From Abel to Zechariah

Photo of a snail and purple coneflowers with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "From Abel to Zechariah."
โ€œFrom Abel to Zechariahโ€
Luke 11:47-54 โ€œin a snailshellโ€
Thursday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

How does the blood of Abel to Zechariah lead us back to God to accept the redemption offered by Christ?… Read the rest

Christ’s Conquest of Death

Christ's Conquest of Death, Shalom Snail
โ€œChristโ€™s Conquest of Deathโ€
A reflection on 1 Corinthians 15:54-58
Sunday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (Year C)
ยฉ2022 Gloria M. Chang

Brothers and sisters:
When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about:

Death is swallowed up in victory.

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Life from a Grain

โ€œLife from a Grainโ€
A reflection on John 12:20-33
Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B)
ยฉ๏ธ2024 Gloria M. Chang

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, โ€œSir, we would like to see Jesus.โ€

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A Grain of Wheat

โ€œA Grain of Wheatโ€
John 12:24 (RSV)
Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B)
ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,ย 
it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

John 12:24
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Glowing Amethysts

โ€œGlowing Amethystsโ€
ยฉ๏ธ2022 by Gloria M. Chang

Glowing amethysts
Arise from dark, frosty soilโ€”
Jewels of the King.


Royal crocuses lead the procession of spring blooms, heralding the death and resurrection of the King of Kings. … Read the rest

Asleep in the Garden

Creation of Eve. Byzantine mosaic in Monreale, 12th century.

5th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday (Year I)

Genesis 2:18-25; Psalm 128

The creation story of cosmic and human origins in Genesis is shrouded in mystery, enigma, and impenetrable conundrums. The first chapter poetically captures the goodness, beauty and delight taken by the Creator God in the heavens and the earth, culminating in his โ€œrestโ€ (shabath) on the seventh day as in a temple.… Read the rest

Now and at the Hour of our Death

Panel 1: Andreas Pavias, The Crucifixion, detail, 15th century (National Gallery of Athens) 
Panel 2: Andreas Pavias, The Crucifixion 
Panel 3: Andreas Pavias, The Crucifixion, detail
Panel 4: Russian Icon of the Crucifixion, late 16th century (State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg)

32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday (Year II)

Luke 17:26-37

โ€œWhere the body is, there also the vultures will gatherโ€ (Luke 17:37).… Read the rest