First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10 On that day, A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, But he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. On that day, The root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, The Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 R. (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; He shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. May he rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. He shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. May his name be blessed forever; as long as the sun his name shall remain. In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations shall proclaim his happiness. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever. Gospel: Luke 10:21-24 Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” NAB This afternoon my daughter was circling the neighborhood trying to sell jelly beans for a school fundraiser. Her route ended when a man told her he didn't believe she was being truthful, accusing her of faking her school fundraiser for her own benefit. She walked back up the road with me in tears, feeling ashamed and ugly. In her little Catholic school jumper and white polo shirt, selling jelly beans. Isn't that picture so wrong? It does help me to glimpse, for a moment, the way our Father sees us when earthly justice fails. My heart broke for her, for the lack of charity this stranger showed her. And putting myself in the position of the accuser, what does a distorted view of God look like compared to one that is true? That man at the door wasn't seeking to know this little girl, he was only willing to cast her as whatever he assumed her to be. No questions, no insights, no evidence, no sight. Blessed are the eyes that see . . . says today's Gospel reading. Our faith reminds us that we encounter Christ every day. Sometimes in our bosses, sometimes in our mothers, sometimes in our babies, sometimes in the little neighborhood girl, selling jelly beans. Am I really trying to see them as Christ? And beyond that, am I trying to see through them to Christ himself, standing in the background like the mother of the little girl at the door? [bctt tweet="Am I really trying to see others as Christ?"] Today let that be the mission. To see innocently like little ones, to hear like them, too—with the eyes, ears, hands, minds, and feet of faith and purity of heart. No assumptions or accusations of the ones before us—only loving openness to know, to love, and to serve. Wide eyed and bright, like children, with eyes that see. Blythe Fike is the wife of Kirby and mother of 7 smallish kids. She loves the quiet life in small town SoCal. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Isaiah 4:2-6 On that day, The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor for the survivors of Israel. He who remains in Zion and he who is left in Jerusalem Will be called holy: every one marked down for life in Jerusalem. When the LORD washes away the filth of the daughters of Zion, And purges Jerusalem’s blood from her midst with a blast of searing judgment, Then will the LORD create, over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her place of assembly, A smoking cloud by day and a light of flaming fire by night. For over all, the LORD’s glory will be shelter and protection: shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4B, 4CD-5, 6-7, 8-9 R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. I rejoiced because they said to me, “We will go up to the house of the LORD." And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love you prosper! May peace be within your walls, prosperity in your buildings. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Because of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you!" Because of the house of the LORD, our God, I will pray for your good. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Gospel: Matthew 8:5-11 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.” NAB I eat an English muffin with peanut butter and jelly almost every morning. It’s not that I don’t like other foods—I like almost everything. It’s just that I get comfortable with routine. When the liturgy changed a few years ago and some of the wording of the Mass was altered, I read the card in the pew dutifully and tried to internalize the new language. Eventually, I adjusted. Usually, I don’t even think about how we used to do it any more. Still, when we reach the part of the Eucharistic prayer where we say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof . . . ,” I always feel awkward. Under my roof? Is He coming over? How is His coming to me in the Eucharist like His coming into my house? Did I remember to vacuum? Today’s Gospel passage from Saint Matthew tells the story where this Mass response originates. The centurion requests Jesus’ healing for his servant but feels unworthy for Jesus to come to his home. He trusts that Jesus is powerful enough to heal the servant without being physically present with him. The centurion’s faith amazes Jesus. It amazes me, too. Would these words flow more easily if I considered the centurion and his faith at that moment instead of being distracted by how this language trips me up? What if I used this opportunity to consider my own lack of faith and trust in Jesus instead of getting derailed by language analysis? Do I believe that Jesus is equal to any problem in my own life? Do I believe that Jesus can bring healing to the dark places in my soul and to those in my life who are suffering? Do I trust Jesus enough to say, “It’s okay—even though I’m not worthy to have you come near me, I know you have the power to fix this from there”? Jesus, do I believe that even in the midst of my unworthiness, you have this situation under control? I don’t think I always do. [bctt tweet="Do I believe that Jesus can bring healing to the dark places in my soul?"] In the Prophet Isaiah’s words today, we are told that “over all, the Lord’s glory will be shelter and protection, shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain.” If we lived like we believed this—if we trusted Jesus implicitly to heal our wounds and those of our loved ones, how would things change? Abbey Dupuy writes her life as a homeschooling mama of four while relying on coffee and grace. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5 This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come, the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: “Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. I rejoiced because they said to me, “We will go up to the house of the LORD.” And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love you prosper! May peace be within your walls, prosperity in your buildings. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Because of my brothers and friends I will say, “Peace be within you!” Because of the house of the LORD, our God, I will pray for your good. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Second Reading: Romans 13:11-14 Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. Gospel: Matthew 24:37-44 Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” NAB Picture this. You are warm in your bed. You are in those moments between slumber and alertness. You feel the comfort of your sheets around your body and are enveloped in the warmth radiating back at you. You breathe deeply the scent of early morning. Your eyes slowly flutter open and you notice it is still dark outside. But it is that darkness you associate with the quiet calm before the rising of the sun. It is that soft grey veil that conceals the sky. You feel this nudge in your heart to leave the warmth of your bed. You prop yourself up on your elbow, slowly rise from your bed, and gently swing your legs off the side and place your feet on the cold ground. You were not expecting to rise with the sun, but something called you to leave your room. You wander the halls of your home as your skin is greeted by the crisp morning air. You feel the anticipation of the dawning of a new day, but you are dwelling in the in-between. This quiet moment has you feeling an equal sense of calm and expectancy, serenity and suspense. Your body hums with the sound of silence. Outside your window, you see the twinkle of the last few stars as they start to fade with the dawn. Usually your mornings are filled with the bustle of routine, the sound of the morning news, the cries for breakfast from your little ones, the scent of your favorite coffee, the pings alerting you to new emails, the blanket of steam from your morning shower, and decisions, decisions, decisions. But this morning is different. It is the first Sunday of Advent. And you are looking to the coming of the Lord. Today's Gospel speaks of what it will be like when Jesus comes a second time. We don’t know when He will come again, and so we must be prepared. This a poignant reading for the beginning of Advent, when we prepare for the coming of Jesus as a human babe. We must look for Him, prepare for Him, set aside all of our daily distractions and make room in our hearts for Him. Because as surely as the coming of the dawn each morning, He will come. And that is what Advent feels like to me. The quiet anticipation. The calm in-between. The complete serenity in the suspense. The hope that comes with the rising of the sun. [bctt tweet="Advent is the hope that comes with the rising of the sun."] How is Advent starting out for you? Is it a rush for Christmas present hunting or a peaceful time to go deeper within? How can you quiet your soul to prepare the way of the Lord? Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife, mom of two, and dentist currently living in The Bay Area, California. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 22:1-7 John said: An angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the street, On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. Nothing accursed will be found anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true, and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits, sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.” “Behold, I am coming soon.” Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:1-2, 3-5, 6-7AB R. (1 Cor 16: 22b, see Rev. 22: 20c) Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus! Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him. R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus! For the LORD is a great God, and a great king above all gods; In his hands are the depths of the earth, and the tops of the mountains are his. His is the sea, for he has made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed. R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus! Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus! Gospel: Luke 21:34-36 Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” NAB I am woefully terrible at keeping resolutions. Each year I come up with a list a mile long of how I plan to eat healthier, read more books, keep my house cleaner, be a better wife and mother, and so forth. The ideal me waits at the completion of the list. I excel at coming up with ways I need to improve, but I lack in the willpower to persevere. You may wonder why I’m talking about the New Year when we’re only in the end of November, but today happens to be the New Year’s Eve of the Christian year. Tomorrow we begin the Advent season, a time of preparation for the birth of our Savior. Thus, today is the perfect day to reflect on how we hope to spiritually grow in the New Year and what practical steps we can and will take in that direction. The Church in her wisdom offers us a chance to start afresh with a new Liturgical year. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from . . . the anxieties of daily life . . . Be vigilant at all times.” The reference here is to the end of our life, and even though we cannot pinpoint that moment, it's important to remember it could be at any time. We are to live in the now, but also in the hope of what is to come. As we ready ourselves to enter into this season of preparation time for the arrival of our King, let’s practice being vigilant daily. Advent offers us a time of grace amidst life’s challenges. Receive the gift of grace, pray for strength, and let’s arm ourselves as we prepare for our eternal state. [bctt tweet="Receive the gift of grace, pray for strength, and let’s arm ourselves as we prepare for our eternal state."] Write your own spiritual New Year’s resolutions. What are ways you can more fully walk in your vocation serving God in the everyday? How can your prayer life grow? Sarah Ortiz is a Catholic convert, and when not folding laundry, she can be found reading, experimenting in the kitchen, or writing at her blog. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 20:1-4, 11—21:2 I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a heavy chain. He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the Devil or Satan, and tied it up for a thousand years and threw it into the abyss, which he locked over it and sealed, so that it could no longer lead the nations astray until the thousand years are completed. After this, it is to be released for a short time. Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgment. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Next I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book of life. The dead were judged according to their deeds, by what was written in the scrolls. The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades gave up their dead. All the dead were judged according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire. (This pool of fire is the second death.) Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the pool of fire. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6A AND 8A R. (Rev. 21:3b) Here God lives among his people. My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. R. Here God lives among his people. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young– Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my king and my God! R. Here God lives among his people. Blessed they who dwell in your house! continually they praise you. Blessed the men whose strength you are! They go from strength to strength. R. Here God lives among his people. Gospel: Luke 21:29-33 Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” NAB My heart ached as I sat in our church and tried to leave my worries and cares at the foot of the cross. Thoughts about my family’s physical and spiritual needs, thoughts of the battle for my children’s souls, thoughts of the people in Aleppo, Syria and other war-torn areas, thoughts of Christians dying for their faith plague my mind. Oh, Lord, what is this world coming to?! I even succumb to fear for my children’s generation. In the Gospel Jesus explains that “this generation will not pass away until all of these things have taken place”. One traditional interpretation of “this generation” is that it refers to all of the of believers in Christ, and that the things that will happen will happen at the end of time. The people who believe that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead, the people who turn to Christ as their Savior—we are the generation that will not pass away. Our personal lives might end here on Earth, but we are part of the Communion of Saints, the Church Militant (here on Earth) and the Church Triumphant (in Heaven). God promises that eternal life is ours, when we love God and love our neighbor. When I find myself troubled with struggles, doubts, and sorrows around me in this life, I will find consolation in the broader understanding of "this generation." There is hope and strength in being part of the Communion of Saints, for we the Church Militant here on earth are supported in our struggles and efforts to love by the prayers of the Church Triumphant. We have the example and witness of the Saints to show us that holding on to Jesus’ words of love and life outlast the strife in this life. Isn’t this hopeful? When the world around us seems to spin out of control, and Christians are persecuted and dying for the faith, the words ring out as a battle hymn and promise spoken again and again. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Those words? The promise of salvation, happiness, and joy eternal in the presence of God. [bctt tweet="God promises that eternal life is ours, when we love God and love our neighbor."] Meditate on the words of the Our Father, Jesus’ promise of salvation, and find hope in being part of the Communion of Saints. Gina Fensterer is a wife, daughter, mother, friend, homeschooling mama and Colorado native. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9A I, John, saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth became illumined by his splendor. He cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. She has become a haunt for demons. She is a cage for every unclean spirit, a cage for every unclean bird, a cage for every unclean and disgusting beast.” A mighty angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone and threw it into the sea and said: “With such force will Babylon the great city be thrown down, and will never be found again. No melodies of harpists and musicians, flutists and trumpeters, will ever be heard in you again. No craftsmen in any trade will ever be found in you again. No sound of the millstone will ever be heard in you again. No light from a lamp will ever be seen in you again. No voices of bride and groom will ever be heard in you again. Because your merchants were the great ones of the world, all nations were led astray by your magic potion.” After this I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying: “Alleluia! Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her harlotry. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” They said a second time: “Alleluia! Smoke will rise from her forever and ever.” Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 100:1B-2, 3, 4, 5 R. (Rev. 19: 9a) Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song. R. Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. R. Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise; Give thanks to him; bless his name. R. Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. For he is good: the LORD, whose kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness, to all generations. R. Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Gospel: Luke 21:20-28 Jesus said to his disciples: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, for these days are the time of punishment when all the Scriptures are fulfilled. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” NAB “Blessed are those who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” (Rev. 19:9) Close your eyes and picture a wedding. Maybe it’s your own, or maybe it’s a friend’s. Picture the church decorated with flowers, the guests arriving in their finest garb. Beautiful music begins to play and the groom comes out and waits on the altar. The anticipation is palpable as everyone looks to the back of the church, waiting for the bride. It’s impossible not to be caught up in the joy and excitement! Did you realize that today’s readings include a wedding invitation? You may have been distracted by all the doom and gloom and prophecies of destruction. Don’t worry, you’re probably not the only one. Readings dealing with the end times can be frightening and confusing. But some of them, like today’s Gospel reading, were actually prophecies about things that happened during the time of the early church, like the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Others are symbols of things that will happen when Christ comes to earth again as King. There’s a lot going on, but don’t lose sight of the invitation. Christ is calling you into a beautiful union with Himself. He wants to purify you through the Sacraments of the Church. He wants to adorn you with the virtues of holiness. He wants to feed you with His own life-giving Body, and be united with you in the Eucharist. He wants you to be ready when He comes again, and He wants to you be at the Wedding Feast that lasts for all eternity. My dear sisters, it doesn’t matter if we are married, single, or discerning a vocation to a religious life, we all desire to be loved. We can try to fill that desire with earthly relationships, the praise and good opinions of others, or material possession. Or we can open our hearts to the love Jesus is offering—the only thing that will truly satisfy. Now picture a wedding again, but this time Jesus is the groom and you, as a part of His Church, are His bride. He’s calling you to the Wedding Feast. How will you respond to Him? [bctt tweet="He’s calling you to the Wedding Feast. How will you respond to Him?"] If you are feeling far from the Love of Christ, make a first step at restoring your relationship with Him by going to Confession. Let your heart be reconciled to His. Anna Coyne is a Saint Paul native, wife, mother, and convert to the Catholic faith. When not chasing after her two young children you can probably find her teaching piano lessons, knitting, tripping over wooden train sets, or writing. Find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 15:1-4 I, John, saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty. Just and true are your ways, O king of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:1, 2-3AB, 7-8, 9 R. (Rev. 15: 3b) Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God! Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God! The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God! Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it; Let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy. R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God! Before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to rule the earth; He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God! Gospel: Luke 21:12-19 Jesus said to the crowd: “They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” NAB Well, today's Gospel sure is a cheery recruitment for the life of a Christian, isn't it? I just see the poster potential. Or maybe not. These are the hard truths. Here's another hard truth: we have been baptized into the service of this Lord. We're already in this army and we're all signed up for persecution. It comes with the package. We live and love and worship in a Church built on the memory of Martyrs. People have died for this faith; people die for it today. It is unlikely that you will be asked to kneel on a beach wearing an orange jumpsuit as someone prepares to execute you, but your life in Christ will ask sacrifices. You will be persecuted and you will die to yourself. Jesus doesn’t soft-pedal this one. When we choose Christ, we choose persecution. And there will be days—probably many days—when it really does feel like the evil people are winning and they have dominion over the Christians. There will be days when you know that people look at you and say, “There’s that crazy Christian lady being her weird, radical self.” Some of those days you’ll want to protest that you are neither crazy nor weird. You will wish you could hang with the cool kids and not worry about all those radical things that set you apart from the crowd. Jesus knew how you’d feel. He knew you’d be afraid to call your in-laws to tell them another baby is on the way because you know they won’t applaud. He knew you’d lose that boyfriend because you’d really prefer to save some things for marriage. He knew that you’d have to walk into a dance school in the middle of class and pull your daughter from a dance because your family