“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” In the 1980’s there was a classic film that came out called “Ferris Bueluer’s Day Off.” In the movie he decides to go on an adventure with his friends. The movie finds him going to a fine art museum, a fine restaurant and even becoming the star singing in a parade. At the end of the movie, he has a famous

"Would I Dance for You Jesus?" That title above is a distinctive line from the immensely popular Christian song, "I Can Only Imagine," from the group, MercyMe. Its writer, Bart Millard, wrote the song in only ten minutes reflecting on the death of his father and what heaven would be like for the first time in our Lord's presence. " Surrounded by YOUR glory, What will my heart feel? Will I dance for You Jesus Or in awe of

Prayer can be done anywhere, anytime, with anyone, or with no one. Just you…alone in solitude. Jesus often prayed alone. Mark 1:35 tells us, “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.” On a recent spring morning, I also slipped out to a solitary place to pray. There is a beautiful desert garden I love to visit when the weather is good. This particular morning God

We sing, “I want to be in the light as You are in the light.” ”I want to focus on the light in our Easter reading, the light of the world coming from the tomb.  The song, “In the Light,” resounded in my head. We have multiple images when we hear or see the word “light”. To appreciate “light” we must recognize darkness and the images that darkness conjures up in the mind.  Scientifically, darkness is the absence of light.

Holy Week With the celebration of Palm Sunday, we have entered Holy Week. It is not that the other 51 weeks of the year are not holy, but rather, it means that something very different and special happens this week. This week, we celebrate the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Holy Week is really a love story. It is the story of God’s love for us. We start by remembering Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. As the week

Have you ever heard someone say, “I have some GOOD news and some BAD news?  Which do you want to hear first?”  Many make this out to be a very tough choice.  We always delight in hearing good news, but also are very curious about what bad things are going on all around us.  It seems lately to me that more and more of us are only listening to the bad news.  The doom and gloom that has be stirring

Humility/Humbleness In the spirit of St. Francis during this Lenten season, the first characteristic that comes to mind was his humility, that was shared with the likes of Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King, and for you sports fans: Larry Fitzgerald, Kurt Warner and Tim Duncan.  The common thread of each of these leaders seems to be the willingness to put others before themselves as shown by treating everyone with respect, recognizing their value and accepting a

The Lord’s Prayer I have been thinking about the Lord’s prayer.  Recently, I have been looking at several books where the author share what Jesus was hoping to teach us.  I know that many times I am just reciting the words and not really thinking about what the words mean.  It is my hope that when you read this reflection, you are reminded of how Jesus taught us to pray. The Lord’s prayer consists of three parts, the start

The other day I was   out to lunch with my nephew.     I had eaten half of my salad when the waitress asked if I would like a box to take the rest of it home. My nephew answered "yes" and then turned to me and said, "This would be a better snack than the empty calories you eat." I responded by saying "empty calories, that would be a great title for my next book." I am not sure about the

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first Fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope

Contemplative Prayer, Silence, and the Holy Spirit When I was preparing what topic to share in my reflection, I knew immediately, that it must include the word “silence”. I have been drawn to this word for almost a year and half. Let me explain. About four years ago, Deacon Karen initiated the Contemplative Prayer Ministry. I joined and attended this prayer group regularly and began to learn to pray with a contemplative heart. The intention of contemplative prayer is

How Can You Love God Whom You Don’t See? I write this reflection somewhat reluctantly. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as though I don’t have anything to say, a fact my wife Dawn would easily confirm. Rather it’s because I’ve learned the hard way that my life and its fullest purpose are not about me.  It’s ironic that when we live as if life is not about us, we get the fullest life and when we live as if

I was honored to be asked to write this reflection. At this stage of my life I have a very long time to look back and reflect. The words “I have been blessed” surround my thinking. I was born a cradle Catholic, and grew up in eastern Colorado, in a small community, population of 1500.  There were 13 churches.  Catholics were definitely a minority, so our community was ecumenical long before Vatican II. I do not remember much from the

