Extra Meditation – Easter Sunday – He is Risen! 4/9/2023

Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

Today our church resumes the singing of Alleluias as we celebrate the amazing resurrection of Jesus!

The gospel of Mark (Mark 16: 1-8) explains what happened on that Sunday morning: “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome brought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun has risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, ‘Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.”’

What must the women have thought that morning? If I had been there, I would have been confused! Dead people just didn’t remove themselves from graves! But hopefully I would have accepted the angel’s words and remembered Jesus’ own words that he would rise. Now he is risen! The empty tomb testifies. What joy those disciples would have felt!

Some years ago I wrote the following reflection, titled “Your Resurrection.”

I see You rise out of the depths of the grave;

You shine with all Your glory in the morning sun.

Your cross shrinks into the background,

No longer the focus but always there,

An everlasting reminder of the tremendous gift You gave me.

You gave Your life for mine, and You ask nothing in return but love.

Lord, help me to always keep Your sweet death in my heart.

Remind me always of the great suffering You endured for me.

Place upon my heart a sign of Your precious love and forgiveness.

As I gaze upon Your tender face,

Allow me to accept Your mercy,

And thank You for the grace You have given to me.

I hold Your resurrection in my heart.

May you today be encouraged by Jesus’ resurrection! He died for you and rose that you may have new life. Spend some time in prayer today thanking him for this precious gift.

Have a blessed Easter Sunday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Extra Meditation – Holy Saturday – In Silence We Await - 4/8/2023

Today we wait. Jesus has died, and his body is wrapped in linen and is inside a cold stone tomb. I sometimes wonder – what really happened to Jesus that day? We read that he descended into the pits of Hell. Was he lonely there, so far away from God? I wonder if he spoke to the devil while he was there? Did he look at all the souls who have been damned for eternity? What did those souls feel?

Today I encourage you to spend some time in silence and wait. Think about Jesus’ experience in Hell. Thank Jesus for taking on our sins and enduring such terrible suffering for us. Thank him that we still have time to mend our lives so that we can avoid Hell and instead look forward to a forever blessing with God in heaven. Wait.

Have a blessed Holy Saturday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Extra Meditation – Good Friday - 4/7/2023

If you have been following the passion of Christ, you know that throughout the night Jesus had enduring questioning, scourging, crowning with thorns and is condemned to death. The second and third Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary allow us to contemplate these events.

The fourth Sorrowful Mystery explains what happened as He was forced to carry his cross toward Calvary.

Matthew 27:31-32 says: “And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to be crucified. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross.”

I think about what I might have felt or saw if I was one of the crowd along the road as Jesus carried his cross. Would I have jeered at him? Would I have cried tears of sadness and said some kind word to him? Would I have been the one asked to carry Jesus’ cross?

Walk with Jesus as you read these words I wrote about his journey to the cross, called “Walk With Me.”

The sweltering heat burns deeply into my already bruised and blistered back. I stumble slowly, laden under this immense crushing cross of sin. Blisters form, then break on my bare feet. I can feel the sharp sting of each stone and twig scattered on the dusty road.

Tear-stained faces of shrouded women line the side of the road on my left. To my right, mocking, shaking fists punch the stifling air in front of my face. I cannot tune out their jeering taunts, and I am sorrowfully reminded why I am here. The din threatens to consume me, but I listen anyway, straining to hear any small word of comfort.

Suddenly I feel the weight lessening on my back. I turn to see a man with a bewildered look cowering under the stare of one of the jaunty guards. The man struggles to raise the rough timber.

Our eyes lock for a second, and I manage a brief smile. His expression suddenly changes into a confident resolve. Hoisting the beam firmly onto his shoulder, he takes his place beside me, his arm gently brushing against mine.

My burden eased, together we trudge onward between the noisy crowds up the foreboding hill. I briefly close my eyes and let out a quiet sigh. My new friend will see me through.

I encourage you to spend some time today pondering the road Jesus walked that day. Had you been there, what would you have done? Can you shoulder a cross today? What blessing will Jesus give you as you ponder his walk?

Have a blessed Good Friday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Monday Meditation – Holy Thursday - 4/6/2023

Today is Holy Thursday, and the start of the sacred days called Triduum. Many of us will spend time at church today celebrating the last supper. It’s a beautiful feast, and one that I will be attending tonight.

But today in this reflection I’d like to go beyond the Last Supper to what happened immediately after that, which Catholics pray as the first of the Sorrowful Mysteries.

Matthew 26:36-43 says: “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Remain here and watch with me.’ He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will.’ When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, ‘So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, ‘My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!’ Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open.”