doesn’t “Burlesque.” Okay, maybe that last one was just me. Or maybe they’re all just me. But you’ll have your own. The Gospel assures us that we will be persecuted. It calls us to endure and persevere, promising that if we hang in there, we will be victorious. Some of us might actually die for Christ. All of us will suffer for Him. He will be with us in the suffering. He promises that not even a hair on our heads will be harmed. How is it that we die and yet our hair is still good? It’s not. Our Savior is assuring us that in Heaven there is nothing but good hair days and glory with God. There is peace. Until then, we can be assured that the days will be filled with people who don’t know Christ and don’t love Christians. We can also be assured that God is right there when we meet the bad guys. [bctt tweet="Some of us might actually die for Christ. All of us will suffer for Him."] Do you know someone who is making a bold stand for Christ right now? Reach out to her today in a tangible way and be Christ to her in your support. Elizabeth Foss is a wife, the mother of nine, and a grandmother. She finds the cacophony of big family imperfection to be the perfect place to learn to walk in the unforced rhythms of grace. You can learn more about her here.

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin & Martyr First Reading: Revelation 14:14-19 I, John, looked and there was a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud one who looked like a son of man, with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap the harvest, for the time to reap has come, because the earth’s harvest is fully ripe.” So the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven who also had a sharp sickle. Then another angel came from the altar, who was in charge of the fire, and cried out in a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters from the earth’s vines, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and cut the earth’s vintage. He threw it into the great wine press of God’s fury. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13 R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth. Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity. R. The Lord comes to judge the earth. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest exult. R. The Lord comes to judge the earth. Before the LORD, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy. R. The Lord comes to judge the earth. Gospel: Luke 21:5-11 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here– the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” NAB Today is the feast day of Saint Cecilia. She is the patron saint of music, largely because it’s said that during her wedding—a wedding which she never wanted and into which she had to be forced—she sang to God in her heart. I like this image of a young woman singing to God and herself, even if no one around her can hear or understand her music. It highlights one way of dealing with adversity: choose to do the thing that brings you joy and glorifies God. If you do that, you will never be too far from your true end in God, even if circumstances around you are swirling out of your control. All of this reminds me of the words of Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychologist who was a prisoner in the Nazi concentration camps. In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, he wrote that the last of the human freedoms is “the freedom to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” Even if you can’t control your circumstances or surroundings, he said, you always have a choice in how you respond to them. Coming from a man who knew firsthand what it means to be stripped of all agency, these are humbling and challenging words. The Gospel today mentions many happenings that hardly seem worthy of joyful song. Jesus foretells the destruction of the Temple, wars and insurrections, famine and plague and earthquakes. Some of these we see in our own world today, suffering and tragedy that we would never choose for ourselves or others. But once the initial shock and grief have passed, we are, in fact, free to choose our own attitudes toward these happenings, even though it may not seem that we are. I’m not very good at this kind of mental adjustment, but I realize that it’s something worth doing. I also realize that it's something that can be learned through practice. Life’s little annoyances, like the broken printer or the rush hour traffic that crawls along, are good places to start. Because, in the end, we are more free than we realize. It takes courage to believe that, and more courage to act on it. But we have a helpful guide in this singing saint and in so many other brave people. They show us that we can respond to life’s blows with songs of compassion for others, and songs of thanks for the God who, even in our darkest moments, never goes away. [bctt tweet="Choose to do the thing that brings you joy and glorifies God."] What is one area in your life in which things are not proceeding as you would wish? Challenge yourself to find a way to adjust your attitude. Ginny Kubitz Moyer is a mother, high school English teacher, and BBC period drama junkie. She is the author of Taste and See: Experiencing the Goodness of God with Our Five Senses, Random MOMents of Grace: Experiencing God in the Adventures of Motherhood and Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God. Ginny lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two boys, and about thirty thousand Legos. You can find out more about her here.

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Reading: Revelation 14:1-3, 4B-5 I, John, looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. They were singing what seemed to be a new hymn before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been ransomed from the earth. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been ransomed as the first fruits of the human race for God and the Lamb. On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24:1BC-2, 3-4AB, 5-6 R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? or who may stand in his holy place? He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob. R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. Gospel: Luke 21:1-4 When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.” NAB Today we celebrate the feast day of the Presentation of Mary. Although it is not recorded in canonical Scripture, Church tradition holds that Anne and Joachim, Mary’ parents, were childless for many years. They were filled with such gratitude for the gift of Mary’s life that at the age of three they brought Mary to the Jewish temple and dedicated her to the service of the Temple. There she lived, served, and studied until she was betrothed to Joseph. From her earliest years, Mary's whole life was dedicated to serving God and doing His will. What can we learn from this example? I believe today God is asking for our own Presentation—the presentation of ourselves. Imagine God looking at you, looking deep within your eyes and lovingly saying, I’ve chosen you. What comes to mind? What is He asking of you? Does He want you to be the leader of those impressionable teens? Does He want you to be the light of Christ to your coworkers? Does He want you to be the friend that people can count on? Does He want you to be the wife that leads her husband to holiness? Does He want you to be the mom that will guide her children to Heaven? What is He asking of you? Like the widow, He is not asking for your surplus, he wants your whole livelihood—He wants you. That means all of you—the good and the bad. You may be thinking about all your failures, your weaknesses, your lack of talent. There may be days when you cry, “I can’t do this anymore, Lord!” You may feel like the widow in the Gospel, poor and with little to spare. It’s okay. God can take what little we have and bless it abundantly. There is no one else who can do your mission the same way you can. Don’t be afraid to present yourself to the Lord without reserve. Trust where He will take you. [bctt tweet="Imagine God looking at you, looking deep within your eyes and lovingly saying, I’ve chosen you."] Ask Our Lady to pray for you. Ask her to help you have a humble and obedient spirit that does not hesitate to surrender and trust in God your Father. Bobbi Rol is a wife, a mama of four and a blogger learning to love God in the midst of dishes, laundry and swinging light sabers. You can find out more about her here.