Faith, family, friends, pets and all of God's creation are the elements we have to see God in a clearer, yet more diverse way.
Without these elements I am broken and fragile, with these elements I have become whole and healed.

GLIMPSES OF GOD 2026

Glimpse Of God for Holy Week -------March 29. 2026

As we enter Holy Week, my Glimpse of God is not in a single experience that I had this past week or in any special situation that I found myself in, but rather in the anticipation of this Holy Week and what it means to me.

As a source of personal reflection and to discern my motivations, I often ask myself; What is Holy Week and what is it all about to me? Is it about the long passion gospel narratives that I hear on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, or the passing out of palm, or the unusual crowds, or the different liturgy times on Thursday and Friday, or the misunderstanding that people have about lent and the triduum, or the barrenness of the sanctuary and the empty tabernacle on Good Friday, or even the long Easter vigil and how people either avoid it or are attracted to it?

I don’t believe that it is these elements that make the week “holy”; they make it different, but not holy. These elements are necessary to celebrate and remember the specific events of Jesus, but it is not the outward celebration of the events that make them “holy”. I think that it is the spirit in which they are celebrated, and the inner disposition of those who participate in the celebrations, both the celebrants and the congregation, that make them “holy”. “Holy” means sacred, and blessed, as well as consecrated and hallowed. Liturgy is sacred. We are blessed. The celebration of the Mass is the most sacred and holiest events that we are privileged to attend. It is through the Mass that we encounter Christ in Sacred Scripture and in the reception of the Eucharist.

We were blessed at our baptism as we were immersed in the waters of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. All that being said, if our hearts are not present to the reality of liturgy, then we are going through the motions. We miss the true meaning, the “holy”, of the holy week services.

Jesus often criticized the religious leaders for “looking” holy, by saying all the right things but they were not doing the right things. Jesus said that the people could listen to what the religious leaders said because they knew the law, but do not follow their example, for their heart was far from God. I don’t think that Jesus would want us to celebrate His entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, or the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, or His passion and death on Good Friday out of obligation or guilt but rather out of love, desire, and gratitude.

Out of Love for Jesus in that He endured His passion and death for you and me in complete selflessness, unconditional love, mercy, and sacrifice. If we are truly in love with Him and desire to draw nearer to Him and live out our baptismal call to enter more deeply into His passion, death, and resurrection, then we would want to attend the special liturgies. It is in and through them that we encounter the suffering Jesus, the Jesus that although did not and could not sin, endured the death of a hardened criminal out of pure love. We want our hearts to be more like His because His heart is the perfect heart, and we want to strive to love as He loved and be more perfect in our love. He said Yes to His Father and gave of Himself completely so that we may live in eternity with Him, what love, what gift!

He would want us to celebrate with a spirit of gratitude in that we have been redeemed and forgiven and that we are grateful for such a wonderful life changing, transforming, lifelong gift. He would want our hearts to be united with His in His passion, death, and resurrection so that we can truly appreciate and be thankful for the gift of His love and life in ours. We can choose to enter into the liturgies as just a body in the pew, but I think that it would be better if we entered into them with a heart ready to be loved and embraced and a mind open to being truly present at the special events of Jesus’ life.

So, as you enter into Holy Week, my idea is to just take each day and reflect by using your senses as you draw nearer to and enter into the Holy Triduum. And as we begin this new and holy week, as you look in the mirror, take the opportunity and the grace to see within yourself the love of Christ as King: King of your heart, mind, soul, and spirit, and look out the window to see that same presence in others. When you are not able to recognize His presence as King because you are focused on your weaknesses and sins, shortcomings, and failures, and those of others, look into the mirror only to remind yourself that you are loved by God just as you are because His love is much greater than all of these. Seek His grace so that you can recognize, in a greater way, the presence of His great mercy, compassion, and unconditional love that HE has for you, that He has showered upon you and that you have shared with others. His death is a reminder that He sees all that you see, but He looks into the depth of your heart to see that which you have not begun to.

If during this holy week, as lent gradually comes to an end, and you journey into the days of the Sacred Triduum, you find yourself asking, “How have I grown in my relationship to Christ, or how have I been a reflection of His presence in my life to others”? As you look back and recall how you found yourself helping others and giving of your time, talent, and compassion, and mercy, know that your desire is in response to God’s grace, so trust in God and believe that you are closer to Him than you think. We measure our progress and that of others with human expectations and limitations, but God looks into the very heart that He created and sees its width, its depth, its woundedness, its potential and fills it with His compassion, His mercy, His peace, and His grace so that we can be the best loving person that we can be. You are what He wants you to be, for you can be nothing less. What you are is God’s gift given in love and out of love, what you become is your gift to God.

This week that we call Holy is an invitation by God the Father to draw nearer to Himself and His Son Jesus. It is through Jesus’ suffering of His passion and death that we are made stronger to suffer our passions and deaths so that we can emerge from our tomb with a renewed hope, sense of self, healed and whole. This week we can all become a little bit more holy, a little bit more open, a little bit more Christ like if we choose to humble ourselves and recognize that not only did Christ endure all that HE did for you and me in and out of love, but that He would do it again. Yet HE does it again, repeatedly, every time we participate in the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacraments of the Church.

SUNDAY – PALM SUNDAY – As a bystander at the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey, Are you one that is throwing palm or your personal cloak on the ground to make a path for Jesus? (touch) As you listen to the crowd, are you also shouting Hosanna to Jesus as He passes by you? (hearing) Are you so far back in line that you can’t see Him, and you are experiencing so much frustration that you are ready to leave for you home miles away? (sight)When you hear that Jesus is entering on a donkey, the worse smelling animal, do you just turn away and go home, missing the greater purpose for which He is there? (smell)

When you hear that Jesus is coming and you want to be there because you witnessed His miracles and wanted to see Him again, can you taste the excitement in the air? (taste)

MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK – Using the sense of Awe, do you try and make sense out of Jesus’ actions, or do they leave you in a sense of awe because you cannot explain or understand how He can do what He did out of complete and unselfish Love? That is so hard for us to believe, understand or imagine, but if we are truly His followers, it is not impossible for us to imitate. Do you believe this? Get ready, the Triduum is coming and if you are still trying to understand Jesus, even in these coming days you still might not understand but don’t get discouraged, just get ready, be open and allow Him to speak to your heart. He will stretch it, open it, expand it, embrace it, and return His mark of love on it.

TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK – Using your sense of mystery, can you recall Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, and look ahead to Holy Thursday and Good Friday and see such a stark change, and ask yourself where would I have been in these events? Would I have changed from glorifying Jesus to condemning Him? Every time I sin, I am not choosing Jesus, so do I deny Jesus as Peter did, and choose Barabbas to go along with the crowd no matter what the consequences are? or do I stand as an observer, silently and sadly by Jesus as did Mary and the women?

WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK – Using your sense of Wonder, beginning tomorrow we will celebrate how on Holy Thursday, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. As we look ahead, we are reminded that every day we are called to do the same. Jesus washed the feet to show us that we must serve the needs of others. Serving others is not reserved for one day a year or just on the holidays, but rather every day. How we are called to serve is different for each of us because our motives are as unique as we are and as God calls us. How difficult serving others is sometimes especially when we cannot seem to serve with the empathy or compassion Christ had. Instead, we are judgmental. It is during these moments that we must reflect on the reason that God has called us to serve and seek His grace to serve not only in His name but in and out of love for Him and those we are called to serve.

The feet of another are what carries them and enables them to place one foot in front of the other and not remain stuck or go backwards. When we are called to wash the feet of another, what Christ might be inviting us to do is to walk in the shoes of another with a greater sense of compassion, empathy, mercy, peace and understanding, so that we don’t judge and turn away from them but rather receive and embrace them. When you find yourself being present to the needs of the poor, the homeless, the forgotten, the unforgivable, the estranged, then you are allowing yourself to be servant, not the judge, but the humble servant being and bringing Christ to them by your words, deeds, attitude, actions, and love.

HOLY THURSDAY – Using your sense of sight, can you be present and allow yourself to experience the humility of being a servant and serving the needs of others as Jesus did in the Washing of the Feet? Or can you use your sense of taste and perhaps as you receive the Holy Eucharist in the Commemoration of the Last Supper, reflect on how Jesus gave us of Himself to His apostles at the Last Supper and continues to give of His real presence today in every celebration of the Mass? This is Jesus’ real presence, His true Body and Blood, not a symbolic representation, but the real deal. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord…..

GOOD FRIDAY – Jesus dies on the cross. We hear Him being condemned, crucified, and dying on the cross. We know that He did nothing to deserve such cruel and terrible treatment, but we also know that He willingly, selflessly, and lovingly accepted His fate so that we may live forever in His and His Father’s love. Are you listening? As you venerate the holy cross, are you allowing yourself to be present at the cross to tell Jesus how much you love Him and how sorry you that your sins are the cause for His suffering? Not just do you hear, but also are you listening when He says “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”? He was talking about you and me, not just His persecutors. He forgives us when we say we are sorry, do you listen when He tells you that He forgives and loves you or do you just walk away?

HOLY SATURDAY – We celebrate the joy of the resurrection. We celebrate all of our senses in that we have the blessing of the fire, the lighting of the paschal candle and the lighting of the congregation’s candles, the proclamation of the Exultet, the Liturgy of the Word, the blessing of the Holy Water to be used at the baptisms of those being received into the Catholic faith that evening, and to be sprinkled on those at Mass reminding them of their baptismal call and promises, the aroma of the sacred chrism and holy oils used for the baptisms and confirmation, the reception of Holy Communion by those entering the faith and the congregation. We are truly a resurrection people. We proclaim the Gloria and the Alleluia again to celebrate this great mystery. Lift you voice and proclaim the great things that the Lord has done, they are marvelous in our eyes. Let us fully be present to this great and glorious gift.

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 22, 2026

I apologize for not getting a glimpse to you last week, I was in the hospital. This is a continuation of the Lenten reflection……….Lent is a time to….

FORGIVE and not to be bitter.

We are called to forgive ourselves and others and not hold on to the past of bad choices, deep hurts, and poor decisions. Only in true forgiveness can we experience genuine and lasting freedom so that we can be the beacon of Christ’s mercy, love, and compassion for our self and to others. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.

This week’s Glimpse of God is not one that will consist of a daily reflection, but rather a reflection on the act of forgiveness and how we partake of that act both for ourselves, and others.

Do we allow God to forgive us, do we allow others to forgive us? do we forgive others? but most important do we forgive ourselves? To forgive, to be forgiven, God’s grace and peace is alive and well.

I believe the two hardest phrases to say are “I am Sorry” and “I forgive you”. Both indicate an action by a person to admit to a wrongdoing and how it has caused injury to another and seek their forgiveness, or to forgive another who has caused them injury and then to let it go and never bring it back up. Forgiveness is not an act that one does because it sounds like a good idea at the time or is cool, but because deep inside they realized that they have either caused injury or they have been injured, and there is a humble need to p ardon or seek pardon so that the peace, reconciliation, and love can prevail.

To seek forgiveness and to offer forgiveness, is an act of the will, but forgiveness is not yet experienced. The act and desire to forgive and seek forgiveness is a gift from God. That gift and grace that God invites one to receive and be held accountable for is one that sets a person free and allows them to share the gift of true freedom with another. As we seek to forgive or be forgiven, we can pray the words of Jesus on the cross, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. When we sin, we often do not see the choice for what it really was or is. We give into temptation and only afterwards are we able to recognize that the devil duped us, and we got duped. We are like the other person and therefor need to be seen as God sees them and not just how we want to see them with blinders on, with bitterness, with hatred, or with fury, but perhaps with the eyes of compassion, understanding, love and openness.

As I reflect on our Lenten journey and how we are deeply immersed in acts of prayer, penance and alms giving, as well as a conscious choice of turning away from sin and being faithful to the Gospel, I hope that you are having a spiritually rewarding Lenten journey, one of personal and spiritual transformation, renewal, and a restoration.

As I reflect on forgiveness and this week’s glimpse, I pose the question: Who is the hardest person to forgive? Is it “God”, “the Other” or “yourself”? Who do you beat up more often over bad choices, deep hurt, poor decisions, or sins of omission? You can beat others up by your choice to ignore them, criticize them, reject them, taunt them, and isolate them, your act of silence can devastate them, and your cruel words can destroy them, yet we can all find ways to point out another’s sin by the way we respond to them.

So how are you and I any different when it comes to forgiving ourselves?

I believe that like the gift of love, if we do not have it for ourselves, we cannot love another, if we fail to truly forgive ourselves, we cannot truly forgive another.

Forgiveness for ourselves is God’s will for us. He wants us to experience the peace and the joy that comes from being reconciled with Him and others, after we recognize our sin and express sorrow for it.

He knows our heart better than we do, and so He knows that our heart’s desire was not to stray or walk away. But we fell short of following our heart’s true desire of making the right choice and following God’s direction, and decided to either take a short cut, walk on the side of the road, head backwards or just stood still.

He forgives us and we are called to forgive ourselves so that we can truly forgive another. If we fail to forgive ourselves, we make God a liar, His truth has no room in our heart, and we stand as a hypocrite. Christ died on the cross, but before that, He suffered His cruel and bitter passion. He suffered and died for our sins, all of ours, all of humankind, not just the other persons.

