This week, my cell phone went wonky. The sound was muffled and the noise that came out was indecipherable. I couldn’t understand phone conversations and my alerts were unrecognizable. I went to AI and asked for a diagnosis. They recommended a toothbrush cleaning of the speaker. My phone ended up with a shiny bottom but still not sound. So, I was off to the carrier. The store wasn’t busy when I arrived, and Mika was eager to help. He tried everything he could that he’d been

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: 2 Peter 1:16-19 We have not followed cunningly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we have been eyewitnesses of this majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the majestic glory, “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice came from heaven while we with him on the holy mount. Moreover, we posse

I love flowers in my home. People who know me know that. Flowers are visual reminders to me of beauty of the LORD’s divine design and the intricacies of the power and presence of the LORD in our lives and our world. When I look at a flower, I am filled with wonder. And when I get flowers, it brightens not just the room in which they are displayed but my being. And so, when my daughter brought me a bouquet yesterday it truly illuminated my space and me. The bouquet was actua

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Matthew 15:21-28 Then Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon where a Canaanite woman of that district approached and called out, “Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But He didn’t respond to her. His disciples came and asked Him, “Send her away because she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and paid Him homage

This morning I am trying to write down a recipe for Spaghetti for a friend. She’s having special company, and she remembers my spaghetti because I took to her and her family once when they were all together. I’m happy to share. Problem is I don’t have it written down; I don’t cook that way. I cook by sight and smell and texture and taste. I’ve written it out, and I’m going over it to make sure I haven’t inadvertently left out something. I don’t want my friend to think I’ve go

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Psalm 117 Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him all you peoples! His mercy for us is strong The faithfulness of the LORD is forever. Hallelujah! MEDITATIO - Meditate on text, allow the LORD to touch us with His Word: How consistently do I praise the LORD? BREAKING OPEN THE TEXT: Today’s psalm for the memorial of St. John Vianney invites us make the LORD’s praise known – to proclaim it ORATIO – Lifting our minds and hearts to the LOR

Knowing about someone isn’t the same as knowing them. I knew a great deal about my husband’s mother, Ruth, before I ever met her. I’d pumped my husband, Kenneth, with a myriad of questions. I wanted to know as much about her as I could. After all, she was his mother. But then I met her. And she was so much more than I’d realized. She had a way about her that made one feel comfortable immediately. Her smile said, “I see you.” She taught me a great deal about being a wife, a mo

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Matthew 14:22-36 Jesus entreated the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea while he dismissed the crowds. Afterwards, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. He was there alone during the evening. Meanwhile, the boat was already a few miles offshore and was being tossed about by the waves as the wind blew against it. During the fourth watch of the night, He came toward them, walking on the sea. When the di

In 1978, my family moved to Tipton, Iowa. My husband had taken a job with Louis Rich in nearby West Branch. We’d settled on Tipton because it was the county seat which meant it had a little more to offer. It was actually where my husband was born. And his grandmother still lived there. Shortly after our move, the doorbell rang. It was my husband’s grandmother whom our children called Grandma Grandma (their way of saying great grandma). She was carrying an odd shaped wrapped p

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Romans 8:35, 37-39 Brothers and sisters: Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor present things, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be abl

As I sat on the porch last night at the end of a long day that capped off a long week, I was serenaded by the calming rhythm of raindrops on my porch roof. I found the patter soothing, not just because of its steady pattern but also because I know how much everything and everyone needed it. It has been too long since the last rain in these parts and the earth was parched, and our souls’ roots needed rain. Isn’t it wonderful how small things like raindrops on a porch roof can

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Matthew 14:1-12 Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead. Therefore, mighty powers are at work in him.” Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had told him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people because they counted

When I was younger, I loved to draw and paint. There was something about that blank space and no limitations on what could fill it that urged me on. I was also a writer who never met a blank piece of paper I didn’t want to make into a log of thoughts and dreams. But this morning I find this blank screen intimidating. What can I make of nothing? Age doesn’t always give us wisdom; sometimes age brings with it doubts. What do I have that will matter? What am I being asked to sha

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Matthew 13:54-58 Jesus came to his native town and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty works? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? How is it that this man has all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except

This morning as I sat on my porch pondering the day, the week, the month of July, I found myself asking “Why me, Lord?” But it wasn’t a question in the face of difficulty, it was a question in the face of awareness of just how blessed my life has been. My mind and heart were full of moments with family, moments with friends, moments when I knew the LORD was with me, and I honestly wondered what I ever did to deserve the LORD’s loving presence and blessing in abundance. I pi

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Jeremiah 18:1-6 The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying, “Arise and go to the potter’s house. There I will proclaim to you my words.” I went down to the potter’s house and there he was, working at the wheel. The vessel of clay that he made was marred in his hand, so he remade the vessel as it pleased him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: “Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done?” says the LORD. “Indeed, like cl

This morning as I read the readings for today on the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, I must admit I felt a bit of a twinge, that unpleasant feeling that lasts only for a moment. I knew what it was. I associated with Martha. I, too, have questioned Christ at times in my life. I have several favorites among the people in scripture, but I must admit that among the women, Martha is second only to the Blessed Mother. I loved when she went to Jesus to complain about

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: John 11:19-27 Many Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary because of their brother (Lazarus who had died). When Martha heard that Jesus was on his way, she went to meet him while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will r

When my children were small (ages 1, 2, and 3), I did laundry every day. When my children were teens (16, 17, and 18), I still needed to do laundry every day. Then came the “empty nest,” and laundry moved to twice a week. On that laundry schedule, my husband and I have learned the necessity of collaborating with one another. You see, my husband has favorites, and if he misses laundry day, he either must wear his favorites dirty or do without his favorites. Understanding this,

LECTIO - Read Scripture Text: Matthew 13:36-43 Jesus sent the crowds away and entered the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” In response, He said, “The one sowing the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seed are the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one and the enemy that sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are ange