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

Photos won’t resize

This is an extraneous (test) post for WordPress (Aug. 16).

Hi, Franz,

Something is keeping me from resizing uploaded photos.  I noticed this days ago after I contacted WP (Aug. 4) about a similar but different trouble-shooting issue when I couldn’t upload the lead photograph onto the blog and/or post.

Though I finally resolved the August 4th issue, another persisted.  I couldn’t resize the photo, so I contacted WP again (Aug. 10).

In searching online, I found a thread that others had posted on.  They, too, are experiencing the same issue with Classic Editor (which I use), Classic Block, and more.  Afterwards, a staff member posted that the issue isn’t theme-related.  And, today, the latest is this:

fgiannang · Member Aug 16, 2023 2:40 pm

The staff said (“staff-totoro” – see above):

Our developers are taking a look, and while I’m not able to provide an estimate on when it will be fixed, we will update this thread for everyone as soon as we have more info to report. Thanks!

==============

Below is my uploaded photo, which, like others I’ve experimented on, will not resize.

Please enlighten me, as I’ll be uploading another post next week and can’t imagine not being able to do as I need/want to achieve an aesthetically pleasing result.

Thanks so much.
Deli

P.S. I see that the photo does resize in the post as I’m working from the dashboard but— once I save and view on the blog— it’s still huge.  I understand the point about retired themes not working as technological advances occur, but wouldn’t it be great for those of us with outdated blogs to have a little part of WP dedicated to them— or to improve these themes while keeping the look?  New themes aren’t necessarily the cat’s meow (mid-morning, Aug. 22).

P.P.S. Yay!!!  I’m doing somersaults.  I was able to upload the August post with photos resizing as usual.  I’m beyond grateful.  Thank you, WordPress (12:15 p.m., Aug. 22).

July 2023

Once ignited, faith goes beyond fireworks on the Fourth of July.  Faith is a lifetime journey— compelling, fearless, creative, God-filled— and even a force multiplier!

The following homily, delivered at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI by Fr. Alex on April 15, 2023, was recorded, transcribed, and edited (Lanoux, July 12, 2023).

Have you ever wondered about your faith, your belief in God?  Do you fully trust in the Lord?  For the most part, we struggle with our journey in faith.  We don’t understand what God’s invitation involves, so we feel somewhat fragile.  But we are not alone.

The disciples who shared at least three years with Jesus didn’t believe the first accounts of the resurrection of Jesus, who afterwards appeared and said to them, “Go out and proclaim the Good News to the whole world.”  Think about it.  Would you be willing to undertake an obligation without preparation?

In today’s first reading, the Pharisees and others are inquiring about the disciples; and, on learning that they were uneducated, chose not to punish them.  But what’s the excuse in today’s society?  We appreciate education, and some people even have titles like doctor or father.  But, what good are those titles when, even at that level, there’s a disconnect between what’s known and what’s practiced?  For instance, priests are well-educated and can deliver beautiful homilies without theological faults; but, in practical matters, how do they relate to those in their care?

The question here is this: How ready are we to share our faith in the Risen Lord?  If we can’t share our faith so that a seven- or eight-year-old child can easily understand, how well do we understand God?

We make God so complicated when all he wants is doable.  Jesus told the apostles, “Go out and share your struggles.  Tell them who you are.”  He doesn’t expect us to be fully prepared; he simply wants us to engage others on our faith journey.

The other day I was talking with someone pursuing ordained ministry.  “Remember that your preparation of theology is just the bare minimum.  Don’t think that, because you have a master’s in divinity, you know everything.  You’ll make a fool of yourself!  In time, as you minister to people, you’ll learn what was lacking in your studies.  So, be happy.  And, keep in mind that our faith and our struggles deepen our belonging to God.”  So, for this we pray.

July mailing (English & Spanish)

   

   

Prayerful thoughts

The accidents of life separate us from our dearest friends, but let us not despair.  God is like a looking-glass in which souls see each other.  The more we are united to him by love, the nearer we are to those who belong to him (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton).