Had I been there with Jesus and the three disciples, I believe I would have acted exactly as the disciples did and I would have fallen asleep. Often during my prayer times, especially the long ones during adoration, my eyes grow heavy and I struggle to stay awake. It helps when I am actively reading something spiritual or praying the rosary, but when I try to just sit and pray, I get drowsy. I can empathize with those disciples!

Here for you today are the thoughts I expressed from Peter’s point of view about this event in my poem called “One Hour.”

The rock is hard on which I sit, the twilight looms around;

The olive trees surround us, many leaves upon the ground.

He said to wait and watch with him, but just like James and John,

My conscious cannot stay awake – this hour seems so long.

A tap upon my shoulder comes, my eyes blink groggily,

“I asked for just one hour from you; please, can you watch with me?”

He moves away back to a rock and sinks upon his knees,

Toward blackened skies his hand upraise, his voice aquiver pleads.

I can’t quite make out what he says, so closer still I creep.

I hear “O Father” and “This cup;” “Thy hard command I’ll keep.”

He sweats in anguish as I watch, in drops of blood so red.

What is this torment that he feels, raging inside his head?

I turn back, scared at what I see. What’s happening o’er there?

My brothers, unaware, snore on without worry or care.

The darkness weighs upon my soul; my weary eyes uplift,

But suddenly I’m snoring too; the hour passes swift.

I feel the tap again and start, I jerk and come awake.

He sadly looks into my eyes, my clammy hand does take.

“O pray, my child, that you might not be tempted in this night.”

He gazes then at James and John; I feel a kind of fright.

I know at once that something passed, a heavenly exchange,

His manner’s diff’rent; somber eyes; I sense a chilling change.

In silence now we walk ahead, toward some unknown event;

Was this his purpose and his call, the reason he was sent?

I encourage you to take some time today and pray with the Bible passage about Jesus and the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. What would you have done if you had been there? Pray that you may not succumb to temptation as we begin Triduum and these holy days.

Have a blessed Holy Thursday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Monday Meditation – Give - And Give More - 4/3/2023

We have just arrived into Holy Week – a very solemn time for Christians. Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday, and this week we have Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and then Easter Sunday. Are you ready?

Three things that Christians are called to do as we go through Lent are Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Over the years in my reflection blogs I have touched upon all three of these.

This year I admit I have not done as well as I had hoped for any of these. I had good intentions, but… somehow things happened. I failed to pray as much as I had planned. My fasting days got sidetracked. And my charitable donations have only been slightly better than what I have done in the rest of the year. Maybe you have done better than I have.

But… Lent is not yet over. I have some time to improve. So I went to reconciliation last week and confessed my failures. And I walked out of the church with a lighter heart, and I have rededicated myself to pray, fast and give alms for the remainder of Lent.

I am trying to refocus my life toward giving: giving of my time in prayer, giving of myself in fasting, and giving of my resources for charity. I gave more last week than I have in the other weeks of Lent.

But the funny thing is (and maybe it really isn’t so funny!) is that I got back a lot! I got peace of mind, knowing that my friends and family were receiving something as I took time to pray for them. I got a little more clarity of mind as I passed up some food and drink that tend to dull my senses more than give me nourishment. And I got a satisfaction knowing that people who need help are getting it because of my extra generosity. I found myself to be happier last week than I have been in a long time.

Perhaps you remember these bible passages:

”Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Cor 9:6-8)

And “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” (Acts 20:32-35)

I pray that you will be able to give this week – and maybe give a little more than you normally would. Bless others with your giving, and you in turn will be blessed.

Have a blessed Monday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Monday Meditation – Be The One - 3/27/2023

I recently came across this quote by Sheri Eckert:

“Be That One. The one who forgives when deep offense has been committed. That one who loves when no one else does. That one who gives kindness to those who are mean. Be that one who looks past the insult, instead seeing the pain that motivated it. That one who shine light upon those who sit in utter darkness. Because the impact of being that one runs far and wide. It brings healing to the wounded, joy to the sad, and hope to those in despair. Be that one.”

This is an excellent reminder to me, especially as we are now in the last two weeks of Lent, to always be kind and helpful to others. I know I have messed up some of my intentions for Lent and not done everything I had hoped to do, but I still have two more weeks to work on these things. We never know what is going on inside someone else – they may be hurting physically or emotionally and lash out at others just because. If I can look past that and do something for them, maybe their life will be better.

I can ask myself these questions: Am I the one who can change things for the better or the different? Am I the one that’s going to do some work to change or heal that broken relationship? Am I the one who can be a good role model for my children and grandchildren so that they can grow up and see and experience the world differently?

