Ordinary Time On the church liturgical calendar, we have entered the long season plainly called “Ordinary Time.” Another mundane name for this time of year is "the Season after Pentecost." Ho-Hum. Yawn. Boring….You would think our collective churches could create a better name and even break this time up in more ingenious fashion. Why Is It Called Ordinary Time? Some scholars think the name Ordinary time derives from the word ordinal, meaning "numbered," since the Sundays of Ordinary Time, as in other seasons, are ordered numerically. Our Focus in Ordinary Time Ordinary Time extends from now until Advent, late November. From Advent to Pentecost, we celebrate what God has done to inaugurate the new creation through Christ. In the season after Pentecost, we celebrate what God does to empower us to live out the Gospel day to day and week to week in the context of our ordinary lives. In our churches in Ordinary Time, we hear stories about how Jesus lived out his mission on … [Read more...]
12 Quotes from Dorothy Day
12 Quotes from Dorothy Day For May's Tending the Holy Thursday theme where I delve into a topic or a person of faith for several weeks, we are looking at the life and words of Dorothy Day. Today I am sharing some of her quotes and then next week we will discuss what her life means to us today. If you missed the introduction about this fascinating Christian woman, here is the link for the first in this series. Remember I created a free Reflection Guide for you to download by just clicking the button at the end of this post. I think this guide would be great to copy and keep in your journal for further contemplation. It has several quotes divided by topics, followed by a writing/reflection prompt and questions with space to write. I hope it blesses your journey with Dorothy. Dorothy Day Quotes “I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and that it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions.” ****** “I really only … [Read more...]
Beauty – Even in the Weeds
I slammed the brakes. Slowly down enough, I turned onto the side road to get another look. What a beautiful sight! The field on the south side of the road erupted in vibrant yellow mustard. Maybe God splashed some sunshine on earth in a new way. Or maybe he has a craving for butter as he created an abundance of this shade all over our county. The pasture glowed in bright canary yellows. Interesting enough, this wasn't a preplanned, carefully cultivated field of flowers. No, the field overflowed with weeds. Weeds are nature's graffiti. J.L.W. Brooks Since I was seeing so many pockets of this weed in these fields, undulating like seas of yellow, I did some research. Most websites referred to a plant called the cressleaf groundsel. It has been spreading throughout the Midwest for the past 20 years, especially in no-till farming and in a wet spring. We certainly have had a cool wet spring in Ohio. Weeds – yes. Beautiful – yes! As one grows older one should grow more … [Read more...]
Dorothy Day
Dorothy Day Dorothy Day has been my companion for more than 10 years now. I always learn something from her. Her social justice beliefs and how she lived every day following the Sermon on the Mount yanks me from my comfort zone and makes me question if I do enough, speak up enough, give enough. She inspires me to seek God and follow him in deeper ways. For May's Tending the Holy Thursday theme where I delve into a topic or a person of faith for several weeks, we are going to look at Dorothy Day. Today I will share some of her background, next week will be rich with her wonderful, challenging quotes to consider, then the last week we can discuss what her life means to us today. I created a free Reflection Guide for you to download by just clicking the button at the end of this post. I think this guide would be great to copy and keep in your journal for further contemplation. It has several quotes divided by topics, followed by a writing/reflection prompts and questions with … [Read more...]
Three Pentecost Symbols
Three Pentecost Symbols Pentecost will be celebrating in many of our churches this coming Sunday. I love the imagery and symbols of this important day in the church. Many Christians emphasize Christmas and Easter – and rightfully so – so why do we ignore this key moment in our church? I compiled a guide for ideas to celebrate Pentecost. You can download this resource at no cost by clicking on the button below. Click here to get Pentecost Ideas What is Pentecost? Pentecost is sudden and powerful arrival of the Holy Spirit in and around the disciples and their friends gathered together in Jerusalem Pentecost means "the 50th day" and marks the end of the Easter season. According to the second chapter in Acts, here is what happened: Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the … [Read more...]
Prayer Ponderings
Prayer Today is the National Day of Prayer in the U.S. Prayer is an essential tool for healthy spirituality and one spiritual practice that we can always learn more about, one to try new approaches and one that continually nourishes our soul. How is your prayer life? Sometimes it is hard to answer that question. I know my intentions for this discipline are much higher, more robust and less me and more God than what I put into practice. Yet I am always seeking new ways to be with God throughout the day, to prayer without ceasing as the Bible directs us, and quiet my inner chatter to hear God. "Prayer is an expression of who we are…. We are a living incompleteness. We are a gap, an emptiness that calls for fulfillment." Thomas Merton I have heard that a Gallop poll revealed in one week more Americans will pray than will exercise, drive a car, have sex and go to work. Nine out of ten people say they do pray. We "say" prayer is important to us, to our faith, for our families and … [Read more...]
Monthly Musings – What I Learned in April
Monthly Musings Each month I pause and take a look back at what I am discovering, learning, and exploring in life – I call these my monthly musings. Living a reflective life is a spiritual practice that adds depth and gratitude to our lives. Often our busy schedules make it difficult to keep a daily journal, but we can find the time to take notes of the some of the highlights, lessons, and joys by waking up and paying attention. I record these on the pages of my Monthly Musing Journal. You can use anything, scrapes of papers, a journal or a calendar. Copies of my Monthly Musing Journal are available on amazon and are a convenient way to keep track of the little things in life we often miss. What I Learned in April Lessons Learned The series I wrote in April on discernment struck a chord with many readers and deepened my awareness of discernment, not just a tool for a major life decisions, but a way of life to live each day. What a blessing we have to have so many … [Read more...]
Discernment – Lessons Learned
Discernment Discernment has been the theme for April's Tending the Holy Thursday posts. I find it fun and insightful to dig into a topic with more depth. This week I am sharing some lessons I have learned and pondered while studying discernment. May this topic help you through those difficult transitions and just plain daily choices. The first week we began with defining and exploring discernment, second week I shared tips and how-to's, and last week's post of quotes and resources. You may want to read or review them as you need. Discernment – Lessons Learned. Discernment is more than decision-making. Yes, we use discernment at times of major life transitions and crossroads, but this practice also enhances our daily living. Living a discerning life is " hearing a deeper sound beneath the noise of ordinary life and seeing through appearances to the interconnectedness of all things, to gain a vision of how things hand together in our lives and in the world." Henri … [Read more...]