living liturgically (season one, episode one, advent 2021)

I’m a week late, but I shall say happy new year anyway. This is the first Advent that I’ve managed to live the season in any meaningful way, and what I’ve come to realize is that just as suffering can enter me into the story of Jesus, living the liturgical seasons does the same thing

the sacred art of stories

I was well over 30 years old when it occured to me, as someone who had been homeschooled in part so that I would not be exposed to science, that the creation stories in Genesis could be myths. I’d never considered that before, all I knew was that I was suddenly questioning the ludicrious idea

conversion and the rosary

I have been connecting with Bl. Bartolo Longo’s story so much. Although I was never and will never be a priest, I too got caught up in practicing witchcraft and messing in the occult. Bartolo was born into a Catholic family, but he rejected the faith and became a priest of Satan. He almost died

the power of the rosary

There once was a man who was a Satanic priest who became a Christian. That man’s name was Bartolo Longo. I read about Bl. Bartolo Longo about a month ago and was fascinated. This man was aware of the evil he had been involved with, and he was repentant, but unsure of whether God would

baby jesus cried

The last two times I have prayed the Joyful Mysteries on the rosary, I have seen Jesus, just after birth, wrapped in weird looking blankets, and in his mother Mary’s arms. He’s just been fed, and he does not need to be changed. He fusses as he squirms in Mary’s arms, and with that, he

baptismal promises and covenant – following jesus

Spiritual practice looks different for everyone as well all come to Jesus in different ways, and my relationship with Jesus has been complex. Part of my spiritual practice is to renew my baptismal vows regularly, a minimum of once a week, to keep them on my mind. They are a great guide for Christian life,

baptismal promises and covenant – renunciation

Part of my personal spiritual practice is to renew my baptismal vows regularly. Every time I do this, something new jumps out at me and for a while I was concerned and thought did I lie when I took these promises at baptism, at confirmation, at reaffirmation? I don’t think I lied at all, looking

personal prayer altar

Every night, I set my personal altar with reverence and respect, using my intuition to guide me. I always use at least one icon, a set of prayer beads whether that be the Anglican prayer beads I first learned on or the Catholic rosary which is quite meditative. I always have a plain white jar