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Father of Lights

Hallelujah!

Praise God in his holy sanctuary;

give praise in the mighty dome of heaven.

Give praise for his mighty deeds,

praise him for his great majesty.

~ Psalm 150: 1-2

Happy Mother's Day!

White-crowned Sparrow nest in flower basket

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38

Greater Splendors

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance. ~ Romans 8:24-25

The “most beautiful thing in the world is our hope for the infinite beauty in heaven” ~ Dr. Peter Kreeft

Our journey toward heaven begins right here and now, so love God and neighbor, through action and deed, and reveal a bit of the glory of heaven here on earth.

With Jesus in Still Waters

Elk Creek entering Pacific Ocean near Seabrook, WA USA

I sit in my quiet place, just me and Jesus, as he tells me a story. The story is not about me. Or is it? I have heard the story many times before, but this is the first time I have heard the story told this way. This is the way it is with Jesus, he makes all things new. The story captivates my heart and my intellect. After listening to his words, I see myself more clearly, I see the world more clearly. I fall on my knees and pray, listening to his words echo deep within my soul. After a while I get up and reluctantly shut my bible, looking forward to the next time I meet with my Lord.

Seeing the Child

Sometimes it is difficult to see the child in the people we meet, it is then that we imagine them as a little child, born in the image and likeness of God.

Happy Easter

Jesus Wept

Jesus wept not just from the deep thoughts of his understanding but from spontaneous tenderness, from the gentleness and mercy, the encompassing loving-kindness and exuberant affection of the Son of God for his own work, the race of man. Their tears touched him at once, as their miseries had brought him down from heaven. His ear was open to them, and the sound of their weeping went at once to his heart. ~ St. Cardinal John Henry Newman

Be comforted, the Lord hears your prayers.

Clothed with Christ

Bufflehead duck, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, WA

Let us put on the robe of Christ and we need look no further than the cross to emulate him.

It is courage, enduring to the end.

It is poverty, detached of earthly wealth while radiating heavenly treasures.

It is mercy, forgiving even ones enemies.

It is mourning for those that do not know God, showing them his love.

It is meekness, using ones strength to turn the other cheek.

It is living a life of peace, even when confronted with hate.

It is a life of humble service, thirsting for righteousness and doing the will of God.

It is a complete love of God and neighbor.

So let us “be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us”. ~ Ephesians 5:1-2

Seeing God

Mt. Saint Helens with Mt. Rainier in the background, WA USA

Lord Jesus,

Lead me up your Holy Mountain,

illuminate my heart with your grace.

Remove my stains of

pride and callousness,

selfishness and addiction,

and make my heart a servant’s heart,

overflowing with love for you and my neighbor.

Fill my journey with the hope,

that I one day will summit your Holy Mountain

and see your face.

Amen

The Light of Life

Brothers and sisters, it is clear what Jesus means by asking us to be the light of the world: we, who are his disciples, are called to shine forth like a city set on a hill, like a lamp whose flame may never be extinguished. In other words, before we worry about the darkness surrounding us, before we hope that the shadows around us will lighten, we are called to radiate light, to give brightness to our cities, our villages and homes, our acquaintances and all our daily activities by our lives and good works. The Lord will give us strength, the strength to be light in him, so that everyone will see our good works, and seeing them, as Jesus reminds us, they will rejoice in God and give him glory. If we live like sons and daughters, brothers and sisters on earth, people will come to know that all of us have a Father in heaven. We are being asked, then, to burn with love, never to let our light be extinguished ~ Pope Francis

Order as seen through the Eyes of Faith

Comprehensibility through order; the scientist requires it, others take it for granted, for some it is ignored, but for the one that sees with the eyes of faith it is the fingerprint of God.

All your works give you thanks, LORD

and your faithful bless you.

They speak of the glory of your reign

and tell of your mighty works

~ Psalm 145:10-11

Who God Is

Mallard drake and hen, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, WA

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. ~ 1 John 4: 7-9

Help From The Lord

Mt. Elinor as seen from Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, WA

“When I see that the burden is beyond my strength, I do not consider or analyze it or probe into it, but I run like a child to the Heart of Jesus and say only one word to Him: “You can do all things.” And then I keep silent, because I know that Jesus Himself will intervene in the matter, and as for me, instead of tormenting myself, I use that time to love Him.” (Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, Par. 1033, page 392)

The Oneness of Love

Interwoven Trees, Burfoot Park, Olympia, WA, USA

“I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one.” (John 17:23)

God is crazy in love with us ~ St. Catherine of Sienna

Following Him

Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of limbs - let them come to me, provided only I make my way to Jesus Christ. I would rather die and come to Jesus Christ than be king over the entire earth. Him I seek who died for us; him I love who rose again because of us.” - St Ignatius of Antioch, Christian martyr, 107 AD

Christian life was not easy for the first followers of Christ and yet the first Christian’s remained hopeful, even joyous as they followed Christ. One of the biggest impoverishments we have today is a lack of hope. People are hungry for hope, the hope that only Christ can give.

Let us spread hope, let us show our joy is not dependent on this moment’s pleasure but is rooted in following Christ. Let us demonstrate our love by imitating Christ in virtue and charity.

Encountering God

As we celebrate the dawn of a new year let us resolve to grow in closeness with our Lord.

The Longest Journey

The universe has an estimated 1 septillion stars (a one followed by 24 zeros), with the furthest star 28 billion light years away from earth. However; what is more amazing is that God, the creator of this vast universe, became man and was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem.

Love came from the infinite

to live with the finite,

from heaven

to live on earth,

from wealth

to live in poverty.

Love journeyed to place divinity

into humanity.

Many every knee bow at the name of Love,

Jesus Christ.

True God, true man.

The Word made flesh.