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The Gospel of John   (2003) dir. by Philip Saville-  John 20:19-31   Today is now known also as 'Sunday of Divine Mercy' and in some English-speaking countries as 'Low Sunday'. Gospel   John 20:19-31   When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”   After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.     Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”   When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.     If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.   So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”

I was so thrilled to receive this photo recently, via text message, from my niece.  She's a 5th grade teacher at a Catholic school out in the Midwest, and she's having her students read Erin's Ring -- my second YA novel, published by Bezalel Books in November of 2014. I'd love to see Erin's Ring , a story about "the legacy of love and the power of faith," get into the hands of more kids like the ones pictured here (and their parents, too--it's a book for all ages).  Therefore, I'm hosting a giveaway on my blog.  In honor of National Library Week, which is April 12-18, I'm giving away one copy of Erin's Ring , along with one copy of my first Bezalel novel, Finding Grace .  Head on over to String of Pearls to find out how you can enter to win.

"To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. " G.K. Chesterton This is the Divine Mercy of God.   For though we are unlovable,  we are loved.   For though we are unpardonable, we are pardoned.   Therefore, we are entrusted to love  all and  forgive all.   This is  Divine Mercy.   Read more at:  His Unending Love

After three months of work, Trusting God with St. Therese is now available as an audiobook on Audible.com. My narrator, Betty Arnold, is a Catholic homeschool mom in California. Her family runs Pro Multis Media. Betty was great to work with and I think she did an excellent job with my book. Pronouncing all those French names was not easy! If you sign up to be a member of Audible and make my book your first purchase, Betty and I both receive a small bonus that will help us continue to stay home with our kids. The audiobook is over seven hours long. If you have a long commute or like to listen to something during your workout, you can now grow closer to God at the same time! Listen to a five-minute sample on my blog.

I wanted to live in the Hope of the Resurrection, not in the reality of the trials that follow. I sat in the big comfy chair in my living room ready to enjoy the predawn quiet, a cup of freshly brewed coffee with plenty of extra cream on the small table by my side and my Bible, journal, and sharpened pencil in my lap. I was ready to begin my "Coffee with Jesus," time as the boys and I call it. This morning I was to begin 1 Timothy, but I just couldn't bring myself to open The Book. I'd never had this problem before. Oh sure, there have been more days than I care to admit to that I just skipped my Bible reading because I had other things I just had to do or because I had woken up later than I'd intended. Reality is, as much as I don't want to admit it, I know there will be more of those days where I'm just, "too busy," ahead. But for me to have the time and just not want to start, to have woken up early enough, to have all the boys

A woman attending my Bible study commented that she never knew the meaning of the veil of the sanctuary being torn at the crucifixion. The next Sunday, our pastor began his homily speaking of this veil. In the Jewish temple there was a veil separating the rest of the space from the Holy of Holies, the room where God dwelt. No one could enter the Holy of Holies except the high priest once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The rest of God’s people were restricted to different spaces: the Court of the Women, the Court of Priests, and the Court of Gentiles. They had no direct access to God. The veil being torn in two has profound symbolism. By his death, Jesus made it possible for all of us, not only the high priest, to stand in the presence of God. Click to continue

Imagine a place you’ve never seen before, a place you might not have believed was real.  A place covered in a mist so thick that you cannot see your hands or your feet, yet, it’s solid and real.  Imagine a place of great suffering, filled with the cries of longing, moaning, and groaning, but a place of incredible joy!  Imagine a place where, before you entered,  you had seen the Face of God, and now, your longing for God causes such great pain, you fear your heart will break.  Imagine a place where the pain is so great, you know that if the skin was burned off your body, leaving only raw nerves exposed to the air, you would feel less pain.  Imagine a place where a fire burns so coldly that the pain caused to your body by a hot flame would be a welcome respite. The time for merit is over when we die.  We know that God is a God of great Mercy.  What we often forget is that God is a God of Justice, too.  Justice must be met by each of us in our judgment.  One of the gifts o

Here he is. "Karol Wojtyla-splyw" by Unknown  [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons Yes. That's my beloved JP2. It's OK, you can love him too. On April 2, the world marked the tenth anniversary of his death. Pope Francis  encouraged us  to keep up our conversation with the Polish pope, asking him to "intercede for us, for families, for the church so that the light of the Resurrection shines through all of the darkness in our life and fills us with joy and peace.” It makes sense to continue to talk to Pope John Paul II--to pray--just like we did while he was still living among us. Sunday's brilliant celebration of Easter reminds us that Jesus has conquered death. Death is no stumbling block for us; when our friends pass away, we know they live in Jesus Christ. Read about three other popes and the love of Jesus Christ at Praying with Grace !