A man who governs his passions is master of his world.  He must either command them or be enslaved by them.  It is better to be a hammer than an anvil (St. Dominic).

Speak to them of the great mercy of God….  Sometimes people are helped by your telling of your own lamentable past (St. Francis Xavier, SJ).

“There are two guarantees of a wise rule of conduct: the thought before action, and self-command afterwards” (St. Ignatius of Loyola).

You can make a difference.  You can tell people about the love of God.  You can even help some of them to become fishers of men, spreading the net of Christianity even farther.  There are opportunities everywhere….  All you have to do is tell your story; the Holy Spirit will give you the right words (the Word among us, July/August 2011, p. 49).

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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…  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

May 2023

Jesus has gifted us with the Holy Spirit, faithful guide and companion.

The following homily, delivered by Fr. Alex at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI on April 17, 2023, was recorded, transcribed, edited, and excerpted (Lanoux, May 7, 2023).

How open are we to growing in the life of God?  Through baptism’s sanctifying grace we can be transformed, but are we willing?  In today’s gospel, Nicodemus, teacher of teachers and leader of the Jews, sought out Jesus.  He knew that being religious and knowing scripture weren’t enough to help him reach heaven.  The disciples, too, relied on Jesus who, aware of God’s master plan, could help them follow in his footsteps and overcome the fear of proclaiming God’s word.

So, I guess our challenge is more than sacraments and works of mercy: only God’s grace can transform us.  And, when we catch glimpses of God among us, we’re likely more encouraged to ask, “Am I allowing God’s light to shine through?  Am I testifying to God?”  Why be afraid?  God is the spirit that moves, the spirit of strength, the affirmation of our mission in life.  Let us pray then, that, in whatever we do and whatever we say, we may manifest our belonging to God.  Let us ask the Lord for the desire to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.

May mailing (English & Spanish)

   

   

Prayerful thoughts

“Father of Light from whom every good gift comes, send your Spirit into our lives with the power of a mighty wind and, by the flame of your wisdom, open the horizons of our minds” (Pentecost morning prayer).

The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom.  In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus told his disciples not to worry because the Holy Spirit would tell them what to say.  When you face tough choices, pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to know what is right and for the strength to do it (Bob Rice).

The Spirit comes to the aid of our weaknesses for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.  And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will (Romans 8:26-27).

We all need the Holy Spirit because he alone can enable and empower us to live the life that Jesus won for us on the cross.  We need the Spirit to guide us to the truth….  In the midst of all [the] noise [in our lives] the Spirit continues to speak, telling us every day that Jesus wants to act powerfully in our lives.  But the Spirit doesn’t just speak to our hearts.  He also gives us the words— God’s own words— to comfort those who mourn and to encourage those who falter.  He gives us the wisdom, too, to know when to listen instead of speak.  He offers to teach us how to move ahead in peace, confident in his leading, even when we can’t see where the road leads.  That outpouring of the Spirit in the sight of people from all over the world stands as God’s public notice: “I have not left you desolate.  I will help you.  I will teach and encourage you, empower and energize you, to do the thing I call you to do” (the Word among us, May 2013, p. 38).

We know ourselves to be participants in the Holy Spirit when we offer to God fruits worthy of the Spirit: love for God with all our soul and genuine love for our fellow beings, joy of heart issuing from a clear conscience, peace of soul as a result of dispassion and humility, generosity in our thoughts, long-suffering in affliction and times of trial, kindness and restraint in our behavior, deep-rooted unwavering faith in God, gentleness springing from humble-mindedness and compunction, and complete control of the senses (St. Nikitas Stithatos).

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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…  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

Christ’s glory

A few days before Easter 2014, I received a shocking request in a dream.  A man unequivocally stated, “I want you to write about the resurrection.”  Naturally, I was quite taken aback!  What am I supposed to say when I’ve never questioned it? I wondered.  But, was the expectation even real?  The directive weighed on me like a term paper.  I thought and thought, tried to ignore it, and hoped the obligation would go away, as in, Why me?!!

