What Child is This? Tuesday, Dec 20 2022 

Culture and Everyday Life and Faith and Family and Holiday , , , , Mary K. Doyle 9:50 am

Do you know this baby’s name? Most of you will recognize this ornament as a representation of Jesus, even though it’s unlikely that Jesus looked like this. (Jesus was of Middle Eastern descent and hid with his family in the African country of Egypt. He was probably darker complected with dark hair and had Middle Eastern features.)

Amazingly, we only require a hint to grasp the meaning of an image. And we have many that represent Jesus and Christianity. A star in the sky reminds us of the star of Bethlehem that led shepherds and kings to the newborn Christ child, the anointed one. See a cross and we contemplate the great sacrifice–Jesus’ offering of himself for our eternal salvation. Spot a simple fish symbol on a bumper sticker, and we know that driver is probably a believer in Jesus and professes to walk the talk of Christianity.  

In this season of hope, we have so many generally recognizable symbols in addition to those that are faith based. From evergreen trees, especially those in the spruce family, that trigger our thoughts to Christmas trees to reindeer reminding us of Santa’s sleigh, holiday cheer is everywhere.

May our holidays be rich in meaningful symbols, loving memories of the people who cared and supported us to this point, and enjoyable moments of sharing, giving, and humbly receiving. And may we all know peace in 2023.

***The holidays add extra burdens in managing loved ones with dementia. Reach out to your caregiver friends and relatives with an extra hug, note or text, or a plate of healthy food this season. They need more than you’ll ever realize. For more ways to help, see my books, Inspired Caregiving, Navigating Alzheimer’s, and The Alzheimer’s Spouse.

If you’ve read any of my books, I’d be honored if you wrote a short review on Amazon.

 

Do You Want Peace? Thursday, May 12 2022 

Culture and Everyday Life and Faith and Family and History and Leadership and Peace and Perspective , , , , Mary K. Doyle 7:05 pm

If you had the power to bring peace and justice to absolutely everywhere in the world, would you use that power? Would you at least make an attempt to promote peace?

Well, you do have such power, and it isn’t very complicated. More than 100 years ago, the Virgin Mary gave us a peace plan that she promised would work. And she provided clear instructions for us to follow.

Over the course of six months from May 13 to October 13, 1917, Mary appeared to three shepherd children, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta in Fatima, Portugal. The plan is simple but does take some effort on our part. Basically, it is to build a relationship with Mary’s son, Jesus. If Jesus is our first thought before we act, we would be kinder, gentler, and loving. The more of us who do this, the more peaceful our world becomes.

One way in which to grow closer to Jesus is to pray the rosary daily. Throughout the rosary, we meditate on the life, works, and death of Christ. The repetition of prayers is calming, which allows us to think clearly. We end feeling more relaxed and positive.

Mary warned that if we did not strive for peace, an already greedy, angry, and selfish world would become worse. At that time, World War I was in progress. Undoubtedly, we did not heed the warning. We know that a greater war did in fact occur, and we have continued with conflicts ever since then.

At the time of the apparitions, Lucia was 10 years old, Francisco was 9, and Jacinta was 7. The Fatima children were quite young yet followed Mary’s instructions to the very best of their abilities. If they could do it, so can we.

For more information on Mary’s peace plan, see my booklet, Fatima Today, available for only 99 cents from ACTA Publications. To learn how to pray the rosary or understand it better, see my book, The Rosary Prayer by Prayer.

 

Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem Tuesday, Mar 15 2022 

Bible and Everyday Life and Faith and History and Travel , , , , , Mary K. Doyle 1:07 pm

While pilgrimaging in Israel and Italy in 2019, I followed the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, a processional route symbolizing the actual path Jesus walked to Calvary. Catholic churches typically display images of this path around the church so parishioners may walk and pray while meditating on Jesus’ Passion. I’ve walked this many times in churches, and it’s always meaningful. However, it’s nothing like walking the actual path in Jerusalem.

