A Prayer

"May I be no man's enemy, and may I be the friend of that which is eternal and abides. May I never quarrel with those nearest me: and if I do, may I be reconciled quickly. May I love, seek, and attain only that which is good. May I wish for all men's happiness and envy none. May I never rejoice in the ill-fortune of one who has wronged me. When I have done or said what is wrong, may I never wait for the rebuke of others, but always rebuke myself until I make amends. May I win no victory that harms either me or my opponent. May I reconcile friends who are angry with one another. May I never fail a friend who is in danger. When visiting those in grief may I be able by gentle and healing words to soften their pain. May I respect myself. May I always keep tame that which rages within me. May I accustom myself to be gentle, and never be angry with people because of circumstances. May I never discuss who is wicked and what wicked things he has done, but know good men and follow in their footsteps."

                                                     -The personal prayer of Eusebius, a 3rd century church father 

Wild Flowers

These are pictures of some extraordinarily ordinary flowers that I took at my house on a Saturday morning. They can't help but speak to their Maker, the Author of all Life.

"Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.


If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides."

Matthew 6:26-33

                     

Five Easy Things for a Happier Year

      Okay, we all like making lists of New Year’s Resolutions.  And most of the time--well, much of the time--we have a really hard time keeping them because they’re so difficult.  Lose 20 pounds.   Read a new book a month.  Never get drunk again.  Avoid all sodas.  Don’t eat any chocolate again.  Stand up to my boss.  Go to the gym every day.  Sometimes you feel defeated by January 2.

But how about five simple things you can do to be happier--which you really can do?  Here are five easy things you can do for a happier life next year.  And they’re a lot easier than losing 20 pounds.

1. Be a Little Kinder.  

I think that 90% of the spiritual life is being a kind person.   No need to have any advanced degrees in theology or moral reasoning, and no need to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the world’s religious traditions, to get this: Be gentler and more compassionate towards other people.  In other words, say “Thank you” and “Please.”  Ask people how they are.   Listen more carefully when they speak to you.  Don’t say snotty things about them behind their backs.  Basically, give them the benefit of the doubt.  I know that sometimes you feel like acting like a jerk—you feel justified because of the way you’re being treated—but you don’t have to.  Most of the time you have a choice: I can be a jerk or I can be kind.  Be kind.   You’ll find that you’ll be happier with yourself at the end of the day.  And, as an added benefit, everyone around you will be happier

2. Relax a Bit More.  Let’s not belabor the point: a lot of us are rushing around like lunatics these days. Overbooked.  Overscheduled.  Overworked.  Crazybusy. Exhausted. Checking our phones and iPads and blah blah blahs every five seconds.  Do you really, really, need to be checking in every few minutes? Can you set those things aside for a just a little bit?  And aren’t there just a few tasks you can let go of?   A few months ago I realized that I had completely booked myself for the next few months and started to get a little overwhelmed.  The more I thought about these supposedly fun things, the more depressed I got.  I had to ask myself: How many of these things did I really have to do?  For me the answer was about three-quarters of them.  The other quarter I could let go of.  Maybe the proportion is different for you, but looking at cutting back a bit is a good exercise.  Relaxing a little bit more can lead to more creativity, more time to think, and more time to pray.  Paradoxically, it may make you more productive.  It’ll certainly make you happier—and again, everyone around you happier because you’re not stressing everyone else out with your stress.  I’m not saying check out completely, or quit your job, or tell everyone that you’re stopping every activity you presently do.  Just relax a little more.  You’re a human being not a human doing.

3. Enjoy Nature More.  Look up at the sky.  It’s pretty amazing.  Every moment of the day. Yesterday where I was staying it was a brilliant blue.  Clear. Cloudless. Ahhhh.  Enjoy it.  How about noticing something as beautiful as the trees in your neighborhood?  Are you watching them cycle from spring green to green to red to barren?  Give yourself a few seconds to be aware of that.  If you live in a city, can you notice the wind on your face or the occasional burst of sunshine peeping through the gray buildings?  If you’re lucky enough to live by the ocean or a lake, well, I envy you!  Notice nature a little more.  It’s always changing and so it’s always a surprise.  And can you thank God for the natural things that you notice every day?  Natural beauty is, I think, happy-making for most of us; and being more grateful to God will add even more to your happiness.