I know it can be very hard to overlook the insults and hurts we receive from others. But I encourage you to try this week to overlook these things, even if it is just one time. Give someone the benefit of the doubt. Do a kind thing for another person. Say something nice to someone who may be down. It only takes a moment to Be The One and bring them a small blessing. Will you be the one?

Have a blessed Monday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Monday Meditation – Choices - 3/20/2023

We all have choices to make every day. We choose what to eat, what to wear, where to go and so on. We make thousands of choices every single day. And most of these choices are minor, and don’t impact others. Who else is truly impacted if you wear purple pants, dye your hair green or eat junk food all day?

The choices that are problematic are the ones which endanger others or negatively impact our own spiritual health.

What do I mean by that?

I believe the problem comes when we disobey those in authority and rules. When we choose to disobey laws established by our government, this can impact our finances or even our ability to live freely, and it can affect our family and friends as well. For example, a person may choose to speed down a freeway faster than the posted limit. This choice disobeys the speed laws and can endanger the lives of others who are also driving on that freeway. When caught, the speeding driver will likely need to pay a fine, and if he or she continues to disobey this law, there is a possibility of jail time.

When we disobey the laws established by God, there also is a negative impact. For example, a person may choose to speak disparaging remarks about another person. If these remarks are untrue, the person is lying, and is disobeying God’s command as well as damaging another person’s reputation. But even if the remarks are true, spreading that message around, especially in a malicious manner, can negatively impact the reputation of the other person. And this is likely disobedient to God’s command as well.

If I were to take a candy bar from a store without paying for it, I am disobeying the seventh commandment, Thou Shalt Not Steal. It may seem like a petty theft and not serious, but it is stealing from the store, and therefore a violation of God’s command.

Or If I were to speak about my husband in a demeaning or negative way when talking to others, that would be a lie (because he is truly a nice guy!) and I would be disobeying the eighth commandment, Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness. It’s also possible that I was disobeying the fifth commandment, Thou Shalt Not Kill. That may not seem immediately apparent – but think about this: damaging my husband’s reputation is killing his reputation, which in a sense is killing him. I had never even thought about that before until I learned this when studying the Ten Commandments in detail a few years ago.

It can be easy for us to ignore God’s Laws. Perhaps we don’t think that they really apply to us, especially if something seems so minor as stealing a candy bar or calling someone a bad name. But if we don’t understand all the nuances in each of the Commandments, we may not realize that the things we are doing are actually disobeying a part of one of them. Now that I understand the commandments better, it seems foolish to ignore them just because we do not really understand them. The Ten Commandments were given to us for a reason, to help us live loving and caring lives in the way Jesus taught us.

When I am faced with a choice to do A or B, I find it helpful to first consider if doing either A or B would break a law or commandment. If so, I should either do nothing or opt for a choice which does not break the commandments. When I am not sure, I find it helpful to return to the Catechism and read up on the nuances of the commandments.

In addition, there are also some very thorough Confession pamphlets and apps out there (I like the one in the Laudate App) which ask some very probing questions to help me identify where I could break or have broken the commandments.

As we continue our Lenten journey, I pray that you will carefully consider the choices you will be making this week, and choose only those which are loving and good. Choose things that will bless others, not hurt them. In addition, if you have some time, I suggest you read the Catechism, Part 3 Life in Christ, Section 2, The Ten Commandments. You may learn a few things!

Have a blessed Monday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Monday Meditation – Living Water - 3/13/2023

Yesterday’s Gospel reading at my church was about the Woman at the Well. You’ve probably all read this story – the version I heard is found in John 4:4-42.

This is a remarkable passage for me. Jesus was at Jacob’s Well in Samaria, and he shocked everyone by speaking to a woman of poor repute. He asked her for water, and spoke about many things, including Living Water. At first the woman did not understand. But gradually she understood that Jesus was there to give her Himself as the Living Water, and that changed her life.

I had the privilege of visiting Jacob’s Well when I was on my pilgrimage to Israel several years ago. We went into a church and down some steps to see it. By itself, the well was unremarkable – probably just like many wells of that time period, but to think that Jesus was there, and I was there. Would I be changed as well by the Living Water?

Today I would like to share a poem I wrote about this experience, from the woman’s point of view.

At The Well

Wearily, I made my way out to the edge of town;

At the site of Jacob’s Well I set my bucket down.

I tied the bucket to the rope and sent it down the well;

It took a while to reach the depth where waters freely swell.

As I hauled the bucket up, I noticed by a tree

A dusty, rugged Jewish man who gently smiled at me.

I turned my tired eyes away and tugged upon the rope.

The water splashed as up it came and I sensed a new hope.

The Jewish man began to speak though I’m Samaritan;

I didn’t know why he would want to talk with me, a woman.

