This Annunciation is one of my favorite pieces of art. Painted between 1433-34 by Fra Angelico, it hangs in the Diocesan Museum in Cortona, Italy. I have had the gift of visiting Cortona several times, and I love to stand in front of this painting, viewing the scene taken from the Gospel of Luke (1:26-38). The strikingly beautiful Gabriel has a message for Mary. Before he makes the announcement, the most important ever made, he has a more simple message. “Do not be afraid.”
Category: Prayer
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Get Up And Get Going
In John’s Gospel (5:1-18), there’s a great story about a man who has waited for nearly a lifetime for healing. The guy had been crippled for thirty-eight years, and he spent his days lying on a mat by the pool of Bethesda, longing for a miracle. This man lived in agony, struggling with his condition.
Many people today struggle with their conditions. Some may have serious health issues, like the man lying by the pool. Others struggle with emotional issues, which can also be very painful and debilitating.
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Worth Waiting For
I know it may seem like a small and inconsequential thing, but one of my variegated yucca plants bloomed earlier this summer. For the last six years, I’ve cared for this plant, which actually doesn’t require much, but this is the first time it has bloomed. Six years of waiting for the event, which only lasted about a week or so. But it was nice while it lasted.
I think there’s a subtle shift beginning to take hold in our culture right now. People are getting used to the fact that we’re no longer going to be able to have everything we want, whenever we want it. Reality has set in, harder for some than others, but I think we’re all being touched by it.
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Time For A Change
Yeah, I know. I’m getting a little ahead of myself. Fall is coming, but you can’t really feel it yet. I love fall, when the evening air begins to cool, leaves start to change, and our appetites turn to heartier fare.
I’m a soup/stew/chili kind of guy. I guess I get this from my mother, who would think nothing of whipping up a pot of chili in even the hottest weather. In fact, just last week I found a new chili recipe, and just had to try it out. So, I dropped the air conditioning a few degrees and began to cook. Actually, this recipe was an easy one and was meant for a crock pot. Just open some cans, chop an onion and a couple of garlic cloves, and six hours later… wow.
Don’t worry, I won’t hold out on you. I’ll get the recipe up in the next couple of days. No matter what the weather’s like where you are, you’ll want to whip up your own batch.
The change of seasons provides each of us with a natural opportunity to pause. We can reflect on where we’ve been, and dream about where we’re going. As the summer winds down, be grateful the down time, a vacation or two, long sunsets and food on the grill. Be grateful!
Spend these last days of summer in the company of friends. Take that trip to the park or the beach that you’ve been putting off. Create some memories that will warm your heart when the weather gets cold. It will be here before you know it.
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The Second Beatitude
The other day, I shared a little commentary on the beatitudes. This my second installment. The beatitudes are found in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt. 5:3-12), and are meant not just for the chosen few, but everyone. The passage begins with the words, “when he saw the crowds…” Maybe today we would call it a message for the masses.
Who of us can remember how many beatitudes there are, and who has forgotten their meaning? Take some time in the next few days and pray over this passage. What is God saying to us through these words meant not just for ancient times, but also for today?
The image above is of one of the many tapestries found in the Cathedral of Los Angeles.
Categories
The First Beatitude
The beatitudes found in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt. 5:3-12) are meant not just for the chosen few, but for everyone. The passage begins with the words, “when he saw the crowds…” Maybe we would say today that it was a message for the masses.
How many of us can remember how many beatitudes there are, and how many have forgotten their meaning? Take some time in the next few days and pray over this passage. What is God saying to us through these words meant not just for ancient times, but also for today?
Here’s a little reflection by Catherine Doherty, found in the book, Grace in Every Season.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” To be poor in spirit does not mean to give up all things and embrace holy poverty with one swoop. Nor is this meant for priests and religious only. No. It is a beatitude for all of us, for it detaches our hearts from earthly possessions and places them into Christ’s Sacred Heart.
Did you know that it took Thomas Edison thousands of failed experiments over decades before he invented a long-lasting incandescent light bulb that revolutionized the world? He never stopped trying, he never saw himself a failure. His persistence paid off.
Did you know that over a span of thirty years, Abraham Lincoln repeatedly failed at business, love and politics before becoming the President of the United States? He never stopped trying, he never saw himself a failure. His persistence paid off.
It seems to me that persistence has become like a dirty word nowadays. Many people throw in the towel before they even start, thinking whatever task is before them is simply too difficult to overcome. There’s a lot of folks that, once beaten down, never get up again. They lose hope and give up trying. Persistence is no longer part of their vocabulary, if it ever was.
Someone made the comment the other day that they’d like to see the Scriptures discussed a bit more, so here it goes.
The 23rd Psalm is used at just about every funeral I go to. As I listened to it being sung on Friday, I paid attention to the words,
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
In green pastures you let me graze;
to safe waters you lead me;
you restore my strength.
You guide me along the right path
for the sake of your name.
Even when I walk through a dark valley,
I fear no harm for you are at my side;
your rod and staff give me courage.
You set a table before me
as my enemies watch;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and love will pursue me
all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come.
I went to the funeral home today. I was paying my respects to the family of an 18 year old boy who was killed in a car accident last Thursday. Generally, when you hear about such tragedies involving teenagers, you assume that speeding, drinking, texting, or carelessness must have been involved.
Sadly, this boy was just waiting to make a left hand turn when someone rear-ended him and the impact pushed his car into oncoming traffic. I can’t imagine the guilt whoever hit him must feel. These things never just touch one person or one family. The ripples stretch far.
This weekend, I’m commuting back and forth to Blue Ridge Summit, PA, where about 25 college students are on retreat. The students are from McDaniel College, where I help out with the campus ministry program, and the focus of the retreat is to help the incoming freshmen transition into campus life.
This afternoon, I’m going to be giving a talk about the storms of life that routinely come our way. College students seem to be especially prone to such turbulence, and my plan is to get them to realize that there are all kinds of safe harbors they can get to when things get tough.
I’m basing the talk on the passage from Matthew’s Gospel (8:23-27), the one where the disciples panic as a storm kicks up and they think the boat they’re in will go down, taking them with it. All the while, Jesus is asleep. When they wake him, screaming that they’re going to die, He chastises them. “Why are your terrified, O you of little faith?” With that, Jesus immediately calms the storm and returns things to normal.
My plan is to tell the students that, no matter how bad things seem to get, Christ is right there with us. He’s always willing to be our shelter in the storms that come our way, and we all know from personal experience, they’ll come.
Continuing with this metaphor, if you think about it, the safest thing would be to keep our boats tied up at the dock. But boats weren’t built to remain in a harbor. In the same way, we weren’t created to be so scared of life that we never really risk much.
It’s out in the open sea that the craftsmanship of the boat builder can be seen. As these young people move on to the next stage of their lives, they’ll have the chance to test all the gifts that have been given them. They will make mistakes, and there will be storms. It’s all part of learning that God is right there with us through it all.
What do you do when a storm kicks up in your life? Where/Who is your shelter in the storm?