buffalo journeys

 Merry Christmas to you and yours! Let us rejoice in the Nativity of our Lord, Jesus Christ! by Giotto di Bondone from The MET public domain project

  There’s been a ton written about what Jesus meant and what Jesus said over the centuries. I’ve read some of these thoughts and interpretations, and I’ve sat in the pews of both Catholic and Protestant preachers, who have preached about this. From time to time, it is good to read what Jesus said according to the Bible…  Below is the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7, Douay Rheims Version: St. Matthew Chapter 5   1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. 2 And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying: 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers:

  by Nicolas Enriquez from The MET public domain project There are several Marian Apparitions approved by the Vatican. This one is Our Lady of Guadalupe, and today is the feast day. Our Lady requests that we say the rosary every day. She points us to her son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Have you said your rosary today? If not, why not start today.  If you're not familiar with Our Lady of Guadalupe, here is a quick summary. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego near Mexico City on Tepeyac Hill. He told his Bishop and priest about it, but they were skeptical. In the final apparition, Juan Diego brought fragrant flowers that were rare from the desert terrain, as proof to show the clergy.  He carried the flowers in his cloak, and when he opened the cloak, in addition to the flowers, an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is imprinted on the cloak. The above painting is a copy of the image that is now on display at the Catholic Church in Mexico City. The painting also depi

During Lent this year, our family read My Imitation of Christ . We have several versions of it, but my favorite is this box set as shown below. We set aside a time after supper during the week, to read from it aloud, with each family member taking a turn. My kids participated, but I could tell that it was not the highlight of their day, if you know what I mean. We managed to get through the entire book for Lent, and even though my children didn't seem too enthusiastic about this exercise at the time, it is something that they understand when the book comes up in discussion and be a part of that discussion. There were many passages within the book that resonated with me, so I will be including them here whenever possible. One of those passages is about solitude and silence. “Seek a proper time to retire into thyself, and often think of the benefits of God. Let curiosities alone.” (from My Imitation of Christ ) In our busy modern world with nonstop distractions at our fingertips, it