March 31 Echoes of Eternity
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
Hosea 10:12
Break up the fallow ground. Break up the hard tracks of your mind, hardened with the frequent footprints of your old thinking patterns. Tend the new plants of My planting, the engrafted Word, the living knowledge that I impart on a daily basis. Your life is meant to be lived, not endured. It is a gift, not a cursing. Recognize and
welcome My comings, My appointments, My tender mercies. Break up the hardened tracks—and live.

Jerusalem Jackson Greer shares fabulous ideas of how to bring this sombering, yet joyful observance of Holy week and the Triduum into our homes.

Holy Week at Home: Family Practices for the Triduum – Building Faith
www.buildfaith.org
There are many ways to bring the fullness of Holy Week into the home. Try these specific activities for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with your household.

Prepare for the Passion and the Resurrection during this Holy Week- 2 CDs for $20 – 2 Day Sale.

Easter Set
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Easter Set – This commemoration of the Passion of Christ and the Joy of the Resurrection of our Lord is sung in Gregorian chant by the Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola renowned for their intense sacred …

A review on Enzo Bianchi##039;s new book, ##039;Lectio Divina: From God##039;s Word to Our Lives##039;.

God Speaks
michelemorin.wordpress.com
#quot;Wait a minute, #quot; I interrupted. #quot;Read that again. Is that really in Deuteronomy?#quot; My husband and I are reading through the Bible this year — together and out loud. Aside from the challenge of …

March 30 Echoes of Eternity
I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
I Corinthians 14:15
Pray with your eyes open. Pray with your heart open. Pray with your ears open—open to Me and My word. Pray with a song in your heart, a song of deliverance, a song of thanksgiving. Fit yourself to be in My company with repentance and confession—covered with My forgiveness and the mantle of My mercy. Thus we can have sweet concourse together—a blessing to you and a joy to My fatherly
heart. Put away fear of offending Me as long as you observe to do what I have told you. A lively, living trust is more pleasing than groveling at My feet. Enter My presence with thanksgiving, and come boldly to the Throne of grace. I welcome you, My beloved child.

The Eighth Day:
It is not for you or me to know the times,
which the Father has kept within His own
benign authority. After the current season
in which we find ourselves, the God shall rest,
as on the seventh day, and there He will give us–
who shall be the seventh day–rest within Himself.

Suffice to say that the seventh shall be
brought to a close, not by an evening,
but yet another day, the Lord##039;s day, as an eighth
and an eternal day, consecrated by the radiating
resurrection of Christ, and prefiguring
the eternal reposition and repose,
not of spirit only, but of the body too.

There we shall rest and see, see and love,
love and praise. This is what shall be
in our exalted end without end.
— Poem by Scott Cairns, from ##039;Endless Life##039;

A great review on ##039;40 Days with the Holy Spirit##039;, by Jack Levison. #quot;If you are looking for a devotional which will enlarge your vision (and experience) of God, look no further. Five stars.#quot;—Jamie Smith

Forty Days for Breathing Deeply: a book review
thoughtsprayersandsongs.com
A few years ago I read Jack Levison##039;s Fresh Air: The Holy Spirit for the Inspired Life. I wrote a gushing review of it. My enthusiasm for that book was due in part to the way Levison unfolded the …

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4595077

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song | The Community of Jesus
www.communityofjesus.org
By Cantor The Chanted Passion Yesterday, Palm Sunday, we entered into Holy Week, in which our greatest remembrance is the Passion of Christ. One of the most ancient of all chants — the chanted Passion according to St. John — reflects this remembrance. This gospel passion has been chanted for centuries on Good Friday, first being noted in the scriptures with nothing more than symbols indicating those parts chanted by Christ, those by other characters (such as the #quot;turba#quot; or crowd, or Pilate) and finally, a narrator. [ 123 more words. ]

By Cantor

The Chanted Passion

Yesterday, Palm Sunday, we entered into Holy Week, in which our greatest remembrance is the Passion of Christ. One of the most ancient of all chants — the chanted Passion according to St. John — reflects this remembrance. This gospel passion has been chanted for centuries on Good Friday, first being noted in the scriptures with nothing more than symbols indicating those parts chanted  by Christ, those by other characters (such as the “turba” or crowd,  or  Pilate) and finally, a narrator.

Here is a perfect example of the ancient  tradition of  chanting scripture to “lift it up.”  God’s word was meant to be sung in order to help reflect the depth of its meaning.

There is no other chant that carries more weight — more spiritual “gravitas”  — than the chanted Passion narrative. It is perhaps one of the simplest chant recitations, yet it carries some of the greatest truths. I think that that is the real lesson inside of this particular chant: its sheer simplicity is the very thing that seems to let it bring forth the incredible beauty of the Good Friday Passion.