If He chose, and He did, to endure all of that so that we can experience His mercy, love, compassion, and reconciliation, who are we to discount or deny that same love, mercy, compassion, and reconciliation when it comes to our sins? Yet we do….when we say that God can’t or won’t forgive us, or that we are unlovable because of what we said or did, then we close the door of our heart to God and we dwell in the negativity and falsities that the devil wants us to choose so that we walk away from God and not towards Him.

When we fall short of what we know and feel God is calling us to do so that we can be our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become, we then beat ourselves up. We do not think as God thinks because we are so focused on our short comings that the only thought about God is how disappointed He is or ashamed of us He is. Not how much He loves us despite our sins, or how unconditional that love is despite our sins, or how much He can’t love us less despite our sins. We let our sins take control of the mercy and love of the God who created us, suffered, and died for us, opened the gates of heaven to us, and gives us the sacraments of healing and life.
We have a hard time forgiving another because we cannot forgive ourselves. We struggle to forgive ourselves because we think of the sins that we committed and how big they seem to be and think that we are unforgiveable, unlovable, and unredeemable and yet our sin, already known to God, cancels all three of these false ideas.

As genuine and authentic people, people that not only profess to be followers of Christ, but live as followers of Christ, forgiving others, but we first need to forgive ourselves.

What does forgiving ourselves look like? What words would we use? How can we experience true peace if we choose not to forgive ourselves? Where is God when it comes to forgiving ourselves? Can you look at any moment in your life where you fell short of forgiving yourself and the reasons that you used, and ask God for the grace to let go and to see yourself as He sees you? Then be prepared for a great sense of peace to permeate your being because God has been waiting to lift the unnecessary burden off of your shoulders and wants to fill you with His peace, so that you can walk proudly but humbly with your head held high, your eyes fo

There is nothing that you can say or do that can or will make Him love you less, He cannot, His love is perfect and that is impossible. God wants you to be genuinely happy and only His peace can bring you, His happiness. If there is something that you cannot forgive either in yourself or in another, reflect on the words of Jesus; Father forgive them for them know not what they do…then look in the mirror and listen to Jesus say; Father forgive my beloved child standing before you, for they did not know what they were doing. I know their love for me is great and I want them to realize that and let go of what is the keeping the mirror foggy and not allowing them to see themselves as we see them, beloved, adorable, and precious in our eyes.

Choose not to be bitter…you can choose bitter candy, bitter drinks, and even bitter foods, but don’t choose a bitter heart, because that you can’t spit out, wrap up and throw away, or pour down the drain. You can surrender it to God and ask Him to exchange it for a more loving and forgiving heart. I can assure you the gift that you receive back is one that you will open with great pleasure.cused on the road God has set before you, and your heart ready to love God, yourself, and others with a heart that has been expanded, strengthened and filled with more love that it is overflowing and ready to be shared in the form of forgiveness, compassion, peace, joy, and true happiness. All of these are gifts and graces that God has in store for all His followers. You are His follower. You are His beloved child. You are His chosen one. You are His. You are His greatest creation. He has called you by name. He loves you unconditionally.

Glimpse of God for the week of March 8, 2026

A continuation of the Lenten Reflections:

LOVE ourselves and others, ………taken from LENT IS A TIME TO…

What does it mean to love yourself unconditionally? Does it mean not seeing your faults because your ego is so inflated that there is nothing that you cannot love about yourself less than totally or absolutely? or could it mean that despite your faults, or in light of your faults and sins, you accept them because you are able to recognize that that God forgives you, knows your love for Him is deeper and that you want to choose to grow it that love despite any bad choices? If we choose not to love our self, we cannot love others or love God. Love comes from within, and it is within our heart that God dwells with His compassion, mercy, joy, happiness, and peace. How we choose to share those gifts is how we choose to love.

Do you love yourself unconditionally or do you find fault with who you are, do you look at your imperfections, sins, weaknesses, faults, with your eyes wide open, and judge yourself unworthy of being loved by God or others? or can you see yourself as God sees you? HE sees you and loves you totally, without reserve and completely, and that means He sees all and sees past the negative. He sees your heart and what fills it, and all He sees is love: your love for Him, others, and self, imperfect though it is, it is the love that emerges from your desire to be in a deeper relationship with Him so that you and grow in love with Him, self, and others. What would it look like or mean to love yourself unconditionally, after all God loves you unconditionally and He knows all about you, He knows your heart better than you know it yourself, and cannot love you less than unconditional, eternal, complete, and without exception?

Parents choose to love their children unconditionally. They choose to unconditionally love those that they have been given the grace to conceive, raise, and love into the world, with complete and unconditional love. The seed of love that only God can and does sow in their minds, hearts, and spirits, and as they share that love, the seed continues to cause growth and the beauty of love flourishes.

Can you love those who have hurt you, that you do not like or who do not like you? Love conquers all, do you recognize that in the people, events, and situations that have challenged your ability to love and not hate, to forgive and not hold a grudge, to be reconciled and not remain estranged, they have made you the courageous and better person that you are, and that evil has not conquered your love, but has built it up and made it stronger?

What does it mean to you to be selfless and not selfish? To be other centered and not self-centered? Do you feel that you get lost as you focus on others, or do you find a renewed sense of self in love and God, as you walk with others in their moments of pain, experiences of suffering, and joyful celebrations?

This week as we enter another week of lent, a time of prayer, personal conversion, and transformation, as we turn away from sin and choose to be faithful to the Gospel and the God who loves us unconditionally, let us recognize that God calls us in love, and out of love, to seek His will and become our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become.

SUNDAY – “T” Trusting

What does it mean to trust as you choose to love? Not looking back on old messages, but on the truth that God loves you unconditionally. Who do you trust to show you the truth of God’s message of unconditional, complete, and absolute love for you? parents, family, church community, leaders of the Church, friends, and co-workers? And who looks up to you to point them in direction of the truth of God’s unconditional love? Choose to seek the truth with the eyes of love and keep them open, so that the eyes of distrust can remain closed.

MONDAY – “O” Other centered

As you choose to love, turn away from sin, and towards God, how other centered are you? As we choose to look to the needs and concerns of others, as we become more selfless and less selfish, the love of God is taking root and we are becoming a new creation, growing in the unconditional love of self and acceptance of others. Do you recognize that God is constantly making you a new creation with every beat of your heart that chooses to love and not hate, every word that springs forth as the breath of God that chooses to forgive and not tear down, and every time you choose to walk with another in their shoes, not judging but walking with compassion, love, and acceptance?

