REFLECTIONS

St. Paul challenges us to practice giving thanks to God, and our beloved St. Anthony's words implore us to have a peaceful and contented mind! We are called to filter the negative thoughts and to resist focusing on what is wrong with the world, what is broken in life, what needs fixing, and make time to cultivate a grateful heart. One way that helps cultivate a grateful heart is to recite the amazing prayers of the Akathist Hymn "Glory to God for All Things."

On November 21st we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple. The story of Mary's early life is not found in the Bible but rather the Book of James (also called the Protevangelion). According to tradition, Mary was just three years old when her parents, Joachim and Anna, fulfilled their promise to offer her to the Lord. She ran joyfully into the arms of the priest Zacharias, even danced, and remained in the temple for nine years until she was rea

We've enjoyed the fall colors, and now the crisp air fills our surroundings. Thanksgiving and Christmas are around the corner. For many, it is a time to reflect on blessings and to celebrate life's gifts with warmth and joy of the holiday season. Yet, for others, Thanksgiving can be a hurtful reminder of absence, loss, or unmet expectations. Cultivating a grateful heart in these circumstances requires intentionality, perspective, and compassion, for oneself and for others.