And Hay Became Holy: Advent 2021

 I still haven't been as active as I'd like on this little corner of the internet. August and September were incredibly full in many ways - some good, some bad. Posts I had been planning involved home projects that did not get done and the time and headspace to think of and create others evaporated. The gears are starting to turn again though, so we'll see what's in store before baby Rose arrives in Dec. . .

Something exciting I did want to share here is an Advent Devotional I had the privilege of writing for. It's a project I've been keeping secret for almost a year and I cannot wait to see how it blesses the women who pray with it in the coming season.  

For those who aren't familiar, Blessed is She is an online, Catholic women's ministry centered in prayer and community. I've been a devotional writer with the team since 2017 and have been blessed by so many friendships made within the team and with women I've met through the ministry.

Each year BIS releases an Advent and Lenten Devotional to help women enter more deeply into the liturgical seasons. The themes and writers change each time and this year's book is called "And Hay Became Holy" and invites readers to enter into the manger and pray with each "character" in the nativity. 

I wrote reflections for the first week and was assigned the ox and donkey, who have come to be two very important figures in my personal prayer since first encountering them last November. (I've been wanting to write about that experience for a year now and am excited to finally flesh it out now that the devotional has been released.)

This year's devotional includes gorgeous images to pray with using "visio divina" along with the typical scripture and writer reflections. 

You can learn more about the devotional and other Advent products like the fun bundle options (that always sell out) HERE.

Thank you so much for using my affiliate links and sharing it with others as it helps to support our sweet, growing family. 

I can't wait to pray with you! 

Peace,
Sarah

Read More

Here, Too - The 2020 BIS Lenten Devotional

Launch Day is here and I am SO excited to share this year’s Blessed is She Lenten Devotional with you! 🎉⠀⠀
“Here, Too: Where We Meet God” accompanies readers through Psalms, Gospels and personal stories from 8 of our beautiful writers who illuminate those unexpected times and places where we meet God. Together, we will move through the desert, the storm, the tomb and much more. ⠀

Thousands of women will be journeying together with this devotional for Lent 2020 and we would LOVE for you to join us! (✨There’s also Lent Bundle which includes the bracelet I wear almost daily! FYI, the Advent one sold out in two days, so if you’re interested, be sure to act fast!)⠀

⠀

Feel free to contact me with any questions. I cannot wait to walk through Lent 2020 with you ♥️⠀

⠀

Peace,

Sarah

Read More

2019 Advent-ures

I. Love. Advent.

I've probably shared it before (if not here than definitely on Instagram) that Advent is my favorite liturgical season and possibly my favorite time of the year.

(Wreath DIY can be found HERE in the Advent-ure post from 2015.)

There is something so incredible about preparing for Christ's birth while already knowing that Jesus has come. That beautiful tension of the already, but not yet, is a mystery that I love leaning into and journeying with as I anticipate the coming of Emmanuel - my favorite name for Jesus.

God is with us, friends. Maybe not always in the flashiest, most clear of ways, but God is here and what a gift the Incarnation is to the world.

--

This year, to prepare for Christmas (cue Godspell music), my plan is to do the following:

1) Read and journal through this year's Blessed is She Advent AND Christmas Devotional. 

I had the privilege of contributing to this year's book with the rest of the team and am so excited to dive into stories of family as we reflect on "All the Generations - From Genesis to You".

If you haven't gotten a copy yet, you can still purchase one from the Blessed is She shop. The digital download might be the way to go if you want to start right away, but you could wait for a hard copy too.

(Cyber Monday there will be a site-wide sale of 25% off!)

2) Read the Gospel of Luke.

The book club I am a part of decided to read this book of Scripture for December with the intention of reading a chapter each day from Dec 1 - 24 (Christmas Eve) since there are 24 chapters. I also ordered two commentaries on Luke from Amazon ( 1 | 2 ) in hopes of digging a little deeper because I'm a Theology nerd lol

3) Recite the St. Andrew Christmas Novena with Michael each day. 