Image credit: chant grégorien – Music in Parc musicinparc.canalblog.com

Unburdened:
And that is why I think it far
better than anything that a man
should abandon himself wholly to God,
whatever it may be that God desires
to impose on him—contempt or heavy labor
or any manner of hardship—so long
as he accepts it joyfully, in gratitude,
and gives himself to be led solely by God.
Just so, if you tilt your head to learn from God
and gladly, and thereby follow Him,
all will be well with you.
With such a disposition, you
can easily accept honors and ease.
Should hardships and disgrace arrive,
you will bear them also, and be
oddly pleased to bear them.
—Poem by Scott Cairns

Unburdened:
And that is why I think it far
better than anything that a man
should abandon himself wholly to God,
whatever it may be that God desires
to impose on him—contempt or heavy labor
or any manner of hardship—so long
as he accepts it joyfully, in gratitude,
and gives himself to be led solely by God.
Just so, if you tilt your head to learn from God
and gladly, and thereby follow Him,
all will be well with you.
With such a disposition, you
can easily accept honors and ease.
Should hardships and disgrace arrive,
you will bear them also, and be
oddly pleased to bear them.
—Poem by Scott Cairns

March 29 Echoes of Eternity
When I am weak, then I am strong.
II Cor inthians 12:10
I have seen your affliction. The wounds and scars of your soul are not hidden from Me. “I am the Lord that healeth thee.” That is My gracious and self–chosen work within you, My child. It is My work, and yours to accept with faith and gratitude. Let no thoughts from the adversary bring doubts in your mind about My purpose and My power. I do not work as man works, and the process is largely hidden from your view. This is where I call on you to fight doubt and discouragement and to exercise faith in Me. I give you this part of the battle out of My love for you. Don’t try to understand, but stand under the mercy which covers you.

March 29 Echoes of Eternity
When I am weak, then I am strong.
II Cor inthians 12:10
I have seen your affliction. The wounds and scars of your soul are not hidden from Me. “I am the Lord that healeth thee.” That is My gracious and self–chosen work within you, My child. It is My work, and yours to accept with faith and gratitude. Let no thoughts from the adversary bring doubts in your mind about My purpose and My power. I do not work as man works, and the process is largely hidden from your view. This is where I call on you to fight doubt and discouragement and to exercise faith in Me. I give you this part of the battle out of My love for you. Don’t try to understand, but stand under the mercy which covers you.

March 28 Echoes of Eternity
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
II Corinthians 7:10
Can you see, My child, how the rod of My judgment is the rod of My mercy? Can you agree with Me that the rod was a necessary part of your healing and salvation? Bitterness spoils the fruit borne of such judgment and mercy. I will cleanse it from you if you are willing to let it go.
You are still too defensive before “verbal onslaughts.” Your walls of defense, your inner deafness to the essential truth being spoken are very hurtful, and I want you to give them up. Your pride is a poor substitute for the freedom I offer in its place. “Don’t stint yourself!”

March 27 Echoes of Eternity
Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of our Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.
Colossians 3:17
You cannot be faithful to Me, My child, unless you are grateful. Gratitude is like the rich soil out of which grows the fruit of faithfulness. As long as other motives are mixed in your obedience, the fruit will not be perfect. Pride of achievement, the desire for recognition or reward, competition and jealousy—all these add
bitterness to the fruit. Gratitude is the theme of heaven’s praise. It binds My people’s hearts to Me and to one another, and destroys dividing walls. So do not lag in the exercise of this grace. Gratitude is the key that unlocks the inner treasury of grace.

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March 26 Echoes of Eternity
Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
In the safety of My care you may rest your soul. No harm can reach you here where My power and protection prevail. With lustful eye, you have often looked beyond that safety, fantasizing how much better life would be apart from the narrowness of My way. You have robbed yourself of much peace that was available to you.
My work is still going on in your soul. Yes, it is “repair work,” and therefore slow and painstaking. But it is My work, and it must be done according to My design, not yours. If My ways seem strange, recall often My tender mercies. Stand on solid ground, look up, believe, and you will see the glory of God.

Saying Yes http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4567570

Saying Yes | The Community of Jesus
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By Melodious Monk Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of the Annunciation, a feast that once again comes wholly unexpected at this time of year. In reading the story again, I’m struck by two things. Firstly, this visit from the angel on this March day, not Christmas, is the moment that God entered our world in the flesh; and secondly, on this day that Mary made her famous #quot;fiat#quot; — but she could have said no. [ 181 more words. ]

By Melodious Monk

Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of the Annunciation, a feast that once again comes wholly unexpected at this time of year.  In reading the story again, I’m struck by two things.  Firstly, this visit from the angel on this March day, not Christmas, is the moment that God entered our world in the flesh; and secondly, on this day that Mary made her famous “fiat” — but she could have said no.  While I easily glide over both these events, hardly thinking more than, “of course that happened, the angel came and Mary agreed, and that’s wonderful and amazing and we love her for it!”

But I would do well to take a moment this week to ponder the amazing and multi-layered spiritual events that happened on this day.  In his book on saints, Father Alban Butler said this about the feast day: “The world, as heaven had decreed, was not to have a Savior till she had given her consent to the angel’s proposal; she gives it, and behold the power and efficacy of her submissive fiat!”

I see in this statement God giving Mary (and I believe all of us) a choice to say yes.  Not a one time offer, but daily, even many times a day we are given “angels’ proposal’s” or choices.  I tend to forget that in all situations, I have a choice for or against God.  On this feast, Mary’s example reminds us that the Savior will come readily after we say yes.

March 25 Echoes of Eternity
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord.
I Kings 17:16
My goodness never fails. If My people would only trust me more, they would see the unending stream of mercy flowing like a mighty river, an unending supply. Your life is a testimony to the surprising ways I use to supply the needs of My children. From the day you gave your heart to me, the cruse of oil has never run dry. Through lean times and fat, you have never “wanted” for what you needed. I have
fed you with the finest wheat.
Go over them in your mind and praise My faithfulness! Surprise yourself anew at the remembrance of My goodness. There is a pattern there that I want you to recognize. This, too, is a part of the blessing I give you—the joy and trust that such memories bring.