Thankfully, my teacher brain took over.  Explaining the resurrection is like teaching a math concept, I realized.  The concrete (seen) leads to the abstract (sensed) because the two are related.

God, invisible father, understands human nature: Seeing is believing!  For people to accept that he truly exists, God had to reveal himself through Jesus, faithful emissary and real presence.  Then, when Jesus vanished from the tomb after the crucifixion, he appeared to Mary Magdalene, knowing that she’d hurry to tell others about his resurrection.  Afterwards, too, Jesus appeared to the apostles in hiding so that the doubting Thomas could touch his wounds and believe.  Jesus had fulfilled his mission and was headed home to God, the father.  Another would take his place, Jesus told them, so those in hiding understood what was about to happen: The Holy Spirit would help preserve not just our memory of Jesus, but also God’s promise of unconditional love.  And, the ultimate lesson?  God showed us the way home through Jesus.

April mailing (English & Spanish)

   

   

Prayerful thoughts

Glorious St. Thomas, your grief for Jesus was such that it would not let you believe he had risen unless you actually saw him and touched his wounds.  But your love for Jesus was equally great, and it led you to give up your life for him.  Pray for us that we may grieve for our sins, which were the cause of Christ’s sufferings.  Help us to spend ourselves in his service and so earn the title of “blessed” which Jesus applied to those who believe in him without seeing him (Daily Bread).

God of heaven and earth, I pause to give you thanks for the gift of life and the promise of life everlasting.  Amid the challenges of this world, help me to see the precious moments of your grace.  Constantly renew my faith as I live in the power of the resurrection (Pittsburg Theological Seminary).

God was incomprehensible, inapproachable, invisible, and hard to imagine.  He became man, came close to us in a manger so that we could see and understand him (St. Bernard of Clairvaux).

“Jesus revealed to us the divinity of God, making it possible for us to enter into a profound relationship with him” (Fr. Maurice Emelu).

Lord, the resurrection of your Son has given us new life and renewed hope.  Help us to live as new people in pursuit of the Christian ideal.  Grant us wisdom to know what we must do, the will to want to do it, the courage to undertake it, the perseverance to continue to do it, and the strength to complete it (New Saint Joseph People’s Prayer Book).

Risen One, truth-bringer, open my heart to hear your voice.  May I listen deeply even when tears of sorrow moisten my heart.  Erase my resistance to the surprising ways you choose to enter my life (Joyce Rupp).

“We proclaim the resurrection of Christ when his light illuminates the dark moments of our existence” (Pope Francis).

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

Blessings 2023…  April 2023…  August 2023…  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

April 2023

Long before I knew it, the fourth station of the cross— Jesus meets his mother— imprinted itself mind, heart, and soul so that, decades later, when I meaningfully embraced the stations of the cross, I felt compelled to share the prayer from my childhood.

After dad died, mom would pray in bed with my little brother and me every single night.  “What happens if I fall asleep before we finish the rosary?” I’d ask.

“The Blessed Mother will finish it for you,” she’d whisper before starting a rhyming prayer that I absolutely loved.  And, even though I didn’t understand all the words, I found comfort in the cadence, tried to keep up, and visualized the story in bold colors until I fell asleep.

Of course, time passed and life changed.  I forgot to ask about the prayer until a couple of years before mom died.  “Teach me the rhyming prayer.”

“How does it go?” she asked.  “Tell me some of the words.”  I treasured its memory but recalled only one line: “Hortelanito, por Dios, dime la pura verdad: si Jesús de Nazaret por aquí lo has visto pasar.”  Mom had no idea what I was talking about!

Over the years I tried to no avail to find the prayer online.  One day I’ll meet someone versed in Spanish prayers, I thought.  I’ll find the prayer when the time is right.  Besides, the memory of us praying together still lingered vividly, and that was good enough.  Then, out of the blue, I started wondering about mom’s prayer again and, suddenly, a rose leaf fell on this Chicken Little’s tail.  I can email Sr. Marta!  I’ll bet she knows the prayer!  Only I wanted to spell hortelanito correctly, so I looked online and— what do you know?!!  I found mom’s prayer!