I've done this for the past 3 years or so and always find helpful in prayerfully entering into the season. Here's a post Blessed is She shared last year about it if you're interested. It's never too late to start!

Erica from Be A Heart designed this gorgeous print of the prayer. It's sold out now, but there are a ton of other beautiful pieces in her shop, and maybe it will be restocked in the future :)

4) Do a sort of "Reverse Advent Calendar" with Michael.

Each day of Advent, M and I plan to choose something from our closet to donate to a local charity. So often the Christmas/Advent season focuses on getting and we are looking for small ways to remind us of our call to give. Our hope is that this will just be a starting point. There are so many other ways to support our brothers and sisters in need, but we need to begin somewhere.

(I'm not sure if this is even how you are supposed to do one, but this is our plan.)

--

As with most of my planning, I am flexible and open to changes and adjustments. Sometimes multiple to-do's shrink to one solid one. Other times I have found something else I like and decide to add it partly through the season.

No matter how this particular Advent turns out, my one hope is to remain focused on the reason for the season (as absolutely cheesy as that sounds).

God is with us friends.

I pray we all are able to notice this more during this season of Advent and the rest of the year too.

Peace,
Sarah

Read More

Blessed Conversations - Misericordia

Blessed is She just released their newest Blessed Conversation Study, Misericordia, on the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy (more of my favorite things!). The study follows the examples of 12 Catholic saints - 11 lay women (meaning not nuns or sisters) and 1 religious (a sister whose name you can probably guess even if you aren't Catholic 😉). It was written by 4 of our amazing writers and designed by the incredible Erica Campbell of Be A Heart Design! There are 12 sessions (one for each amazing woman) in this beautifully bound book which is different from the individual studies we have released in the past. 

My copy arrived this weekend and It 👏🏼 Is 👏🏼 Gorgeous! ⠀
⠀

Y'all, I LOVE learning about the saints. I know that sounds sales-pitchy (and I am using affiliate links), but in all seriousness, next to Scripture, reading about the lives of the saints is my favorite way to grow deeper in my faith. Hearing about their unique experiences and devotion to God inspires me to learn and be more - to seek the magis for any of you Ignatian friends out there 😉 ⠀
⠀
I cannot wait to dive in and learn about women of God I have never heard of and deepen my love for those I already hold dear - oh hey, Dorothy Day! 🙌🏼⠀
⠀

The studies can be completed alone, but are so much more fun with a friend or small group whether in person or virtually. I've done one with a group of friends spread throughout the country and it was such a joy! If you have any questions or are in the Cleveland area and want to take a look in person, let me know! You know I love spreading the #BISsisterhood ♥️⠀

Get your own copy of Misericordia HERE ♥️
⠀
(Photos by the lovely Katie Waldow)


Peace,
Sarah

Read More

Braces and Imago Dei

For those of you who haven't noticed as I've slowly allowed it to be seen on social media, I got braces.

Like actual I'm-an-awkward-middle-schooler braces.

For some reason when the dentist told me they would be clear braces, I assumed like an Invisalign type deal, but alas, they were not. And I didn't realize it until they were on.

And then I cried. A lot.

I don't know if it was the shock of seeing something completely unexpected, the pain of the braces themselves, or my lack of self-esteem that did it, but I was a wreck.

My smile has always been something I am sensitive about. I have a severe overbite (that can only be fixed by breaking my jaw, yikes!) and odd gaps and crowding that I think make the overbite even more pronounced. That combined with other insecurities about my physical appearance have made wedding planning and even just thinking about all eyes on me / all the pictures  h a r d .

Once M and I were talking marriage, I knew that I would want to at least try to correct my teeth for our wedding because of how insecure they make me. We got engaged and the anxiety surround my teeth got real.

