Lord, teach me. . . .

  A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination. –Nelson Mandela   God, grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, which is pretty much everyone, since I’m clearly not you, God. At least not the last time I checked.   And while you’re at it, God, please give me the courage to change what I need to change about myself, which is frankly a lot, since, once again, I’m not you, which means I’m not perfect. It’s better for me to focus on changing myself than to worry about changing other people, who, as you’ll no doubt remember me saying, I can’t change anyway.   Finally, give me the wisdom to just shut up whenever I think that I’m clearly smarter than everyone else in the room, that no one knows what they’re talking about except me, or that I alone have all the answers. Basically, God, grant me the wisdom to remember that I’m not you. Amen.   (“A New Serenity Prayer,” from James Martin, SJ, via Th...

  “Where now, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Grave, is your sting?”—1 Corinthians 15 (C) Shawn Costello   This week, we pause to reflect on the past year. Allow the scarred hands of Jesus to touch and heal your tired, wounded heart.  Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Monday  In this painting, where are your eyes drawn? To the lamb? To the Savior? Rest.  Psalm 133 Tuesday  There is a lot of discussion about what Jesus  really  looked like. When you imagine Jesus, what do you see? Consider journaling, and rest.  1 John 1:1-5 Wednesday  Is there someone with whom you could talk about this painting? Reflect together on the power of art in our faith lives. Rest.  1 John 1:6-10 Thursday  Remember when Jesus said, “Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God, that which is God’s”? What does that mean to you? Rest.  1 John 2:1-2 Friday  If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where wou...

  It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time. –David Allan Coe   In Scripture, Jesus refers to himself as both the keystone and the cornerstone . Ever stop to think about what each of these words means? The keystone is the wedge-shaped stone inserted at the very top of an arch. It literally allows the entire arch to stand and not collapse; it takes the tension from all sides. The cornerstone , on the other hand, is fixed at the base of a building. It is typically one of the first stones laid; the entire building is constructed around and rests upon the cornerstone. Where is Jesus in your faith construction? Do you lift Jesus to a position of prominence in your faith walk, even when the pressure and tension are oppressive? Do you lean on Jesus to keep yourself together? Or do you see Jesus as the firm foundation, the solid rock of your faith? Do you ground yourself in God’s Wor...