The joy of Easter is passed. Life is back to normal. We have to go to work. We have to make sure the kids get to school on time. The dishes still need to be washed. The laundry needs to be finished. The towels still need to be folded. We watch the news. Isis is still wreaking havoc in the middle east. The militants are declaring war on all Christians. The "Nation of the Cross" is attacked again and again. Men, women and children are beheaded for love of Jesus. Inflation has increased. The price of gas is going up again. The price of food is going up again. We still have to pay the rent. Read more at:  His Unending Love

Virgin with Jesus giving Holy Rosary to St. Dominic The most treacherous path you will ever take is the Warrior's Path You do not choose to be a Warrior,  God  chooses you , and His choice is quite terrifying.    When God chooses the Warrior, there is no false humility.  When God says to you,  "You ARE a Warrior,"  you don't say, "Oh no God...not me."  On the contrary, you say,  "Yes sir!"  and then you tremble  at what being a Warrior for God could truly mean.    The fear at being called as a Warrior, is to shake so violently before the Lord that you think every bone in your body will break.    The fear comes on the realization that a warrior will be given souls to fight for, and  will be asked to account  for them. When you are called to the path of the Warrior, it is a responsibility to be pure, obey,  and seek only the good of the other ,  never  thinking that you are doing anything for God. TO READ MORE...CLICK HERE!

The LIES about Easter READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE

(From Piero della Francesca, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) ('Dead? I was, but now I'm better.' No, our Lord didn't say that: not in so many words.( John 20:26 - 27 )) I haven't died, not yet: and I'm still working on the 'dying to myself' that doesn't mean pretending that I'm garbage — and that's another topic. Topics. ( November 27, 2011 ; March 3, 2009 ) Our Lord: That's another matter. About two millennia back, Jesus was tortured, executed, and buried: but I'm getting ahead of the story.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

We have anticipated this night for forty days. It is the most important celebration of the entire year, the Easter Vigil. The Church has taken us through the entire story of salvation in the Old Testament, and we have just heard the prophets who yearned to see what we celebrate on this Holy Saturday night. Now as the gospel is read, the exciting scene unfolds. The angel speaks matter-of-factly as he tells them not to be amazed because Jesus told them exactly what was going to happen. Again and again Christ reminded them that He would be crucified, die, and rise again, but neither His disciples nor these women really understood, really grasped that Jesus was not speaking metaphorically. continue reading

'Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb.  They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first.  He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground and also the cloth that had been over His head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in.  He saw and he believed.'  (John 20:3-8) from The Cloistered Heart

“A soul united to Jesus is a living smile that radiates Him and gives  Him. ”  ~ St. Elizabeth of the Trinity continue

He grew up like a sapling… like a shoot from the parched earth; there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him... Behold the Way, the Truth, the Life!  BELIEVE . >> Click Here to Read More at: The Way to Nourish for Life >>

These three words, uttered by the Lord as he hung in agony on the cross, present one of the most challenging aspects of being a Christian. It is difficult for us to forgive - it is not natural and our whole selves bristle at the thought.  When hurts run deep, the idea of forgiveness seems to be an insurmountable obstacle. Our bodies tense up, anxiety and anger rise within us -...they hurt us.....they don't deserve our forgiveness....these are the thoughts that race through our minds. Read more here....

"On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ." The article is a pdf which can be downloaded to your computer to be read at a later date, if need be.   This article was written by:: William D. Edwards MD, Wesley J. Gabel, Floyd E. Hosmer, MS. AMI and published in JAMA, March 21, 1986, Vol 255, #11 The article is very long, but it is well worth the read.  If you have a tender stomach, I warn you, it is very graphic.  However, this article reminds us how painful the death of Jesus was.     Read More at:: His Unending Love

Just recently, I read  Ali Baba and the Forty thieves  for my children .  In this story, the wife of Ali Baba’s (unfortunate) brother and her servant girls lament and cry by his corpse, retrieved by Ali Baba from the thieves’ cave. Their lament announces to everyone the death of Ali Baba’s brother. This is just one of many examples of weeping done not only because of a spontaneous desire but with a specific and sometimes direct ritual meaning. And whenever there is a ritual, behind it lies the desire to express a deeper human reality. The ritual, the task, vocation or place, is there to encompass the entire human being when she (the soul) comes in contact with a reality beyond ordinary expression. Or in the words of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Gandalf, “not all tears are an evil…” The task of lamenting is one forgotten in the Western world, along with most meaningful rituals. .... In sharp contrast to this “liberated human” stands the Mother, weeping beneath the Cross... [Read more