Just In! Pray Like A Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed the Soul (watch the Trailer) ##064;Brazzeals

Pray Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul
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Pray Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul – Imagine that prayer could be like savoring a fine French meal—a flow of engaging courses featuring creative recipes, infusing all your senses, …

Just In! Pray Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul—Newest book in the Active Prayer Series. David Brazzeal: author of Pray Like a Gourmet ##064;Brazzeals

Pray Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul
www.paracletepress.com
Pray Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul – Imagine that prayer could be like savoring a fine French meal—a flow of engaging courses featuring creative recipes, infusing all your senses, …

March 24 Echoes of Eternity
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
Psalm 139:13
My dear child, I accept your thanks and praise. I am glad for you that you recognize My great tenderness and compassion toward you all the days of your life. I saw you in your mother’s womb and set you apart for My purposes. I watched you in your disobediences and in your guilt and pain. I am God and not man, that I should abandon My purpose. Yes, you caused Me pain in your hard-headed, selfchosen way. You have inflicted pain on others, too. The process of
healing is still going on, and your faithful repentance must be part of that process. Keep the stream of gratitude flowing, for it gives life to the necessary repentance. My glory shall yet be revealed. That is My promise.

A terrific Englewood featured Review on Vulnerable Faith! http://www.paracletepress.com/vulnerable-faith.html

Jamie Arpin-Ricci – Vulnerable Faith [Feature Review]
erb.kingdomnow.org
Page 2: Jamie Arpin-Ricci – Vulnerable Faith But to imagine Patrick, sitting in a metal folding chair and drinking a bitter cup of coffee, confessing to a life-long compulsion of addiction, asking for help and solidarity, squarely seating himself with the rest of the tired a

Good Reads 5 star review on Jana Riess##039;s new book, ##039;Flunking Sainthood Every Day##039;. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21870028-flunking-sainthood-every-day?ac=1#other_reviews

Great picture of David Brazzeal, author of ##039;Praying Like a Gourmet##039; at the book signing at LA Congress earlier this month. http://www.paracletepress.com/pray-like-a-gourmet-creative-ways-to-feed-your-soul.html

March 23 Echoes of Eternity
Break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.
Hosea 10:12
Feast on My Word. This is the true food for your soul. The words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life. By this I mean that they become sustenance for your spirit and life for your soul. I quicken “words” by My Spirit so that they become expressions of My Word.
You need to trust, to learn to trust, the living word that comes to you. My word comes to break up the hard, fallow ground of your heart. Do you not see it? Is it not happening? But there is much work still to be done. I am the Restorer of breaches. I am He who breaks down walls of separation.

A great review by Graham Kerr on Praying Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed the Soul. Newest book in the Active Prayer Series. Coming soon! http://www.grahamkerr.com/pray-like-a-gourmet/

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4545953

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song | The Community of Jesus
www.communityofjesus.org
By Cantor Hosanna Filio David! This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday and the Sunday of the Passion. It carries incredible drama and meaning as it announces the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem, and sets the stage for all that happens in the ensuing days. We will be heralded into the service by one of the most famous of all Gregorian chants — [ 133 more words. ]

By Cantor

Hosanna Filio David!

This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday and the Sunday of the Passion. It carries incredible drama and meaning as it announces the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem, and sets the stage for all that happens in the ensuing days.

We will be heralded into the service by one of the most famous of all Gregorian chants – Hosanna Filio David! (Hosanna to the Son of David). This introit chant opens with the famous “trumpet call” motive which we have explored over the course of the past few months. In fact, it bears extraordinary resemblance to the chant which opens Christmas morning mass — Puer Natus est (A Boy is Born). The sound of the chant reminds us that Jesus is King. However, its liturgical placement reminds us that this King came as a child and was welcomed into Jerusalem by children as well as adults. I find myself amazed that this chant is able to give us such beautiful parallels, bringing to mind the innocence and humility of the King of Heaven.

Have a blessed Palm Sunday!

-Image credit: maxresdefault.jpg

www.youtube.com

What an inspiration.

Jean Vanier, L’Arche Founder, Wins Templeton Prize
publishersweekly.com
Jean Vanier, who pioneered inclusive communities for the disabled who were previously isolated and institutionalized, has won the $1.7 million Templeton Prize.

March 22 Echoes of Eternity
Moses said, “We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it to you.”
Numbers 10:29
Press on past the barriers you meet in your earthly pilgrimage toward Me. Your tendency is to linger and let them delay your progress. Life is not static. It was not meant to be. The past is gone, yet present in your memory and in consequences of past decisions. The future is not yet, but present in the consequences which will flow from decisions made now. Lingering at the barriers is but a cowardly indulgence of faithlessness. The barriers of guilt, of anger and resentment,
of fear, of grief—what are these compared with that which I have set before you? Press on toward the Light. Again I say, press on!

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March 21 Echoes of Eternity
For the Lord thy God is a merciful God. He will not forsake thee.
Deuteronomy 4:31
Fear not the path which I have laid out for you. Flinch not at what I ask you to bear. You will not bear it alone. Lo, I am with you, My child, in every moment. I tell you this because I know you from your conception in your mother’s womb. She, too, feared many things. Your feeling of aloneness and abandonment are made more intense by your sin. The fear you feel is a punishment for your rebellion
against My love. All rebellion is against My love, because I, the Lord, am love. That is the essence of My nature. You are a creature, a creation of My love. When you understand that simple truth, you will know freedom from fear. You will know that I will never leave you nor forsake you. Never. That is my promise.

