Joseph’s Dream

Photo of snail and rose with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "Joseph's Dream."
โ€œJosephโ€™s Dreamโ€
A reflection on Matthew 1:18-24
Third Sunday of Advent (Year A)
ยฉ๏ธ2022 Gloria M. Chang

In Joseph’s Dream, divine mercy transformed a righteous man’s sorrow into joyful guardianship of the Savior.

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.

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Yeshua at the Jordan River

Photo of snail and plant by a waterfall speaking the Shalom Snail couplet, "Yeshua at the Jordan River."
โ€œYeshua at the Jordan Riverโ€
A reflection on Matthew 3:1-12
Second Sunday of Advent (Year A)
ยฉ๏ธ2022 Gloria M. Chang

Yeshua at the Jordan River: where Joshua, Elijah, and the Bridegroom converge to fulfill every ancient promise.

In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, โ€œRepent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!โ€ It

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The Path to Peace

Photo of wild grass and an echinacea purpurea with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "The Path to Peace."

โ€œThe Path to Peaceโ€
A reflection on Luke 21:20-28
Thursday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2025 Gloria M. Chang

The path to peace leads to final restoration (shalom)โ€”yet it is only reached through millennia of personal, communal, and cosmic growing pains in Godโ€™s unfolding creation.… Read the rest

Pennies for Paradise

Photo of snail and mums with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "Pennies for Paradise."
โ€œPennies for Paradiseโ€
A reflection on Luke 21:1-4
Monday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2024 Gloria M. Chang

With humble “pennies for paradise,” a widow’s faith ignites the eternal treasury of heaven’s boundless grace.

When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.

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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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Prayer for Jerusalem

Photo of snail and rose speaking the Shalom Snail couplet, "Prayer for Jerusalem."
โ€œPrayer for Jerusalemโ€
A reflection on Ezekiel 37:11-14 and Luke 19:41-44
Thursday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2023 Gloria M. Chang

In our collective journey to wholeness, may our Prayer for Jerusalem breathe life into dry bones and fulfill Godโ€™s promise of restoration.… Read the rest

Beyond Consanguinity

Photo of snail and rose with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "Beyond Consanguinity."
โ€œBeyond Consanguinityโ€
A reflection on Luke 14:25-26
Wednesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2021 Gloria M. Chang

What does it mean to love beyond consanguinity and place Christ above all earthly ties?

Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them, โ€œIf any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

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Israel’s Universal Banquet

Photo of snail and wild flowers with text overlay of the Shalom Snail couplet, "Israel's Universal Banquet."
โ€œIsraelโ€™s Universal Banquetโ€
A reflection on Luke 14:15-24
Tuesday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2024 Gloria M. Chang

How does Israel’s universal banquet invite everyone to God’s table of grace?

One of those at table with Jesus said to him, โ€œBlessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God.โ€

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The Love of a Mother Hen

Photo of snail and zinnia speaking the Shalom Snail couplet, "The Love of a Mother Hen."
โ€œThe Love of a Mother Henโ€
Luke 13:34 and Matthew 23:37 โ€œin a snailshellโ€
Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
ยฉ๏ธ2022 Gloria M. Chang

How does the love of a mother hen reflect Jesusโ€™ yearning to gather and protect his beloved people?… Read the rest