From night to night, 
In cold and fright, 
Stood I near charcoal fire, 

And, warming there, 
Did curse and swear, 
And show myself a liar. 

“Are you not he 
From Galilee, 
The friend of Him all meek?” 

The cock did crow. 
“I do not know 
The Man of Whom you speak.” 

But then He turned, 
And in me burned 
A flame, lit from His gaze, 

At which I wept 
For oaths unkept 
And all my lukewarm days. 

When He was tried 
Him I denied 
And failed to pass the test, 

Though promised I 
With Him to die, 
Should fail Him all the rest. 

Filled with regrets 
And empty nets, 
I turned to former hire. 

But when dawn came, 
He spoke my name, 
While burned the charcoal fire. 

Now at the shore, 
He asks once more 
If I will be His friend 

And, on the sands, 
With pierced hands, 
Gives me His sheep to tend. 

--by Fr. Timothy J. Draper 

TAGS: Reflection

Reflect on Holy Thursday: 
It is at that Last Supper that our Lord gazes through Peter to each one of us and offers to cleanse us of all sin. Reflect, this night, upon those sacred words of our Lord and hear them spoken to you: “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Say “Yes” to this offer of perfect humility and mercy from our Lord and let the saving Sacrifice of the Son of God enter more deeply into your life than ever before. 
 
Reflect on Good Friday: 
One of the most significant events of Holy Week is the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. This event serves as a reminder of the suffering that Jesus endured for our salvation. When Jesus hung on the cross, He prayed for His persecutors, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Use Holy Week as a time to make peace where there is strife, seek to love others like Jesus loves you, and also reflect on the forgiveness He offers to you. 
 
Reflect on Holy Saturday: 
We don’t often stop to consider the significance of that silent Saturday. Saturday is that middle day when God occupied a grave in a garden outside of Jerusalem. Saturday is a day to reflect on the in-between moments of our own lives. It’s a day to sit, to wait, to hope, even when we’re unsure of what tomorrow will bring. We can look back and know now that Easter comes on Sunday, but Jesus’ followers didn’t know that back then. When you feel hopeless, lost, confused, or grieving, you can remember that Jesus’ followers know exactly how that feels. Saturday is about the hard and uncertain days that God still calls holy. 

TAGS: Reflection

This world will often leave you wishing you had just 5 more minutes. Let the following powerful words remind you to wake up each day realizing it is a gift and to make the most of it. 

Every minute someone leaves this world behind. 
Age has nothing to do with it. 
We are all in “the line” without knowing it. 
We never know how many people are before us. 
We can not move to the back of the line. 
We can not step out of the line. 
We can not avoid the line. 
 
So while we wait in line: 
 
Make moments count. 
Make priorities. 
Make the time. 
Make your gifts known. 
Make a nobody feel like a somebody. 
Make your voice heard. 
Make the small things big. 
Make someone smile. 
Make the change. 
Make love. 
Make up. 
Make peace. 
Make sure to tell your people they are loved. 
Make sure to have no regrets. 
Make sure you are ready. 

Are you? 

--"Every Minute Someone Leaves This World" by Marianne Baum with art by Logan Zillmer 

TAGS: Reflection