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March 20 Echoes of Eternity
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation, and in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord.
Isaiah 12:3,4
With joy you shall draw water from the wells of salvation. The wells are deep and sometimes you must wait for the plumbing of the depths. The surface of your soul is like the surface of the sea—busily moving in many directions at the gusts of wind that blow on it. There is a restlessness there that must be gotten past. Or change the picture, My child, and compare it to a dry and thirsty desert. Unstable and shifting in many directions. So do not be discouraged that I require you to go deeper than the shifting sand, the restless sea. Quietness is in the depths. The “water of salvation” is plentiful and pure, but must be drawn from its source. Since most of your life is lived on the surface, it is all the more necessary that you take the time
to go deep and tap the life-giving wells.

March 20 Echoes of Eternity
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation, and in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord.
Isaiah 12:3,4
With joy you shall draw water from the wells of salvation. The wells are deep and sometimes you must wait for the plumbing of the depths. The surface of your soul is like the surface of the sea—busily moving in many directions at the gusts of wind that blow on it. There is a restlessness there that must be gotten past. Or change the picture, My child, and compare it to a dry and thirsty desert. Unstable and shifting in many directions. So do not be discouraged that I require you to go deeper than the shifting sand, the restless sea. Quietness is in the depths. The “water of salvation” is plentiful and pure, but must be drawn from its source. Since most of your life is lived on the surface, it is all the more necessary that you take the time
to go deep and tap the life-giving wells.

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Rachel Hackenberg##039;s new book will change your life. Not might. Not could. Not may. Will. Change. Your. Life. On Tuesday night, I threw myself onto my bed with a stack of work…

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#quot;You need this book. Not as an e-book, but as a tangible reality on your desk, in your bag, and beside your bed. You need this as little retreat interludes, little paths by still water, a pocket moment of spiritual direction.#quot;–from the review

RevGalBookPals: Sacred Pauses
revgalblogpals.org
Rachel Hackenberg##039;s new book will change your life. Not might. Not could. Not may. Will. Change. Your. Life. On Tuesday night, I threw myself onto my bed with a stack of work…

Three Lenten Threads http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4517755

Three Lenten Threads | The Community of Jesus
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By Sr. Nun Other I was listening at our Lauds service today. (I don##039;t always and am easily lured into thinking and re-thinking my own agenda.) But today, three phrases begged me to listen. From Luke 1, the Benedictus: to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins; the Lenten Reading for Wednesday: Is not our Lord just now ready to bless you?

Three Lenten Threads http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4517755

Three Lenten Threads | The Community of Jesus
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By Sr. Nun Other I was listening at our Lauds service today. (I don##039;t always and am easily lured into thinking and re-thinking my own agenda.) But today, three phrases begged me to listen. From Luke 1, the Benedictus: to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins; the Lenten Reading for Wednesday: Is not our Lord just now ready to bless you?

By Sr. Nun Other

I was listening at our Lauds service today. (I don’t always and am easily lured into thinking and re-thinking my own agenda.) But today, three phrases begged me to listen. From Luke 1, the Benedictus: to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins; the Lenten Reading for Wednesday: Is not our Lord just now ready to bless you? To increase your faith, and love, and patience, and gentleness? (Charles Wesley); and finally, the Collect for the Day: You crown the merits of the saints and pardon sinners when they repent. Lent is power-packed with hope. Salvation, forgiveness, and the freedom to repent, open a corridor to Easter’s joy.

March 19 Echoes of Eternity
Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.
James 4:8,10
Call upon Me, and I will answer you. Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you. This is ever My word and My promise. I know your frame and your weakness. I know the difficulty you have in staying your thoughts on Me. I know all about you—more, much more than you know about yourself. So come to Me in your brokenness, your failure to measure up, your craven, baseless fears. I will not turn you away, because I love you. You will come to know Me as I reveal My love to you. Call upon Me and I will answer you.

#quot;It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read about the entirety of what it means to be a Christian. I believe it will challenge me for many years to come as I walk a path of recovery from pretense and fear. It inspired me mightily to grow in freedom and to share that freedom with others. You should read it too.#quot;—Rebecca Florence Miller

Read more:

Vulnerable Faith: A Profound Book on What It Means to Be a Christian
www.patheos.com
Vulnerable Faith by Jaime Arpin-Ricci is a treasure of a book. You could open it to any page and find something wise and profound, something that you could take years to really understand. It is a guidebook for the life of Christian discipleship. It uses the structure of Alcoholics Anonymous’s 12 St…

Embracing Seasons http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4517752

Embracing Seasons | The Community of Jesus
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By Melodious Monk Our Lord is a seasonal God: He comes, He departs. His faithfulness never changes, but his seasons do. There are seasons when the tree is green, there are seasons when it is dry, and seasons when, for the life of us, the thing looks dead. Now, does this mean we are serving some capricious God who comes and goes by whim? [ 129 more words. ]

By Melodious Monk

Our Lord is a seasonal God: He comes, He departs. His faithfulness never changes, but his seasons do.  There are seasons when the tree is green, there are seasons when it is dry, and seasons when, for the life of us, the thing looks dead. Now, does this mean we are serving some capricious God who comes and goes by whim? Or could it be, that it is only through seasons that true growth may come?

Seasons of joy, seasons of sorrow, times when the Lord is so real it seems any activity you undertake is a spiritual experience. Seasons of dryness, when things are so bleak that even a plateful of Sinai sand would be considered a feast!

The day must come when every season is taken fairly much the same. That is, you can go forward regardless.  We are all very subject to seasons; yet those seasons are there to make us eventually seasonless. There is only one way you are ever going to learn to triumph over all seasons, and that is to go through each and every season…many times.