M was supportive, though he insisted he thought my smile was perfect, but I don't think I took that encouragement and love seriously until he "yelled" at me about it a day or so after the braces were put on. (I put yell into quotations because I don't think my insanely kind fiance has ever actually yelled at, or even near me, but this was pretty close.)

We were driving to a school event and I was in a horrid, self-pitying mood complaining about how I looked and he tried to assure me he thought I was beautiful. In typical Sarah fashion I said something along the lines of a sarcastic "sure" and he had had it.

In the most angered tone I have ever heard from him, Michael let me know how upset he was that I didn't believe him when he told me I was beautiful and how frustrating it was when I brushed of his sincere compliments (which I have a horrible habit of doing). He was hurt by my lack of confidence - in myself and in him.

His words and love hit me hard. They still do.

And while he is clearly not God, I couldn't help but think of how much more hurt and frustrated my loving Creator is by this self-hatred and constant self-scrutiny.

(Photo by Matt Erickson)

I was created in the image and likeness of God. We all were. (Yes, that means you too.)

And with that amazing, miraculous gift, comes a responsibility to recognize it! That doesn't mean that I'll never fall into slumps like this autumn. That doesn't mean it's not ok to want to better myself, even in the physical sense. But what it does mean is that I am loved beyond measure and need to remember that, even in tough moments of self doubt.

In the Advent bundle this year, Blessed is She included a gorgeous magnificat candle and imago Dei wristlet. TBH, the candle was the only reason I bought the bundle (they weren't available individually yet). I knew I could find a friend who'd like the extra devotional, but didn't know what I would do with the wristlet. It was cute, but I didn't really have a use for it.

(Candle found HERE)

But then I remembered that I needed to start carrying a toothbrush more regularly (yay braces) and wouldn't you know it, the wristlet marked with words speaking to my inherit value and dignity was just the right size and just the right reminder.

(Wristlet found HERE)

You are loved friend - unconditionally, irrevocably and ineffably. I pray you (and I) can remember that always, especially at times when it's most difficult.

Peace,
Sarah

Read More

5 Things I Am Loving in July

Hey friends,

Happy Tuesday! On Saturday I came back from my last summer immersion trip which means my summer schedule is finally here! I am very excited for a slower pace and more time to just go with the flow.

Summer also means a bit more free time to create and for whatever reason, my blogging bug seems to be coming back so maybe that means I will be posting more than once a month? Maybe. I make no promises other than to follow where the Spirit is leading. And that's really about all we can do, right?

Today I thought I'd share a few of the things I am loving this month. Nothing too earth shattering, just a good old fashioned round-up of things catching my eye this July.

1) The Blessed is She Mini Planner

I have been waiting for this baby to arrive since May and am so happy it's finally here. I love it's unique, intentional design that will help me remember to center my days around God and the gifts I've been given. The large size was just a bit too big for my taste but the mini is PERFECT. I'm already gearing up for August and my little planner heart is happy :)

2) Fr. Pedro Arrupe

One of my favorite examples of faith is on his way to beatification and I am so happy.

From my Instagram post a few days ago:

If you have never heard of Arrupe, I can’t recommend reading about his life enough. He answered the call to the priesthood while studying to be a doctor, which was put to good use when he was missioned to Japan. Living just outside of Hiroshima, Arrupe turned the Jesuit residence into a makeshift hospital for those who survived the devastating dropping of the atomic bomb. 

As Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Arrupe called out Jesuit institutions stating that we are called to be men and women for others, emphasizing a faith that does justice - something that I strive to teach my students every day.


There is so much beauty and depth to this man and his faith in God. He is a great leader of the Church that who I feel a great closeness to. I have been praying for his canonization for a long time and I am SO grateful that the recognition of his sainthood is underway.

3) Sour Patch Watermelon Gummies

My students introduced them to me on our Appalachia immersion and I'm obsessed. Usually I'm not a huge gummy/non-chocolate candy fan, but for whatever reason these things are what I'm craving lately. SO. GOOD.

