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  Have you ever given it much thought? Why are you here? What is the purpose of your life? Apart from living, bringing up a family, making money and so on. What is the real purpose of your life? CLICK HERE

Adoration of the Magi  (Bern) Blessed Fra Angelico [ Web Gallery of Art ] Where the Epiphany is celebrated this year on its proper date, Monday 6 January, it is a holyday of obligation. This applies in England & Wales and in Ireland. In countries where the Epiphany is not a holyday of obligation the feast is celebrated on Sunday 5 January. These countries include Philippines, Scotland and the USA. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales)   Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)   Gospel   Matthew 2:1-12   ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     I n the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’...

First off, I don't know the dog's name. Ulysses was the name I had for him. He, or maybe she, was the sort of dog I think of as a hound-dog: medium size, long legs. Bear in mind that I don't know much about dog breeds. I didn't call him Ulysses for the way he looked, but for the way he acted. That brings me to what's still one of my favorite poems: Tennyson's "Ulysses".... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Remembering a disabled dog and a poem by Tennyson.)

The Virgin and Child with the Infant St John the Baptist  Francisco de Zurbarán [ Web Gallery of Art ] In England & Wales and in Ireland the Solemnity of the Epiphany is a Holy Day of Obligation and is celebrated this year on Monday 6 January. In many countries, including Australia, Philippines, Scotland and the USA, the Epiphany is celebrated on this Sunday, 5 January.  The readings below are those for the Second Sunday After the Nativity, observed in England & Wales and in Ireland. The Link to Sunday Reflections for the Epiphany is here . Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales) Gospel   John 1:1-18  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him....

    On the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, January 1st, our celebrating priest included some insight into the beginning of the new year. He noted that while we always say "Happy" New Year, he tends to lean into the idea of hoping for "joy" in the new year. We don't know if our year will be happy, since happiness doesn't always come with discipleship (nor necessarily our human experience) but we can always have joy, because that is always found in our Lord. It can be challenging to see joy through our heartache at times. To do so requires us to develop habits that have us turning to God in gratitude-- consistently. When we focus too much on, say, our phones or social media, we can find ourselves spending hours upon hours on reels, recipes and mindless entertainment that does absolutely nothing to further our engagement with God. The further we move away from God, the more difficult it can be to experience true joy. Look closely at ...

    I was watching an interview with Ina Garten (the "Barefoot Contessa, cook & author) where she was talking about her memoir and discussing her difficult childhood. In the interview, she said something that really struck me: "What goes in early, goes in deep and you should not let somebody else's voice be the one that you're hearing in your head." As I recall, she was talking about being negatively characterized as a child (by her parent), which contributed to the development of her poor self-esteem. You have to rise above that voice and find your own, which can be difficult if the voice of chastisement keeps floating around in your head. I mention all of this as we start a new year, hoping that you can work your way through whatever baggage you have been carrying around for the past year--or years--and finally be unburdened and free to re-imagine yourself as a child of God, loved beyond limits. This kind of "life work" goes far beyon...

Adoration of the Shepherds Jacopo Bassano [ Web Gallery of Art ] Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord This is a Holyday of Obligation in the Philippines, the USA and some other countries. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 2:16-21  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    At that time: the shepherds went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had hea...

As I said Saturday, getting to Mass is a big deal for me. I stayed in all day Sunday, and probably will do the same today. That's doubly frustrating, since Sunday morning Mass is one of the two times I get out each week, and I prefer doing my weekly errands Monday afternoon.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Getting to church matters, but I missed Sunday Mass. I talk about that; mothers, making sense, and two Bible readings.)