TUESDAY – “W” Without reserve

Without reserve or restriction? What does that look like and how can that become a greater aspect of your loving yourself, others, and God? To place no restrictions on your love? How hard is that especially when it is difficult to love someone that does not like you, or that you do not like? Only with God’s grace can we overcome placing restrictions or conditions on our imperfect love. Only with God’s grace can we choose to love despite our desire to hate, hold a grudge or not forgive. Choose to live in the truth and grace of God’s love so that you do not fall into the grave of the devil’s lies.

WEDNESDAY – “A” Accepting

Have you, can you, accept your weaknesses and love yourself unconditionally? Can you accept that God loves you so much because you are His beloved child, loved unconditionally, His greatest creation and that there is absolutely nothing that you can say or do that can make Him love you less? This is the truth of God, believe it, live in it, and it will set you free.

THURSDAY – “R” Reverent

In light of your baptism, you have been blessed by God, called by name, and as you were immersed into the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, you burst forth, you emerged as a new creation, one set apart by God to give him glory and honor. You are blessed and therefore you should reverence the very person that you are as God does. What does it mean to reverence yourself? Could it mean that you forgive yourself, not see just bad choices that you made, but seek to recognize the greater good that possesses you and that you possess, can it mean reverencing others, that you forgive others as fellow sinners striving to become saints, and we need each other to build up the Kingdom of God, can you reverence them as God’s beloved child as God does? Go forth in reverence and not backwards in rejection.

FRIDAY – “D” Determined

As we continue our Lenten journey, is lent bringing you a sense of a greater self-determination or less? Are personal fears causing you to fall back on, or driving you to, a greater self determination to change, seek His will and guidance? Are you resolving each and every day to turn away from sin and towards God? If so, that is all He asks of you, so you are on the right track. Do not give up or give in but seek to recognize the graces that have transformed you into the strong person that you are and have become through your self-determination, self-conviction and steadfastness. Demand to be determined and not be determined to be in command.

SATURDAY – “S” Selfless

Choose to be selfless and not selfish and the fruits of your choice will be those of compassion, peace, joy, happiness, forgiveness, love, acceptance, truth, and not the pits of discord, injury, hurt, hatred, darkness, and pain. Be fruitful and multiply, and not fruitless and in a pit.

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 22, 2026

Happy New Year of Lenten resolutions. I hope and pray that this season of lent brings you a greater sense of joy, peace and true happiness that only our Lord can provide. As each day approaches may you see Him more clearly in yourself and others, love Him more dearly through your prayers, acts of love and acts of mercy, and follow Him more nearly, as you take each step of your earthly journey one step at a time, not looking back with regret, but looking forward with and in hope.

As this new year enters its 6th week, can you remember those new year’s resolutions that you made oh so many weeks ago? Have you stuck with them or have they fallen by the curb? When we make resolutions, we do so with the best of intentions, yet somewhere between the first day and the current one, we fail to remember the resolution, its why, its how and we return to our normal routine. Is anything different for you? Have you made your New Year’s, resolution and can you see how it has made a difference or have you forgotten what your resolutions were? People with all their sincerity, personal conviction and self-determination make resolutions.

The ones that I have heard range from going on a diet, exercising more, praying more, eating better, refraining from foul language especially around their children, calling family members that live far, reconciling with an estranged family member or friend, and getting more rest. All are great resolves to make, and in the end can make one a better person; a healthier person, a more spiritually connected person to God, and a person that knows what true peace is. With all the good intentions, I imagine that by this 22nd day of February, the first week of lent, many people have already forgotten their resolution or haven’t had the time to put it into practice.

This year when people say I resolve to…. It sounds good and the resolution is made with great conviction, hope and a sincere desire to accomplish what they desire to change or improve in their life. The question that I present is WHY? Why do people wait to until the new year to make a resolution? I believe that if one is seeking to change, improve something about themselves; their physical well-being, their behavior, or their spiritual relationship, why wait? If the resolution is that important, why would you want to wait, why not begin today? God wants you to best your best self, the person the person that He created you to be and have the potential to become, so why wait? God is knocking at the door of your heart, He knows your desires and wants to fulfil them today, now, not later, not tomorrow, not next year….

Today is the only day that we have, yesterday is in our history book, and tomorrow is not here, nor are we promised it. Today is the day that the Lord has made. Made for what? We are God’s greatest creation, His beloved children and loved unconditionally, and what we can give Him is our gift of love each day by seeking to know and love and serve God to the best of our ability. How can we know, love, and serve God if we do not know or love our self?

Each and every time we pray the act of Contrition, we make a resolution “ I firmly resolve with your help and your grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin” or some forms say “I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life, Amen” with means I believe. What do you believe when you pray that prayer? That God will forgive you and that you will do your best to keep your resolution that says you will sin no more, avoid the near occasion of sin, to confess your sins and to amend your life. How important is that to you? If it is that important, why would you want to wait to make it, wouldn’t you rather start right now to sin no more, avoid those things, people, or situations that cause you to want to sin, go to confession so that you experience the healing presence of God as your sins are forgiven, and amend your life? These are such crucial acts and ones that can bring about personal, and spiritual transformation.

If you say that prayer on a regular basis your resolution will bring you great strength and you will see a difference in your spiritual life that will overflow into your personal life and in your actions, the words that you speak and in your deeds.

I don’t make a New Year’s resolution. Why because I would probably forget it by the first week, but more importantly and seriously, I think that whatever I would resolve would be important to me and I wouldn’t want to wait until another day or year begins. My prayer and resolve on January 1st, is the same every day after that. My prayer and resolution each day is to be the best person that I can be, that God has created me to be and that I have the potential to become.

And unfortunately, when I find myself not being my best self before God, others, and in the mirror, and I see my worst self emerge, I find myself praying the Act of Contrition, a prayer for mercy, so that I can start again with God’s grace and do better.

The gift of each day is the most important gift that we receive from God, and since we are not promised tomorrow and yesterday is on our history book, why wouldn’t we want to make this day our best day and our gift to God? If our resolve is to eat healthy and get healthier, to refrain from foul language, to refrain from any negative behavior, contact loved ones more frequently, forgive or seek forgiveness from one that you have injured, but also miss in your life, why wait until tomorrow or next week or next year, today is the day!!! Today is the day to begin to make the changes that will make you a better, healthier person physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, a person that will be able to look in the mirror and recognize that you did your best to know, love and serve God and see Him in others and in yourself.