4) The N Sale

Nordstrom is having their big annual anniversary sale and I am loving the sneak peak into trends to come this fall. The sale is open to anyone on July 20th but if you have their card, I think you can jump the line and start now. I don't really shop at Nordstrom at any other time of the year - department stores aren't really my jam - but I do love scanning the picks of this sale. I have bought these leggings in the past two sales and LOVE them. I live in them under dresses in the fall and winter or just lounge around the apartment with them in a cozy sweater. This year, I am loving this floral dress (this one too!), this scalloped sweater, this cozy cardigan, and these booties.

5) The Beach

This I was not expecting. Honestly, I have never really been a beach lover. Maybe it was being too self-conscious in a bathing suit or maybe it was the burning sand, but going to the beach was never something I desired to do. I would go if friends or family invited me, but it would never be something I chose to do. This summer I can't get enough and lucky for me, there are several community beaches 5-10 minutes away and M is always up for a visit. Has anyone else found themselves growing into loving the beach or maybe the reverse of now disliking it?

What about you, friend? What are you loving this month?

Peace,
Sarah

Read More

Reflections on Reconciliation

I had the privilege of offering a reflection during our Reconciliation Service yesterday and thought I would share it with you all. For a little context, this service was prepared as part of a Lay Presiding course in which we learn how to prepare, plan and facilitate different types of liturgies ranging from Evening Prayer, Taize Prayer, and Liturgy of the Word. The readings we chose to use for this particular service were 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 and Luke 7:36-50.
-----------------------------------------------------

When I told my mom that I would be preaching at a reconciliation service she laughed and told me a story of how when she and her cousin Michelle were younger, they loved going to confession. In fact, they loved it so much that they would make up sins just so that they could go again!

Apparently I did not inherit that confession-loving gene, because I am often the complete opposite of my mother in this story. I tend to avoid going to confession like it’s the plague. The idea of reviewing the number of times I have sinned and reciting them to someone is not exactly the most appealing thing to me and causes way more anxiety than it probably should – especially when I usually know all too well those places in my life where I have failed.

I know when I could have been a better friend, a better daughter, a better roommate, colleague, Christian, you name it. And that awareness, that lovely Catholic guilt, often becomes the focal point of my confession when I do go.

But what if the focus was shifted?

What if rather than placing all of the concentration on listing failures, a greater attention was paid to the abounding love and forgiveness shown by God in this beautiful sacrament of Reconciliation? Even just using the word “reconciliation” rather than “confession” completely shifts the tone. In the sacrament we are not just reciting our faults and waiting for our penance. We are doing more than just confessing, we are reconciling. We are looking to restore right relationship with the Divine, to continue striving to know God better and to love the world as God loves.

Today in the Gospel we hear Jesus say “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love.” Because this woman - unnamed and labeled only by the fact that she, like all of us, is a sinner - because she has shown great love, she is forgiven. It did not matter that she had “sins which were many” or even what those sins were. 

She loved. 

She loved and she actively sought to serve God – to get as close to the Beloved as she possibly could. And it is because of that outpouring of courageous love that Jesus said to her, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

“In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.”  This is the ministry of reconciliation. It is not intended to be a counting of trespasses, a recitation of sins and a sentencing of penance. Reconciliation is an outpouring of grace in which we recognize the infinite love of God and allow that love to take hold of our hearts as we go out into the world as “ambassadors for Christ”.

So this evening, as you prepare to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation, rather than focusing primarily on failures, perhaps pray for openness and receptivity to the endless love of God and a deeper understanding of how we are called not only to recognize that brilliant love, but to share it with our world.
----------

How are you called to bring the infinite love and goodness of God with the world?

Peace,
Sarah

**Linking up with BlessedisShe and #BISLent

Read More

5 Weekly Graces Vol. 18

Last week was the first week since I began the 5 Weekly Graces series that I did not post. It wasn't that I didn't find good moments, but I was SWAMPED with work and school and other commitments. 

