It's Mothers Day weekend, Lord, a time of gratitude and love for millions of women and their families, grateful for the wonderful blessing our mothers are in our lives...   But Mothers Day, like all holidays, can be lonely and bittersweet so I pray tonight for women and children who'll sadly find this special day a burden more than a blessing...       I pray for those who pray to be mothers:         hear their prayer, O Lord, and give them grace             to trust in you and your love... &nb ..read more

Image source   Every day, Lord,     I check my calendar,     I check my watch,     I check my email,     I check my voice mail,     I check my snail mail,     I check my texts,     I check my Tweets,     I check my FB messages... Well, "every day" isn't really accurate:     I should have said,     "three, four or more times" every day... I do a lot of checking in, Lord,     and some days it seems I check in with jus ..read more

Ascension Day is almost over. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus instructed his friends not to leave Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit - and so they waited 9 days, until Pentecost.   We know the story, Lord,     of your gathering with your friends         and ascending from their sight     leaving them the promise         that the Spirit was soon to come...    So for nine days your friends waited      and prayed for the Spirit's coming in wind and grace ..read more

Photo by Kincaid   I'm posting this a few days early      for any who might want to share or send this to others...   Mothers will be celebrated by their families this weekend in special ways. There will be flowers and sweets; phone calls from children who live too far away for a visit; cards and gifts; breakfast in bed or brunch or dinner at a nice restaurant.  Keep a place in your prayer this day for all the mothers who will rejoice with their families this Mothers Day weekend... Some women will spend this Mothers' Day in anticipation of the birt ..read more

We are the clay, Lord, and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands...      Isaiah 63:7       Like clay in your moist hands, Lord,     shape me, form me, make of me         the person you created me to be... Turn me on the wheel of all my joys and sorrows,      mold me in your image, Lord, and bake me in your kiln,      in the furnace of your heart ,         in the fire of your Spirit and let your warm fingerprints      mar ..read more

    Tweet    SUBSCRIBE HERE!    ..read more

Image source No matter how dense the forest,    no matter how thick the branches,       no matter how full the leaves on the trees, your light shines through, O Lord... No matter how gray the sky,    no matter how dark the clouds,       no matter how hard the rain may fall: your light shines through, O Lord... No matter how black the night,    no matter how few the twinkling stars,       no matter how thin the silvery moon: your light shines through, O Lord... No matter how dark my path,     ..read more

Here's my homily for Sunday, May 5   Those who listen really carefully will note an error in my homily. Beginning at 04:05, the text should read:          ...why would we so easily and frequently choose              the selfish over the generous,              the spiteful over the loving,              and resentment over forgiveness? Tweet    SUBSCRIBE HERE!    ..read more

Morning Coffee by George Mendoza Good morning, good God!   I offer my praise for your patience, Lord, when I think I'm too busy to stop and pray... I offer my thanks for your guiding hand when I'm unsure and don't know which way to turn...   I offer you praise for your merciful kindness when I fail to love in thought, word and deed... I offer my thanks for all of your gifts, especially the ones I've not opened or shared...   I offer my praise for the ways you bless me, more times than I know or could possibly count... I offer you thanks for the folks in my life who ..read more

On Sundays, Night Prayer will take its inspiration from an element of that day's mass.  Tonight we recall this morning's gospel and Michael Joncas' musical setting of that passage.  I suggest you follow the link to the gospel and/or listen to the song before praying the text. There Is No Greater Love   I love this song, Lord:     its melody line weaving its way into my heart,         braiding my prayer with your word, your command,             to love my neighbor as you've loved me ..read more