If you want to be your best and true self, if you want to be a better person, then today is the day. I believe that we all want to see God more clearly in our desires and in our life, and we want to make a resolution to recognize Him and make the changes that are blocking our view. When we seek to follow God’s will in our life, we become a person who is at peace and others can see that peace in us. When we seek to undergo personal or spiritual transformation, our loving God who knows our heart and our deepest desires better than we do, will answer our prayers in His way and in His time. If our resolutions have transformative powers, why wait to experience them?

A new year has begun. We can look back at the year that has passed and offer prayers of gratitude and contrition, and we can look ahead with hope and great expectation for God’s continuing surprises. What are we hoping for and waiting for with great expectation? Only you can answer that question.

My hope, and I believe that is yours too, is that the spirit of Christmas become a daily frame of mind or mind set, and that we recognize with greater clarity, in this year of 2026 that Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world completely out of unconditional and selfless love, for you and me.

This week to help us to make Christmas a constant mindset, I suggest we revisit what the corporal works of mercy are and how we can fulfill them every day and not just at Christmas. Every day we are afforded the opportunity to give of yourself, your presence, your love, and time. It is also an opportunity to give of your talents and treasure so that others may see the gifts that God has showed upon you, and this might help another uncover and recognize their special gifts and talents as well. All are God given gifts, and we are called to share them with others. If we are trying to become a better person, to know, love and serve God, to see Him more clearly in our life and in the life of others, then the corporal works of mercy will invite, enable, and empower us to accomplish our resolution, one day at a time. Look at what you can do and are comfortable doing. Remember helping those in need should not be done out of guilt, ego, control, or obligation, or holiday, but rather. out of selfless love, compassion, concern, and care for those that are our brothers and sisters in Christ who are in need.

SUNDAY – FEED THE HUNGRY

For today, There are many who are hungry right in our back yards. In your local community, there are food banks that give to the hungry men, women, and families. Think about donating food items to them so that they have more to share with those who are in need. Let us pray for the hundreds of men, women and children that will go to bed hungry and do not know where their next meal is going to come from. God will give you the words of your prayer.

MONDAY – GIVE DRINK TO THE THIRSTY

For today, If you are traveling and you see folks working outside, or elderly people walking outside, perhaps you can offer them something hot to drink water to keep them hydrated. If you have children or know someone that is active in sports, think about donating bottled water to their team. If someone is thirsting or pining to be wanted, and not feel as if they are an outcast or on the fringes of family, community, or society.

Give them a drink of the life-giving waters of faith, love. and compassion by being present to them and letting them know of the great love that God has for them, that they are His greatest creation and that they are His beloved child.

TUESDAY – CLOTHE THE NAKED

For today, if you know or see an elderly person or a family that does not have the proper clothing for the weather, ask them if there is anything that you can do for them. If you are uncomfortable doing that and you would prefer to give them an anonymous gift of a hat, gloves, coat, or shoes that are in good condition, then do it. Ask God to show you how you can best help them. Let us pray for those who feel naked before God because they don’t think they have anything to offer, because they feel vulnerable and have been stripped of their dignity and self-respect. Ask God to clothe them with His love, compassion, adoration, peace, healing, dignity, forgiveness, and compassion, so that they can find comfort and be clothed in the warmth of His love.

WEDNESDAY – SHELTER THE HOMELESS

For today, seek to find a way to help the homeless in your community. You may not be able to shelter the homeless by bringing them into your home, but you can shelter them with love, surround them with compassion, build the walls with strength, dignity, courage, and self-respect, pray for them in love not out of judgment or ego. There are many shelters that need casseroles, food that can be carried, clothing, and blankets. Find out if you can deliver items or if someone will pick them up. Our homeless men, women and children can use whatever items you can give out of love, to help them keep warm especially during these cold days and nights. Let us pray for those who have a home but are spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically homeless because it lacks love, presence, support, encouragement, understanding, and forgiveness. Pray f or those whose house is filled with physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect, bitterness, control, manipulation, and silence. Pray for those who are trying to adopt or become foster parents, and for the children who are abandoned, left alone, or taken away from their parents and families.

THURSDAY – VISIT THE SICK

For today, if you can visit someone you know who is sick and feeling isolated. If a physical visit is not possible, contact them and speak with them so that they can hear in your voice, your concern, love, and care for them.

Spiritually, let us pray for those who are sick that God provide healing, strength, and courage as they carry their heavy cross. Physically: suffering from a chronic illness, terminal illness, or sudden illness, psychologically; suffering from mental illness, depression, anxiety, or spiritually; suffering from a lack of faith, deep seeded anger, resentment, and bitterness, or sin that is eating away a person’s soul and spirit and causes them to reject God.

FRIDAY – VISIT THE IMPRISONED

For today, pray for the imprisoned, both physically and those whose heart, spirit and mind are imprisoned because of fear, anxiety, anger, and feel as if they are unloved, despised, and unforgivable. Pray that they open their hearts to God so that they can recognize the unconditional love that God has for them, that He abides within them and that He wants to heal them and make them whole through His mercy, unconditional love, and compassion. Let us pray for the grace so that we do not judge them but accept them as a fellow sinner striving to be a saint that needs our prayers and support.

SATURDAY – BURY THE DEAD

For today, pray for the many babies that will be aborted and for those who perform the abortion. Pray for those who will die in war, homicide, gun violence, terrorist attacks and natural disasters, and whose bodies will not be discovered or given proper burials. Pray for those on death row who will be executed. Pray that those who take the lives of others have a conversion of heart and realize that life is sacred and should be treated with dignity, respect and love and that GOD is the author of life and death. As we bury the dead, let us also take a moment to bury the past hurts, bitterness, injuries, and seek God’s grace to forgive, let go and be free.

he depths of the darkness of sin, in the grips of worry, with the weight of our heavy crosses bringing us down and our suffering, we have Jesus Christ who has already walked in our shoes, taken on our burdens and then nailed them to the cross. But before He died, He gave us three gifts”: The gift of Mercy "Father forgive them for they not what they do”, The gift of Hope: This day you will be with me in paradise, and The gift of Motherly love: Mother behold your Son, Son behold your Mother.

These gifts given to us from Jesus out of love, in love and for love. He wants us to love, forgive and be at peace with others so that we can be at peace with Him and ourselves.

He wants us to know that there is always hope and that we should never despair.

He has also given us Mary, His Mother and ours, to help us on our way to become closer to Him. She is a great intercessor as many mothers here on earth are. She presents our needs to Her Son, and He takes them, looks at us and answers them with a true and unconditional love, as He knows they would serve us best. Lent is a time to reflect on the gift of life and love. Life, the gift of His life that we are given in the Holy Eucharist and the gifts and graces that are found in the Sacraments of the Church. Life, our very life, and breath is God's gift to us. Every breath is His gift to us, and we should strive to be His breath of life to all those that we encounter. The Gift of Love. He gave of Himself; He suffered and died in and out of complete love for us. Would we do the same for Him or another?

