March 2024

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)

   

   

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).

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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

February 2024

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)

   

   

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.

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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

January 2024

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)

    

   

  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).

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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

December 2023

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)

   

   

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).

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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

November 2023

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)

   

   

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).

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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

October 2023

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)

   

   

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).

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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

September 2023

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)

 

   

   

   

   

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).

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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

God’s gift

 

   

   

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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…

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August 2023

Prayer transcends space, time, boundaries, and even religious objects and books that we hold dear.  St. Teresa of Ávila wrote that our prayers stem from either noisy aqueducts (learned) or quiet springs (intuited).  Yet, based on personal experience, we’ve discovered that, when we want or need God most, the simplest prayer— natural, spontaneous, heartfelt—  gushes forth, and we “talk to God as a friend talks with a friend” (Fr. Bede Jarrett).

The following homily, delivered by Fr. Dominic at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI on August 9, 2023, was recorded, transcribed, and edited (Lanoux, August 18, 2023).

Try to imagine yourself like the woman whose daughter is sick in today’s gospel.  She approaches Jesus, who ignores her.  How would you react?  Would you feel frustrated and say, “To heck with you?”  Yet, this woman refuses to give up!

Jesus tells her, “It’s not right to throw table scraps to the dogs,” to which the woman retorts, ”But even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table.”  So, Jesus, touched by her faith, pays her the best compliment: “Woman, great is your faith!”

When I turn to God in prayer, I oftentimes wonder if God is getting somewhat old or hard of hearing because I pray, I ask, I try to persevere, and nothing seems to happen.  You and I, being human, when we ask, we’re just like children.  When they ask, they expect to receive right away.  “Mom, give it to me!”  You don’t always give in right away to what your children ask of you— do you?  Your reason, at times, is to make them wait.  I wonder if God is testing my faith in him, my perseverance, to recognize my dependence on him.  Whom do I trust more— myself or God?  And then, before I ask, I wonder, Is now the right time?  Or, should I ask a little later?

I feel I’m such a child when I deal with God because, indirectly, I’m telling him, “Hey, listen!  I know what’s good for me,” instead of humbly saying, “Lord, thank you for loving this sinner.”  Think about it.  I, a sinner, demand from God.  Can’t I trust God enough after what he did for me already?  God sent his Son not to party, but to die on the cross so that I could be saved.

Think about it.  We see the immediate but don’t think of the history of God’s love in our lives.  Yes, we trust him, but we always set our own conditions.  I ask, and I want.  When there’s this kind of demand, it’s difficult to think of humility.  At times we can be so  arrogant.  Do I recognize my dependence on God?  Do I go to God humbly, recognizing my poverty, recognizing that there isn’t much that I can do without God?  What a difference to approach God with gratefulness and thanksgiving as opposed to demanding, as if I’m entitled to what I’m asking?  I, a creature that demands so much from God.  And then, perhaps, after I receive what I’m asking, I don’t even bother to say “thank you.”

Humility, arrogance.  Two different attitudes, totally different.  One is acceptable to God; the other speaks of pride, not to say something else.  What is my attitude when I pray?   Do I pray because I depend on God?  “Please, Lord, even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.”  What an example of faith and humility!  The woman doesn’t give up, so Jesus grants her request.  May I never forget that God is God, and I am simply a creature.  God bless you.

August mailing (English & Spanish)

   

   

Prayerful thoughts

At the beginning of each prayer period, Ignatius advises that we pray for a certain grace, or gift from God: “Ask God our Lord for what I want and desire.”  Simply naming what we deeply desire opens us to receive the gift God wants to give us.  Moreover, praying for a grace helps us to notice when we actually receive that gift later on.  In this way, we realize that the grace is not of our own making but is the result of God’s generosity to us.  Finally, praying out of our desires grounds us in the present, keeping our prayer real (SE 48; Kevin O’Brien, SJ).

Father, rather than asking, “Why me?” I want to thank you for your greatness and majesty today.  I want to entrust my burdens to your care, knowing that you have a perfect plan for my life (the Word among us, June 2013, p. 25).

God answers every prayer, but sometimes the answer is no.  And, if it is no, we’re better off— if we love God.  That’s why Jesus wants us to say, “Thy will be done” in the Our Father.  That is the sure way to happiness— the will of God (Fr. T. G. Morrow).

“It is our part to seek, his to grant what we ask; ours to make a beginning, his to bring it to completion; ours to offer what we can, his to finish what we cannot” (St. Jerome).

