A Jesuit priest, Robert Southwell (ca. 1561–1595) was a poet and underground Catholic missionary to his native England. Arrested as a traitor, he endured three years of imprisonment, including torture, before his execution. He was canonized as a martyr in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.  

The following is one of his well-known poems entitled "New Prince, New Pomp."  

Behold a silly, tender Babe,  
In freezing winter night,  
In homely manger trembling lies;  
Alas! a piteous sight.  
 
The inns are full; no man will yield  
This little pilgrim bed;  
But forced he is with silly beasts  
In crib to shroud his head.  
 
Despise Him not for lying there;  
First what He is inquire:  
An Orient pearl is often found  
In depth of dirty mire.  
 
Weigh not His crib, His wooden dish,  
Nor beasts that by Him feed;  
Weigh not His mother’s poor attire,  
Nor Joseph’s simple weed.  
 
This stable is a Prince’s court,  
The crib His chair of state;  
The beasts are parcel of His pomp,  
The wooden dish His plate.  
 
The persons in that poor attire  
His royal liveries wear;  
The Prince Himself is come from heaven:  
This pomp is praised there.  
 
With joy approach, O Christian wight!  
Do homage to thy King;  
And highly praise this humble pomp,  
Which He from heaven doth bring.  

TAGS: Reflection

"The absence of someone God can fill; the absence of God no one can fill."  

Love.  

If you lose love, God is always there. But if you lose Love, no one is there.  

The message is simple, plain, succinct.  

Spread the word, and write it on the streets and sidewalks around the world. Spread the Word, and write it on the hearts of all you encounter.  

Don't know what else to say. The message is clear. We have work to do.  

Will you help?  

TAGS: Reflection

"... it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep." - Romans 13:11  

In Christ, all blessings God has promised are given. Advent invites us to open ourselves up to these awesome blessings!  
 
What gets in the way of our being open to the gifts with which the Lord wants to shower us? We look at the world around us, not with fearful or judging hearts, but being very much aware of the ways we have accommodated ourselves to its values. We look at our own lives and acknowledge how we have become, to use a word Pope Francis often used, “worldly.”  
 
It is easy to think of the sins that challenge others. The important thing for each one of us, though, is to think of our own sins. What are the challenges the Lord is making to me this Advent, so that I’ll be ready and awake to receive the gift he promises me, the gift of his Son?  
 
Our sins can keep us from receiving Jesus with an open heart, but allowing worry to infect our hearts can close us off as well. The uncertainty of the year that is about to end can certainly touch our hearts and make us be full of worry. The promise made in this holy season is greater than any worry we might have, though. As we prepare for Christmas 2025, be aware of what obstacles to receiving Jesus with joy there are in your life and in the life of your family.  

EXCERPTED FROM a reflection by Fr. Alfred Hernandez on the readings for Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025  

​TAGS: Reflection

"For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26  

Don't think this is what the turtle intended. Somehow he got himself beached on the tree trunk. He either got stuck on an ant hill or just got lost finding his way back to the water. Maybe, though, he has big dreams of being a bear and climbing trees!  

But he's just a turtle. We all have dreams and hopes and goals. Some want to fly to the moon; others dive to the bottom of the sea. Some want to be CEO of a major corporation; others want to help customers at the local retail store.  

No dream is too big, too silly, or too outlandish. For they are only dreams, hopes, and goals. Take a plan, add some hope, and mix in loads of faith. With God, all things are possible.  

Go, Mr. Turtle, run and climb as fast as you can. You have God behind you!  

Companion God, place me in the situations that will lead me to fulfill my dreams, hopes, and goals according to Your will. Amen.  

TAGS: Prayer, Reflection

"Do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." - Matthew 10:19-20  

The rooftops were lined with birds. There must have been a birdie convention going on! They were all chattering at the same time; how they ever understood each other was truly unknown.  

Oftentimes, our conversations are just like that group of birds. How many times are you in a restaurant or at the intermission of an event, and it seems like everyone is talking at once? All are jibbering and jabbering in a nonsensical manner, at least to the casual bystander.  

Let your conversations be meaningful. Choose your crowd. Speak eloquently and confidently. Let the God of All Knowledge lead you as He will give you all you need to say.  

Thank you, Spirit of my Father, for speaking through me. Amen.  

TAGS: Prayer, Reflection

The Transfiguration is one of the most striking events in the Gospels. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. There, before their eyes, He is transfigured. His face shines like the sun, and His clothes become dazzling white.  
 
For the disciples, this was more than a supernatural moment. It was a turning point in their understanding of who Jesus truly was.  
 
In our lives, we may receive similar moments of clarity or grace. There are times when we feel close to God or see His presence in an unmistakable way. These moments are important because they help sustain our faith, especially when we return to daily struggles or responsibilities.  
 
The disciples’ reaction on the mountain was understandable. Peter wanted to stay. But Jesus didn’t allow them to remain. The vision was not the destination. They descended the mountain and returned to everyday life. This rhythm is familiar in the Christian life. We may encounter God in prayer, worship, or community. But those experiences are meant to lead us outward. They call us to serve, to love, to be light in dark places.  
 
Although we may have had our moments “on the mountain,” it’s important to remember the work happens in the valleys. The Transfiguration reveals who Jesus is, but it also reveals who we are called to be.  

EXCERPTED FROM: https://www.thegodminute.org/post/the-transfiguration-a-glimpse-of-glory-a-call-to-service  

​TAGS: Reflection

The two birds were sharing the street light. Well, kind of. Obviously, social distancing rules were in effect! One occupied the west side of the pole, while the other occupied the east side. Certainly, a fight would break out if one bird happened to encroach on the territorial space of the other bird.  

Don't you sometimes act the same way? You want to do something or go somewhere, and the other party wants to do something else or go some place different. Or you have your opinion about an issue, and the other party has an opposite opinion, telling you that your opinion is wrong.  

God is often in the middle of these "social distances." While the world tells you to "shop 'til you drop" on Sunday, you want to attend Mass, have a quiet breakfast, and rest because it is Sunday.  

While it is OK for two people to have differing opinions, why does it seem like the other person insists that they have the right to say what they want but that you are "wrong" to say what you want. Even though, and particularly so, if your thoughts, words, and feelings are more attuned to God's way.  

Stay firm. Be unashamed. With God standing in your corner, know that you have taken the better path. Even though a "social distance" may be separating you and the other party, the "social distance" between God and you is non-existent.  

Dear God, thank you for permitting no "social distance" to separate me from You. Amen.  

TAGS: Prayer, Reflection

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