    Have you ever felt trapped? Some people feel trapped in their life, in their work or family. Some people feel trapped by their schedules, like they are on a wheel, running in circles like a gerbil. I came across Psalm 124 on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and I read: " Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare. Broken was the snare, and we were freed. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth." Jesus, our help, whose birth we are now celebrating, did that for us.  He broke through into our humanity and freed us from being snared by sin and death. What a joyous time we are in now, as we continue to celebrate this season of Christmas. I hope you are continuing to have a Merry Christmas, and enjoying the love and freedom our Savior brings! Janet Cassidy Email me at:  jmctm2@gmail.com janetcassidy.com https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy

This week I started writing about a holiday visit from family up in North Dakota. By Friday afternoon I was looking at depression and a prayer: Good Times, Good Visit Mass in Minnesota: Freezing Fog and Celebrating Anyway Babies and Expectations Holiday Weirdness Meanwhile, at Our House Two Incidents After Mass Desolation, Dissatisfaction, Depression, and a Prayer ... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A family visit, freezing fog for Christmas, celebrating anyway. A little holiday weirdness. Depression, a prayer, and St. Ignatius of Loyola: very briefly.)

The Holy Family Heinrich Meyring [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 2:41-52  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    The parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.   And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.   And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,   but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances,   and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.   After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among...

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Adoration of the Shepherds Murillo [ Web Gallery of Art ] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it  (John 1:4). Christmas Day Gospel of Mass During the Day,   John 1:1-18 . In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   He was in the beginning with God;  all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.  He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not.  He came to his own home, and his own people ...

My father told me that a few generations back, his forebears got stuck with farmland near Lake Michigan. It wasn't a marsh, but it wasn't particularly good for growing crops, either. They found someone who'd buy the place and moved west. Again. Time passed. My father's father got hired at a construction site, working there until someone dropped a crane on him and several of his colleagues. Unintentionally.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Two more family stories: what might have happened if the family had hung on to substandard farmland near Lake Michigan, and a construction accident.)

Visitation Luca della Robbio [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales; Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 1:39-45  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,   and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.   And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,   and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!   And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?   For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.   And bl...

  Is the story of Christmas real or is it fairy tale fiction? How do you know? What makes you so sure? Read more. CLICK HERE

    I've been reading about spiritual formation. I came across a good reminder about the importance of having a healthy balance between our sins and faults, and acceptance: "Every thought you think, every emotion you let shape your behavior, every attitude you let rest in your body, every decision you make, each word you speak, every relationship you enter into . . ." (the list goes on and on), is "forming us into a particular shape." In other words, stop beating yourself up over every flaw you have, because everything is working toward forming us. When you get frustrated with yourself, it helps to remember that we are in a process where "We are being either transformed into the love and beauty of Jesus or malformed by the entropy of sin and death." (Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer) Like me, you are probably not who you want to be. Not quite yet. This is evidenced by our imitation of St. Paul, who famously said, "What I do, I do not ...

    As we finish out this second week of Advent, I want to talk about listening. By listening, we can be God's presence to others, and they to us. Let me explain. My husband and I stopped into a box store looking for a particular item. Since we had no idea where to find it, I followed the nearest employee to ask about it. As I approached her, I realized she was on a personal telephone call. She was talking exceptionally loud into the phone. As we waited, I silently indicated to her that it was all right, that we could wait. When she finished, she apologized profusely and explained that she was talking to her dad, who was becoming hard of hearing. "No problem," we told her, and then she gave us some of her personal story. As we listened, she told us that, remarkably, at the age of 70, her dad (self-taught) took up sculpting and ended up sculpting some important statues around our community. He was also famous nationwide for his intricate carving, a scrimshander...

(Moorhead State's gate, a few blocks from where I grew up. (October 2011)) My wife and I met while we were Computer Science students at MSU. I don't remember if MSU was Minnesota State University Moorhead by that time, or Moorhead State University. Either way, it was Moorhead State to me: the place where my dad worked, a block or so from my home. My wife earned a Computer Science degree, I nearly learned calculus a few times. The first time we talked was in the hallway near the Computer Science department's entrance: a square arch leading to another hallway. Someone — students, I figure — had put a banner of continuous-feed paper over the arch. It bore a motto: "ALL HOPE ABANDON, YE WHO PROGRAM". Having written a few programs in the two years I lasted there, I appreciated the sentiment.... More, at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Remembering milestones along the way my wife and I marrying: friends, a movie, pizza, and reasonable questions.)

St John the Baptist Preaching Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,) Readings   (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: England & Wales, India, Scotland)  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Luke 3:10-18  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    And the crowds asked John the Baptist, “What then shall we do?”   And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”   Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”   And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”   Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” As the people were filled with ...