TUESDAY OF THE TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME The Room by Andres Cerpa (written when he was a little boy. Now an adult, Andres’ first book of poetry, The Vault, was published on June 15, 2021) My room is my domain. In it I feel no pain. I take comfort in its untidiness. The books and clothes […]
MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, RELIGIOUS -from Pope Francis’ homily for the Solemn Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Sunday, June 6, 2021 A third image (from the account of the Last Supper in Mark 14) is that of Jesus breaking the bread. This is the Eucharistic gesture par excellence. It is the distinctive sign […]
One of my favorite stories is about Yellow and Stripe, two caterpillars. The book by Trina Paulus is titled Hope for the Flowers [A tale partly about life, partly about revolution, and lots about hope for adults and others (including caterpillars who can read)] Yellow is precocious and figures out pretty early on that the […]
WEDNESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Looking at the Moon by Li Po (translated by Florence Auscough and Amy Lowell) The heavy clouds are broken and blowing, And once more I can see the wide common stretching beyond the four sides of the city. Open the door. Half of the moon-toad is […]
TUESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Dew by Ruth Pitter, a British poet, 1897-1992 Secret and still, as the light goes, Soundless the dew falls, not like rain; Freshness of violet, richness of rose, Bloom on the blade of the green grain, Misty and waxen veil of the beautiful heath, Incense-tear from the […]
MONDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME I Ask My Mother to Sing by Li-Young Lee She begins, and my grandmother joins her. Mother and daughter sing like young girls. If my father were alive, he would play his accordion and sway like a boat. I’ve never been in Peking, or the Summer Palace, […]
In Joy & Sorrow I don’t know about you, but for me, the lifting of some of our COVID safety protocols here at St Mary Parish has been a source of great joy! I am so thankful to all of you for hanging in there over the course of these last fifteen months. From the […]
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS -from Pope Francis’ Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday, June 3, 2016 The Heart of the Good Shepherd is not only the heart that shows us mercy, but is itself mercy. There the Father’s love shines forth; there I know I am […]
THURSDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -from Fr Henri Nouwen’s A Cry for Mercy The Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised to his followers, is the great gift of God. Without the Spirit of Jesus we can do nothing, but in and through (and with) his Spirit we can live free, joyful, and courageous lives. […]
WEDNESDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -from Fr Henri Nouwen’s Reaching Out Prayer is the language of the Christian community. In prayer the nature of the community becomes visible because in prayer we direct ourselves to the One who forms the community. We do not pray to each other, but together we pray to […]