Lent can be a great season to grow in our faith life and in our love for God, others, and self. We must be open to His graces and the invitation

to stretch our spiritual comfort zone. We should trust that whatever He calls us to do, be, leave behind or embrace, will make us a greater reflection, beacon, and instrument of His presence in our world. Are we ready? are we open? …….Just a reflection for this week, take each topic and each day and seek to grow to a better understanding of how you may be called to grow in holiness…….

BE STILL so that you can feel the gentle breeze of God’s Spirit as He touches your heart and opens it to His healing love and deep abiding peace. AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

SURRENDER those things that keep us from being our best self, the person that God has created us to be and keep us from becoming the person that He knows we can be and have the potential to become. We are called to surrender those things that are standing in the way of our seeing Christ more clearly in ourselves and in others, in life’s challenges and in our crosses.

LENT IS NOT A TIME TO GIVE UP and think that we can’t do what God knows we can and invites us to believe that we can and that we, with His help, will.

STRETCH OURSELVES: our imaginations, our minds, our spiritual comfort zone, and our hearts. We need to stretch so that we can see ourselves accomplishing and overcoming the hardest challenges that face us, but we think will defeat us. We need to allow God to stretch that which is set and confined so that HE can reset, reform, and renew us so that we are a clearer and more visible sign of His presence here on earth.

LOVE ourselves and others, especially those who don’t like us, and to HATE those things that take us away from God and make us want to be more self-centered and selfish instead of being more Christ centered and self-less. We are called to love, not merely put up with, but love one another as they are called to love us. Love is greater than like. Love is nothing less than giving your heart to God and allowing Him to expand it to include and embrace those who we don’t like, those we do not have a good relationship with or are estranged from. When we can give our hearts to God trusting that however He chooses to expand it, then we are also trusting Him to grace us so that we can love our self more deeply and authentically.

FORGIVE and not to be bitter. We are called to forgive ourselves and others and not hold on to the past of bad choices, deep hurts, and poor decisions. Only in true forgiveness can we experience genuine and lasting freedom so that we can be the beacon of Christ’s mercy, love, and compassion for our self and to others. "Forgive them for they know not what they do”

NOT BE BUSY just for the sake of being busy or to run from anything. Lent is a time to listen as God tells you that there is only one thing that matters to Him.

That you know and believe with all your heart that you are His greatest creation, His beloved son or daughter, that He loves you just as you are, and that His love for you is free, unconditional, and everlasting.

LOOK OUT THE WINDOW and see and appreciate His presence in all of His creation; the sun, the moon, the stars, the grass, the creatures that crawl about and those that hover over, the people that we know and the stranger that we pass by, the beauty of the day, the beauty in the hearts of those that care about us and the beauty of a God who cares even more for you.

TIME TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR BUT NOT IF you are looking to point out your sins, your flaws, your weaknesses, or your shortcomings, but only if you are looking to remind yourself that you are loved by God just as you are because His love is much greater than all of these. His death is a reminder that He sees all that you see, but He looks into the depth of your heart to see that which you have not begun to.

IF, ON YOUR LENTEN JOURNEY, you find yourself asking, “How am I growing or how have I grown, in my relationship to Christ, or how have I been a reflection of His presence in my life to others”? Look back, look within, and look ahead and ask for the grace to recognize not only how your desire to help others has been fulfilled, but also how you found yourself serving others and giving of your time, talent, and compassion, knowing that your desire is in response to God’s grace. So, for today, trust in God and believe that you are closer to Him than you think. We measure our progress and that of others with human expectations and limitations, but God looks into the very heart that He created and sees its width, its depth, its woundedness, its potential and fills it with His compassion, His mercy, His peace and His grace so that we can be the best loving person that we can be. You are what He wants you to be, for you can be nothing less.

CURRENT GLIMPSE 2026

GLIMPSE OF GOD FEBRUARY 1, 2026

WHAT IS THE COLOR OF YOUR HEART? now? earlier?

Now, at this very moment? Can you remember what it was when you woke up this morning? What do you want it to be when you lay down to rest? Is your heart a rainbow? Is it a watercolor? Is it a sketch? Do you see the many colors that it can be, has probably been, and could change to in the breath of a prayer?

All of these colors are good because as a reflection of God’s presence through your compassion, mercy, love, and joy, in the midst of injury, daily concerns and stresses, and heavy crosses, your heart has been expanded when sin tried to diminish it, it has been healed when others have injured it, and it has been made whole when others have broken it. Because you have the heart of God as His beloved child, your heart although may experience many emotions, will always be the place where you have opened the doors and God chose to enter and to make His dwelling among you. How can that be you might ask? Because you were created in God’s image, you are His beloved child, You are His greatest creation, you are loved unconditionally and you are the Body of Christ, His Son, to all those you encounter. So as long as you seek to serve Him with an undivided heart, your heart will always reflect love: Love for God, others, and self.

SUNDAY - RED - Is your heart filled with passion? do you give of yourself and all of your energy to the people and situations that you encounter on a daily basis? or is your passion tamed by laziness, contentment, weariness, pain or just disinterest? If you were to look in a mirror into your heart, what color is it now? if it is red, can you identify your passion and feed it to help those around you to grow and become the best people that they can be: spouses, children, friends, neighbors, co-workers? Is your passion, the love that you hold for your spouse, a positive strength that empowers you to live a healthy marriage, one that builds each other up so that you can both become the best people that God has created you to be?

Is your passion an affection that is shared with a sense of care and respect? What does passion mean to you and how do you live it in your life? Is it a destructive force or a constructive energy?

MONDAY - WHITE - Is the color of your heart white? Is it pure, not sinless, but a heart that strives to be a saint in the midst of one's own sin and weakness? one that seeks and receives the graces of God to live in love and peace? one that seeks to extend that love and peace to others? If your heart is white, do you give God permission to write on it whatever He wants you to know and take with you today? or is it filled with clutter, white out, erasure marks, with no space for God's writing, instruction, mercy or counsel? If you look and see that your heart is white, does it remind you of your baptism and how God chose you, called you by name and made you His very own out of pure unconditional love?

TUESDAY - YELLOW - Is the color of your heart yellow? Are you a source of light to others? can others see the presence and light of Christ in and through your prayers, attitude, actions, and deeds? If the color of your heart is yellow, are you able to recognize that you are the light of Christ that burns brightly in your family, neighborhood, community, church and world? can you recognize that you are the light of Christ, no matter how dim you think your light is, in the midst of the darkness of the world and all of its forces that want to put the light out?