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe First Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3 In those days, all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said: “Here we are, your bone and your flesh. In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back. And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.’” When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD, and they anointed him king of Israel. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4, 4-5 R. (cf. 1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. I rejoiced because they said to me, "We will go up to the house of the LORD." And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Second Reading: Colossians 1:12-20 Brothers and sisters: Let us give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven. Gospel: Luke 23:35-43 The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.” Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.” Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” NAB King David! Jerusalem as the kingdom! Saint Paul killing it as always! The good thief! So much length and depth in these four readings. As I prayed and read, what I kept coming back to, what really cuts me to the heart, is the choice of the Gospel itself for today. Today is the feast of Christ the King. It ends our liturgical year as Christians, and it's our last hurrah of Ordinary Time before the anticipatory season of advent begins. And this is how the Church wants to leave the year—with the reminder of who really reigns. Not only are we given this awesome feast today, but the Gospel chosen for the feast is perhaps unexpected. We are celebrating Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, by golly, so why are we reading about His horrific death?! Folly to the world, but gold for us. Jesus chose His throne to be the Cross. The Cross is where He is most glorious because it is where He is most sacrificial. It is where His sovereignty is most evident, to those with the eyes of faith. And it's a hard truth, isn't it? That our King is one who suffered so greatly. But at the end of the day, His suffering blesses our suffering. He has shown us the way to true glory and majesty, and it is precisely through offering our troubles and our pain for the good of others. Folly to the world, but gold for us. So on this feast day, dear sisters, let's make our throne to be our cross. What is weighing heavily on your heart today? What are you struggling through? What are you pushing through? What are you smiling through? Is it physical pain? Mental anguish? Emotional turmoil? Spiritual aridity? Let Christ the King be your Savior today. [bctt tweet="The Cross is where He is most glorious because it is where He is most sacrificial."] Take a few moments to reflect on what your cross is in this moment of your life. Then, offer it to the King of the Universe, who cares so very deeply for you, and allow Him to resurrect your trials into your victories. Olivia Spears is a middle school religion teacher turned SAHM who is married to her high school best friend. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 11:4-12 I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me: Here are my two witnesses: These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone wanting to harm them is sure to be slain. They have the power to close up the sky so that no rain can fall during the time of their prophesying. They also have power to turn water into blood and to afflict the earth with any plague as often as they wish. When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will wage war against them and conquer them and kill them. Their corpses will lie in the main street of the great city, which has the symbolic names “Sodom” and “Egypt,” where indeed their Lord was crucified. Those from every people, tribe, tongue, and nation will gaze on their corpses for three and a half days, and they will not allow their corpses to be buried. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and be glad and exchange gifts because these two prophets tormented the inhabitants of the earth. But after the three and a half days, a breath of life from God entered them. When they stood on their feet, great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, “Come up here.” So they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies looked on. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 144:1, 2, 9-10 R. (1b) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war. R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! My mercy and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, My shield, in whom I trust, who subdues my people under me. R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! O God, I will sing a new song to you; with a ten stringed lyre I will chant your praise, You who give victory to kings, and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword. R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! Gospel: Luke 20:27-40 Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything. NAB We live in such a contradictory time in our human society. We live in an intense time of strife where people are desperate to define themselves. We want to be known by our sexual orientations, our genders, our race, our skin color. Then an equally strong force wants us to see no difference, for a justice where we are not dependent on who we are related to, where we were born, or whether we are man or woman in order to pursue whatever our hearts desire. We are so confused as to how we want to be seen and treated by the world around us. We are restless and uncertain and looking for acknowledgement, acceptance, and understanding wherever we can. We want to be known, but we think we should be known for an aspect of ourselves, but what we do, our jobs or vocations, who we're married to, how we identify our sexual orientation; we don't remember that we are searching for complete intimacy that only a relationship of God can provide. Obviously this very human search has been going on since the beginning, since we separated ourselves from God in the Garden. With that separation comes this confusion of not knowing who we truly are. That intimate knowledge of God has been destroyed and so we are left wandering in search of ourselves. The temptation to treat people as "other" from ourselves is all too easy as sin builds upon sin. The beauty of today's Gospel is that in Heaven we will not be defined by how others see us, but how God sees us. We won't be seen as someone's wife, someone's servant, or as someone's inconvenience. We will be seen as we were made to be in the fullness of God's sight, the whole-ness of our complex souls and who we were created to be. We will be raised in Heaven with Him who loved us and created us just as we are. This promise of Heaven should touch our souls, so that our souls understand that true freedom and love awaits us, that it is very real, and that it is what Jesus wants for us. [bctt tweet="We will be raised in Heaven with Him who loved us and created us just as we are."] Am I living the truth of what Heaven and life with God means? Is how I think of myself in line with how God sees me? Take a moment to rest in knowing that God loves and accepts every aspect of who we are. photo credit Christy Isinger is the mom to five lovely, loud children living in the Canadian wilds. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 10:8-11 I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me. Then the voice spoke to me and said: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went up to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. He said to me, “Take and swallow it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.” I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and swallowed it. In my mouth it was like sweet honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then someone said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131 R. (103a) How sweet to my taste is your promise! In the way of your decrees I rejoice, as much as in all riches. R. How sweet to my taste is your promise! Yes, your decrees are my delight; they are my counselors. R. How sweet to my taste is your promise! The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces. R. How sweet to my taste is your promise! How sweet to my palate are your promises, sweeter than honey to my mouth! R. How sweet to my taste is your promise! Your decrees are my inheritance forever; the joy of my heart they are. R. How sweet to my taste is your promise! I gasp with open mouth in my yearning for your commands. R. How sweet to my taste is your promise! Gospel: Luke 19:45-48 Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words. NAB A few years ago, I had a miscommunication with an out-of-town friend. I accidentally showed up to her doorsteps four hours early! She had been up all night with the baby, hadn't showered, and this was the first time I had seen her without makeup. The house had dishes in the sink and unfolded laundry sprinkled next to the colorful hodgepodge of leftover garage sale items. My friend was completely mortified. She agreed to let me in, but warned me of the messiness and apologized continuously. But the truth is that I was not bothered at all. We hadn't seen each other in a few years and all I wanted to do was visit with her. In my relationship with God, sometimes I feel a bit like my friend who was overwhelmed and embarrassed by her state-in-life. I get frustrated and feel trapped by my weaknesses and sinfulness. Why can't I seem to shake the enemy's familiar lies? "You are a failure. You are not good enough. You are not smart enough. You are not holy enough." I have had enough of not being enough! The truth is that the Father looks at each one of us, His beloved daughters, with delight. He forgives our sins and sees the light of Christ in us. In our Baptism, He made our hearts temples of the Holy Spirit. Our heart becomes a dwelling place for the Trinity—especially as we receive Jesus in the Eucharist. God desires to be invited into this new temple so that He may dwell under our roofs. Sometimes there is a den of thieves who try to set up shop in this temple of my heart. They fill the space with noise and harass the traffic of my thoughts, feelings, and desires. They sell lies at tables of pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. The Good News is that Jesus has saved us! He drives out the thieves so that our hearts can be houses of prayer. He forgives us in the Sacrament of Confession where we receive more of His freedom and joy. He replaces the old tables in the temple with a new place of worship. At Mass we receive both from the table of the word and the table of the Lord's Body. During the Offertory of the Mass, we can bring all of our messiness, weakness, and sinfulness to Jesus so that He can offer everything to His Father. There the Father heals us and fills our hearts with His love and mercy. Often, some of the messiness still remains, but He is not afraid to love us in the mess! [bctt tweet="The Father looks at each one of us, His beloved daughters, with delight."] Are you shying away from going deeper with Our Lord because of your own internal mess? He loves us as we are. Go deep, sister, go deep. It is safe. Rose Coleman is a contemplative in action who delights in all things beautiful. Her adventurous heart has traveled many places—from circumnavigating the globe on a ship during college to some years in the convent as a religious sister. Exuberant from her childhood, she is an elementary school teacher who learns so much from her students. You can find out more about her here.

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious First Reading: Revelation 5:1-10 I, John, saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to examine it. I shed many tears because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to examine it. One of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed, enabling him to open the scroll with its seven seals.” Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders a Lamb that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the seven spirits of God sent out into the whole world. He came and received the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. They sang a new hymn: “Worthy are you to receive the scroll and break open its seals, for you were slain and with your Blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 149:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6A AND 9B R. (Rev. 5:10) The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God. Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. R. The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God. Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. For the LORD loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory. R. The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God. Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their couches; Let the high praises of God be in their throats. This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia. R. The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God. Gospel: Luke 19:41-44 As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” NAB Today is the feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. I didn't know much about her, so I did some digging and learned she lived many vocations in her short life: wife, mother, widow, and religious sister, but through it all she devoted herself to deep prayer and the care of the sick and destitute. It made me think about how we define ourselves as women in this day and age. I naturally identify as wife and mother, but sometimes in conversation I reallllly want to throw in the whole Army thing so I can somehow prove that there's "more" to my story. "I have skills! Life experiences! I'm more than what you see here!" I want to say. And don't we all crave that affirmation? That we are more than meets the eye, that we possess more depth and meaning than our appearance may lend? What's more, didn't God create our souls to reach far deeper and wider than the limited roles by which we so often define ourselves? You may be wife, widow, separated, single. You may be a physical or spiritual mother. You may be architect, artist, lawyer, linguist, homemaker, healthcare worker, teacher or student. And while important, we are meant to be defined by even more than just these roles. God gives us these worldly roles and titles as a mere part of, a daily contribution to, the whole of our life's mission as His daughters. It's not just a role for us to seek recognition or a season to "get through"—it's that our whole selves, body and soul, and the significance of every season we live, is meant to be ordered toward our ultimate goal: sainthood. In today's world, which so often reflects the crumbling Jerusalem of old in today's Gospel, the modus operandi is to "take control of your destiny," to present ourselves in accordance with the world's standards of money, success, and prestige. But Jesus has no place in this model of success, which is so quick to discard the purpose written on our soul, and which ultimately leads to human ruin. Yet when we