4. Be a Little More Grateful.  Try this: Notice the small daily things that you tend to overlook. The stuff you take for granted or like, but don’t really consider “special.” The taste of your favorite cereal or coffee or juice in the morning.  An unexpected phone call from a friend.  Your child’s laugh or a nephew’s or niece’s giggle.  Your cat’s crazy antics.  A funny TV show.  A small house job finally finished.  Stop and savor those little things. And say thanks to God. I’m not saying that you can’t be sad or bummed out.  Life’s really tough some times.  Most times.  But I’ll bet that there are a few things in your life that make you feel lucky.  Just a few seconds a day is all it takes.  Gratitude is the gateway to the spiritual life.  Open that door today.  You’ll be a happier person once you step through.

5. Pray Just a Tiny Bit More. I’m not saying that you need to enter a monastery or take out a mortgage out on a hermitage.  But just a few more minutes a day is enough to jumpstart your spiritual life.  Think of it as a relationship.  If God is important to you, wouldn’t you want to spend some one-on-one time with God?  That’s what prayer is.   And there’s no best, or only way to pray.  Whatever works best for you—imagining yourself with God, quietly meditating on a favorite Scripture passage, or reciting an old prayer that comforts you—is what’s best for you.  Just a little bit of prayer will help you feel in closer touch with God.  And that relationship, because it connects you to the transcendent and makes you feel less alone in those tough times I mentioned, will make you happier.

There.  Those aren’t so hard are they?  Be kind.  Relax a little bit. Enjoy nature more.  Be a little more grateful. Pray just a tiny bit more.  You can do all those.  And in doing those you’ll be happier.  And have a Happy New Year.

[Courtesy of James Martin, SJ  @ The National Catholic Review]

Roasted Red Pepper Soup With Broccoli Pesto Trees

Total Time:

1 hr 30 min

Prep

30 min

Cook

1 hr 0 min

Yield:

4 servings

Level:

Easy

Ingredients

For the pesto:

• 1/4 cup blanched almonds
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
• 1 cup packed fresh basil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

For the soup:

• 3 red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 large leek (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 small russet potato, peeled and diced
• 8 slices white bread

Directions

Make the pesto: Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat, tossing, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook until bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice water to cool, then drain and pat dry. Transfer the broccoli to the food processor with the almonds; add the basil, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pulse to make a chunky paste. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil. Add the parmesan and pulse to combine. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface; set aside until ready to use.

Make the soup: Preheat the broiler. Put the bell peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning, until charred, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside 5 minutes. Peel the peppers with your fingers under running water; discard the stems and seeds. Roughly chop the peppers.

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, leek and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the thyme and roasted red peppers. Push the vegetables to one side of the pot; add the tomato paste to the other side and cook, stirring, 2 minutes, then stir into the vegetables. Increase the heat to high; add the chicken broth and 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Add the potato and simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender in batches; keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the bread into tree shapes using a cookie cutter. Transfer to a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp, about 6 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls. Spread the pesto on the toast and float in the soup. Serve immediately.

Photograph by Lisa Shin

Courtesy: www.foodnetwork.com

Forks Over Knives

I believe every individual would benefit from watching this documentary. Knowledge is power. 

(My dad would add... "Application of knowledge is power.") Touche.

         

Cheap grace vs. costly grace

"Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves...the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance...grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."
                                                                                        -Dieterich Bonhoeffer, German priest/martyr

Comfort for Those Who Mourn

So many people imagine that death cruelly separates us from our loved ones. Even pious people are led to believe this great and sad mistake. When our loved ones die, they do not leave us. They remain. They do not go to some dark and distant place. They simply begin their eternity. We do not see them because we are still in the darkness of the world. But their spiritual eyes, filled with the light of heaven, are always watching us as they wait for the day when we shall share their perfect joy. We are all born for heaven and one by one we end this life of tears to begin our life in endless happiness.

I have often reflected upon this beautiful truth and found it the greatest and surest comfort in time of mourning. A firm faith in the real and continual presence of our loved ones has brought the conviction and consolation that death has not destroyed them, nor carried them away. Rather it has given them life! A life with power to know fully and to love perfectly. With this new life and new power our loved ones are always present to us, knowing and loving us more than ever before.

The tears that dampen our eyes in times of mourning are tears of homesickness, tears of longing for our loved ones. But is is we who are away from home, not they. Death has been for them a doorway to an eternal home. And only because this heavenly home is invisible to our worldly eyes, we cannot see them so near us. Yet, they are with us, lovingly and tenderly waiting for the day when we, too, will enter the doorway of our eternal home. No, death is not a separation. It is a preparation for eternal union with those we love, in the peace and joy of heaven.

-Unknown Author