Yawunik kootenayi, that four-eyed critter in the video, was a big predator: during the Cambrian. A half-billion years later, a two-inch animal isn't all that large. More recently, a tiny insect and her brood became fossils: giving scientists a rare glimpse of parental care during the Cretaceous.... Like I've said before, humans are animals: but we're not just animals. We have "dominion" over this world: but we don't own it. Our position is more like shop foreman or steward. One of our jobs is taking care of this world's resources: for our reasoned use, and for all future generations.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

From   The Gospel of John   (2003) directed by Philip Saville Gospel of the Mass during the Day,  John 20:1-9 The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night The Easter Vigil is not an 'anticipated Mass'. It stands on its own and is the most important liturgical celebration of the whole year. One may fulfil one's Sunday obligation by attending either the Easter Vigil or the Mass during the Day. One may also receive Holy Communion at both The Resurrection of Christ , Rembrandt, c.1639 At the Mass during the Day     Gospel   John 20:1-9  Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.   So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”   Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.   The two were runn

‘If you want old ideas read new books, but if you want new ideas read old books’. With these words my spiritual director gave me - ‘Abandonment to Divine Providence’ by the Jesuit French mystic Jean Pierre de Caussade SJ, who died in 1751. The book is perhaps better known under the title- ‘The Sacrament of the Present Moment’ more usually used when the book is translated into English, because this title embodies its central idea. I was busy reading the book when I had a message from my old friend Fr Kenneth Campbell, a Franciscan Priest who was born on the Island of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides. He had spent years working in the Holy Land and had arranged a pilgrimage for Gaelic speaking Catholics. However the Israel government had suddenly asked him to escort the Canadian Foreign Minister and show him around the Holy Places as he was a Catholic. Could I therefore act as a ‘stand in’ because he couldn’t get back in time to meet the pilgrims at Luton airport? If I could, then a

A few years ago, inspired by Jessica , we began having a Holy Thursday Liturgical Tea.  It was surprisingly simple to pull off and made a real impression on the children.  I am busy preparing for today's tea and thought I would share some of our plans. Each year, I set the table with a pretty olive-themed tablecloth and take out some special bowls and plates, just not the fine China.  I save that for Easter.  In addition to the symbolic foods, I include a few symbolic plates, a pewter player, green fish shaped plate the my mother-in-law made me, and my decorative Noah' s Ark plate.   The pewter plate represents the Sedar that Jesus shared with the disciples. The fish represents Christ and green is a traditional color for Holy Thursday.  Noah' s Ark represents the fulfillment of Old Testement prophecies.   A glimpse at last year's tea. Below is a list of what we usually have on the table for our tea: Continued on Veils and Vocations.

Eighteen messages!  Why so many? Many of them from people we didn’t even know.  People offering us their love, their friendship, their prayers.  “What can we do?” “What do you need?” “How can we help?”   Help??? I thought…How can you help??? There is no help for this.  I am angry.  I am scared. Why is  our  child sick? I don’t need any help.  We can take care of ourselves. We can feed ourselves.   I don’t even want to talk to anyone. Why don’t they just leave us alone? He could not even listen… Read more:  http://www.restfulwaters.net/you-will-never-wash-my-feet/

You are sitting in the upper room, with him and the twelve. The man you have walked with, journeyed with, and learned from for the last three years is sitting at the head of the table. The table is filled with food and wine for the Passover meal. The room is filled with conversation. You are filled with joy--just being here, in this room, on this day, with him--it's all you need. You are fully present, absorbing all that is around you. Your gaze centers on Jesus. He seems different tonight then at other meals you have shared.  His eyes meet yours and you see the intent in them. You watch as he stands, takes his garments off, ties a towel around his waist, lifts a basin filled with water, and kneels in front of one of the twelve. The room suddenly becomes quiet.  All conversation ceases and all eyes are now on him. Read more:  http://www.restfulwaters.net/do-you-realize-what-i-have-done-for-you/

Holy week, especially the Triduum , has always been such a special time for me. I think it's fair to say it is my favorite part of the Liturgical year. As a little girl we spent much of Holy Week at our church. Although it is such a solemn time, as a child I found it to be a comforting time as well. Maybe it was simply because of all the time spent at church! As an adult I find it to be a time where I can experience a closer walk with Jesus. I wish throughout the year I could feel the intensity of His love and my need for Him the way I do throughout Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Life gets to be so busy and it is hard to "be still". Lent, especially Holy Week, gives me that time to pause and ponder and reflect...

