I Met God Today

I don't know if this prayer is Irish in origin but a prayer for putting on a mask fits well with the traditional Irish way of being a person of faith.  It is very much in line with that older Irish way of living one's faith in God and with God. Irish people had a prayer to accompany each action of the day, trivial and profound - a prayer for setting the fire, for damping down the fire, for milking the cows, for rising, for going to bed, for baking bread, for mealtimes, for leaving the house, for returning home, and on and on. Perhaps, it's a practice to return to in earnest. God is with us. Always. Let's acknowledge His presence, seek His blessing, assistance and protection, and express our gratitude. #GodWithUs #Pray #TalkToGod image credit: Cork and Ross Pastoral Development Facebook Page 21.08.2020 Credit : Cork and Ross Pastoral Development posted this prayer on Facebook - thank you

"Do not be afraid!" When the world seems a frightening place and we feel powerless, we can still do something ... ... we can turn to Him who reassures us "do not be afraid" ...         ... and we can pray ...             ... and remember that we do not need to have the words to express what is going on ...                      ... because " the Spirit helps us in our weakness;                                             when we do not know how to pray ...                                             the Spirit intercedes for us with groans too deep for words " (Romans 8:26).                         Remember: you can t urn to Him ...                                                                     *  God is bigger than our fears                                                                   *  God's love is bigger than whatever goes on in our hearts                                                                   * God loves us insanely even when

Walking on the Lagan Towpath Distracted by so much green or rather captivated      (it is beautiful) a little girl’s voice draws me back. Up in her daddy’s arms waving at the aeroplane that has not long taken off from Belfast City Airport and is ascending into the sky. ‘Hi airplane!’ she waves, then blows a kiss into the sky. Love and beauty are not just in the green; captivating distracting beauty is not reserved to the natural world. It still resides in humans too. Sometimes it takes a very small child to remind us. Lagan Towpath, 16.08.2020

Reflection on the Gospel(s)  Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time -  Matthew 14:22-33 9 August 2020 "Jesus went up to the hill-country by himself to pray. ... he was alone there" (Matthew 14:23). "Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere ... Contemplate and share with others the fruits of contemplation" (St Thomas Aquinas, ST III, Q. 40, A. 1, Ad 2). Each of the Gospels relates incidents of Jesus' prayer. As the evangelists present their versions of Jesus' life, they each record that our Lord prays even as he ministers to those he encounters.  Often, Jesus goes to a lonely place, away from others, to pray. It happens before important decisions or before he acts, and after he has preached, taught, healed, or been with, people. At times, the crowds follow him, making solitude impossible and effectively stopping him before he can begin. At other times, Jesus is called from his prayer by the disciples. Often, the needs of others draw Jesus away from prayer. These