Gene Edwards, The Inward Journey

##039;Vulnerable Faith##039; by Jamie Arpin Ricci is Englewood##039;s book trailer of the week! See the trailer here:

Jamie Arpin-Ricci – Vulnerable Faith [Book Trailer]
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Our book trailer of the week, just in time for St. Patrick##039;s Day… Jamie Arpin-Ricci Foreword by Jean Vanier Paperback: Paraclete Press, 2015 Pre-order now: [ ] Watch the book trailer… //

A breathtaking response to ##039;Vulnerable Faith##039;.
#quot;The grace of God meets us in our interdependent weakness and empowers us to be graceful as companions with God in healing the world.#quot;—Dr. Bruce Epperly

The Grace of Interdependence: A Response to Jamie Arpin-Ricci’s ‘Vulnerable Faith’
www.patheos.com
As a child growing up in the Salinas Valley in California, I grew up singing that grand evangelical hymn “Just as I Am,” popularized by the Billy Graham Crusades. Jamie Arpin-Ricci’s Vulnerable Faith brought me back to the revival meetings and evangelical theology of our small town Baptist church. W…

March 18 Echoes of Eternity
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
II Timothy 1:13
Guard well, My child, the life I have given you. The adversary is ever seeking ways to nullify and make havoc of your faith. You are no match for him without Me, and you easily forget how dangerous it is to wander from the safe path. Let caution warn you not to be presumptuous. I am your safety, your front guard and your rear
guard. You are safe when you stay with Me. That is how you guard the life I have given you.

Experience 40 days of creativity, freedom and true inspiration from the Spirit of God. 25% OFF ##039;40 Days with the Holy Spirit##039;—Try between Easter and Pentecost!##064;spiritchatter

40 Days with the Holy Spirit
www.paracletepress.com
40 Days with the Holy Spirit – 40 Days with the Holy Spirit will inspire you to encounter God in fresh and surprising ways. You’ll develop stronger spiritual muscles as you breathe, read, reflect, and …

#quot;It is without reservation that I recommend this volume to you. If you really want to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with wisdom instead of in a stupor, get this book today.#quot;—Fran Rossi Szpylczyn
http://www.paracletepress.com/vulnerable-faith.html

St. Patrick and #quot;A Vulnerable Faith#quot;
blog.timesunion.com
This is a very short post, but it is meant to be very clear on this St. Patrick##039;s Day. I am not a big St. Patrick##039;s Day reveler though half-Irish I might be. My mother was so proud of her Irish roo…

Build a Better Easter Basket – Building Faith
www.buildfaith.org
Jerusalem Greer shows items with connections to Easter, and scripture, to fill a basket that is truly about Easter. Strengthen children##039;s faith.

March 17 Echoes of Eternity
The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
Psalm 126:3
Your prayer is heard, My child, your prayer is heard. The desire you express is not yours, but the gift of My Spirit. Flesh recoils at the prospect of its mortality. The spirit within yearns to be clothed with immortality. Cultivate the spirit within. Deny the flesh its grasping, clinging—its fearful demands to be pampered, loved, considered. Fight the battle in the strength I shall give and be whole-hearted in
it. Call to mind, in the heat of battle, what great things I have done for you. I have taken your small, puny faith, and the steps you have taken in faith, and enlarged them beyond anything you can see. Only I know the extent of My blessing, but you can know enough to strengthen you and arm you when the adversary comes in like a flood. Play the man, My child. Your prayer is heard.

Just In! ##039;The Way of Perfection: St. Teresa of Avila##039; celebrating the 500th anniversary of her birth.
#quot;God will ALWAYS give us more than we ask for.#quot;—St. Teresa
http://www.paracletepress.com/the-way-of-perfection-2015.html

St. Patrick##039;s Day is tomorrow! 25% OFF St. Patrick##039;s Day books through tomorrow. http://www.paracletepress.com/books-spirituality-saints.html

St. Patrick##039;s Day is tomorrow! 25% OFF St. Patrick##039;s Day books through tomorrow. http://www.paracletepress.com/books-spirituality-saints.html

March 16 Echoes of Eternity
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy statutes.
Psalm 119:71
Frail, mortal child of flesh, My love is beyond your grasping. The mysteries of My providence often leave you trembling and confused. What you cannot understand with your mind, you fear. The darkness and shadows that must needs come fill you with uncertainty. Yet I tell you that in all the shadows there is light. In all the uncertainties there is one certainty—My eternal, unchanging love. See and find it. You cannot “grasp” it, but you are held by it.

March 16 Echoes of Eternity
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy statutes.
Psalm 119:71
Frail, mortal child of flesh, My love is beyond your grasping. The mysteries of My providence often leave you trembling and confused. What you cannot understand with your mind, you fear. The darkness and shadows that must needs come fill you with uncertainty. Yet I tell you that in all the shadows there is light. In all the uncertainties there is one certainty—My eternal, unchanging love. See and find it. You cannot “grasp” it, but you are held by it.