April mailing (English & Spanish)

   

   

Prayerful thoughts

Dear God, we… praise you for the many gifts that you have given us.  We surrender our control, seeking to follow Jesus’s model of humility while striving to love as he loved us.  We recognize that suffering comes with love, that great love and great suffering can transform us, but that neither experience is necessarily easy.  We offer our petition to you, praying that we might have the strength of our convictions, the hope of our faith, and the joy of that hope when times are difficult.  May we always place our trust in you and commend our whole selves to your care.  In doing so, may we always proclaim, in word and deed: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done!” (Daniel P. Horan, OFM).

My Lord and my God, under the loving eyes of our mother, we are making ready to accompany you along this path of sorrow which was the price paid for our redemption.  We wish to suffer all that you suffered, to offer you our poor, contrite hearts, because you are innocent; and, yet, you are going to die for us who are the only really guilty ones.  My mother, Virgin of Sorrows, help us to relive those bitter hours which your son wished to spend on earth so that we who were made from a handful of clay may finally live… in the freedom and glory of the children of God.

O Mother of Sorrows, who could express the cruel anguish of this moment?  The same child that you once wrapped in swaddling clothes amidst unspeakable joy, you now wrap silently in his burial shroud.  Your tears mingle with the blood and dirt that covers his broken body.  But even in this moment your trust in his promise did not die.  Your mourning was not without hope, for you knew that he would rise again from his grave just as he promised.  Through this bitter sword of sorrow obtain for us the grace to believe with unshakable hope in the victory of our Lord, even in the darkest moments of life.

Our thoughts turn to the passion and death of our Lord, and we long to share his pain with him.  What is the pain of Jesus?  It is the pain of loving and not being loved in return.  He has loved us with an everlasting love, and what do we give him in return?  We allow our minds to be preoccupied with little things and so spend many hours without thinking of Jesus.  And yet our hearts and minds, bodies and souls, belong only to him.  Let us meditate on the sufferings of Christ each day (Heidi Hess Saxton).

We meditate before, during, and after everything we do.  The prophet says, “I will pray, and then I will understand.”  This is the way we can easily overcome the countless difficulties we have to face day after day, which, after all, are part of our work.  In meditation we find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in others (St. Charles Borromeo).

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

Blessings 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…  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

March 2023

Have you ever noticed that Lent is an especially trying season?  Health issues, relationships, money problems— the unexpected— everything happens all at once.  So, when things get so unmanageable that I want to scream or cry, I think of Jesus.  No one could ever withstand what he endured! I remind myself.  And I find that all I really need is patience.

Years ago one of the Dominican Sisters at St. Paul’s shared these words of wisdom: Bit by bit, the man shortened his cross in life to ease his burden.  Unfortunately, when the time came to set it across the river, the cross was too short for the man to walk on it safely to the other side.

Thanks to my broken kneecap years ago I was able to sit still long enough to read the daily newspaper.  That’s when I discovered Jan Denise’s column in the “for ladies only” section.  Failures in life, she wrote, are simply God’s way of redirecting us onto the right path.

Oftentimes, we get a good idea and end up taking a wrong turn with it.  It goes so badly that we feel terrible, but we shouldn’t have been on that path to begin with.  The lesson, I quickly surmised, is to accept our failures as opportunities for something better.  My broken kneecap led to a very special relationship with the Blessed Mother through my Franciscan Crown.

Over the years, too, I’ve learned that personal crises, especially during Lent, lead to reflection, dialoguing with God, and problem solving.  So, in this respect, Lent is far more than the remembrance of Jesus suffering in the desert and dying on the cross.  Thanks to my struggles, I’ve come to the realization that Lent is the seasonal retreat through which God allows us to be tested.  He knows that we’re creatures of habit who adamantly resist change; so Lent is God’s time to evaluate our spiritual growth, reteach as needed, and reassess our progress.  Moreover, Lent is God’s perfectly chosen time to help us make meaningful connections between our very complex lives and his master plan for us.