WEDNESDAY - PURPLE - Is the color of your heart purple? are you feeling a sense of remorse, or guilt, or is there a desire to make amends for the sins of the world against the God of love and compassion? We connect purple to the liturgical seasons of advent and lent. The color reminds us of our need to repent of our sins and seek the mercy of God and others that we have offended. Is that where your heart is today? How can you make amends today so that you do not carry the burden until advent or lent? Or is your heart purple because you recognize the sins of our world, and how they have killed, maimed, destroyed, the gift of humanity, the very humanity that Jesus Christ died for? Christ died for us sinners, yet we don't all recognize that we were included in His passion, death, and resurrection. In our sins and weaknesses, we fail to see how God eagerly waits for us to come to Him and seek His mercy, compassion, and healing. We see ourselves as the worst and we fulfill that image in and through our actions towards our self, others, and God.

Do you see that self-destruction in someone you know and love by their addictions and bad behavior? Is your heart purple because you regret their actions and feel remorse for the self that is lost in the midst of a false self? Is your heart purple because you see where you may have unintentionally participated in the formation of negativity, false ideals, hopes, or expectations? Can you speak with God about your contrition and seek His guidance to find true healing, and peace so that you can pray for it for those who need it most?

THURSDAY - BLUE - Is your heart blue? do you feel the refreshing life cleansing waters upon your heart that you were washed in at your baptism? Have you been forgiven by God? someone that you offended but reached out to seeking forgiveness? have you forgiven yourself and laid down your burden of guilt and self-condemnation? Where is your peace from? To whom can you extend your peace? Who can you pray for to receive the peace that God had given you and you would like them to experience? Who in your circle of friends, family or community would you like to see experience this great peace that only God can give and is always ready to shower on those who ask? Can you say a prayer for peace for them so that their heart can become blue and be the blue that represents the peace and calm of the waters of baptism?

FRIDAY - GREEN - Is the color of your heart green? For what do you hope? What does hope mean to you and how do you exude hope to others? There is so much green that surrounds us: trees, leaves, grass, yet in the natural course of nature, there is a time when we don't see the green as much.

It is the same with the human heart. there are times when we are blind to seeing the green of hope because of injury, hurt, and pain, and instead we see despair, discouragement, and we become disenchanted and disillusioned. This occurs through human sins and how they affect us personally. Sin can eliminate hope or make it stronger; it can bring us down or help raise us up to seek the love and mercy of God, sin can cause us to stay face down with fear, but hope makes us want to get up and face our fear.

Is the color of your heart green today? What hope have you been given? extended? Has the God of all consolation and love filled you with hope? is it overflowing, and you need to share it? or is it just enough for you to embrace, feel comforted by and rest in?

SATURDAY - ORANGE – Is the color of your heart orange? Do you feel the warmth and joy of God’s love, His embrace, and His desire for you? Is your heart orange because the warmth of His love has melted the coldness of life experiences? Where the words and expression of encouragement and support have conquered the voices of discouragement and isolation? The color orange symbolizes joy. The angels proclaimed Joy to the World at the Saviors birth. They proclaimed joy knowing that the passion was to occur. God is filled with great joy when we choose to return to him after a short or long detour, when we are His witnesses in the world, when we seek to serve Him by being selfless and not selfish, and when we allow ourselves to experience joy even as we carry our cross.

J – Jesus, O – others Y – yourself. You have great reason to be filled with joy and orange you glad you are? (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun

Glimpse of God for the week of February 15, 2026

LENT IS A TIME TO…….

My glimpse of God for this week comes as I reflect on the season of lent and how I am called to live in the light of God’s great unconditional love and mercy. In the barrenness of lent, in the depths of the darkness of sin, in the grips of worry, with the weight of our heavy crosses bringing us down and our suffering, we have Jesus Christ who has already walked in our shoes, taken on our burdens and then nailed them to the cross. But before He died, He gave us three gifts”: The gift of Mercy "Father forgive them for they not what they do”, The gift of Hope: This day you will be with me in paradise, and The gift of Motherly love: Mother behold your Son, Son behold your Mother.

These gifts given to us from Jesus out of love, in love and for love. He wants us to love, forgive and be at peace with others so that we can be at peace with Him and ourselves.

He wants us to know that there is always hope and that we should never despair.

Lent can be a great season to grow in our faith life and in our love for God, others, and self. We must be open to His graces and the invitation

BE STILL so that you can feel the gentle breeze of God’s Spirit as He touches your heart and opens it to His healing love and deep abiding peace. AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD.

LENT IS NOT A TIME TO GIVE UP and think that we can’t do what God knows we can and invites us to believe that we can and that we, with His help, will.

NOT BE BUSY just for the sake of being busy or to run from anything. Lent is a time to listen as God tells you that there is only one thing that matters to Him.

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2.8.26

WHAT IS THE COLOR OF YOUR HEART? now? earlier?

Is your passion an affection that is shared with a sense of care and respect? What does passion mean to you and how do you live it in your life? Is it a destructive force or a constructive energy?

J – Jesus, O – others Y – yourself. You have great reason to be filled with joy and orange you glad you are? (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 25, 2026

This glimpse is that of the spirituality that snow can represent. It’s snowing and has been for several hours. As I look out our sunroom windows, I am being given the gift to behold the beautiful blanket of snow that is covering our yard, along with the trees, bushes, pool, and outdoor winter decorations. I like the beauty of the snow. I think snow is a gift that God gives us during the winter months to refresh our spirit and open our mind. We can complain about it, tolerate it, ignore it, use it to pray with, or allow it to bring out the joy from within us as we remember our childhood and playing in the snow. How do we , how can we pray with snow?

What is the spirituality of snow or how can snow be a Glimpse of God? Let me throw out a few of my insights: Although we can use snow to bring joy and fun to others, as in building a snowperson together or having a friendly snowball fight, we can also use it to control

another, as in shoveling our snow into someone else’s way to hinder them from getting around or not shoveling for someone who is unable to do it for them self and thus isolating them even further. So, for some snow can be a gift that is received with gratitude, or it can be seen as a burden and heavy cross to be carried. The gift can be the beauty of snow or more importantly the unconditional love that God has for each of us and how He wants us to recognize that love despite any cross or sin that we are experiencing.

I believe that as each snowflake is unique and all are different from each other, so are we as God’s greatest creation. There is only one you. Your fingerprint, your footprint, your heart, and soul are God’s unique gift created to shine and reflect His great love. I believe that just as a snowflake is whole and pure as it falls from the sky, God also created us and sent us into this world as a pure creation. But because original sin entered our life and sin still is a part of life, we become pure and whole again through our baptism and the regular reception of the sacrament of reconciliation. God knows our heart and our weaknesses and has given us the gift of reconciliation so when we choose to sin and want to be reconciled and made whole, we can be.

