When i am down, usually a surprise springs forth to lift me up or change my perspective. .
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Palm sunday
1. PRAYER
Prayer for Humility and Praise
2. MEDITATION
https://youtu.be/uI0oMw-ncZo?si=vLi0o7oYuGOiMWc1
3. SONG
Palm Sunday
Jesus’ state was divine, yet he did not cling to equality with God, but he emptied himself.
—Philippians 2:6–7
Father Richard Rohr reflects on Jesus’ surrender to God through a path of descent:
In the overflow of rich themes on Palm Sunday, I am going to direct us toward the great parabolic movement described in Philippians 2. Most New Testament scholars consider that this was originally a hymn sung in the early Christian community. To give us an honest entranceway, let me offer a life-changing quote from C. G. Jung (1875–1961):
In the secret hour of life’s midday the parabola is reversed, death is born. The second half of life does not signify ascent, unfolding, increase, exuberance, but death, since the end is its goal. The negation of life’s fulfilment is synonymous with the refusal to accept its ending. Both mean not wanting to live, and not wanting to live is identical with not wanting to die. Waxing and waning make one curve. [1]
The hymn from Philippians artistically, honestly, yet boldly describes that “secret hour” Jung refers to, when God in Christ reversed the parabola, when the waxing became waning. It starts with the great self-emptying or kenosis that we call the incarnation and ends with the crucifixion. It brilliantly connects the two mysteries as one movement, down, down, down into the enfleshment of creation, into humanity’s depths and sadness, and into a final identification with those at the very bottom (“took the form of a slave,” Philippians 2:7). Jesus represents God’s total solidarity with, and even love of, the human situation, as if to say, “nothing human is abhorrent to me.”
God, if Jesus is right, has chosen to descend—in almost total counterpoint with our humanity that is always trying to climb, achieve, perform, and prove itself. This hymn says that Jesus leaves the ascent to God, in God’s way, and in God’s time. Most of us understandably start the journey assuming that God is “up there,” and our job is to transcend this world to find God. We spend so much time trying to get “up there,” we miss that God’s big leap in Jesus was to come “down here.” What freedom! And it ends up better than any could have expected. “Because of this, God lifted him up” (Philippians 2:9). We call the “lifting up” resurrection or ascension. Jesus is set as the human blueprint, the oh-so-hopeful pattern of divine transformation.
Trust the down, and God will take care of the up. This leaves humanity in solidarity with the life cycle, and also with one another, with no need to create success stories for ourselves or to create failure stories for others. Humanity in Jesus is free to be human and soulful instead of any false climbing into “Spirit.” This was supposed to change everything, and I trust it still will.
References:
[1] C. G. Jung, Psychological Reflections: A New Anthology of His Writings, 1905–1961, ed. Jolande Jacobi (Princeton University Press, 1970), 323.
Adapted from Richard Rohr, Wondrous Encounters: Scripture for Lent (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2011), 122–124.
5. MEDITATION
https://youtu.be/RNeLU-5yR04?si=5b-a4G5ifReYFIjt
6. SHARING
1. What speaks to your heaty from the reading?
2. We are in the 5th week of Lent. How might you
be changed from Ash Wednesday?
7. PRAYER
A Palm Sunday Prayer to Rejoice in Hope
https://youtu.be/HWPv-z2gfLY?si=PUSYC4jBNT_q1hWe
Thursday, March 12, 2026
How to become more nonjudgmental
AI Overview
To become more nonjudgmental, cultivate awareness of your judgmental thoughts, practice active listening, and focus on understanding others' perspectives rather than immediately judging them. Consider how you would feel if judged and try to empathize with others' situations.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
1. Recognize and Observe Your Judgments:
- Pay attention to your internal dialogue and identify when you are making judgments about others.
- Write down your judgmental thoughts to understand your patterns and triggers.
- Practicing mindfulness can help you observe your thoughts and feelings without getting carried away by them.