Following are photos from my pilgrimage in regard to the Stations of the Cross. When looking at the tree with thorns, notice how long those terrifying spikes are and remember that they were formed into a wreath and pressed into Jesus’ skull.

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We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

  1. Jesus is Condemned to Death
(Site Where Jesus Was Condemned to Death. Jerusalem)
(Thorns as Used in Jesus’ Crown, Jerusalem)

2. Jesus Carries His Cross

(Via Dolorosa. The Path Jesus Walked to His Crucifixion)

3. Jesus Falls the First Time.

(Location Where Jesus Fell the First Time. Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem)

4. Jesus Meets his Mother Mary

(Location of the Fourth Station of the Cross, Where Jesus Met His Mother. Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem)

5. Simon Helps Jesus

(Site Where Simon Helped Jesus Carry His Cross. Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem)

6. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

(A Woman Wiped Jesus’ Blood and Sweat from His Face. Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem)

7. Jesus Falls the Second Time

(Jesus Fell a Second Time on This Site. Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem)

8. Jesus Comforts the Women of Jerusalem

(Jesus Comforted the Women on His Way to the Cross. Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem)

9. Jesus Falls the Third Time

(Jesus Fell Three Times. Image in the Church of Condemnation. Jerusalem)

10. Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

(Before Jesus Was Crucified, He Was Stripped of His Garments. Jerusalem)

11. Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

(Jesus Was Nailed to a Cross. Jerusalem)

12. Jesus Dies on the Cross

(Alter Over Site of Jesus’ Crucifixion. Jerusalem)

13. Jesus is Taken Down form the Cross

(Pieta, Vatican, Italy)

14. Jesus is Buried

(Stone of Anointing Where Jesus’ Body Was Prepared for Burial. Jerusalem)

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Meditate on Christ’s Passion with the book, The Rosary Prayer by Prayer, available from Amazon and ACTA Publications.

 

We Are the Light in 2022 Wednesday, Dec 29 2021 

Bible and Everyday Life and Faith and Nature and Science , , , , Mary K. Doyle 4:16 pm

We glow. Yes, we are radiant. Science says that all living things, including humans, absorb, reflect, and transmit light.

Albeit, that glow is faint. We’re not going to light up a moonless night simply by walking down the street. Our radiance cannot be detected by the human eye. In fact, it’s a thousand time less intense than what we are capable of seeing. However, this doesn’t mean that our light is insignificant as this emission is similar in hertz to that of cell phone systems.

Due to chemical reactions, our bodies release energy, produce heat, and emit small numbers of photons, which are particles of light. Our body glow intensity varies throughout the day. The lowest point is thought to occur around 10 a.m. and peak around 4 p.m. The fluctuation is likely linked to our metabolic rhythm.

Most of the light emission occurs around the face because that is where we absorb the most. When we are unwell, the strength and pattern of waves alter.

Christian Scriptures say that Jesus is the light, and we may obtain light by following him. “Again, Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light’” (John 8:12).

We follow Jesus by spreading love and being loving, because God is love. Acts of love, kindness, justice, and peace can be performed in small ways. Sharing our resources, being grateful for what we have, seeking justice and equality for everyone, treating others as we hope to be treated, checking on the lonely, mentoring co-workers, seeking to understand others with differing ideas, and offering hope to those who are struggling are some things we may do for the people we encounter each day.

No one can deny that we need peace, justice, and love in our world, which all are intertwined. Striving toward that goal is key to a happier, more peaceful 2022.

*Photo: Maui, 2005

You can see my website here.

 

SEASON OF HOPE AND PEACE Wednesday, Dec 22 2021 

Bible and Books and Everyday Life and Faith , , , , Mary K. Doyle 9:35 am

It may not be obvious in the midst of this ongoing pandemic, political differences, and environmental turbulence, but the hope of Christmas truly is ours. We can maintain hope for peace and happiness in this world.