Mobile Uploads
Afternoon Tea for Alzheimer##039;s
Wednesday, March 25th, 2:30pm to 4:00pm at Residences at Wingate in Dedham, MA
For Directions please click here: http://www.residencesatwingate.com/about-wingate/

Mobile Uploads
Afternoon Tea for Alzheimer##039;s
Wednesday, March 25th, 2:30pm to 4:00pm at Residences at Wingate in Dedham, MA
For Directions please click here: http://www.residencesatwingate.com/about-wingate/

Week 4 of Jerusalem Jackson Greer##039;s Lenten Series! GIVE

A Family Lent – Week 4: Give
jerusalemgreer.com
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ― Charles Dickens This is Week 4 in our journey through the season of Lent, and this week we are focusing on what it means to #quot;Give.#quot; Giving tends to be a theme during Advent and Christmas, but we don##039;t always associate it with Lent, when we find ourselves thinking more about what we should give up and less about what we could give away. [ 822 more words. ]

Week 4 of Jerusalem Jackson Greer##039;s Lenten Series! GIVE

A Family Lent – Week 4: Give
jerusalemgreer.com
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ― Charles Dickens This is Week 4 in our journey through the season of Lent, and this week we are focusing on what it means to #quot;Give.#quot; Giving tends to be a theme during Advent and Christmas, but we don##039;t always associate it with Lent, when we find ourselves thinking more about what we should give up and less about what we could give away. [ 822 more words. ]

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4497936

Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song | The Community of Jesus
www.communityofjesus.org
By Cantor Chanting by Heart: A Path to Lively Prayer Just by reading the words #quot;Salve Regina,#quot; many of us have a very familiar and beloved tune begin streaming through our #quot;inner ear#quot; — a sound many of us have known since childhood. Likewise, #quot;O Come Emmanuel#quot; will instantly whisk us inwardly to the time of Advent. If we even begin chanting #quot;Humbly I adore Thee, verity unseen#quot;, we are reminded of Maundy Thursday or the celebration of Eucharist itself. [ 135 more words. ]

By Cantor

Chanting by Heart: A Path to Lively Prayer

Just by reading the words “Salve Regina,” many of us have a very familiar and beloved tune begin streaming through our “inner ear” — a sound many of us have known since childhood. Likewise, “O Come Emmanuel” will instantly whisk us inwardly to the time of Advent. If we even begin chanting “Humbly I adore Thee, verity unseen”, we are reminded of Maundy Thursday or the celebration of Eucharist itself.

In current-day language, most people speak of performing “by memory” or “without music.” As I re-read my old notes from classes with Mary Berry, I am struck with her continual references to knowing the chant “by heart.”  “By heart” says something very different than “by memory.” “By heart” implies having something buried deep inside ourselves, something which has truly become part of us and which has become connected not just to our memories, but our emotions and spirit as well. THIS is chanting “by heart” and is one of the greatest joys of chant — to learn and know it so well that it becomes a conduit for prayer as a living conversation, full of spirit and verve!

Image Credit
Gregorian Institute of Canada: News www.gregorian.ca

March 15 Echoes of Eternity
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him.
Psalm 103:17
I am the Lord who healeth thee. The adversary meant evil to you, but I mean it for good and for life. Put aside the distractions that pull you from My chosen path. Take each day as a gift of love from the Giver of love. Purify your mind and thoughts with simple cries and prayers. Prove me by the waters of Meribah. Let me turn the bitter into sweet and trust that I can ever do so. None know this save those who choose to become “little children” before their heavenly Father. The oil of My mercy never runs out.

The Merciful Heart:
The heart##039;s pulsing ache—oh to have
that same heart##039;s burning
for persons, for birds, all manner
of animal, and even for the demons.
—A poem by Scott Cairns, from ##039;Endless Life##039;

March 14 Echoes of Eternity
For in Him we live and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring.
Acts 17:28
You are nearer to Me than you know. I am nearer to you than you realize. Your sense of distance and separation are the fruit of your sin—your independence, pride, and self-absorption. These sins erect barriers in your soul, and they isolate you in a prison of your own making. Yet I am with you—nearer than you realize. Open the door in the wall you have built—or better still, begin anew the destruction
of that barrier. It can be done—and My help is sure.

A lovely little book with a fresh look at the Joyful Mysteries-
20% OFF Luigi Santucci##039;s ##039;Tales of Grace##039;.
“Santucci’s tales transpose the reader from the gospel texts to imaginative times and places that inspire fresh insights and awakenings.”—Andrew D. Ciferni, O.Praem, St. Norbert College

Tales of Grace: Reflections on the Joyful Mysteries
www.paracletepress.com
Tales of Grace: Reflections on the Joyful Mysteries – This compelling and charming book employs story and whimsy, with delicate, lyrical touches, so that readers can experience in new light the joyful …

Jerusalem Jackson Greer, author of ##039;A Homemade Year##039; shares some great thoughts and ideas about lent in her ##039;A Family Lent##039; series. This week##039;s theme is Thanks! A great read…

Posts about Lent on Jerusalem Greer
jerusalemgreer.com
Posts about Lent written by Jerusalem

Just In! Welcome to the Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity
#quot;This excellent book is most valuable because it is more like a friend than a book. It##039;s the voice you hope to hear beside you in church, murmuring explanations and encouragement as you make your journey. I highly recommend it.#quot; — Rev. Dr. Christopher Metropulos, Executive Director, Orthodox Christian Network

Welcome to the Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity
www.paracletepress.com
Welcome to the Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity – There are other introductory books about Orthodoxy. This one comprehensively covers the history, theology, and practice …

Our booth at LA Congress! (Booths 512-516)
TEN REASONS why you won##039;t want to miss us this year:
1. Receive a FREE Love God, Love Others wrist band with any order (while supplies last).
2. Step of the fray and soak in the soothing sounds of Gregorian Chant.
3. Sit for a few moments with the author of our newest book in the Active Prayer Series.
David Brazzeal will be signing Pray Like a Gourmet on Saturday from 2:30 – 5pm ##064;brazzeals
4. Browse our newest book titles, including some great ideas for RCIA gifts!
5. Come see what DRE##039;s are calling the best Bible they##039;ve ever seen for K-2 — The Paraclete Bible for Kids
6. You##039;ve loved our Praying With Your Five Fingers prayer card.
Come see our newest card, The Lord##039;s Prayer
7. Just in time for the Year of Consecrated Life,
pre-order Fr. Albert Haase##039;s Come Follow Me DVD.
8. Get great deals on our DVDs for Adult Formation
including our new Demystifying the Book of Revelation.
9. Play with the new Ten Commandments Cube. It##039;s super cool.10. Meet your reps Kyle, Josh, and Br. Richard in person.
#RECongress ##064;LACongress