2. Develop Empathy and Understanding:
- Focus on truly hearing what others are saying without interrupting or formulating your response while they are speaking.
- Seek to understand the other person's perspective by asking clarifying questions and showing genuine interest.
- Try to imagine yourself in their situation and understand their experiences and feelings.
- When possible, try to assume that others are acting with good intentions.
3. Challenge Your Judgments:
- Question the basis of your judgments and consider whether they are based on facts or personal biases.
- Remember that you don't always have all the information about someone else's life and circumstances.
- When you notice a judgment, reframe it by asking yourself, "Who am I to judge?" or "What am I not understanding?".
4. Practice Non-Judgment in Conversations:
- Use "I" statements: Express your feelings and observations using "I" statements rather than making generalizations about others.
- Focus on the behavior, not the person: When addressing a behavior, focus on the specific action rather than making personal attacks.
- Be open to different perspectives: Accept that others may have different opinions and experiences than you.
5. Reduce Exposure to Judgmental Environments:
- If certain individuals consistently trigger judgmental thoughts, consider reducing your contact with them.
- Politely but firmly let people know when their judgmental comments are not welcome.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Looking back I miss them, snowstorm memories
Wednesday to Monday
Amidst snow storm
Jan 2026
Eventful in a way
Pleasant unpleasant
Lots of work
But now Tuesday looking back
I miss them
They might have felt same too in the good byes yesterday
Despite the memorable puke night Sunday by Luca
The planning of Monday that was disrupted by change of plans
All these memories coming back
Bettina harnessing everyone to get first place in Duolingo tournament
Gargantuan effort of Bob to help
Unexpected. A surprise. Love him. .
Their Playing monopoly endlessly
The joy in him playing with them
Despite his annoyance with their eating
Delays in leaving for errands because of these games
Unpredictable delight in dishes i prepared
Broccoli salad would you believe
Mishaps w McDonald take out causing puking.
Then the highlight
being asked to be gift bearers Saturday mass
They didn’t even want to attend monopoly addicts
But so proud after esp friends found them adorable or something
Bonding in the storm. Who knew. Esp between Bob and kids.
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Be not afraid
1. PRAYER
Prayer for Overcoming Fear: "God, because You are with me, I have no reason to fear. Help me to stop worrying. Help me to relax and rest in the promises of Your Word. I know You are with me because the Bible says so. I also know You never will give me more than I can handle. Lord, thank You for giving me the faith to trust You in this situation, and the strength of character I need to get through it in perfect obedience to Your Word. I pray right now for Your wisdom and guidance, Your favor and protection. And in the name of Jesus, I receive Your peace. In Jesus' name, Amen."
2. MEDITATION
https://youtu.be/y8KSid0WFwY?si=DVSi_b0x8SThLLBi
3. SONG
https://youtu.be/IJ0jOjqISPU?si=qHfbiCnzg6llPgm5
4. NARRATIVE
Father Richard believes that we must learn to name and to live with our fears instead of merely denying them or projecting them onto others:
Our age has been called the age of anxiety, and I think that’s probably a good description for this time. We no longer know where our foundations are. When we’re not sure what is certain, when the world and our worldview keep being redefined every few months, we’re going to be anxious. We want to get rid of that anxiety as quickly as we can. I know I do. Yet, to be a good leader of anything today—a good pastor, manager, parent, or teacher—we have to be able to contain and hold patiently a certain degree of anxiety. Probably the higher the level of leadership someone has, the more anxiety they must be capable of holding. Leaders who cannot hold anxiety will never lead us anyplace new.
That’s probably why the Bible says “Do not be afraid” almost 150 times! If we cannot calmly hold a certain degree of anxiety, we will always look for somewhere to expel it. Expelling what we can’t embrace gives us an identity, but it’s a negative identity. It’s not life energy, it’s death energy. Formulating what we are against gives us a very quick and clear sense of ourselves. Thus, most people fall for it. People more easily define themselves by what they are against, by whom they hate, by who else is wrong, instead of by what they believe in and whom they love.
