As you reach forward with one hand, accept the advice of those who have gone before you, and in the same manner reach back with the other hand to those who follow you; for life is a fragile chain of experiences held together by love. Take pride in being a strong link in the chain. Discipline yourself, but do not be harsh. The pleasures of life are yours to be taken. Share them with others, but always remember that you, too, have earned the right to partake.

Know those who love you; love is the finest of all gifts and is received only to be given. Embrace those who truly love you, for they are few in a lifetime. Then return that love tenfold, radiating it from your heart to fill their lives as sunlight warms the darkest corners of the earth. Love is a journey, not a destination; travel its path daily. Do this and your troubles will be as fleeting as footprints in the sand. When loneliness is your companion and all about you seems to be gone, pause and listen, for the sound of loneliness is silence, and in silence we hear best. Listen well, and your moments of silence will always be broken by the gentle words of encouragement spoken by those who love you.”

Tim Murtaugh

“‘Gratitude’ is one of the nicest feelings a heart can have. It’s a feeling that comes along for a very special reason – and it’s a lovely thought that never goes away once it enters in.

It joins together with precious memories and grateful hopes.

Gratitude lives on, not for just a moment or a day, but through all the seasons that lie ahead.” Marin McKay

Let us take time each day and thank God for all that we have been given.

Sun and moon are darkened, and the stars withhold their brightness… The heavens and the earth quake, but the Lord is a refuge to his people…Joel 4: 15-16

“We’ve been through a lot in the past few years: natural disasters, a global pandemic, social and political unrest. Our losses have been personal as well as collective. Many of us have lost or been separated from loved ones. We’ve seen our work lives change, often dramatically. Yet while the tumult of this time has been real, the uncertainty of life is not new. We have never been able to guarantee our safety or that of the people we love. What we take for granted today can be gone in an instant. The one thing we are sure of is that God is with us through it all. The Lord is our refuge, our shelter in the storm. He is with us when the darkness presses in and we can’t see the path at our feet.

Lord of light, be with me in the darkness.” Karla Manternach

Nothing is impossible when God is in our life. Saint Paul tells us nothing is impossible, death, persecution

Today is the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary.

“His mother treasured all these things in her heart.” this is how the Gospel of Luke describes Mary‘s reflection on the mystery of Jesus. The rosary is a tool that helps Christians to reflect on the life, death and resurrection of Christ. People have prayed the rosary in its present form for more than 500 years.

The most important and most beautiful prayers for Christians are the psalms. Some people try to pray all 150 psalms each week. Many people learn a few psalms by heart and pray one psalm before going to bed at night. some people even sing them in the shower.

A long time ago, when many people couldn’t read, they would pray the “Hail Mary” instead of singing psalms.

That is why the full form of the rosary has 15 groups of ten beads, which totals 150, one for each psalm in the Bible. this is often shortened to five groups of ten beads.

During this month let us try to make an effort to try to say the rosary as often as we can.

Mary… sat beside the Lord… listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part…” Luke 10: 39-42

“For years, reading the story I have felt the unfairness of Martha being stuck with getting everything done to feed Jesus and those who came with him. He didn’t understand how hard that is. Then I read it on a day when I was terribly worried. I began to hear a loving tone in his voice and realized he was inviting her, (and right then, me) to the one thing needed – to sit in his loving presence.

Jesus, when we are anxious, help us pause and realize we are in your loving presence. When we need to continue serving, help us hold your presence close.” Patricia Livingston

Jesus is always inviting us to come closer… to be in his presence