accept that true success is rooted in Christ Jesus—when we accept the current role in life He's assigned us, chosen or not, as a finite season to form us—it lays another brick on the foundation of eternity. It paves the way to our eternal purpose. Like Saint Elizabeth, in different seasons and sometimes even in different roles, we are all still called to that same eternal purpose of sainthood. It sounds like a tall order to fill, until we remember that's what God specifically created us for. You and me—we're His daughters, created to be Saints rejoicing with Him forever in paradise! Worldly affirmation and success is not always a bad thing. But we would do well to remember that it's not what defines us to the depths of our being. Saints in the making—that's the real "more" written on our souls, the underlying role that gives us true worth, now and into eternity. [bctt tweet="Worldly success is not what defines us to the depths of our being."] What area of our life are you yearning for more? Ask God how you can use this season to spurn you on to Sainthood. photo credit Megan Hjelmstad is a wife, mom, writer and sometimes soldier whose real passion is equal parts faith and chocolate. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 4:1-11 I, John, had a vision of an open door to heaven, and I heard the trumpetlike voice that had spoken to me before, saying, “Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.” At once I was caught up in spirit. A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald. Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal. In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf, the third had a face like that of a man, and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever. They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming: “Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 150:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (1b) Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God! Praise the LORD in his sanctuary, praise him in the firmament of his strength. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for his sovereign majesty. R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God! Praise him with the blast of the trumpet, praise him with lyre and harp, Praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipe. R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God! Praise him with sounding cymbals, praise him with clanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Alleluia. R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God! Gospel: Luke 19:11-28 While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’” After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem. NAB What are your gifts? What are the talents you've been blessed with? Did you know that the English word “talent” is taken from the Parable of the Talents? If I were to ask you what are the top ten gifts and characteristics about yourself, what would you say? It is sometimes so much easier to think of our weaknesses rather than the good aspects of our personalities, our skills, abilities, or our unique (or not always so unique) giftedness. But if we are only able to list our weaknesses, we may be like that last servant in the Gospel who hides away his talent out of fear. When I was little I took piano lessons for a short time, which turned out to be overwhelmingly full of many negative experiences for me. Because of those bad experiences, I ended up believing that I was bad at music, I could never play music and that music must be a gift that was given to my mother and my little sister, but definitely not to me. After college, inspired by the encouragement of a friend who told me that if I wanted to play music I could actually learn, I decided to take up the harp. Despite my previous negative experiences and my past beliefs and fears (that I am too old, I'll never get good, or that I simple can't do it,) I have been determined to have music in my life and to persevere in learning. And my harp and music continue to be great gifts to me. Using today's Gospel analogy, I'm not sure if my harp playing has in any way "earned ten extra coins" or five or even two, but I do know that the purpose of this gift (and any gift we receive) is to give glory of God. And I think maybe it is when we offer our gifts in praise to God, that in His eyes, those gifts become truly priceless. [bctt tweet=" What are the gifts you have been given?"] What are the gifts you have been given? Is there a new gift that God may be asking you to receive? Is there a gift you have that you usually don't recognize as anything special, which you can use to give praise to God today? Mary Catherine Craige is a lover of creativity and learning new things. When she is not guiding the development of young children through Montessori methods, you can find her behind her harp, taking an art class, or writing in her journal. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22 I, John, heard the Lord saying to me: “To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this: “‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: “I know your works, that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you. However, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy. “‘The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels. “‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” “To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this: “‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this: “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. “‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne. “‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5 R. (Rev. 3: 21) I will seat the victor beside me on my throne. He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue. R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne. Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; By whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD. R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne. Who lends not his money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be disturbed. R. I will seat the victor beside me on my throne. Gospel: Luke 19:1-10 At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” NAB Becoming apathetic is so easy. It's happens without our even consciously seeing it happen. To me, it's almost like gaining weight. You think you're doing good with your eating habits and exercise, but then you start having second helpings of buttery mashed potatoes, saying yes to that weekday dessert because it's been a tough day, and having a couple extra glasses of wine with your girlfriends during book club. And then a couple months go by and suddenly your pants don't fit. I can see my own spiritual apathy develop similarly. Sure, I'm going to Sunday Mass, I try to say daily prayers and keep my prayer life on track, I want to frequent Confession and openly share my faith with people I meet. But ever so slowly things start sliding. I easily make excuses when it comes to my daily prayer life, not enough sleep, not enough time, needing coffee before morning prayer then not praying the rest of the day. I start seeing all these prayer requests on my Facebook feed but I scroll past without bothering to acknowledge other's sufferings. I attend Mass and witness the Consecration without adoration in my heart. I let months go by without seeking out the Sacrament of Penance. I find myself neither hot and fully engaged with my faith, but not cold and away from Christ and the Sacraments either. I become apathetic to my faith. Apathy is checking out. It's approaching the faith without intention. My whole heart isn't engaged with Christ anymore. I'm not focused or disciplined; I'm going through the motions. Apathy doesn't so much mean our feelings towards our faith or whether or not we're "on fire for the Lord!" it has to do with our wills being fully aligned with Christ and His Church or not. If we're not giving our whole selves through our wills, then we are becoming more lukewarm by the day. But we've got to fight the apathy, the lukewarm, the blandness that creeps in. Not only because there is so much the Church is offering us in fully receiving the Sacraments and participating in the life of grace, but because Christ wants to enter our house and live and dine with us. That's the true intimacy I want so badly, that's worth fighting for even if it's a constant battle against a creeping foe. [bctt tweet="We've got to fight the apathy, the lukewarm, the blandness that creeps in."] What can I do today that will combat my spiritual apathy? An act of service, attending Mass today, offering comfort to someone suffering, praying morning or evening prayer, the Rosary? Help us Lord to grow in intention, so that we may grow in Your love. Christy Isinger is the mom to five lovely, loud children living in the Canadian wilds. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near. John, to the seven churches in Asia: grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne. I heard the Lord saying to me: “To the angel of the Church in Ephesus, write this: “‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this: “I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves Apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”’” Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6 R. (Rev. 2:17) Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life. Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, But delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life. He is like a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life. Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes. R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life. Gospel: Luke 18:35-43 As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God. NAB The opening of the Book of Revelations that we have today is reminiscent of the Old Testament prophets: God calling His people to remember their first love. Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. How many times has my enthusiasm for my faith waned? I used to describe my faith life as a rollercoaster, surviving off of intense annual retreats after which my enthusiasm would slowly run dry until the next one. My love and devotion would grow for a time, and then taper off. Then there was that one crucial retreat, where I realized that the time of my wishy-washy faith was at an end and that it was time to go forward without looking back. God tells us to repent and to do the works we did at first. The only way to move forward is to remember the first passion that we had for God: when praying was a joy, when we always had spiritual consolations, and do those things whether we have the consolations or not. If the fire of our first love is going to keep blazing, it needs kindling. One of the habits I have learned from Ignatian spirituality is making resolutions in prayer. There are a couple of ways to make resolutions: making ones everyday to help overcome daily struggles and making ones that establish good prayer habits. I make resolutions each day during my quiet meditative prayer. During this time of prayer, I read from Scripture or a spiritual book, but I also talk to and try to listen to God. The goal of these resolutions is to bring myself closer to God through my actions. For example, I might be praying about how I can love my husband better and resolve to show him love in small physical ways. Or I might resolve to pray, My Jesus, have mercy, whenever I am tempted to respond sharply to my children (or even after I do and realize my error). These little resolutions can help me to form and maintain in myself the love God wants me to have for him. I also have a list of resolutions about my life of prayer that I seek to do daily. These are ones that help ones spiritual life, like resolving to each day to pray a morning offering, take a meditative prayer time, pray the Angelus at noon, and do an Examination of Conscience before bed. They also include things like going to daily Mass twice a week and Confession once a month. Do not be afraid to do more, if you feel called to it! I try to examine these resolutions every month or so and discern if they are helping me love God more or hindering my vocation in any way. When we take on resolutions with prayer, God will give us the grace to carry them out, and when we faithfully do them, our love for God will grow. [bctt tweet="If the fire of our first love is going to keep blazing, it needs kindling."] Have you made resolutions that you seek to carry out everyday? The first step is to take time to talk to God daily; try to give Him at least ten minutes and open up your heart. Read a few verses of Scripture. Listen to what He is telling you, and resolve to love Him more truly. Susanna Spencer once studied theology and philosophy, but now happily cares for her three adorable little girls, new baby boy, and her dear husband in Saint Paul. She loves beautiful liturgies, cooking delicious meals, baking amazing sweets, reading good books, raising her children, casually following baseball, and talking to her philosopher husband. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Malachi 3:19-20A Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:5-6, 7-8, 9 R. (cf. 9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it; let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy. R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to rule the earth, He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Brothers and sisters: You know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food. Gospel: Luke 21:5-19 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here-- the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky. “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” NAB The end of the liturgical year approaches, and in her wisdom, the Church reminds us of the end of times. This is a season of refocusing our lives and what we are doing with them. In today’s Gospel, when Jesus spoke of His second coming, it caused many early Christians to believe that it would happen soon. Many of them stopped caring for the more practical parts of their lives. This is why we see Saint Paul reminding the people of the importance of work in the Second Reading. What does this mean for you and for me? It means that while our eyes are on the prize of Heaven, our feet are planted here on Earth, and what we do here matters. Our work matters. Whether you’re in an office, a classroom, or in the home, your work carries weight. When I was in school, being able to see the value of my work was easier. I loved what I was learning about. I enjoyed the challenge of researching and writing. It was work that felt important. Now the majority of my work consists of making meals that don’t always get eaten, washing dishes several times a day, wiping noses and bottoms, and reading that one story about twenty-eight times every day. It can feel . . . mundane. As a stay-at-home mom, my work can also feel like it’s getting in the way of my relationship with God. It’s so much harder to wake up early to pray, to focus during mass, to think ahead and remember where we are in the liturgical year. I know that if I can refocus how I approach my work, and if I see it as an opportunity and not a burden, it can actually be something that brings me closer to God. My work becomes my prayer if I can glorify God in it. [bctt tweet="Our feet are planted here on Earth, and what we do here matters."] So, sisters, as this season comes to a close, let’s refine and sanctify our work, whatever that might be, and refocus our vision on the goal of heaven. Jacqueline Skemp is a daughter, sister, wife and mother who endures living in Minnesota after leaving California for her one true love. You can find out more about her here.