Simply stated?  All God has ever really wanted is for us to “seek [him out], even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us” (Acts 17:27).  So, he allows for scenarios that help us make that choice.

March mailing (English & Spanish)

   

   

Prayerful thoughts

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.  Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that you will make all things right if I surrender to your will so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with you forever in the next (Reinhold Niebuhr, 1934).

Jesus said to me: “How many times would you have abandoned me, my son, if I had not crucified you?  Beneath the cross one learns love; and I do not give this to everyone, but only to those souls who are dearest to me” (St. Pio of Pietrelcina).

Let this truth sink in: God never tires of offering you his grace.  He never tires of working with you so that you become more like him.  In fact, he delights in taking his time with you!  He wants to bring to perfection the work that he began with you, and he is willing to devote all the time necessary to do that year after year, Lent after Lent (the Word among us, Jan/Feb 2013, p. 63).

“Lord, do not let my heart lean either to the right or to the left, but let your good Spirit guide me along the straight path” (St. John Damascene).

Loving Jesus, you never ask us to do the impossible, but you often ask us to do something difficult.  Help us to remember that you are with us always, even in times of trouble.  And help us today and throughout Lent to be open to your grace (Pat McCloskey, OFM).

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Love’s heart

 

   

   

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February 2023

With each struggle in life, we long for resolution and understanding.  Life can be so unforgiving!  Yet God is always near, gently nudging us this way and that, infusing us with love, hope, and faith through the wisdom of others along the way.

The following homily, delivered at St. John the Evangelist Church in Greenfield, WI by Fr. Alex on November 12, 2022, was recorded, transcribed, and edited (Lanoux, February 2, 2023).

When people tell me “Father, I’ve been praying for so long that it seems that God isn’t willing to give me what I’m asking,” it’s kind of difficult to understand why he wouldn’t do it.

On many occasions I say, “Well, is he not answering you?  Or, is he not giving you the answer that you want?  And, are you asking that the will of God may be fulfilled— or that your will be done by God?”

It’s funny that we always want from God whatever we consider is best for us.  A few times we say, “Okay, give me what you think is adequate.”  But it’s not easy to let God be God in you!

Many times we realize that letting God guide us will place us in difficult trials.  And we don’t want that!  Believe me, I have fought with God a couple of times.  But, no matter how many times I kick and scream, he gets his way.  And, at the end of the day, the only thing to say is: “Okay, you win.  Whatever you want.”  But, I tell you that the most satisfying experience, after a long time of prayer and fighting with God— “Come on, help me here!”— is to say, “Okay.  You win.”

Whatever comes, God will give us what we need.  So, when Jesus is telling us to be constant in prayer, we have to try really hard even when we don’t see God walking with us.  We have to trust that whatever he’s asking will give us a more fulfilled life.

Being constant in prayer will help us understand that life is not just about having comfort, peace, or happiness.  The constancy of prayer has to lead us through the desert— through those pitch-dark nights when we don’t understand God and we don’t want to talk to him!  Even when we don’t want to pray, he’s there.  Even when we tell him “I don’t want to talk to you; I don’t want to see you,” we are called to say, “Here I am.”  We have to grow in our relationship with God because it’s important, refreshing, fulfilling— but not because we have to do it!

Think about it.  How many times have you forgotten to say your prayers?  And, do you pray because you have to or because God is important to you?

Let us ask the Lord today for the desire to be in constant unity with him.  May we be so in love with him that we desire to reach out to him every day.  May he help us to understand his will for us so that we may fulfill what he wants in our lives.  For this we pray.

February mailing (English & Spanish)

    

   

Footprints

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.  Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.  In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.  Sometimes there were two sets of footprints; other times, one.

This bothered me because I noticed that, during the low periods of my life when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow, or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.  So, I said to the Lord, “You promised that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.  But I noticed that, during the most trying periods of my life, there has been only one set of prints in the sand.  Why, when I have needed you most, have you abandoned me?”

“My precious child,” the Lord replied, “I love you and would never leave you.  The times when you have seen only one set of footprints, I have carried you” (Baltimore Pallottines).

“Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen” (Psalm 77:19).

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