Hear to Heaven

An Evening Prayer: O my God, I present myself before Thee at the end of another day, to offer Thee anew the homage of my heart. I humbly adore Thee, my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Judge! I believe in Thee because Thou art Truth itself; I hope in Thee because Thou art faithful to Thy promises; I love Thee because Thou art infinitely worthy of being loved; and for Thy sake I love my neighbor as myself. Enable me, O my God, to return Thee thanks as I ought for all Thy inestimable blessings and favors. Thou hast thought of me and loved me for all eternity; Thou hast formed me out of nothing; Thou hast delivered up Thy son to the ignominious death of the Cross for my redemption; Thou hast made me a member of Thy holy Church; Thou hast preserved me from falling into the abyss of eternal misery, when my sins had provoked Thee to punish me; and Thou hast graciously continued to spare me, even though I have not ceased to offend Thee. What return, O my God, can I make for the favors of this day? O all ye saints and angels, unite with me in praising the God of mercy, who is so bountiful to so unworthy a creature.

Luke 4:24-30. Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.

Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land.

It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.

Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury.

They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.

But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Mark 9:2-10. Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/124

A meditation on the Lord’s mercy.

Our Lord gives us an example and helps us overcome temptation.

A homily about the joys of baptism.

A short reflection on Lenten resolutions. Please excuse the fireplace crackling in the background. That’s what happens when I record from the rectory on a snow day.

Lent, a time for transformation.