If you are going to the LA #RECongress, please stop by our booths 512-516. We have much to offer you- important books, playful prayer cubes, beautiful CDs, educational DVDs—you name it! Also, receive a FREE Love God, Love Others wrist band with any order (while supplies last). We look forward to seeing you there. ##064;LACongress

Los Angeles Religious Education Congress
www.recongress.org

March 13 Echoes of Eternity
According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.
Ephesians 1:4
In the course of your life, My hand has overshadowed you and protected you. My tender mercies have attended you and spared you. Do not ask why, or doubt that it is so. As you review the past, make it a sure foundation with which to face the future. The foundation is My overarching, unfailing love and care—a foundation that cannot fail.

Take a literary journey through prayer and poetics towards a deep and healing calm – 20% OFF through Monday.

“Donald Sheehan’s journey—through both brokenness and beauty—to a deep and healing calm is at once personal and universal. With a poet’s visionary prose, a scholar’s acuity, and a pilgrim’s devotion, Sheehan offers his reader access to the profound, compelling stillness at the heart of all things. He proves an exceedingly good guide along the way.” —Scott Cairns, author of Slow Pilgrim: Collected Poems

The Grace of Incorruption: The Selected Essays of Donald Sheehan on Orthodox Faith and Poetics
www.paracletepress.com
The Grace of Incorruption: The Selected Essays of Donald Sheehan on Orthodox Faith and Poetics – Professor and scholar, teacher of poets and poetry and convert to Eastern Orthodoxy, Donald Sheehan …

Take a literary journey through prayer and poetics towards a deep and healing calm – 20% OFF through Monday.

“Donald Sheehan’s journey—through both brokenness and beauty—to a deep and healing calm is at once personal and universal. With a poet’s visionary prose, a scholar’s acuity, and a pilgrim’s devotion, Sheehan offers his reader access to the profound, compelling stillness at the heart of all things. He proves an exceedingly good guide along the way.” —Scott Cairns, author of Slow Pilgrim: Collected Poems

The Grace of Incorruption: The Selected Essays of Donald Sheehan on Orthodox Faith and Poetics
www.paracletepress.com
The Grace of Incorruption: The Selected Essays of Donald Sheehan on Orthodox Faith and Poetics – Professor and scholar, teacher of poets and poetry and convert to Eastern Orthodoxy, Donald Sheehan …

An Everyday Question http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4474489

An Everyday Question | The Community of Jesus
www.communityofjesus.org
By Sr. Nun Other I##039;ve been thinking about the question Jesus posed to His disciples in Matthew 16:15: #quot;But what about you?#quot; he asked. #quot;Who do you say I am?#quot; Simon Peter answered, #quot;You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.#quot; Who do I say Jesus is, not once, but, everyday? Is He the Messiah, Son of God, savior, liberator, and loving friend?

An Everyday Question http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4474489

An Everyday Question | The Community of Jesus
www.communityofjesus.org
By Sr. Nun Other I##039;ve been thinking about the question Jesus posed to His disciples in Matthew 16:15: #quot;But what about you?#quot; he asked. #quot;Who do you say I am?#quot; Simon Peter answered, #quot;You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.#quot; Who do I say Jesus is, not once, but, everyday? Is He the Messiah, Son of God, savior, liberator, and loving friend?

“Who willingly exposes their weaknesses? Yet that is exactly that path Jesus calls us to tread, and for good reason: There is more hope in honest brokenness than in the pretense of false wholeness.#quot;– Jamie Arpin-Ricci
Vulnerable 25% OFF through March 18th
http://www.paracletepress.com/vulnerable-faith.html

St. Patrick, AA, and Vulnerable Faith: A Q#amp;A with Jamie Arpin-Ricci
www.patheos.com
“Who willingly exposes their weaknesses? Yet that is exactly that path Jesus calls us to tread, and for good reason: There is more hope in honest brokenness than in the pretense of false wholeness.

“Who willingly exposes their weaknesses? Yet that is exactly that path Jesus calls us to tread, and for good reason: There is more hope in honest brokenness than in the pretense of false wholeness.#quot;– Jamie Arpin-Ricci
Vulnerable 25% OFF through March 18th
http://www.paracletepress.com/vulnerable-faith.html

St. Patrick, AA, and Vulnerable Faith: A Q#amp;A with Jamie Arpin-Ricci
www.patheos.com
“Who willingly exposes their weaknesses? Yet that is exactly that path Jesus calls us to tread, and for good reason: There is more hope in honest brokenness than in the pretense of false wholeness.

Look who showed up outside the window?! A stunning red-bellied woodpecker!

Look who showed up outside the window?! A stunning red-bellied woodpecker!

March 12 Echoes of Eternity
He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
John 10:3
I call you by your name and you are Mine. From all eternity I have loved you and to eternity I shall love you. Your mind cannot comprehend this, but your heart can respond to it. Enough to know that you are known and loved.
What are all the baubles of this world in comparison with this? What is fame, power, riches?—things or conditions that pass away even as you use them. Embrace and hold fast this reality—this gift: you are known and loved.