For reference, I began the week getting stitches on Monday which alone was exhausting, but then I had 2 long meetings and it was my night to cook - Tuesday felt nauseated all day and had a hard time getting anything done - Wednesday I had class and work -Thursday had 2 significant class presentations - and Friday I had 2 papers and was leading a group study session that needed prepped. I was also leaving Friday afternoon to drive down to LA with a friend for a conference.

 Oh, and on the way his car broke down about 3 hours from where we needed to be so what should have been a 6 hour trip turned into a 14 hour trip ending when I made it to the hotel at 5:12am. 

It was quite the week, let me tell you. 

But even through all of that mayhem, there were still so many moments of grace. For example, the car broke down as we were exiting to grab dinner so we weren't stranded on the side of the road. I was also able to finish an assignment while we waited, so the car trouble forced me to be productive. And because of a change of schedule for the ride home I made two new friends, was able to pick my roommate up at the airport, and made it to community dinner which was not supposed to happen. 

All-in-all, there was beauty in the chaos and to answer T-Swift's question: yes. We are out of the woods.

Below are 5 more beautiful moments found amidst the confusion last week.

Blessed Is She

On Tuesday, I was scrolling through Facebook and saw that one of my favorite devotional groups/blogs/websites, Blessed Is She, shared my recent post on Lent via their page! I was shocked when I saw and just so deeply humbled. Seeing the link definitely helped improve my spirits last week :)

Understanding Friends

Sometimes I have way more on my plate then I can handle. You're all shocked, I know. I have been intentionally trying to listen more to my heart and body to know my limits and when I just have too much going on. On Thursday I recognized that the only way I would have everything done before leaving for LA would be to pull an all-nighter - y'all, I am way too old for that now. So rather than stress myself out and exhaust myself even more, I carefully discerned what needed to be postponed and reached out to the friends affected by it. They were so graceful and understanding that I was nearly in tears - though that could have been the exhaustion. I seriously can't express enough how much their genuine understanding eased my anxiety. People are good.

RE Congress

This weekend was the annual Religious Education Congress in Anaheim, CA. It's basically a giant gathering of Catholics who come to learn more about their faith, ministerial practices, etc. There are tons of talks to go to by a lot of different speakers on a variety of topics. Some of the big name speakers this year included James Martin, Greg Boyle, Bishop Barron, and Sr. Helen Prejean. This was my second year at Congress and it was just as fun (and crowded) as I remember - even if I didn't get to spend much time there.

Disneyland!

Once I was done working at RE Congress on Saturday I met up with friends for my first trip to Disneyland! (I even got a "first visit" button to celebrate the occasion!) Even though it was only half a day at the park, we were able to ride tons of rides, see some great shows and even meet Mickey! And the newly added Star Wars parts were amazing! I guess you could say it was a magical time ;)

Nap

After a very full week and weekend with minimal sleep, yesterday I was able to take an afternoon nap and boy was is amazing. Napping is good for the soul my friends.

Where did you find good last week?

Peace,
Sarah


** linking up with Stay Gold Autumn, and Love the Here and Now

Read More

2 Suggestions for Lent This Year

This morning I was approached by a kind stranger who wanted to let me know that I had a smudge of dirt on my face. I had to chuckle a little and explained that it is Ash Wednesday in the Catholic Church and the smudge - which should ideally look like a cross - is intentional.

Side note: I also expressed deep appreciation for his willingness to point it out because there have been many times that I have had something on my face or food in my teeth and no one has let me know. If you see someone with green in their teeth, tell them! I promise they'll appreciate it.

--

Today marks the beginning of the Lent-Easter season in the Roman Catholic Tradition. For the next 40 days (Sundays excluded) Catholics around the world enter into a time of preparation to enter more fully into the mystery of the resurrection of Christ. You may be familiar with friends giving up meat on Fridays and other types of food or drink. Maybe you know someone who has started to go to mass more regularly or is trying to more intentionally avoid gossip.

