At the foot of the cross
Jesus’ closest friends were The Twelve. Yet one betrayed Him, ten ran away when trouble came knocking on their proverbial door, and the only one who stayed with Him in His passion was His younger cousin John…
Faith is the gate through which grace enters
Lent is drawing to an end. We will join the crowds crying “Hosanna in the highest!”, honoring our Lord on Palm Sunday only to betray Him a few days later. Yes, it is difficult to stand by and watch the cruelty inflicted upon Him. Even his best friends deserted Him. But perhaps what causes us to run comes from a deeper place in our heart. This scene, this situation, is completely out of anyone’s control. Except God’s.
A level playing field
We go through life seeing the hardships before us, the rockiness of our path, its instability. Life presents to us what seems like an abyss out of which we cannot climb or a mountain we cannot traverse. But God will make a level ‘playing field’ for us if we permit Him.
How to meditate
How often we commit to take on silent prayer only to then struggle with the ‘how to’ aspect of prayer—what should I do in prayer? Fr. John Roothaan, reformer and Superior General of the Jesuits in the early 1800’s, gives us a simple step-by-step approach to meditating on scripture.
He allowed…
Lessons from St. Joseph: Caeser demanded a census. Joseph takes Mary (pregnant with Jesus) to Bethlehem to be counted, but finds no room in which to stay. The earthly father whom Jesus Himself had chosen for this very moment, allowed the Queen of Heaven and Redeemer of the world to be sheltered in a cold, stale, smelly cave. Joseph didn’t just accept Providence. He embraced its mystery.