March 12 Echoes of Eternity
He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
John 10:3
I call you by your name and you are Mine. From all eternity I have loved you and to eternity I shall love you. Your mind cannot comprehend this, but your heart can respond to it. Enough to know that you are known and loved.
What are all the baubles of this world in comparison with this? What is fame, power, riches?—things or conditions that pass away even as you use them. Embrace and hold fast this reality—this gift: you are known and loved.

A Few More Pieces of Lent http://www.communityofjesus.org/?p=4470812

A Few More Pieces of Lent | The Community of Jesus
www.communityofjesus.org
By Melodious Monk Such grief is not Lent’s goal; But to be led to where God’s glory flashes i For by your holy cross and passion you redeemed the world ii The message of the cross is folly to those who are perishing But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. iii are getting deaf, so that when we find ourselves in trouble, we prefer to listen to the enemies that harry us. [ 90 more words. ]

By Melodious Monk

Such grief is not Lent’s goal; But to be led to where God’s glory flashes i For by your holy cross and passion you redeemed the world ii The message of the cross is folly to those who are perishing But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. iii [We] are getting deaf, so that when we find ourselves in trouble, we prefer to listen to the enemies that harry us. But when will spring arrive for us? iv Struggling with the devil of the stairs who wears the deceitful face of hope and of despair Where shall the word be found, where will the word Resound? v Yet even now…”Return to me with your whole heart” vi  Make clear, make clear, make clear where truth and light appear! vii

[i] Percy Dearmer [ii] Good Friday antiphon [iii] 1^st Cor. 1:18 [iv] St. Augustine [v] T. S. Eliot [vi] Joel 2:12 [vii] Percy Dearmer

Don##039;t miss Paraclete Press at LA Congress this week. We##039;re at Booths 512-516. We have much to offer you- important books, playful prayer cubes, beautiful CDs, educational DVDs—you name it! Also, receive a FREE Love God, Love Others wrist band with any order (while supplies last). We look forward to seeing you there. #RECONGRESS ##064;LACongress

A good review on ##039;40 Days with the Holy Spirit##039;.
#quot;Lev­ison shows that there is so much more about the Spirit [than Pen­tecost, baptismal liturgy, gifts of the Spirit—or noisy charismatics] that can enrich our thinking about the God who is Spirit.#quot;— the Christian Century ##064;ChristianCent

A review of 40 Days with the Holy Spirit, by Jack Levison | The Christian Century
www.christiancentury.org
Levison, who teaches Old Testament at Perkins School of Theology, has made a career of studying Spirit in scripture. He puts his significant learning in accessible form in this book intended for use as inspirational reading over a 40-day period, which could be used for Lent or any time of year.

A great review on Vulnerable Faith- Just in!
#quot;It’s only as people have the courage to embrace vulnerability… …that they can live as whole people.#quot;—Publisher##039;s Weekly
25% OFF through March 18th http://www.paracletepress.com/vulnerable-faith.html

Religion Book Review: Vulnerable Faith: Missional Living in the Radical Way of St. Patrick by…
publishersweekly.com
Arpin-Ricci (#lt;em#gt;The Cost of Community#lt;/em#gt;) combines the story of St. Patrick with Alcoholics Anonymous’s 12-step program to illustrate what a life beyond pretense looks like. Humans, Arpin-Ricci say

March 11 Echoes of Eternity
For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell; and having made peace through the blood of the cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself.
Colossians 1:19,20
In this sign you will conquer. In My cross is your victory. Mine is a finished work. Mine is a perfect work. And it is yours, My child, as My gift of love to you. There is no other victory. There is only striving after emptiness and wind. Blessed are you if you know this and remain faithful to it.
Do not chafe at the restrictions My cross lays upon you. Yield quickly to My way and let not your heart be troubled. I see all and know all—and I am with you every step of your way. In this sign you will conquer.

Come visit us at LA Congress this week! Booths 512-516 #RECONGRESS

A terrific review from Publisher##039;s Weekly on ##039;Pray Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul##039; by David Brazzeal. Coming soon- a new release this month! ##064;brazzeals ##064;PublishersWkly

Religion Book Review: Pray Like a Gourmet: Creative Ways to Feed Your Soul by David Brazzeal….
publishersweekly.com
Brazzeal (#lt;em#gt;Now Paul, He was a Servant#lt;/em#gt;) has written a cookbook for prayer—literally. After a first section that likens learning to pray to learning to cook and also notes the importance of food

Just In! ##039;The Complete Cloud of Unknowing##039;
Intellect and emotion both fail in seeking God, who can only be encountered by rejecting all common earthly means in a “cloud of forgetting” and the discovery of Godself in the dark “cloud of unknowing” that can be pierced only with a “lance of longing love#quot;. http://www.paracletepress.com/the-complete-cloud-of-unknowing.html

Saint Patrick##039;s Day Book Sale! 25% OFF St. Patrick books through March 18th.
http://www.paracletepress.com/books-spirituality-saints.html

Just in time for St. Patrick##039;s Day! (March 17th) – 25% Off through March 18th.
http://www.paracletepress.com/vulnerable-faith.html

Timeline Photos
Look what arrived at ##064;[141915492327:274:Paraclete Press] today! Shipping soon!

March 10 Echoes of Eternity
And He arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.
Mark 4:39
Peace, be still! Let the waves of uncertainty and fear subside. Know that I am with you, and will carry you through every trial. Peace, be still, and learn to trust where you cannot see.