Whatever someone decides to "give up" or "add in" to their daily routine during Lent is done so in order to strengthen their personal relationship with the Divine. It's not to see who can give up the most extravagant item, or who can add the most prayer into their days. Lent is personal. It's an intimate part of one's spiritual journey.

If you are planning to partake in a Lenten observance this year, I suggest 2 things.

1. When you decide on how you will observe Lent this year, think deeply about how that particular act will affect your relationship with God. If you can't find a connection, maybe think of something else you can choose to do.

2. Don't compare your Lenten sacrifice with someone else's. Don't feel inadequate because you don't have the flexibility in your schedule to add an hour more of prayer to your day. And on the flip side, don't assume that someone else is taking the easy route by doing something that to you may seem superficial. Again, this is not a competition.

There's so much more that I could share about Lent and Ash Wednesday and the history of this time in Catholicism (especially after my class this morning on the Lenten-Easter season). It's a beautiful time in the church filled with rich tradition and symbolism. 

If anyone has specific questions I would love to answer them. I am always so appreciative of people from other faith traditions who let me ask questions and I'd love to provide that space for anyone who wants it. And if I don't know the answer, I have a school filled with professors and at least one of them will ;)

Peace,

Sarah

**Linking up with Blessed Is She and the #BISSisterhood

Read More

Peace Be With You

Peace I leave you, my peace I give you...

I need peace.

We need peace.

Our world needs peace.

This week's prompt for the #BISSisterhood is, you guessed it, peace.

Normally to prepare for these posts, I look up the prompt about before the post date and spend about a week praying about what to write. There have been prompts where I've know immediately what I will share, and others where I've worried nothing will come in time. But it always does.

Yet on this topic of peace, I remain speechless.

It's not that I have no thoughts about the subject. I've written, reflected, and given talks about it numerous times. I have notes on inspiring workers for peace, marked scriptures illuminating the peace of God, and reflective songs that continue the conversation of creating peace.

But today, as I reflect on our world - a world thirsting so desperately for peace - all I can do is sit and be still.

I cannot formulate the words to adequately express that desire for peace - that deep longing.

So rather than write to you about peace, in this moment I pray - and if you feel called, I invite you, too, to share in a prayer for peace.

Peace in our world.
Peace in our hearts.

Peace,
Sarah

*** Linking up with Blessed Is She and #BISsisterhood

Read More

And So, We Hope.

I worry that I'm becoming jaded.

Okay, I worry about a lot of things, but lately this one has been at the front of my mind.

There's so much injustice in our world. So much violence. So much poverty. So much hatred. There's just so much. And sometimes it feels like it's too much. Too much to handle. Too much to fix. Too much to ever actually change.

Oh how I miss the days when I was bright-eyed,  and overly optimistic - ready and willing to go out into the world and make a difference. But as I grow older and witness more tragedy, more pain, more injustice, I sometimes feel that optimism shrinking...

And yet (thankfully) every time I think I've reached that point of no return, there is always something or someone who shines a light of hope - who inspires me with their optimism, with their care, with their talent - and lets me know that there is still good in the world. And that there is enough of it to make a change.

I work with students to address social justice issues and cultivate a deeper empathy and understanding of how we all fit together in our world. Learning about and witnessing heavy issues of hardship day in and day out certainly takes its toll on positivity and yet my students are constantly filled with a fire to be the change.

I often tease my them that they are the only reason I haven't given up on the world and retreated into a cave somewhere. They're still young. They still have that optimism. They are filled with passion and great ideas.

They give me hope.

And with that hope, I can feel my own optimism and passion begin to rejuvenate.

Hope and the rejuvenation that comes with it are key parts of this season of Advent. As Christians, we wait in hope for the coming of our Savior - in the celebration of his birth on Christmas, but also in anticipation for the coming of his Kingdom - on earth as it is in heaven.