Just as snow is often shoveled so that we are able to walk or drive more safely, we have the ability to shovel or move that which tempts us into sin and places us on the path that is not safe for us as we walk on our spiritual journey. When we surrender our will to God or when we pray to avoid sin, we are given the grace to symbolically shovel, or use a snow blower, the temptation out of our way and make a path that clear and safe. The path will not always be smooth, there may be some rocky or pebbly parts to it, but just as snow can continue to fall, so too does temptation and even when it falls on our path, it is with faith, hope and trust in Christ, that He will make the path safe and clear. We measure snow in inches and feet. When we hear about how much will fall, we then begin to become rattled and panic. We hear about the numbers and how we can go from a large snowfall to a blizzard. When we hear these things and become rattled, do we ever think about our spiritual life? Have we at some point gone from a spiritual snowfall to a blizzard? What did that look like? Did it occur after we were given some challenging health news, where we thought that we had everything; our emotions, our outlook, our plan, under control to becoming out of control because of fear, anxiety or depression and we felt overwhelmed? We talk about the impact that the snow has or will have on our commute to work on school closings, businesses being open, or appointments being kept. Do we panic when we think of how much sin affects us and our relationship with God and others? Do we ever talk about the impact that sin has on us, or how the graces of God affect our relationship with God, others, and our self? How the impact of sin or grace helps us to become our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become? I believe that snow, even when it is a burden to bear or a grace to behold, can be a glimpse of God and an instrument to recognize how even when it becomes slushy and messy, it still, like us due to sin, is a gift from God and no sin or slush is ever going to make God regret or love us less.

As we begin new week covered with snow, let us look at snow with the eyes of our heart, mind, soul, and spirit, and seek to recognize that even in the midst of its accumulation, impact, beauty or burden, it is, as we are, a gift from God given so that we can recognize His presence in new and surprising ways.

SUNDAY – Every snowflake is unique and different.

You are unique, different, chosen by God, created in His image, His greatest creation, His beloved child, and unconditionally loved. There will never be or has there ever been another you. Do you, are you able to recognize how special and beloved you are to God and others? by your unique perspective, the way you see to the heart of another, by your ability to see the face of Christ in another and not judge them, by your presence in silence, compassion, and mercy? God has given you these gifts so that as others recognize them in you and through your example, they see that it is God dwelling within you, and His Holy Spirit shing through you. You invoke a desire from within them to be more God like, more Christ like and thus becoming their best self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become.

MONDAY – A snowflake falls as a whole and pure creation.

God doesn’t create anything unclean or impure. It is humanity that makes things impure or tainted. It was at our baptism when we were immersed into the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ, that we were healed and made whole again. Original sin was removed and replenished with the unconditional, eternal, and selfless love of Christ. It is through that love that we are given the ability to be reconciled and made pure again on this earthly journey. Christ did not place a task on us that we cannot fulfill. Reconciliation, mercy, healing, and wholeness is available to us if we choose to take advantage of it, through the loving gift of the sacrament of reconciliation. Although sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, mercy fills the world through Christ and the sacraments of the Church. As the snow gently covers creation in white, and hides that which may be unsightly, it can remind us of how God covers our sins as with a blanket, with the warmth of His love, mercy, peace and joy.

TUESDAY – Snow is shoveled to make a path that is safe and clear to walk on.

We can try to shovel the snow, but the reality is that when it is too heavy or wet, we need more than a shovel, we need a snow blower. As with snow, we can shovel it to move it so that we can walk a straight, clean, and safe path, with sin it is not that easy. If we think that we can fix our problems, justify our sins, blame others for our choices, then we have past the spiritual shovel stage and gone to a snow blower. When we can recognize our sinfulness and seek forgiveness, when we ask God to help make our path straight, clean, and safe again, He does. It is when we seek to do things on our own, our sins only grow, as does our ego, pride, self-centeredness, and blindness. As these increase, and our humility decreases and we find that we are unable to ask for God’s help to make our path straight, clean and safe, we need God’s mercy more than ever. God can never love us less because of our sinfulness. He gave us His Son Jesus and Jesus proved this by dying on the cross. He died for you and me, we are not exempt from His redeeming act of selfless love. So even when you think it is time to bring out the spiritual snowblower because the snow, or your sin is too heavy, remember that Jesus took away the need for the snowblower. He gave us the cross instead and it is through the cross that we can see the direction or path that He wants us to walk.

WEDNESDAY - Snow is measured as it accumulates beginning in inches and then feet.

We measure snow in inches and feet. When we hear about how much will fall, we then begin to become rattled and panic. Do we become rattled when we cannot experience peace, harmony, or joy or when we become more afraid, self-centered, ashamed or guilt ridden? Do we think that we can measure the graces from God in inches of feet or are we able to recognize how God does not measure our worth according to our weaknesses or sin but in and out of love?

THURSDAY – The impact that the snow has on our life

We talk about the impact that the snow has or will have on our commute to work on school closings, businesses being open, or appointments being kept. Do we panic when we think of how much sin affects us and our relationship with God and others? Do we ever talk about the impact that sin has on us, or how the graces of God affect our relationship with God, others, and our self? How the impact of sin or grace helps us to become our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become?

FRIDAY – Having fun in the snow.

If you can’t build a snowman, snowwoman, snowchild or snow pet, try to remember what it was like when you were a child and how you built a snowman as soon as you could no matter how cold it was outside. How much fun you had, what your snowperson ended up looking like, who helped you, what you used for his eyes, nose, ears, hands, and outfit. Snow is a gift that is a beauty to behold, and you don’t have to be outside to enjoy it or be annoyed by it. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and if we are willing to and open to recognizing the beauty of snow, we are then willing and open to recognizing God’s presence in the snow.

SATURDAY- The 6 points of a snowflake remind us of the story of creation.

The story of creation tells us that God rested on the 7th day after He creation had been completed and it was good. As with the story of Creation, God created Adam and then Eve so that one would not be alone, and then God rested. The snowflake has 6 points. I would like to see each point as a day of creation. With each point one can use each day in the story of creation as a reflection on, how through creation, God did not make any mistakes, or do things haphazardly, but rather all was planned and when completed He saw that all was good. We are a part of “all was planned, all was good.” No matter what we have done or do or will do, God does not regret creating us nor does He want us to regret being created. We are where He wants us to be, doing what He wants us to do. Although the path or the view may not be clear, in and through His grace, we will see more clearly His will for us, one step, one prayer, one act of love, mercy, and kindness at a time. There is a Zen proverb that states” a snowflake never falls in the wrong place” What does that mean to you

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