Pope Francis’ Prayer to Mary Mother of the silence that preserves the mystery of God, deliver us from the idolatry of the present, to which those who forget are condemned. Purify the eyes of pastors with the balm of memory: that we might return to the freshness of the beginning, for a praying and penitent Church. Mother of the beauty that blossoms from fidelity to daily work, remove us from the torpor of laziness, of pettiness, and defeatism. Cloak Pastors... Read more
Who bends a knee where violets grow a hundred secret things shall know. ~Rachel Field God gave us the things of the earth to gladden our hearts, that through His creation we may draw closer to Him and, for a moment, restore the peace of Paradise. (Art by Claire Stoner, 2004) (Why Equus Passage) Read more
It was a late spring afternoon, one of those kind of days when big clouds moved across crisp blue skies, allowing sunlight and shade to waltz around the gardens. I walked down the drive to the front lawn with my white five-gallon plastic pail in hand. I was picking up pine cones and tree litter in preparation to mow. Stepping around the weeping crabapple I noticed a woman walking along the blacktop road who, looking up, had noticed me in... Read more
Dear Lord, Hear my prayer for your priests in my life. I pray that they will persevere in their calling in the face of ridicule and hate for the sins of their brothers. I pray that they find strength in you in a world that devalues the purpose of their work, and often sees them as useless and archaic. Sweet Jesus help me remember to thank them for the offering of their lives to lead mine towards you. I am... Read more
Love is a direction and not the state of the soul. ~Simone Weil The experience of being loved and in loving draws me forward, into the world, into God. It restores peace and quites turmoil. Love is the direction that returns me to the heart of who I am. (Why Equus Passage…) Read more
Fresh produce from the garden is one of the simplest delights of summer. What’s not to like about wiping off and biting into a tomato, cucumber or sugar snap peas still warm from the sun! Many of us do not have a yard large enough for a vegetable patch or do not have the time to volunteer at a community garden, but we still want home grown foods. There is a solution to growing your own veggies in a way... Read more
Prayer to Saint Joseph for a Particular Priest Saint Joseph, I present to you this day Father (N.), priest of Jesus Christ, and beg you to be to him advocate and defender, counselor and friend. Open your heart to him as you opened your home to the Virgin Mother in her hour of need. Protect his holy priesthood as you protected the life of the Infant Christ threatened by cruel Herod. In darkness bring him light; in weakness, strength, and... Read more
If you’re in Lansing, Michigan, my writing is part of: The 2nd Annual Spring Group Art Exhibition “For Everything There is a Season” A Juried exhibition May 15-September 12, 2013 Artist’s Reception: June 2, 2013 4:00 pm (703 E. Main St., DeWitt, MI 48820, call 517-669-8321 for additional information) Read more
Equus: a horse, a beast used for carrying or pulling loads. Passage: a slow, cadenced trot executed with great elevation of the feet and characterized by a moment of suspension before the feet strike the ground. Yeah…a moment before the feet strike the ground, a brief second of suspension in the continuation of a walk. That is what I pray these words…of prayers, quotes, Bible verses, utterances by friends or myself…shared on Tuesdays, will be; an elevated lightness mid-step. Somewhere we... Read more
Delicate and white, Jasmine flowers are highly fragrant. Their small size belies their intense perfume. It only takes two small blossoms to fill a large living area with their heavenly scent. With flowers sometimes hidden behind leaves, it is comical at times to watch others try to find the source of the sweet aroma when they enter the room. I was blessed with the gift of a Jasmine plant from two former garden society volunteers. We three had made our... Read more
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