I hope you recognize from this common pattern how different the alternative is. We might catch anew the radical and scary nature of faith, because faith only builds on that totally positive place within, however small. It needs an interior “Yes” to begin, just as the “Yes” of Mary began the entire process of salvation. God needs just a mustard-seed-sized place that is in love—not fear—that is open to grace, that is thrilled, that has found something wonderful.
CAC teacher James Finley shares how Jesus is a model of how to say Yes in the midst of our deepest fear:
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus sweat blood because he was afraid [Luke 22:44]. It is possible that he was infinitely more afraid than we could ever be. But the difference is: Jesus was not afraid of being afraid, because he knew it was just fear. . . . We are afraid of fear because we believe that it has the power to name who we are, and it fills us with shame. . . .
Jesus invites us to discover that our fear is woven into God’s own life, whose life is mysteriously woven into all the scary things that can and do happen to us as human beings together on this earth. This is liberation from fear in the midst of a fearful situation.
References:
[1] Adapted from James Finley, Thomas Merton’s Path to the Palace of Nowhere (Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 2002), CD.
Adapted from Richard Rohr, The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Disorder, Reorder (Cincinnati, OH: Franciscan Media, 2001, 2020), 32–33.
Explore Further. . .
- Listen to James Finley lead a visualization practice to help ground our fear in love on Turning to the Mystics.
- Learn more about this year’s theme Nothing Stands Alone.
- Meet the team behind the Daily Meditations.
Richard Rohr finds hope amidst terror by anchoring oneself in contemplative, loving awareness rather than reactionary fear. He teaches that divine love acts as a "womb" of safety, even while experiencing suffering, urging a shift toward radical, non-dualistic trust in God's presence
. Key insights include:- Radical Resilience: Shifting from a "fight or flight" mode to a "prophetic" stance, which critiques destructive, fear-driven systems with love.
- Woundedness & Resurrection: Embracing the idea that one can be both wounded and resurrected simultaneously, mirroring Christ, rather than needing to be perfect or unhurt.
- Contemplation in Action: Using contemplation to "safeguard" a inner space of peace, enabling action that radiates light and love rather than bitterness.
- Transcending Fear: Recognizing that while fear is a natural response to terror, it can lead to dangerous, "tunnel-visioned", and self-centered behavior.
Rohr encourages seeing the physical world as both a hiding place and a revelation of God, which helps maintain a sense of safety and meaning.
Quuestions: written by Maggie Miklancie.
1. Can you share an example of a time when you were afraid? How was it resolved?
2. Talk about your "womb of safety?"
3. Can you site an example of how someone gave you strength and courage?
What was that like for you?
link to surrender novena (thanks linda b)
7. PRAYER AND INTENTIONS
happy birthday
https://youtu.be/_z-1fTlSDF0?si=nSR23PJQWKNwG-J2
Dear Lord, I come before you this morning with an open heart and mind, ready to receive your love and grace. I confess that I often allow fear to consume me, worrying about the future and the unknown. But I know that you are with me, guiding me every step of the way.
Lord, I ask that you cast out all fear from my heart, mind, and soul. Help me to trust in your perfect love, knowing that you have a plan for my life. I surrender my fears to you and ask that you replace them with faith and hope.
As I go about my day, I ask that you be my guide and my protector. Give me the courage to face any challenges that come my way, knowing that you are with me. Help me to remember that I am never alone, and that your love surrounds me at all times.
Lord, I also pray for those who are facing difficult situations today. I ask that you give them strength and courage to overcome their fears and trust in your perfect love. May they feel your presence and know that you are with them, even in the darkest of times.
Thank you for your unconditional love and grace, which sustains me each day. Help me share that love with others and be a light in the world, casting out fear and bringing hope and peace.
I pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, who is perfect love.
Amen.
8. SONG
