I've always liked Thanksgiving.... the four day break from the workweek…. a pause before the Advent and Christmas season…. generally less tension. I loved the smell of the turkey cooking all day long… a football game in the background… maybe a glass of wine or two. After the meal everyone is a bit sleepy. "Mmmmmmmmm" … Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving !!! →

Have you ever heard  a song and it captures something in your soul…. touching an emotion, perhaps bringing tears to your eyes? I’m not talking about a catchy tune; I’m not referring to the classic response on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand in the 1960’s to the latest rock song….. “ well, it’s got a good beat … Continue reading “Eternal Harmony” →

We’ve been reading from the Book of Maccabees lately. In it there are exciting stories of courageous responses to evil…. standing up for the truth.  King Antiochus of Greece thought he was kind and loving to the Jews, even though he brutally conquered them. “For I was kind and beloved in my power.' But now I remember the … Continue reading “Beware.. Becoming Hard Hearted” →

Does repentance change God’s mind? That’s a very interesting question. It seems that true repentance does touch God’s heart and causes him to change some of the punishment that was forthcoming. There are many examples of this,…..  from the people of Ninevah who repented in sackcloth and ashes … “when God saw what they did, how … Continue reading Repentance Brings Wonderful Things →

Originally Posted July 23, 2020 At times, what little is  left of my chemistry knowledge surfaces in my brain.  I majored in chemistry in college, which is truly amazing because I didn’t like it very much (huge understatement) and I wasn’t very good at it… just good enough to squeeze out a major after taking 18 … Continue reading “Activation Energy” →

Originally Posted July 21, 2020 Perhaps you’ve heard the question, “hey if the Catholic Church is founded on Jesus Christ and Christ makes all the difference in a person’s life, why are there so many problems in the church… what about all the scandals….how can I believe in such a flawed institution…too many skeletons in … Continue reading “ Convince Me ” →

Yesterday was the feast day of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. In 1818 she traveled with five other Sacred Heart sisters from France to the frontier town of St. Charles, Missouri, opening the first school for girls between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. (Magnificat Nov. 18, 2021)  The name of the girls school was Villa … Continue reading “Villa” →

Perspective is essential to knowing the truth. Look at only part of the facts in a situation and you will often get a distorted understanding. Recall the Indian parable of the blind men and the elephant…. “one feels the trunk and says it’s a big snake…another feels the leg and says it’s a pillar… another … Continue reading “History Is Important” →

When the pressure gets high enough, something in us cries,  “STOP” …… I just can’t take this pressure, …… I need relief and I need it now. I guess we’ve all experienced this at times. The pressure could be in the form of physical pain; perhaps it’s a job pressure where things and your future seems … Continue reading “Standing Firm !!!” →

Today is the feast day of St. Albert. I don’t know much about Albert. I read that he was a very learned and holy man. He is quoted as saying, “ the greater and more persistent your confidence in God, the more abundantly you will receive all that you asked.” Those words are worth pondering. … Continue reading St. Albert — A Great Teacher →