July 18, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection is from our Mercy Prayer Book:
“Oh God, you are rich in love and tenderness. Give us all we need this day so that we may follow the example of Jesus. Help us to hear and to respond to the pleas for mercy in our land. May we praise you forever and ever. “Amen

July 17, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection is from Living Faith:
There is need of only one thing. Luke 10:42
“Luke bookends this story of Martha and her sister, Mary, between the parable of the good Samaritan and the disciples’ request to Jesus to teach them how to pray. The Good Samaritan might be described as a story of love expressed in action; the Lord’s Prayer, a story of love expressed in contemplative listening. Both elements are on full display of the sisters’ lives as Martha is busy with the work of hospitality in the kitchen and Mary is kneeling at Jesus feet, listening to him.
This is not a rivalry about which is better-service or contemplation, action or prayer. Might it be that the ‘one thing’ necessary is an invitation to give our attention fully to living in the present moment? Might it be that the ‘one thing’ needed is having no agenda other than simply loving the one right in front of us? Sr. Chris Koellhoffer, I.H.M.

July 16, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
“I believe God will always answer your questions and He will also answer your prayers, but many people think that the answers are always ‘yes.’ and that’s not the case. Sometimes the answer has to be ‘no’. It may not be what we want to hear, but if that’s the answer God gives, we have to accept His wisdom. I don’t believe for a moment that sometimes God doesn’t hear me or that He says ‘I’m not going to answer Mary Lou on this one.’ When I was a child, I sometimes wondered, as we all do, why God ‘didn’t answer.’ wasn’t I praying the right way? Hadn’t I been as good a girl as I could possibly be? Had he stopped loving me? As I matured in my faith, I came to see that all the times I thought God wasn’t listening, He was actually saying ‘No’ or ‘Not now, you’ll have to wait.’” Mary Lou Retton
I remember when I was principal at Saint Joe’s my mom was in ICU and all the children in the school were praying that she would get better. Unfortunately, she died. I decided that I needed to go to each classroom and thank the students for the prayers and tell them that God always listens to our prayers andsometimes God answers, “No” to our prayers.

July 15, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection is from Living Faith:
I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. Matthew 12:6
I read a story once about a man whose children were running around a train car. The other passengers frowned and harrumphed to no avail. Finally, one of them told the father his children were a disturbance and needed to be disciplined. The father looked at the passenger in surprise and apologized. He explained the family had just come from the hospital, where their mother had died.
“I don’t know about you, but my judgy gene is easily activated. In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us to temper that tendency with mercy, for we never know the full story behind another’s actions or words. Fear may show itself as anger. Insecurity may show itself as bragging. When we judge rather than show mercy and compassion, we lose sight of what’s greater than the moment or the temple, and that’s Christ desire for mercy.
Jesus, may I show the same Mercy that I hope to receive from you.” Melanie Rigney

July 11, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection is from Living Faith:
Cease doing evil; learn to do good. Isaiah 1: 16–17
“What does God want of us? Through Isaiah, God says, ‘Do good… Make justice your aim’ (verse 17). But the words good and justice are so abstract, they may lead to confusion. So, God gives us concrete examples of what God means by these words: Set right an unfair situation… hear the orphan’s plea… defend the widow. That is; be a voice for the voiceless, a helper for the powerless, an advocate for those denied their rights. We can do this writing a letter to an elected official about an unjust situation or encouraging a loved one, caring for a cranky child or driving a friend to the doctor.
Jesus gives us another specific act we can do. Give a cup of cold water to a thirsty person.
How might I ease someone who is thirsting today – whether for water, food, my time, my attention, a kind word, a listening ear or even for God?
Jesus, you ask not extraordinary things of us, but daily small acts of selfless love. Help us to see that persistence in doing small acts of love is itself quite extraordinary.”
Sr. Melanie Svoboda, S.N.D

July 9, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
Let go of guilt; it’s OK to make the same mistakes again.
Let go of the obsessions; they sell them turn out the way you planned.
Let go of hate; it’s a waste of love.
Let go of blaming others; you are responsible for your own destiny.
Let go of fear; it’s a waste of faith.
Let go of despair; change comes from acceptance and forgiveness.
Let go of the past; the future is here – right now.” Kathleen O’Brien

July 8, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
“The essential thing is not what we say but what God says to us and through us. In that silence, He will listen to us; there He will speak to our soul, and there we will hear His
voice.“ Mother Teresa

July 7, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today is from our Mercy Prayer Book:
“Jesus, you walked among us and were moved to compassion for your people. The lame and the leper came to you and found healing. The tax collector and the prostitute came, and you believed in them. No one was excluded from your love. Send us your spirit of union and compassion that we may make a home in our hearts for all the persons we meet. This day, O Jesus, give us hearts that love. Amen”
Loving God, let our world be kinder and compassionate each day.❤️

July 6, 2022

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection:
“May your dreams do their absolute best to come true. May your heart be filled with kindness and friends, the caring of everyone you love, and the richness of memories you wouldn’t trade for anything.
May life‘s little worries always stay small. May you get a little closer every day to any goals you want to achieve.
May any changes be good ones and any challenges turn out to be for the better.
May you find time to do the things you’ve always wanted to do!
And may you have positive thoughts forever.” Douglas Pagels