Sometime in early 2019 as I was meandering through my favorite Seattle bookstore, a book jumped off the shelf and landed purposefully in my hands. The book is Brene Brown’s Braving the Wilderness - the Quest for our True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone.   Interestingly enough, I never got around to reading it until a year later as the COVID shelter at home order overtook our lives in a way we could have never expected. The question

The beauty of nature captures our attention and awe. If we are still, present in the moment, we can hear nature sing her praises to the God of all Creation. Nature worships God effortlessly, naturally, and completely. The bird doesn’t think about singing. It just sings. It was created to sing, and it lives into its purpose as a singer. The ocean roars with power and purpose in obedience to the very breath of God. Its waves are carried

The other day I sat down at my computer and found a quote printed out on the desk. It read: “I love people that have no idea how wonderful they are and just wander around making the world a better place.” As I read this quote it really got me thinking of how blessed my life is with the people that I encounter every day; the family, friends, co-workers not to mention all the strangers that I encounter on

The Lump of Coal Sometimes a recollection is sparked by a story of many years ago. My brother was very gifted as a grade school student and he wrote a story about a lump of coal that impressed my parents that someone at that young age could think in a relatively abstract manner. You see this lump of coal thought he was worthless when the other elements around him had definite uses. The diamond was bright and brought attention to

WOW! GOD IS GOOD. As I reflect on this year, it has been a real journey with times of joy and gratitude for our family, friends, and community as well as difficult times.   Chuck and I have committed ourselves to live consciously, with grateful attitudes for everything in our lives. This means All Things, good and not so good. We thank God many times during the day for all of our blessings, stopping to pray and, especially for peace in

Christmas My family always loved celebrating Christmas.  My mom loved to decorate, cook, and shop.  Our home was filled with Christmas cookies, smells of traditional Polish food, and wrapped gifts.  In fact, I remember at times it seemed our living room was half-filled with presents. As a young person, I remember the joy of Christmas being about GETTING gifts.  Christmas was all about what we/I would be given.  New clothes, toys, and even bicycles filled my thoughts and hopes.

The presents have been exchanged and opened, some gifts have already been returned to where they were purchased; and the Christmas dinner leftovers have been feasted upon as an afternoon snack.  Christmas is over.  The thought now turns to the laborious task of taking down the Christmas tree and putting the lights and decorations away for another year.  As the secular world bids farewell to another Christmas, retailers are counting their coffers, economists are checking the pulse of the

Advent is a time of preparation and transformation.  It is an approximately four-week period in which we are invited to reflect and contemplate how we can spiritually prepare ourselves not just for Christmas Day, but for the Second Coming of Christ.  Advent not only brings to mind the first coming of Jesus with his birth in Bethlehem, but it also anticipates Christ’s return at the end of time. Inviting us to reflect on God becoming man, the season

As the holiday song goes, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” or is it? Even before the Thanksgiving meal has been prepared and devoured we have been bombarded for weeks with advertising on television, the internet, radio, fliers in the mail, and the newspaper reminding us it is that time of the year to get into the Christmas spirit and partake in the annual ritual of holiday shopping. In early November, radio stations play Christmas music 24-hours

Thanksgiving ReflectionThanksgiving has always been a big deal in my family.  My parents would go all out cooking for family and friends.  We would have a feast fit for a king that you would need two plates just so that you could taste everything.  We would gather for prayer and then dig in until we had our fill and then sit around and recall and remember everything we are thankful for as a family.  There would be laughter, joy,

Praying Through Singing When I received an email asking me to write a reflection, my immediate thought was…sure...that will be easy…I can write on praying through music.  Now that I am trying to put my thoughts down, I find myself struggling. One thing about me is that I love spending time outside on my patio.  So when I prepared to write this, of course I went to the coziest spot on my patio, put on my headphones, keyed up

When Father Dale asks you to do something it is hard to say no. His assignment for me was to write one of the weekly reflection letters. Reflection. Am I supposed to reflect back on this year? Much of this year I don’t even want to think about, let alone dwell or reflect on it. We have been deprived of much of our social interaction, especially our church community, a community that has a great deal of influence on