Posts

He has Risen

They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?  He is not here, but he has been raised.  Luke 25:5-6

Roxborough State Park, Colorado, U.S.A.

 

A Mother’s Sorrow

“and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”  Luke 2:35

Mary and Jesus - Basilique Saint-Nazaire, Carcassonne, France

 

 

What God did for the Love of Man

“Who would believe what we have heard?
To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
He grew up like a sapling before him,
like a shoot from the parched earth;” Isaiah 53: 1,2

Indian Paintbrush – Spring Branch, Texas

 

On this Mountain

On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
A feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
The web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from all faces;
The reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.

On that day it will be said:
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Isaiah 25:6-10

Enchanted Rock State Park, Texas

 

Keeping our eyes on the Lord

As we enter into Holy Week let us keep our eyes on our Lord.

He humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.  Philippians 2:8

Golden-fronted Woodpecker - keeping watch on the rising sun – Big Bend National Park

 

Spring colors – like a prayer of Thanksgiving

“For me prayer means launching out from the heart toward God; a cry of grateful love from the crest of joy or the trough of despair; it is a vast supernatural force that opens out my heart and binds me close to Jesus.”  St. Thesese of Lisieux

Texas Redbud – Spring Branch, TX

 

God's Mercy

“LORD, your mercy reaches to heaven” Psalm 36:6

“Let us not forget that God forgives and God forgives always.” “Let us never tire of asking for forgiveness.” -  Pope Francis

Ocotillo in bloom reaching to heaven – Big Bend National Park, TX, U.S.A. 

Seeing Christ in others

“If now we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten how to see God in one another.” – Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Rock - Arches National Park, Utah, U.S.A.

 

Tree Planted Beside the Waters

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.

Oak Tree near Guadalupe River, Spring Branch, TX

 

Let us sing!

A melody is about to burst from this mockingbird’s throat as he is about to sing his first song of the spring.  

" I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I live.” Psalm 104:33

Mockingbird, Spring Branch, Texas, U.S.A.

 

Contemplation

Have you ever contemplated “What can I do to make this world a better place?”

Mathew 25: 31-40

“Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

Northern Cardinal, Spring Branch, Texas, U.S.A.

 

Flight of Freedom

Earlier this week was the memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita, slave, free person, nun and Saint. 

"Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him. What a great grace it is to know God!"  - St. Bakhita

Freedom is so beautiful and precious.  Jesus said in Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”  “He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives.”  “To let the oppressed go free.”  If you are held captive by your thoughts, desires, addictions or circumstances; ask Jesus to work with you to set you free.

Crested Caracara – Gonzales, Texas, U.S.A.

Hiding in the Peripheries

“Each Christian and every community must discern the path that the Lord points out, but all of us are asked to obey his call to go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the “peripheries” in need of the light of the Gospel.”  Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis

Ruddy Turnstone, Hiding in Seaweed, Mustang Island, Texas

 

What can I, a week fragile sinner, do?

What can I, a weak fragile sinner, do? God says to you: do not be afraid of holiness, do not be afraid to aim high, to let yourself be loved and purified by God, do not be afraid to let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Let us be infected by the holiness of God. Every Christian is called to sanctity; and sanctity does not consist especially in doing extraordinary things, but in allowing God to act. It is the meeting of our weakness with the strength of his grace, it is having faith in his action that allows us to live in charity, to do everything with joy and humility, for the glory of God and as a service to our neighbor. There is a celebrated saying by the French writer Léon Bloy, who in the last moments of his life, said: “The only real sadness in life is not becoming a saint”. Let us not lose the hope of holiness, let us follow this path. Do we want to be saints? The Lord awaits us, with open arms; he waits to accompany us on the path to sanctity. Let us live in the joy of our faith, let us allow ourselves to be loved by the Lord... let us ask for this gift from God in prayer, for ourselves and for others.  Pope Francis, General Audience, October 2, 2013

White Ibis, Mustang Island State Park, Texas, U.S.A.

 

Follow me

Jesus says “Follow me”.  Don’t be afraid.  Leave what seems comfortable behind.  Join the excitement of a relationship with our Lord ……. and fly…….

Great Egret, High Island, Texas, U.S.A.

 

Waiting for our return

“God always waits for us, even when we have left him behind! He is never far from us, and if we return to Him, He is ready to embrace us.”  Pope Francis, Homily, April 7, 2013

Willet, Mustang Island State Park, Texas, U.S.A.