July 24, 2022

Posted on by Johanna Garcia
My reflection from Living Faith:
I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. Luke 11:8
“Jesus taught us to be persistent in our prayers – to ask God for what we want and to keep on asking. I wonder if this mirrors God‘s own persistence with us. I sometimes get the sense that God keeps asking me for what he wants. A slight prick of conscience grows sharper if I try to ignore it. A passing impulse to help someone in need grows more insistent if I do not act on it. The other day, I was about to skip my prayer time to get a jump on my to do list when my usually standoffish cat climbed onto my lap. It felt like God himself pinning me to my seat, insisting that I stay for a while, making the point he’s persisted in making for thousands of years already: Here I am.
Loving God, help me to heed your persistent call.” Karla Manternach

July 23, 2022

Posted on by Johanna Garcia
My reflection is from the Mercy Prayer Book:
“The richness of your love is boundless, O God of mercy. Who can understand the depth of your love? You, our God, have done great things for us. We rejoice in our blessedness and ask that you stir up in our hearts the spirit of thanksgiving and generosity. Empower us to give freely what we have received as gift. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen

July 22, 2022

Posted on by Johanna Garcia
My reflection:
“Today is the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene:
1) She never abandoned Jesus, as most other disciples did.
2) In John’s gospel it is to her that the Risen Christ appears first.
3) In the time between the Risen One appearing to her and her proclaiming the resurrection to the other disciples, Mary Magdalene was the church on earth, for only to her had been revealed the full Paschal mystery.
4) She is known as the ‘Apostle to the Apostles.’
5) She was NOT a prostitute.
James Martin, SJ

July 21, 2022

Posted on by Johanna Garcia
My reflection:
“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
When you accept what is -without any judgement – you will find serenity.
The piece you are looking for is inside yourself.
Schedule time in your day when you can let your body and mind be a total rest.
Fill your heart with the kindness of friends, the caring of everyone you love, and the richness of memories you wouldn’t trade for anything. (Douglas Pagels)

July 20, 2022

Posted on by Johanna Garcia
My reflection today is from Living Faith:
But the Lord answered me, Say not, ‘ I am too young.’ To whom ever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Jeremiah 1:7
“Last year, my college-aged son transferred schools. COVID and attendant restrictions had done a number those first two years, so he decided to transfer closer to home where many of his high school friends studied.
As with every decision, there is a loss, gain and opportunity. For just weeks into the new school year, the father of one of his friends died. Another mom visited the crew soon after and asked how the boy was doing. She reported that my son, who lost his own father when he was younger, said quietly, ‘I can help him. Maybe that’s why I’m here now.’
We’re never too old or too young, and, if we’re open to God, we might never be in the ‘wrong’ place at all.
God of Wisdom and solace, use me to help others wherever I find myself today.” Amy Welborn
This reflection is so true. Each one of us just needs to open our eyes to see what God is calling us to do. Sometimes we see it in hindsight

July 19, 2022

Posted on by Johanna Garcia
My reflection is from our Mercy Prayer Book:
“ Jesus, you promise that whatever we ask for in your name will be granted. Confident in this promise, we pray for the needs of our earth and of all who share it as their home. Give us what we need for life and holiness, so that in all we do we may praise your name and hasten the coming of your reign. Amen.”

July 18, 2022

Posted on by Johanna Garcia
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 Johanna Garcia
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 Johanna Garcia
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 Johanna Garcia
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