Friday after Ash Wednesday Isaiah really packs a punch in the first reading for today. I could spend an entire Lent with his words. He says, “would that today you might fast so as to make your voice heard on high! This…is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs ofContinue reading “Lent 2023 First Reading”
Author Archives: Deanna
Lent 2023 First Reading
Day 2, Thursday after Ash Wednesday Today’s reading is taken from the book of Deuteronomy. According to the Catholic Study Bible, Moses is speaking to his people on the eve of his death. These are some of his final words. Moses tells the Israelite community they have a choice to make, and that choice willContinue reading “Lent 2023 First Reading”
Lent 2023 First Reading
Lent is here! Already! And I am not ready, again. But here we are, it is Ash Wednesday, and ready or not, let’s dive in… This Lenten season I am going to strive to reflect on the first reading of the day from the missal. I have no formal training and no pedigree behind myContinue reading “Lent 2023 First Reading”
Advent 2022 December 24th
An angel graces our ornament for today, Christmas Eve. How appropriate it is that we hang an image of this heavenly being on the Advent tree. Zimmerman uses Luke 2: 9-11, “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angelContinue reading “Advent 2022 December 24th”
Advent 2022 Day 27
Today’s ornament is the Chi Rho. It is the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ. Zimmerman reflects with the children on names, their own names given by their parents, and the name Christian, given by their baptism. She says that our names stay with us always, they identify who we are. “Christian,Continue reading “Advent 2022 Day 27”
Advent 2022 Day 26
Today the picture on the ornament is a penny. Zimmerman reflects with the children about money. She says, “Money, by itself, is not good or bad. It’s what people do — or don’t do — with their money that is good or bad,” depending on the choices they make. I think it is interesting toContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 26”
Advent 2022 Day 25
Today the ornament is a picture of a ring. Zimmerman uses the very familiar reading from 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7,13, “Love is patient, love is kind, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs…” These are the verses that many married couples choose to have proclaimed at theirContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 25”
Advent 2022 Day 24
Ashes are the picture on the ornament for today. Zimmerman uses Genesis 3:19 to reflect. “By the sweat of your brow will you eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” At first glance it feels like thisContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 24”
Advent 2022 Day 23
The ornament today is a picture of wafers and grapes. Zimmerman speaks about the Last Supper and tells how Jesus took the bread and wine at that meal and blessed it. He then asked that every time his followers gathered together, they should, “do this in remembrance of me.” For Catholics, this blessing of theContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 23”
Advent 2022 Day 22
A palm branch is the picture on the ornament for today. Zimmerman inserts the story of Palm Sunday into her reflection narrative. When I am surrounded by my crèche sets, Christmas lights, and our newly decorated Christmas tree, it is jarring to recall where this story ends up. The little baby, whose birth we areContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 22”
The Last Lap (and what comes next) 