Etsy Finds

Just as I was cutting down on my ebay shopping, I discovered a new place to spend money. Etsy is an online market place for handmade objects. A few of my favorite finds are

European polaroid artwork from StarryBlueSky,

handmade pottery from Sunrise Mountain,

journals from GraphicWorks and MayDayStudio,

purses from MeanBean Bags,

a lily-of-the-valley necklace from Roundabout,

and a leather cuff for my husband from ArtisanGraham.

Thursday: Third Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Readings: Hebrews 10:19-25, Psalm 24:1-6, Mark 4:21-25

Highlights:
Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in His holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure hears,
who has not set his mind on what is false,
and who has not sworn deceitfully. (Psa. 24:3-4)

...We have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus. (Heb. 10:19)

...Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn't it to be put on a lampstand? (Mark 4:21)

Lord God, I approach You not because of any merit of my own, but only through the blood of Your Son. Remind me that I am welcome to come, with no need for timidity. Give me boldness to shine Your light to the world around me.

Wednesday: Third Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Readings: Heb. 10:11-17, Psalm 110:1-4, Mark 4:1-20

Highlights:

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after He had said: "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws on their hearts, and I will write them on their minds," He adds: "I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts." (Heb. 10:14-17)

"Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow..." (Mark 4:3)

Lord, thank You for the reminders of Your sacrifice in the readings this week. Thank You for Your forgiveness when the "soil" of my heart is not as responsive to Your plantings as it should be.

Precious New Birth

I've been reading about St. Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus, and thinking about conversions in general. Some people (like Paul) met God in such a spectacular way, and others (like me) met Him in rather ordinary circumstances. I wondered why we don't all get the bright light and the voice from the sky.

Today I was talking to a pregnant mom, and of course the conversation turned to birth, and I shared with her a few details about one of my children's births. On the way home I thought about how precious birth stories are to women--whether the story includes a dramatic intervention at a hospital or woman's own quiet bedroom. The moment your child enters the world is unforgettable.

The Lord must see it that way too. Whether we are "born again" with bright lights or a whispered prayer, He loves and treasures each of us. Perhaps our earthly definition of "dramatic" is different from His.

Psalm 116:15 tells us that the death of a saint is "precious in the sight of the Lord". I'm guessing the new birth of a saint is just as special to Him.

Tuesday: Third Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Hebrews 10:1-10, Psalm 40:2-11, Mark 3:31-35

Highlights:
Then He says, "Behold, I come to do your will." He takes away the first to establish the second. By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:9-10)

Your justice I kept not hid within my heart; Your faithfulness and Your salvation I have spoken of;I have made no secret of Your kindness and Your truth in the vast assembly.

“Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35)

Jesus, my Savior, I praise You that You offered Yourself for me...You adopted me into Your family! Enable me to proclaim Your kindness and Your truth.

Finding Today's Readings

I use this link:
http://www.usccb.org/nab/

You can read today's Gospel reading at sacredspace.ie, along with prayer suggestions.

Read about today's saint here: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture//liturgicalyear/calendar/year.cfm?y=2008&m=5

The Daily Office is here: http://www.universalis.com/Europe.Ireland/0/readings.htm, with prayers and a longer list of daily readings. I read the Irish schedule, but there are many oter schedules available.

If you follow a liturgical reading plan online, please leave me a comment with a link to your reading schedule.

Saturday: Second Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Readings: Heb 9:2-14, Psalms 47:2-9, Mark 3:20-21, or John 15:9-17

Highlights:

...the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God... (Hebrews 9:14)

As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. (John 15:9)
You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:14)

For the Lord Most High is awe-inspiring, a great King over all the earth. (Psa. 47:2)

Lord, You are awe-inspiring. You, the great King, offered Yourself as a sacrifice and in Your great love You speak of me as Your friend.

Friday: Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Hebrews 8:6-13, Psalms 85:8-14, Mark 3:13-19

Highlights:

..He is the mediator of a better covenant... (Heb. 8:6)

For I will be merciful to their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins.
(Heb. 8:12)

I will listen to what God will say;
surely the Lord will declare peace to His people, His godly ones,
and not let them go back to foolish ways.
His salvation is very near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land. (Psa. 85:8-9)

He went up the mountain and summoned those He wanted, and they came to Him. (Mark 3:13)

Gracious forgiving Lord, help me to discern Your voice and to obey Your summons.

Thursday: Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Heb. 7:25-8:6; Psa. 40:7-17; Mark 3:7-12

Highlights:

Therefore He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. (Heb. 7:25)

The great multitude came to him because they heard about everything He was doing. (Mark 3:8)

I delight to do Your will, my God; Your instruction resides within me.
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly... (Psa. 40:8-9)

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation continually say, "The Lord is great!" (Psa. 40:16)

You, Lord, are able to save. With gratitude I delight to do Your will, proclaiming Your word and Your works.

Wednesday: Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Heb. 7:1-3, 15-17; Psa. 110:1-4; Mark 3:1-6

Highlights:
...[Melchizedek's] name means "king of righteousness,"
then also, "king of Salem," meaning "king of peace";
without father, mother, or genealogy,
having neither beginning of days nor end of life,
but resembling the Son of God—
remains a priest forever. (Heb. 7:2-3)

Another priest like Melchizedek arises, who doesn't become a [priest] based on a legal command concerning physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. (Heb. 7:15-16)

The LORD will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion. Rule over Your surrounding enemies. (Psa. 110:2)

Now He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a paralyze hand. In order to accuse Him, they were watching Him closely to see whether He would heal him on the Sabbath. He told the man with the paralyzed hand, "Stand before us." Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. After looking around at them with anger and sorrow at the hardness of their hearts, He told the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. (Mark 3:1-5)

I praise You, Lord Jesus, King and Priest of indestructible life! You reign is constant and unchanging. Keep my heart soft and teachable.

Tuesday: Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Heb 6:10-20; Psa 111:1-10; Mark 2:23-38

Highlights:

Brothers and sisters:
God is not unjust so as to overlook your work
and the love you have demonstrated for His name...

...so that by two immutable things,
in which it was impossible for God to lie,
we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged
to hold fast to the hope that lies before us.
This we have as an anchor of the soul...

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.


He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will forever be mindful of his covenant.


He has sent deliverance to His people;
He has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is His name.
His praise endures forever.



...Then He said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”


The law had served its purpose and now the Lord was ushering in a new era, a new covenant.
He “sent deliverance to his people” and in gratitude we serve, not to follow a long list of laws, but to show him our love. He will not “overlook” our service to him, but will reward us for holding fast to him—our hope, our anchor.

In our era of change and uncertainty, it is reassuring to remember that the Lord will forever be mindful of His covenant.

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Heb 5:1-10; Mark 2:18-22; Psa. 110:3-4

Highlights:

...In the same way,
it was not Christ who glorified Himself in becoming high priest,
but rather the One who said to him:
You are my Son:
this day I have begotten you;

...He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool.”
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
“Rule in the midst of your enemies.”...

Jesus answered them,
“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast on that day.
No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.
If he does, its fullness pulls away,
the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,
and both the wine and the skins are ruined.
Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

Together these readings tell me that God has brought us something new. A new High Priest—a priest forever!--a Bridegroom, and new life. Lord, keep me focused on You, not wrapping my new life in the trappings of the old.