Christ Draws the City

Photo of snail and pieris japonica speaking the Shalom Snail couplet about Christ's healing power.
โ€œChrist Draws the Cityโ€
Mark 1:32-34 โ€œin a snailshellโ€
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2022 Gloria M. Chang

The whole city gathered at Peter’s door, drawn by Christ’s healing power that silences demons and restores shalom.

On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simonโ€™s

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Fishers of Men

Photo of snail and tulips speaking the Shalom Snail couplet about fishers of men.
โ€œFishers of Menโ€
Mark 1:16-20 โ€œin a snailshellโ€
Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2022 Gloria M. Chang

Jesus calls ordinary fishermen to become fishers of men, inviting us to say “amen” to his adventure of faith.

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: โ€œThis is the time of fulfillment.

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A Blind Beggar Glorifies God

Photo of snail and dahlia speaking the Shalom Snail couplet, "A Blind Beggar Glorifies God."
โ€œA Blind Beggar Glorifies Godโ€
A reflection on Luke 18:35-43
Monday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2022 Gloria M. Chang

What can we learn from a blind beggar who glorifies God through persistent faith amid rejection?

As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They

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The Parable of the Persistent Widow

Photo of snail and hibiscus with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "The Parable of the Persistent Widow."
โ€œThe Parable of the Persistent Widowโ€ Luke 18:1-8 โ€œin a snailshellโ€ Saturday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

What does the parable of the persistent widow reveal about perseverance in prayer?

Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He

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Signs of the Times

Photo of snail and dahlia speaking the Shalom Snail couplet, "Signs of the Times."
โ€œSigns of the Timesโ€
A reflection on Luke 12:54-56
Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

How can we discern the true signs of the times when spiritual blindness obscures the divine wonders unfolding before us?… Read the rest

True Blessedness

Photo of snail and autumn crocus with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "True Blessedness."
โ€œTrue Blessednessโ€
Luke 11:27-28 โ€œin a snailshellโ€
Saturday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

True blessedness lies in hearing and keeping Godโ€™s word, as exemplified by the Blessed Virgin Mary.

As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, โ€œBlessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!โ€ย 

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Penniless Preachers

Photo of snail and cherry blossoms speaking the Shalom Snail couplet, "Penniless Preachers."
โ€œPenniless Preachersโ€ A reflection on Luke 9:1-6 Wednesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

The Penniless Preachers, empowered by Jesus, spread the Gospel with nothing but faith, under the divine patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary.… Read the rest

Let the Children Come to Me

Photo of snail amid verbena speaking the Shalom Snail couplet.
โ€œLet the Children Come to Meโ€
Matthew 19:13-15 โ€œin a snailshellโ€
Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, โ€œLet the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.โ€

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