Isaiah 61, Day 2

“Isaiah 61, Day 2”
Isaiah 61:3b
©️2020 by Gloria M. Chang

To comfort all who mourn;
to place on those who mourn in Zion
a diadem instead of ashes,
To give them oil of gladness instead of mourning,
a glorious mantle instead of a faint spirit.

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Serving From a Full Heart

“Serving From a Full Heart”
A reflection on Luke 17:7-10
Tuesday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
©️2022 by Gloria M. Chang

“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would

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That They May Be One

Byzantine icon, The Mystical Supper

John 17:11b-19

“Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.”

What’s in a name? In the Old Testament, names stood for the character and mission of a person, as when Abram became Abraham, or Jacob became Israel.… Read the rest

“All mine are thine, and thine are mine”

7th Week of Easter, Tuesday

John 17:1-11a

“…everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.”

Contemplation of divine truths requires deep silence and listening. One does not come before these mysteries expecting to “settle” conundrums or untie knots once and for all.… Read the rest

“I am not alone”

7th Week of Easter, Monday

John 16:29-33

After two thousand years, we are still grappling with the depths of Jesus’ words at the Last Supper. Yet after only a few minutes, the disciples come forth with the glib response, “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.… Read the rest

Who is the Father?

Greek icon, The Mystical Supper

7th Week of Easter, Sunday

John 17:1-11a

“Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.”

The word “glory” rings several times in this passage, evoking an unfamiliar and unworldly milieu.… Read the rest

Mysteries Too Deep

Icon of the Trinity by Andrei Rublev

6th Week of Easter, Saturday

John 16:23-28

“On that day” of rejoicing, Jesus says, “you will not question me about anything.” But on this day, “whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”… Read the rest

Your Hearts will Rejoice

6th Week of Easter, Friday

John 16:20-23

Gaze upon a flower for one minute and observe its movement. It appears to be still, but it is constantly changing, growing or fading. The wind blows and it sways. Light and shadows flicker continuously so that it appears in a slightly different shade every second.… Read the rest

One Day at a Time

6th Week of Easter, Wednesday

John 16:12-15

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”

With the coming of the Messiah, Israel has been stretched far beyond its comfort zone. What words can express the mystery of God’s hidden, inner communion now being manifested to the chosen people? … Read the rest