April 7, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today:
“Sometimes, the problems you must face are more than you wish to cope with, and tomorrow doesn’t seem to offer any solutions.
You may ask yourself ‘Why me?’ but the answer is sometimes unclear. You may even tend to feel that life hasn’t been just or fair to burden you with such obstacles.
The roads any of us choose to follow are never free of bumps or curves, but eventually the turns lead to a smoother path ahead.
Believe in yourself and your dreams. You will soon realize that the future holds many promises for you. Remember… difficult times don’t last forever” Geri Danks
This is a good reminder that there are times in our life that will be difficult. The important thing to remember is that God is always with us even during those difficult times.?
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April 6, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today is from Living Faith:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?’ John 20:15
Just a few days after Jesus has died and been buried, he encounters his dear friend, Mary Magdalene, her broken heart evidenced by her tears. He notices Mary’s profound grief and seems to ask a rather obvious question, echoing the inquiry of the angels at his tomb. ‘Why are you weeping?’ Well, of course she’s weeping, we might say, she’s mourning his death, which she herself witnessed.
But Jesus follows up with a question that invites many layers of response. ‘Whom are you looking for?’ touches on the ache of our human condition -an ache laid bare by death and loss – but also by longing. ‘Whom are you looking for?’ is another way of asking,
‘What is your deepest desire? What yearning brought you to this place?’
Today Jesus also turns to us and asks us that same question: Whom are we looking for?” – Sr. ChrisKoellhoffer, I.H.M.
During this Easter season, let us reflect on that question: Whom are we looking for?

April 5, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today:
“Make a point to delight in every little thing. The more things you consider to be a reason for joy, the more joyful you will be.
A few things are so overwhelmingly positive or so completely negative as to not need any judgment on your part. All the other things, though, depend largely on how you see them.
If you see something as a curse it will be a curse. If you see it as a blessing it will indeed be a blessing for you.
Don’t allow others to poison your attitude with their complaints and their gloomy pessimism. Be aggressively and proactively positive.
Find delight in the little things. And you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how delightful the big things turn out to be, too.”  -Ralph Marston
Let us find delight in the little things especially on this Easter Monday.
The church celebrates Easter for a season of 50 days.
During these next days let us stop and thank God for all the joyful things that are in our life.

April 4, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today is from Living Faith:
”They were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ Mark 16:3
Three women’s ardent love for Jesus drew them to rise very early in order to anoint the body of their Beloved. They were so intent on this tender gesture that they did not think about gaining access to where his body was laid. The obstacle of a large stone blocking the tomb’s entrance had not crossed their minds until they actually arrived. The question barely passed their lips before they saw with amazement that this would not be a problem.
The message of the resurrection is not only joy in the risen Christ. It includes trusting the One who captures our hearts, to have confidence that the obstacles holding us back from fuller union can be removed. We need only go with all our love to meet the risen Lord, assured that the way will be open for us to do so. Let us be attentive this Easter season to any stones that might block our way to the risen Christ.” – Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.
And so today we go with love to meet Christ in our loved ones as we celebrate Easter in whatever way we can.
May God bless us and our families this Easter season. May the peace of the risen Lord be with each one of us. Amen Alleluia!??

April 3, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today:
“Holy Saturday invites us to consider the in between periods of our lives when the reality of painful loss clings tightly and the possibility of moving on eludes us. We too have our Holy Saturday experiences-similar to physical death but repeated throughout life – when the grayness of our little ‘deaths’ entombs us in a silent vagueness. During these periods, we find ourselves waiting for something to happen, hoping things will change for the better as we restlessly seek inner harmony. Like Jesus, we hover somewhere between the bleakness of a Good Friday and the brilliant light of an Easter Sunday. similar to a butterfly in a chrysalis completing its preparation, we wait with faith filled expectation of new grace arriving. We have hope that our day of emergence will come and, with it, a revival of joy.” – Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.
Dear Lord you enter the dark space of in-between, where the just gestating grace of the Holy One empowered an amazing transformation. Your silent entombment teaches me to be ?patient when my own chrysalis-time requires waiting.

April 2, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today is from Living Faith:
But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins.… We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way. Isaiah 53 5-6
We had, indeed, all gone astray, each following our own way. I, with my temptations and sins, and you with yours. But during these past few weeks, we have tried something different. Joined by prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we’ve followed, not our own way but his way. Together.
And so here we are, indeed together on this day we so strangely call ‘good.’ Alone no more, we look up, we listen, we ponder in great silence – the silence of our hearts, the silence of the universe. We’ve put aside our own way and followed his, and here, at the foot of the cross, we find that goodness. For in following his way, not our own, we have found what we were all seeking all along: love.
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, for by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.” – Amy Welborn
May be an image of cloud

April 1, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today is from Living Faith:
Then he poured water into a basin and begin to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. John 13:5
“Imagine the shock felt by Jesus’ apostles as Jesus began to wash their feet. They knew him as the Christ as the worker of miracles, and now, was he to be there servant? But then, God’s Son was doing what had always been done. In many ways, God has always been serving us. It took a long time for me to see this, and yet, it should have been so obvious.
When I think about my life, I see a accomplishments that were never simply mine. They were primarily the results of God working within me. Many of the intuitions that guided my life were really gifts that came from the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit‘s guidance, my life would have lost much of its meaning. And if God were to stop remembering any of us for even a second, we would cease to exist! These are examples of how God lovingly serves us. Can you see how God has done this in your life? Lord, may I always be grateful!”- Father Kenneth E. Grabner, C.S.C.
There are times I don’t have a clue of what to do for my reflection and I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me.
There have been times that I couldn’t think of a thing and then all of a sudden I end up writing something.
I believe that it is the Holy Spirit that guides me. Thank you !

March 31, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today:
“ May you find the gold at the end of your rainbow. May you chase every dark cloud away. May you find a way to move all your mountains. May you find answers to the prayers that you pray.
Looking back you see only what was fact, what was true. Looking ahead, you see your future and you dream of a way. As you gather up all your wishes and hide them in your heart, may you find answers to the prayers that you pray.
If you keep trying to reach it, but your goal is elusive, if you don’t know whether to move on or to stay, I wish you starships to guide you and angels to hold you. May you find answers to the prayers that you pray.” – Donna Fargo
Rainbows at times can be elusive but they are a sign of God’s presence and faithfulness in our lives.
Many times rainbows appear after a storm. Sometimes they’re given as a gift without a storm.
May God continue to bless us as we go through this Holy Week and Passover during this pandemic.?

March 29, 2021

Posted on by Evelyn Rivera
My reflection today:
“Be grateful for the growing trees, the roses soon to bloom, the tenderness of kindly hearts that shared your days of gloom; be grateful for the morning dew, the grass beneath your feet, the soft caresses of your babes and all their laughter sweet.
Acquire the grateful habit, learn to see how blessed you are, how much there is to gladden life, how little life to mar! And what if rain shall fall today and you with grief are sad; be grateful that you can recall the joys that you have had.” – Edgar A. Guest
Edgar reminds us to be grateful for all that we have been given.
As we begin this Monday in holy week, let us be grateful to God for sending his Son to redeem us. ?