Advent
He is Here
The reflection from Hallow today was beautiful. For thousands of years, people have cried out to God for help to save us from our struggles, from our suffering, from our own self destructive ways. “What broke the silence of generations was the cry of a baby – something so innocent, something so delicate, something so […]
Tomorrow I Will Be There
This evening, I listened to the final podcast of the O Antiphons leading up to Christmas. The last verse brings us right back to the one we know: O come, O come, Emmanuel,and ransom captive Israelthat mourns in lonely exile hereuntil the Son of God appear. I learned that the 7 titles for Jesus in […]
King of Peace
I heard verse 7 of “O come O come Emmanuel” today. I sat quietly and just let the words and melody permeate my heart and mind. I thought the lyrics were particularly relevant as we get closer to Christmas Day. O come, O King of nations, bindin one the hearts of all mankind.Bid all our […]
Holy Family Shrine
The Gospel reading for today was about Joseph’s encounter with an angel in a dream who told him not to be afraid to take Mary into his home. I love when the spiritual world meets the human world and the first message is of peace, ” Do not be afraid.” Joseph was a faithful man […]
God is With Us
There has been a beautiful song going through my mind that I have been wanting to hear, but I haven’t been able to find it. Then it finally came on the station I was listening to. It is “God is With Us” by Casting Crowns. I think the lyrics are perfect as we enter the […]
Life From Death
Today as I continued to listen to the podcast about the O Antiphons based on the hymn “O come O come Emmanuel” I payed attention to the lyrics of the fourth verse: O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,unto your own and rescue them!From depths of hell your people save,and give them victory o’er the […]
Great Expectations
Sometimes I feel like I have heard some biblical stories so many times, that the meaning can be lost on me. I know the words and what comes next. But, what makes any story engaging is when you are able to use your imagination or put yourself in the scene. In a meditation that I […]
O Wisdom
I discovered that the podcast I listened to yesterday on Hallow was the introduction to the “O Antiphons”. The verses from the hymn “O come, O come, Emmanuel” are featured as we celebrate the last few days leading up to Christmas. They are prayed at Mass, during the evening prayers used by priests, and are […]
Heaven’s Peace
This evening I had great fun going to dinner with some friends. As always, there was a lot of talking and laughter. On my drive home, I thanked God for these friends and the ability to see them on a regular basis. When I got home, I listened to a new podcast based on the […]
Search for Shelter
Today’s reflection in the Hallow app was titled, “The Search for Shelter”. They were talking about Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter when Mary was about to give birth. I tried to imagine their state of mind as they knocked on door after door, perhaps praying that someone would let them in. If it were […]
Still Finding God 