Pause+Pray

My mother lost two girls and rarely talked about them. Yet on her deathbed she said, “I’m going to see my girls.” Even in silence, they were always with her. So it is for many women.

It's said that the only constant in life is change. Sometimes that change can be easy and exciting. Other times it can be difficult and painful.

Lent is a time to reboot our spiritual life. Jesus offers us a trinity of ancient practices—prayer, fasting, almsgiving—that not only do that but also strengthen the three important relationships in our lives.

“They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served” (Jn 12:2a). I had always sort of assumed that Martha learned a lesson about letting go of housework after her complaint to Jesus about Mary not helping out (Lk 10:38-42).

God asks us to return to him with our whole heart, whole mind, and whole soul. He asks us to return to him with fasting, mourning, and weeping. It is in the challenges that God is most present.

Sometimes, a person might seem to want to ask what the ashes on your forehead mean, but are too shy or don’t want to offend you by asking.