No Marriage in Heaven?

Photo of three roses facing the sun with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "No Marriage in Heaven?"
โ€œNo Marriage in Heaven?โ€
A reflection on Luke 20:27-36
Saturday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2024 Gloria M. Chang

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him, saying, โ€œTeacher, Moses wrote for us, โ€˜If someoneโ€™s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.โ€™

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The Woman and the Dragon

Photo of snail on dahlia with the Shalom Snail couplet printed beneath.
โ€œThe Woman and the Dragonโ€
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

Godโ€™s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. 

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

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Glory to God in the Highest

โ€œGlory to God in the Highestโ€
Luke 2:14 Liturgy of the Hours, Christmas, Benedictus antiphon
ยฉ๏ธ2020 Gloria M. Chang

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.

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Christ the Lord is Born Today

โ€œChrist the Lord is born todayโ€
Luke 2:8-14 โ€œin a snailshellโ€
ยฉ๏ธ2021 by Gloria M. Chang

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.

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Two Angels and a Sword

Tuesday within the Octave of Easter

John 20:11-18 

โ€œWoman, why are you weeping?โ€

Two angels and the Lord Jesus Christ asked the same question in a garden. The scene recalls the first garden at the moment of exile: two angels, a fiery revolving sword guarding the way to the tree of life, and a weeping Eve (Genesis 3:24).… Read the rest

God from God, Light from Light

Christ in Glory (mandorla)

Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time (Year I)

Hebrews 1:1-6; Psalm 97

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word.

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Before the Angels of God

Russian icon of St. Stephen

28th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday (Year II)

Luke 12:8-12 

Jesus said to his disciples:ย โ€œI tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.โ€

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Angels of Christ and His Body

St. Michael, St. Raphael, and St. Gabriel

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Revelation 12:7-12a; Psalm 138

As I watched:
Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow, and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire.Read the rest