Esther was a Queen, and secretly Jewish and living in Persia. The Persian king Ahasuerus had decided to commit genocide against her people living in exile within his realm. She prayed to the Lord for deliverance for them. An excerpt from the First Reading from today’s Mass on the Thursday of the First Week of …
February 16th is the feast day of a somewhat obscure Saint, which is odd as he figures prominently in a Letter of St. Paul. In St. Paul’s Letter to Philemon, the Apostle reveals that Onesimus, a slave of Philemon who escaped, possibly with stolen property of his master’s, has been with him for some time …
While doing my morning meditations today I read the following passage from the Old Testament “Wisdom” Book, the Book of Sirach (Chapter 2, Verses 1-13). I found it to be a very good and hopeful exhortation to persevere in keeping faith with the Lord; for those who persevere to the end will be saved (as …
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On October 13, 1917 the final Marian Apparition at Fatima, Portugal took place. I know I’m a few weeks late with this, but upon reflection, I decided to push back writing this until today, the Feast of All Hallow’s Eve (a/k/a “Halloween”). I’ll explain at the end. Seventy thousand people attended the event, which was …
In the rooms of AA, I’ve learned that gratitude means “wanting what you have.” At first I had thought this was silly and trite. Of course, I “want what I have!” But upon further thinking it became obvious the trite phrase has a deeper meaning. In our alcoholism, one drink was never enough. The idea …
The Responsorial Psalm for Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent is: Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. via USCCB. We have all been there, this stroll through the dark valley, when all is dark and we feel that there is no hope. …
In the Gospel Reading for Saturday of the First Week of Lent (I had meant to post this yesterday, but was having connectivity issues with the blog) (Matthew 5:43-48), Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, …
Today is Day 9 and thus the final one in our Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots. We ask Mary’s intercession for “this knot in my life…You know very well the suffering it has caused me…” So, what knot is it? Is it the same one you may have prayed about daily, or one of …
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Way back in the day when I lived in California I was introduced to the phrase “fat, dumb, and happy.” It is said after you’ve eaten a particularly large and sumptuous meal. I have no idea if that saying is a “California-ism,” but that’s where I first heard and used it. The thought ocurred to …
Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to his disciples: “If anyone is willing to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Via Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible.) As alcoholics and addicts we often carry the burdens of temptations. Many people do, we are not unique …