
    282930  

  • Seasons

    Olbrich Botanical Gardens - Madison, WI -Bridge overlooking pond

    Prayer resources

  • Marytown

    National Shrine of St. Maximillian Kolbe altar- Marytown, IL

    Adoration & Mass

  • St. Jude Shrine

    Claretian St. Jude Shrine altar in Chicago

    OLG - Chicago

  • Venerable Margaret

    Prayer card image of Little Margaret holding Baby Jesus

    Flower of Carmel Monastery

  • Sweet Jesus

    Holy Infant of Prague statue (decades-old family heirloom)

    Chaplet & prayers

  • Venerable Julia

    Prayer card image of Mother Julia Navarette

    Missionary Daughters PVM

  • St. Anthony

    Photo of St. Anthony carrying the Child Jesus - Our Lady of Victories in Padua

    Chaplet & prayers

  • Blessed Solanus

    Father Casey statue at the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit

    Father Casey - Detroit

  • St. Teresa

    St. Teresa of Avila statue at Most Precious Blood Church in Corpus Christi, TX

    Seven dwelling places

  • St. José Luis

    Photo & relic of St. Jose Luis ("Joselito") at Immaculate Conception Church in Taft, TX

    Honoring Joselito

  • St. Rita

    St. Rita statue at the St. Jude Shrine adjacent to Most Precious Blood Church in Corpus Christi, TX

    St. Jude Shrine - CCTX

  • St. Dominic

    St. Dominic gazing at Jesus on the cross - Italian prayer card

    Prayerful ways

  • St. Joseph

    St. Joseph & Jesus, carpenters, depicted in the stained-glass window at St. Joseph's in Port Aransas, TX

    San Giuseppe

  • Thanksgiving

    St. Joseph Church altar in Port Aransas, TX

    Prayers & links

  • St. Jude Shrine

    Bronze compass above the prayers to St. Jude at the Dominican Shrine in Chicago

    St. Pius V - Chicago

  • Stella Maris

    Entrance to Stella Maris, small white church in Lamar, TX

    St. Peregrine

  • Friday prayer

    Basilica of San Juan - 13th station: Jesus is taken down from the cross.

    Lingering memory

  • Reflections

    SOLT depiction of Our Lady

    Hope in the Word

  • Spirituality

    Sun rays emanating from dark-blue clouds in a blue sky with white clouds
  • oval with praying hands at the center
  • Gratefulness.org "light a candle" widget photo
  • Franciscan Media on the Web widget photo
  • Catholic TV widget photo
  • South Texas Catholic widget photo
  • Easy-listening KLUX 89.5 widget photo
  • St. Joseph Church (old & new) in Port Aransas, TX

    SJC blog

  • Recent Posts

  • More thoughts…

    Deli Lanoux, Ed.D. on April 2024
    slanoux1b9b6d61dc on April 2024
    Priti on February 2024
    Deli Lanoux, Ed.D. on January 2024
    slanoux1b9b6d61dc on January 2024
    Deli Lanoux, Ed.D. on November 2023
    Kathleen Fricano on November 2023
    Deli Lanoux, Ed.D. on November 2023

  • Interested in post alerts?

    • 143,120 hits