National Library Week is fast approaching and author Laura Pearl is celebrating with a book giveaway you won't want to miss! Erin's Ring  is a book that celebrates librarians in a beautiful story of love and hope. It really is the perfect gift for any librarian in your life or in the life of your kids! Check out  Laura's giveway here .

I love the way my prayer journal helps me stay on track in my prayers.  Unfortunately, it’s not going to work long term the way I envisioned it working, as it is filling up, and outgrowing its shell.  Simultaneously with my finding it necessary to simplify further, and thinking about its evolution, I was reminded of 1 Peter 5:7,   Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. I can’t get that first word out of my head. Cast. The mental picture of casting off a heavy weight (reminiscent of Hebrews 12:1), or casting out a line with the hopes of a catch…I don’t know…it just seems appropriate to make that my new prayer tag… Read the rest of this post at  New Things

Judas Iscariot , a name synonymous with betrayal.   But the question that everyone wants the answer to is "why?"   There have been many theories over the centuries, to which I will add my own.   I think Judas thought he had it all figured out.  He was going to be the big hero of Jesus' Ministry and get the ball rolling.  The motive wasn't the money, the money was just the means to bankroll what he thought was going to happen.   He had it planned so perfectly.  TO READ MORE...CLICK HERE!

Miracle Man  by Judy Landrieu Klein  is an engaging, well-written, dramatic read with flawed, lovable characters who will wriggle their way into your heart.  However, this book is much more than a good read;  it offers insightful nuggets of wisdom about life, death, marriage and parenting, seamlessly nestled  into the narrative tale   Whether you are a seeker, an agnostic or a cradle Catholic,  Judy’s  down-to-earth language will pierce through your defenses, triggering your own deepest longing for His touch. continue reading

 I haven’t written any “reflections” in a while because I like to give them time, consideration and prayer before I put my thoughts out there. But for today I am going to do sort of a quick snippets type of post on some different things I have been pondering and reflecting on throughout Lent; much like the bloggers who do “7 Quick Takes”, I suppose. Here are my 4 quick (or not so quick!) reflections!  Blessings, Jen

Holy Week is finally here and what seemed like a long Lent will finally end this Sunday.  I read a lot regardless of the time of year, but rarely do I read things that just linger inside my brain or my very soul. To read those articles, you can find the links at Being Catholic ... Really . 

My weekly post straddles Holy Week and Easter Week, so I pondered whether to focus on the passion and death of Jesus or his resurrection. Then it occurred to me that I should cover both. After all, these paschal mysteries are intimately related. It was only by suffering and dying that Jesus was able to rise with glorious new life. For him and for us the adage holds true: No cross, no crown. At every Eucharist we enter into both his death and resurrection. Dying and rising is a motif found in nature. Jesus himself pointed out how a seed must die in order to bring forth new life. Underground, seeds burst open and are no longer seeds but become lovely flowers or food for us. Three hundred sixty-five times a year, the sun dies and all is dark, but we can count on the life-giving sun coming up again the next morning. Each night we experience a “little death” as we sleep, but then we arise with new vigor the next day. Every winter when the cold, barren world seems dead, we kn

Words whispered in my heart. You think you are building my Church, w ith all your hectic activity. But in reality you are not helping me at all. You are hindering my true work on earth. All I want,  All I need, Is for you to c ome and stand  at the foot of my Son's Cross. Let the fire of His Love  p ierce your heart, t ransforming you into   His Presence on  Earth .

What would You do if you knew that in two days You would celebrate Your last Passover with your family and friends? What would You do if You knew that soon after Your Passover meal, you would be abandoned and deserted by those you loved, as You prayed to Your Father to "let this cup pass."? What would You do if You knew that one of those whom You loved would betray You and hand You over to be crucified on a cross? What would You do if, in spite of their promises to be with You to the end, even if it meant death, the man You chose to lead Your church would betray You not once, not twice, but three times, denying that he even knew You.     Read more at:: His Unending Love

SO ... WHAT EXACTLY IS IN HELL? WHAT IS IT REALLY LIKE? IF YOU DARE CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT

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  At Mass on Sunday we sang the spiritual “Were you There?” It got me thinking. How we long to have been with Jesus during His passion, death, and resurrection. How we would have loved to stand and support His mother at the foot of the Cross, to wipe His face with Veronica, to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Yes, I know that was in reverse order.) Serendipitously, we sang this song at Communion time. And I suddenly realized that I was there! Continue reading at Contemplative Homeschool.

Lawrence OP St Augustine, Flickr Creative Commons "Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace." from The Confessions of Saint Augustine This prayer of St. Augustine reminded me that it’s not enough to ride on the surface of life. Click here to continue.