For some time now, I have been fascinated that because I exist, the DNA of someone who died thousands of years ago is still floating around in my body, and therefore, in my mind, is still in some inexplicable way, alive. I am no scientist, so that may not be accurate, but, while a stickler for confirming fake and real news, I am content not to have that verified. Rev. Dr. Hugh Farquhar in his Weekly Reflection Booklet, Come …
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Ordinary Miracles
A scant four weeks ago the Church returned to Ordinary Time, by far its longest liturgical season, making up two thirds of the Church year. Ordinary Time … one would think nothing significant happens when we are in the midst of the ordinary. We think of ordinary as drab, boring, mundane. Yet most of us live in primarily ordinary, humdrum ways. And too often, we waste those days anticipating our next big adventure. Have …
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Is It All About the Gifts?
On a social media post, I once read that if it had been three wise women instead of three wise men, the gifts offered at the birth of Jesus would have been far more practical. Every year when we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, I think of that, and chuckle. This year, however, I have been reflecting a lot on gifts in general: what they represent, how they are …
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What Advent Offers Us
We blinked, and it happened. The year has ended, and a new one begun, because for the Church, the arrival of the season of Advent marks the beginning of the new liturgical year. The Church asks that we live Advent in anticipation of and preparation for the arrival of the Christ child, born again as the Child in the Manger, even as we know Christ is with us now, even as we …
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My mother had a multitude of pithy sayings, some her own phrases, some borrowed from others. One such saying was, “Misery loves company.” I thought of that when I read today’s second reading. “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are,” Paul writes to the Hebrews. Someone who can sympathize with us; someone who understands our sufferings; someone …
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Perseverance
The readings this Sunday have a focus on death. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom says that God neither makes nor delights in death. Mark’s Gospel talks about the impending and eventual death of Jarius’ daughter. Don’t tell Wayne, but I too have spent much time over the past year thinking about death. On March 20, 2023, I was diagnosed with a meningioma tumor; on May 6 of this year, I was diagnosed …
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Living in Hope
And just like that, it is Mother’s Day again. As always at this time of year, my mother is much on my mind. She had an abundance of wisdom sayings – some were her own pearls, and some the words of others which resonated with her. A favourite was “Live in hope or die in despair.” That sprang to mind today as I was reflecting on St. Paul’s letters to the Ephesians. At …
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My God, my God…
Years ago, when I was the catechetical coordinator at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, the parent of a child in year 5 called me with a question from her son. They had been to mass on Palm Sunday, and hearing in the Gosepl the same words used during the the responsorial psalm – “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – the child asked, ‘Since Jesus is the Son of …
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The Breaths of Life
Patience is not one of my virtues. Lack of it is probably one of my more glaring faults. While I have spent much time in my life praying for patience, persuaded to continue to do so by a priest friend when I was about to give up (or run the risk, he felt, of losing my trust in God’s willingness to respond to our prayers 😊) that particular prayer has not, as …
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The Consoling Joy of the Gospel1
In a world that has not enough of any, the themes of Advent are significant – hope, peace, joy and love. This Sunday the focus is on joy. The prophet Isaiah, a key character of the season, reminds us of the ‘good news’ which he has been sent to proclaim, for which he is ‘greatly rejoicing.’ Mary, on arriving at her cousin Elizabeth’s home, responds to Elizabeth’s greeting with her …
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