My children love birds. My love of birds has probably helped that along. While I have never tested them, my guess is that all three (aged 3, 4 and 6) know many more than your average adult. It actually surprises me how many times they can spot something on the wing, and how often they can identify it.
We are lucky enough to live minutes away from a 4,481 acres park that not only offers wooded trails to walk on, but also a little farm. Now that the weather has broken, we try to go there as often as we can. One day this week my daughter only had a half day at school, so we took the opportunity to pack as much adventure into the day as possible.
I wonder how many people watching sporting events see that guy holding the “John 3:16” sign and actually take the time to look up that passage? Today, this verse from John is part of our Gospel, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”
“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” – Flannery O’Connor
One of the best Covid-19 parenting moves I made is creating the game of Canyon Ball. To be honest, my children and I created it together. On one of our early Covid walks, my children and I found some abandoned lacrosse balls laying in the field behind our neighborhood school. Kids being kids, they begged to pick them up and “take them for a walk.”
In this week’s Gospel (Jn 2:13-25) we hear about Jesus cleansing of the temple. Jesus says, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” I often wonder what Jesus would say if he walked into the “Catholic Church” (or any denomination honestly) today. We have people on the right and on the left selling their “oxen” and “doves” for us to buy and sacrifice on the “true” altar.
There is something exciting about an early spring walk in Michigan. The snow is slowly melting away. Old bird friends are starting to call their welcome home songs. The cold air has a hint of the smell of fresh spring mud.
Way back in my 10th grade world history class I remember learn about the idea of Memento mori and the Danse Macabre while we were learning about the late Middle Ages. I remember that in one of the books there was a cool picture of a rosary with skull shaped beads.
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” – Leo Tolstoy
Today’s Gospel (Mk 1:12-15) opens with Jesus being driven into the desert, and being tempted by Satan for forty days. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel that better describes my last forty years. For me, the beginning of lent always seems like it will last for another forty years.