When we’re anxious or distressed we question where Jesus is, even though we know he watches over us.  We want an immediate response, but we should take comfort in his lack of urgency.  That’s the surest sign that the situation isn’t as bad as it seems.  Calm my fears, Lord, and help me to trust in your protection (Patricia Russell).

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

Blessings 2023…  April 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…  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

June 2023

Growing up I knew about God and the Holy Family but not really about the saints, so maybe I was supposed to learn about them on my own?

Jesus, son of God and son of Mary, bless our family.  Graciously inspire in us the unity, peace, and mutual love that you found in your own family in the little town of Nazareth.  Mary, mother of Jesus and our mother, nourish our family with your faith and your love.  Keep us close to your son, Jesus, in all our sorrows and joys.  Joseph, foster-father to Jesus, guardian and spouse of Mary, keep our family safe from harm.  Help us in all times of discouragement or anxiety.  Holy family of Nazareth, make our family one with you.  Help us to be instruments of peace.  Grant that love, strengthened by grace, may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass.  May we always have God at the center of our hearts and homes until we are all one family, happy and at peace in our true home with you (Missionaries of the Holy Family).

St. Martin of Tours…  As a child I often wondered about the decal on the wall above the front door.  We didn’t have pictures on display, so the man on the horse had to have been special.  But, who was he— and why was he slashing his red cloak in two?  Although I never thought to ask then, I now know that St. Martin of Tours is known for social justice and racial harmony.

Lord God of hosts, you clothed your servant, Martin, the soldier, with the spirit of sacrifice and set him as a bishop in your Church to be a defender of the Catholic faith.  Give us grace to follow in his holy steps that at the last we may be found clothed with righteousness in the dwellings of peace.

St. Jude Thaddeus…  Mom once took my younger brother and me to visit an outdoor shrine.  “Look!” she said.  “St. Jude has only one horn left to show that his evil gave way to good.  He betrayed Jesus, but God’s unconditional love transformed him; and now he’s the saint of impossible causes.”  At age nine, the story made no sense but, years later, I learned that Judas Iscariot is sometimes confused with St. Jude, who, at times, is depicted with a tongue of fire over his head to acknowledge his presence at Pentecost.

St. Jude, through prayer you praised God for the wonderful works of Jesus.  You asked God for the strength to meet the challenges of your apostolate.  You put your trust in God’s mercy, believing firmly that God loved you and understood your joys and sorrows, your hopes and fears, and your triumphs and failures.  You understood that nothing is impossible for God.  We ask you to pray for us now before the Most High so that we, too, might be filled with God’s saving power; understand God’s will for us; and faithfully place ourselves in God’s loving hands.

St. Anthony of Padua…  At age thirteen, my great-aunt, Tía Queta, introduced me to her beloved saint.  A faithful companion, St. Anthony has inspired me to venerate the Child Jesus.

Holy St. Anthony, your deep faith in Jesus Christ comforted your heart, especially during times of trial and distress.  Help me to grow in faith, so I may experience peace of mind and heart in my present needs.  (State request.)  Free me from undue anxiety, needless worry, and burdensome fears.  Grant me sure confidence, unfailing trust in God’s loving mercy, and daily serenity.

St. Thérèse…  Over the years, too, I learned that St. Anthony is often displayed near St. Thérèse, since they’re both closely affiliated with the Holy Infant.  The church in Budapest, Hungary, for instance, has the two saints facing each other from opposite sides of the center aisle.

Lord, grant that I may always allow myself to be guided by you, always follow your plans, and perfectly accomplish your holy will.  Grant that in all things, great and small, today and all the days of my life, I may do whatever you require of me.  Help me respond to the slightest prompting of your grace so that I may be your trustworthy instrument for your honor.  May your will be done in time and in eternity by me, in me, and through me.

Looking back, I’m grateful that God’s master plan for me has included not just a heartfelt devotion to the Child Jesus, but also budding relationships with his beloved saints who are always ready, willing, and able to intercede for us any time we choose to call on them.

Divine Infant Jesus, I know you love me and would never leave me.  I thank you for your close presence in my life.  Miraculous Infant, I believe in your promise of peace, blessings, and freedom from want.  I place every need and care in your hands.  Lord Jesus, may I always trust in your generous mercy and love.  I want to honor and praise you now and forever.

June mailing (English & Spanish)

   

   

(Prayers without citations are from the internet.)

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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…  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