First he asked me for a drink; I pondered what to say;

Then he spoke of a Living Gift to take my thirst away.

The Living Water, he proclaimed, will satisfy your thirst;

Never more to be afraid of pain or loss or worse.

He kept on probing in my soul and turned me inside out;

He told me all about my past and all the sins throughout.

Give me please, that I might drink this Living Water, sir;

I want to know the gracious gift to make my heart so pure.

And suddenly I felt His love breaking through my fears;

I sensed His grace and knew the truth; my eyes filled up with tears.

My heart was bared by this sweet man, He cleansed me from my sin;

The Living Water washed me clean and freed my soul within.

My heart began to burst with joy; I set my bucket down,

I had to share what I now knew to everyone in town.

I shouted up and down the street to everyone who’d hear

Come see the only one I’ve met who knew my every tear!

I led the people back to Him, they sat beneath His feet,

He shared with them as He’d with me the Living Water sweet.

I never will forget the day that I went to the well,

For that was when my saving Lord came in my heart to dwell.

Friends, I pray that this week you will take some time to ponder the blessings you may find in the gift of Living Water that Jesus has for you.

Have a blessed Monday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Monday Meditation – Prayer and Fasting - 3/6/2023

How is your Lent going? Have you been doing anything special as a sacrifice this year?

I recently read the following passage in the Acts of The Apostles: “On one occasion, while they were engaged in the liturgy of the Lord and were fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to them: ‘Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me to do the work for which I have called them.’ Then, after they had fasted and prayed, they imposed hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts 13:2-3).

The Apostles combined prayer and fasting.

We need God, but sometimes we can lose sight of Him when we engage in other activities. Sad to say, this has happened to me. Prayer is very important to maintain our relationship with God. A good relationship requires conversation! Fasting, too, is an important tool which helps us align our bodies with our spirits. Fasting has been around since the time of the Apostles – and it is something that Catholics are encouraged to do during Lent.

I don’t know about you, but I have trouble fasting – I love my food! Yet fasting need not be just about food – we can fast from anything that gives us comfort. For me, food certainly qualifies as a comfort. But so does periodically enjoying a glass of wine, playing that word game every morning, and spending time reading a good mystery or assembling a jigsaw puzzle. There are many things that I can fast from during Lent.

So as I reread that passage from Acts, I am reminded that prayer accompanies fasting. I am not such a good prayer warrior either – I admit that I sometimes forget to pray for people or things I said I would pray for. So maybe I need to work harder on combining prayer with my fasting… maybe that will help me improve both my prayer and my fasting!

This week I am going to be fasting and praying for a specific intention. At whatever time of day when I would normally indulge in my selected favorite activity, I’m going to fast from it and instead take some time to pray for my intention. I am praying to God for help to ensure that I stick to this plan! My goal is to do this for just one week, but who knows, maybe I will be able to expand this into the remaining days of Lent or make it a habit in my daily life. I would appreciate your prayers to help me stick to this plan.

I encourage you to do a little fasting and praying, too, this week. It need not be on every day of the week like I am trying to do, but I hope you will try it at least once this week. Pick something to pray for, and then pray while you fast. I am praying that you will receive a blessing from your prayer and fasting!

Have a blessed Monday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net

Monday Meditation – How Is Your Day? - 2/27/2023

Have you ever woken up and been a bit afraid to face the day? I have. When I have some particularly challenging things to do or have just suffered some kind of loss, I often would prefer to just roll over and go back to sleep.

Everyone faces challenges during their life. And some days are just going to be more difficult than others.

When I am faced with a challenging day, I often turn to songs for encouragement. One of my favorites is “Miracle Power” by the group We The Kingdom. Their words say: “I may not know what a day may bring, but I know Who brings the day.” Another favorite is the song from the group Cain called “I’m So Blessed.” The words that speak to me are: ”'Cause on my best day, I'm a child of God; On my worst day, I'm a child of God; Every day is a good day; And You're the reason why.”

How can I not feel uplifted and blessed when I hear these kinds of words? I believe the Holy Spirit can send us messages like this, through songs or the words of others, when we need encouragement or are having a rough day. These words are a fantastic reminder that God is always in control of every single day. I need to trust that He will see me through, no matter what may happen.

Are you facing a challenge today? If so, maybe you want to listen to the two songs I mentioned above to get a little lift. Or perhaps there is something else that you turn to to get some comfort and support. Whatever you do, always remember that you are God’s child, and He is the one who brings each day. You can trust that He will help you through your day, whatever you may be facing. Who knows what kind of blessing is in store for you even when you are facing a challenge?

Have a blessed Monday!

Faye

© 2023 Reflectionsonthejourney.net