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
Saffron Finch, Kona, Hawaii USA
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
Pineapple plant near Kona, Hawaii
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
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
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)
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
Trail, Squaxin Park, Olympia, WA, USA
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.
Sunrise Sedalia, CO USA
As we celebrate the dawn of a new year let us resolve to grow in closeness with our Lord.
Sunrise over Mt. Rainier, WA, USA
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.
Love made flesh.
Merry Christmas!
Western Chehalis Trail, Olympia, WA
On our journey with God let us always remember, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
Budd Inlet, Olympia, Washington USA
Jesus said, “Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” ~ Matthew 5:16
Sunrise Galveston, TX with background mosaic from Basilica of our Lady of the Rosary, Lourdes, France
As we commence this Advent season, preparing our way for Christmas, I wanted to share this picture from our Christmas 2018 post.
This Advent season let us “prepare the way of the Lord” (Matthew 3:3).
Moonset, Woodward Bay Conservation Area, WA USA
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunset in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado USA
The light of the Christian comes from the fruits of the Holy Spirit which are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love that we may renew the face of the earth.
Amen
Autumn leaf, Woodward Bay National Conservation Area, Washington, USA
Point Wilson Lighthouse, Washington, USA
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” ~ Hebrews 11:1
Naches Peak Loop Trail, Washington, USA
Lord, help us see clearly. Jesus may our relationships flow from our love of you. Let us understand that love doesn’t come from a conformity of beliefs but from your grace in helping us to desire the good of the other. Help us to look beyond our differences and see people as the neighbors that God has asked us to love.
Amen
Tilllamook Rock Lighthouse, Cannon Beach, Oregon
“Christian joy is about the experience of a peace that remains in our hearts, even when we are pelted by trials and afflictions, for then we know that we are not alone, but accompanied by a God who is not indifferent to our lot. When seas are rough: the storm is always on the surface, but the depths remain calm and peaceful. That is also true of Christian joy: it is a free gift, the certainty of knowing that we are loved, sustained and embraced by Christ in every situation in life. Because he is the one who frees us from selfishness and sin, from the sadness of solitude, from inner emptiness and fear, and gives us a new look at life and history…” ~ Pope Francis
Monarch butterflies, Wildseed Farms, Fredericksburg, TX USA
“The screen door slammed behind me as I ran out of the house chasing a butterfly.” This is just one of the many pleasant memories I have of my childhood. JRR Tolkien would have called the place where I was raised “The Shire”, the biblical authors may have called it “a land of milk and honey”, I simply called it home. As I have aged, I have discovered that the memories that were formed in my “Shire” were not based on its location or riches, but rather from an atmosphere of humility and love. It was a home where my age of innocence as a child was protected allowing me to grow in virtue before being subject to the challenges to virtue.
Each of us has a responsibility to create dwelling places of love, virtue and hope. If we as a society are to flourish, we must work by cooperating with God’s grace, in humility and sacrifice, to create homes, churches, communities and a nation where children, and all the vulnerable; particularly the unborn, the orphaned and the elderly, are treated as precious children of God. It is our responsibility to transform this world into a foretaste of the eternal home we hope to dwell in, heaven, by creating little places of “milk and honey” here on earth.
Jesus said, “it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost” ~ Matthew 18:14
Sunlight breaking through forest canopy, Olympia, Washington, USA
“Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” ~ Jesus, Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:16
“In God, no act of love, no matter how small, and no “generous effort” will ever be lost. Just as we recognize a tree by its fruits, so a life full of good deeds radiates light and carries the fragrance of Christ to the world.” ~ Pope Francis