We live in this tension of the already, but not yet. We know Christ has come and we faithfully hope and wait for the next arrival. In that tension, hope inspires action.

Advent is a time of active preparation. Yes, we wait, but we also work. We are called to prepare the way for the Lord. And so, we must ask ourselves: how can I help to bring about the Kingdom of God? How can I prepare our world to enter into Christ's peace? How can I show others the presence of God among us?

During this blessed season of Advent, let us not only prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus, but let us also focus on preparing our world. The troubles may seem endless and overwhelming, but I have hope and faith that with open hearts and the help of our Creator, we can create the way.

We can make a difference.

And so, we prepare and we hope.

Peace,
Sarah

***Linking up with Blessed is She and #BISsisterhood and Faith and Fellowship

Read More

The Grace of Remembrance

I have a brief activity for you. I invite you to close your eyes and think of a specific moment from your past that you remember feeling very happy and very loved. As you're thinking of this moment, try to remember what you were sensing at that time...

What do you see?

What noises do you hear?

What do you smell?

Try to soak in the environment around you...

What is the space like?

Who is there with you?

What are you doing?

How do you feel?

Read More

"With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility."

"God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them..." Genesis 1:27

You are created in the "image and likeness of God." How special is that? You are made to emulate the great Creator. In you, others may encounter the Divine. You are the Crown of Creation.

What a beautiful grace! What a powerful gift!

And yet, we must always remember that "with great power, comes great responsibility." It is not enough to simply be created in the image of God. Humanity has been endowed with the responsibility to care for all of Creation.

This is what Pope Francis is insisting upon in his latest encyclical, Laudato Si. We share in a deep responsibility to take care of creation and allow it to flourish.

The first creation story in Genesis illustrates, in spectacular poetry, the love and care poured out by God in each moment of creation. Where other creation stories during that time contained gods of violence and vengeance, the god of the Hebrew Bible, our God, invited the universe into being. "Let there be," and it was good.

This creation story ends with the formation of a new being. Different from those before, this one was made to be an "image" of God.

In ancient times, specifically those during which the Bible was written, while a king was away from his people, a plaster cast was placed at the head of the town. This replica of the king signified that the people of the place were to be governed and cared for in the same manner that would be done had the ruler been present. In a way, it demonstrated continued care for those the ruler had dominion over. They were not forgotten.

The Book of Genesis, written in Hebrew, has the word for plaster cast found where in English we read image.

Wow.

Not only were we created to resemble God, but according to the Hebrew, we were made to be replicas of the Divine and share in dominion over the rest of creation. But we must remember that this dominion must also replicate the Divine. We are to care for creation with the same compassion and love poured out for us by Christ.

If we are to truly be the Crown of Creation, we must be willing to pour out our love and compassion as well. Not only to our neighbor, but to all of God's magnificent and holy creation.

Peace,
Sarah

*** Linking up with Blessed Is She and #BISsisterhood and Faith and Fellowship

Read More

My Summer with the Saints

November 1st marks the Feast of All Saints in the Catholic Church. Each year around this time, I try to choose a saint to learn more about and try to pray with as a guide to holiness through the year. Saints Bernadette, Ignatius of Loyola, John Paul II and Joan of Arc are some of those whose devotion to God I have come to admire through this practice.

After my adventures in Europe this summer, I find myself reflecting and praying with the many beautiful holy men and women whose lives I was fortunate enough to learn about and experience on another level.

So rather than just choosing one saint this year, I'm feeling connected to and comforted by many.

 (above: Basilica of Loyola, below: view of Montserrat on the way to Manresa)

By walking the footsteps of Ignatius of Loyola, I felt myself draw nearer to Christ in prayer and reflection along the camino. I wanted to walk those 200 km to learn more about and grow closer to the saint, but instead found myself diving deeper into my relationship with Christ, which is exactly what Iggy would have wanted. He calls all of us to live our lives so that everything is for the greater glory of God. AMDG.

Read More