The angel declared this message to the shepherds in the field. The angels said, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

That Good News was, and is, Jesus and the gift of salvation. And did you notice that the angels said that gift is given to all people? Every one of us is a beneficiary of God’s goodness, no matter our profession, financial status, age, ethnicity, gender, or social status.

Jesus is always with us, and good things are in our lives, if not today, in the near future. God never turns away from us. The key is for us not to turn away from God.

*Photo: Paintings in the Chapel of the Angels, Israel

*We meditate on the incarnation of Jesus throughout the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. You can contemplate these mysteries and pray the rosary easily with the book, The Rosary Prayer by Prayer.

 

Agony in the Garden Wednesday, Mar 4 2020 

Books and Everyday Life and Faith and Family , , Mary K. Doyle 7:16 pm

If you didn’t know the significance of the 13,000 square foot space, you’d see it as a peaceful, little garden dotted with olive trees. However, it is so much more meaningful than that. Overlooking the Garden of Gethsemane last October, the site stirred intense emotions within me. I longed to cross the ornate iron fence that secured it and actually walk on that ground to ponder more fully.

The Garden of Gethsemane is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, just above the Kidron Valley, in Jerusalem. Gethsemane comes from the Aramaic word gath semanim meaning “oil press.” The site is considered sacred as it is where Jesus often met his disciples (John 18:2, Luke 22:39) and the area in which he prayed prior to his arrest and crucifixion (See Mark 14:32-50 and Matthew 26:36-56). The Eastern Orthodox Church also recognizes the garden as the location where the Virgin Mary was buried and assumed into heaven after her dormition on Mount Zion.

Gethsemane is adjacent to the Church of All Nations which enshrines what is said to be the exact section of the bedrock from the garden where Jesus prayed. The church was built on the site of two ancient churches, one which was destroyed by an earthquake in 746 and a 12th century chapel built by the Crusaders that was abandoned in 1345.

On his last night in the garden, Jesus admittedly was concerned. He told Peter, James, and John that he was deeply grieved even to death and asked them to stay awake while he prayed. In fact, Jesus asked them three times. Each time, Jesus returned to find his friends asleep.

We can condem Peter, James, and John for their failure to oblige Jesus’s request, but hanging over that iron fence of the Garden of Gethsemane, I had to ask myself, “Am I awake with Jesus?”

***

Pray the first Sorrowful Mystery, The Agony in the Garden, with my book, The Rosary Prayer by Prayer.

***

Upcoming Presentations:

3/17/20 –”From Home to Managed Care,” Arden Courts of Avon, CT
3/18/20 –”From Home to Managed Care,” Arden Courts of Farmington, CT
3/26/20 –”Navigating Alzheimer’s,” Arden Courts of Geneva, IL
4/2/20  – “Navigating Alzheimer’s” Inter-Faith Chapel, Silver Springs,MD

4/8/20 –  “Navigating Alzheimer’s,” Aspired Living of Prospect Heights, IL

 

More than Just a Movie Wednesday, Apr 9 2014 

Everyday Life and Perspective and Product Review , , Mary K. Doyle 8:41 am

Have you seen the movie, Son of God? Some say it is a bit sappy, but I loved it. It is full of hope and joy. Jesus’ words that we know well from Scripture continue to echo in my head since seeing this movie.

You can’t help notice how good-looking and cool actor Diogo Morgado is as Jesus. Some call him “Hot Jesus.” And we don’t really know. Maybe the real Jesus was hot. He certainly was charismatic. He drew crowds everywhere and held their attention. Maybe people were initially drawn to his looks.

There’s no doubt that Jesus really did live, was brutally tortured, crucified, died, and rose from the dead. Those are historical facts. So I encourage all of you, even non-Christians and non-practicing Christians, to see the movie. It’s only 138 minutes of your time, and I really think it will offer you  a lot to think about.

©2014, Mary K. Doyle

 

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