Saturday December 11, 2021 Jesse Tree- Hannah Psalm 80:3b “Rouse your power and come!” The Psalmist is begging the Lord to come and care for his people. Those prayers were answered. The prayers of Hannah, today’s Jesse Tree addition, were also answered. With tears running down her cheeks she beseeched the Lord, trusting that she would […]
Saturday Week Two of Advent Read More »
Friday December 10, 2021 Jesse Tree- Ruth Matt11: 16-19 Today, Jesus laments that we do not know what we want in a Savior. He likens us to people who will not dance to a happy tune nor cry to a sad one—his herald, John, was too pious for many, but Jesus is scorned for being too
Friday Week Two of Advent Read More »
Thursday December 9, 2021 Jesse Tree- Joshua Isaiah 41:13-20 and Matt 11:11-15 Isaiah assures us that God will grasp us by the hand to help us. We are not to fear. Jesus says that John the Baptizer is the greatest person ever born, but everyone is even greater than he in God’s Kingdom. Our Jesse Tree
Thursday Week Two of Advent Read More »
Wednesday December 8, 2021 Jesse Tree-Moses Ephesians1:6, 11-12 Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. God chose her before all time to bring his promise into the world, Jesus Christ. She was special, having been immaculate from the time of her conception. Today we hang an ornament symbolizing Moses on our Jesse Tree. Moses
Wednesday 2nd Week of Advent Read More »
I must say that grief is an animal I’ve never really had to deal with before. And now I am finding that I am not too well prepared to grapple with it. Sometimes it wins. I must tell you all that the day my mom died, I took my rosary and walked along the windy
Dealing with Grief Read More »
Tuesday December 7, 2021 Jesse Tree- Passover and Exodus Isaiah 40:1-11 The prophet Isaiah promises us that our guilt, our slavery to sin, is washed away and God will shepherd us over a newly made highway to a rich land. Our Jewish ancestors were also led from the land of slavery to a land of ‘milk
Tuesday Week Two of Advent Read More »
Monday December 6, 2021 Jesse Tree-Joseph Isaiah 35:1-10 and Psalm 85 Today is the Feast of St Nicholas, a favorite of children. Our Jesse Tree addition is a favorite child, Joseph. The passage from Isaiah and the chosen verses of Psalm 85 sing of peace. Joseph did not know much peace in his life. He was
Monday Week Two of Advent Read More »
Sunday December 5, 2021 Jesse Tree- Judah Luke 3:1-6 The Evangelist, Luke, sets the stage for us today, by giving us a specific point of historical reference. He sets the political stage. This time was not a major moment in the history of the Roman Empire, nor was Tiberius a particularly noteworthy Emperor. It is into
Sunday Week Two of Advent Read More »
Saturday December 4, 2021 Jesse Tree-Leah Isaiah 30:19-21 The prophet Isaiah promises that as soon as God hears your cry, he will answer, and you will be given all you need. Not necessarily what you want, but what you need. Leah, today’s Jesse Tree addition, Jacob’s unloved wife, found that to be true. She cried out
Saturday Week 1 of Advent Read More »
I feel as though I am having a crisis of faith. Why is there so much ugliness in the world? Why won’t politicians act in the interest of the whole nation? Why won’t people get vaccinated? Why are guns everywhere and another school shooting no longer shocks us? I’m looking for sense in all of