Blackberries, Western Chehalis Trail, Washington USA
“Mary sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.” Luke 10:39
The door to our heart is opened through faith, humility, and the love and adoration of Him whom we serve.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ~ Matthew 6: 9-10
Mt Rainier as viewed from Mt Ellinor, Washington USA
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God. ~ Psalm 84:3
The psalmist yearns for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” ~ Matthew 13:44
Typically, we think of a treasure as something to be sold so that we can have more, more earthy things, but Jesus refers to the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven as a treasure that we hold so dear that we sell all that we have to obtain this, the most valuable of treasures.
Deception Pass Bridge, Washington USA
Many Christians have described the cross as a bridge between heaven and earth but few realize this metaphor was first employed by a young, uneducated woman in the 14th century, Catherine of Siena.
Catherine describes in her literary masterpiece, The Dialogue, how we are to walk across the bridge of the cross to Heaven. Catherine insists that the central focus throughout our walk is Jesus and, in particular, the love of Jesus as displayed in his selfless giving of himself on the cross.
Catherine’s first step across the bridge is one of humility, as the soul looks down on the cross and sees the nails in the feet of the crucified Jesus. It is here that the soul realizes her brokenness and her need for the Savior’s healing touch and the soul begins “to strip herself of vice”.
The second step or stage for Catherine begins as the soul walks on the bridge to the side of Jesus. Here, at his pierced side, the soul sees, feels and understands the heart of Jesus. The soul is immersed in Christ’s love which transforms the soul, enabling the soul to grow in “virtue and love”.
The last stage or step on the bridge for Catherine is the soul seeing the face of Jesus on the cross. It is here that Jesus gives her his embrace and the soul “tastes peace”. What is this peace? It is the peace that only Christ can give. It is a freedom from worry, a freedom from ego, a freedom from addiction, a freedom even from the fear of death.
Catherine of Siena was an enigma in her day and remains an enigma to many today. She spent most of her adult life caring for the poor. She had no formal education, yet she became a prolific writer. She was a woman living in what we now call the medieval age, yet she was a counselor of the learned and nobles. She was a church reformer, brokered peace between Italian city states and was instrumental in convincing Pope Gregory XI to move the papacy from Avignon, France back to Rome.
How did Catherine, an uneducated woman in medieval times, receive such admiration and respect? Perhaps it was because Catherine crossed the bridge and became the person Christ wanted her to be.
“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” St. Catherine of Siena
St.Catherine of Siena died at the age of 33 in the year 1380. She is a Saint and also doctor of the Catholic Church for her contribution to our understanding of our Lord.
Olympic Mountains as viewed from South Budd Inlet, Olympia, Washington USA
What does your safe harbor look like? St Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” God is the safe harbor, the place where peace dwells.
My prayer this Independence Day Holiday is that you, your family and the people of the United States find safe harbor in the hands of our Lord.
In the beautiful name of Jesus,
Amen
Marbled Godwit, Pacific Beach, Washington USA
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be always in my mouth.
My soul will glory in the LORD;
let the poor hear and be glad.
Magnify the LORD with me;
and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him and be radiant,
and your faces may not blush for shame.
This poor one cried out and the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and he saves them.
Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the stalwart one who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his holy ones;
nothing is lacking to those who fear him.
The rich grow poor and go hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you fear of the LORD.
Who is the man who delights in life,
who loves to see the good days?
Keep your tongue from evil,
your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are directed toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
The LORD’s face is against evildoers
to wipe out their memory from the earth.
The righteous cry out, the LORD hears
and he rescues them from all their afflictions.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted,
saves those whose spirit is crushed.
Many are the troubles of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him from them all.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked;
those who hate the righteous are condemned.
The LORD is the redeemer of the souls of his servants;
and none are condemned who take refuge in him.
~ Psalm 34
Sunset, Tongue Point, Washington, USA
How intimate is God with the Christian? So intimate that God, the Holy Spirit, dwells within the Christian’s heart (Gal 4:6).
How intimate is God with us? So intimate that Christ, himself, dwells within us and we dwell within him when we receive Holy Communion (John 6:55-56).
Thank you, Lord, for being present to us in the most intimate of ways. May we, in whom you dwell, worship and follow you through our acts of obedience and kindness.
Amen
Shoreline, Salt Creek Recreation Area, WA USA
Jesus stood up and exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.’” ~ John 7:37-38
Let us be refreshed by the love of the Lord; and then, filled with the Holy Spirit, may we have the wisdom and power to worship God and serve our neighbor.
Sunset over Lake Wenatchee, WA USA
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
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
Olympic Mountains near Port Angeles, WA
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.
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.
Piping Plover, Galveston Island, TX
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.
Flower with morning dew, Olympia, WA
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.
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
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
