Connected
Ukraine Witnesses
My mom and I watched Mass today from the parish we used to attend 30-40 years ago. My mom was the organist there. At that time, the pastor met a young priest from Ukraine and they formed a close relationship. The two parishes also formed a relationship supporting one another. The young priest became a […]
God’s Reflection
I came across a story that further explains the “Refiner’s Fire” that I have been thinking about: There was once a group of women studying the book of Malachi in the Old Testament. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three, which says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of […]
Inspirational Reflections
This past week, my Wednesday night prayer group had an inspirational discussion about today’s Mass readings. Today, I went to church while my sister stayed home with my mother and they watched Mass online. I also listened to a podcast about the Gospel and read the homily of a friend. There were a lot of […]
Refiner’s Fire
We have been visited by several people from Hospice this week. The support they offer is amazing and honestly, a little overwhelming. Today the CNA came to help mom in the shower. She also provided lots of helpful information. Then, the chaplain came to check in. During our chat, he talked about God’s refining fire, […]
More Rest
After giving mom a new medication last night, thankfully she slept very well and felt better today. It’s amazing how a good night’s sleep can make such a positive difference. I slept better as well, but woke up with hip and back pain. I thanked God when I realized I already had a massage scheduled […]
Scruples
Today I was thinking of the past. I can be haunted by mistakes I have made and things that I wish were different. I decided to continue listening to a podcast of the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This particular chapter described how Ignatius suffered from “Scruples” defined as a condition of self-criticism and […]
Receiving Communion
During my mom’s recent hospital stay, a Eucharist Minister came to her room. Before she was able to start, a care coordinator arrived. She said it was fine to start and she stayed in the room. As the Eucharist Minister went through the prayers, mom and I joined in. I was a little surprised when […]
Hope For the Future
I met with a friend at a park tonight. It was warm, but there were dark clouds all around. We talked about plans and hope, which seems to be my theme for the week. A friend of mine shared a quote the other day, “Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht”, an old Yiddish adage meaning, “Man […]
Right Person
My mom’s friend’s son in law has been struggling with Leukemia and the effects of treatments for several years now. For quite some time he has had double vision. He had seen 3 different doctors who were unable to help him. His wife – our friends’ daughter – coordinates conventions for different groups all over […]
Blessed Time
Today I was running errands and perusing outdoor games. I came across a water balloon slingshot and was reminded of my Youth Ministry days. I particularly thought of the Workcamp trips that we would take each year. We spent one week serving the community and fixing up houses for those who were unable to do […]
Still Finding God 