Category: Life in the Spirit

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The journey of peace

On By dpavinatoIn #sacredwork, A life worth living, a school of God's service, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, Compassion, Daily Prayer, discernment, Every day Catholic, hope and healing, Life in the Spirit, Life of purpose, mindfulness, ora et labora, Our Lady of the Way, praying for peace, Sacred Heart of Jesus, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, Teachers and Guides on the journey, Trust the journey, visionary faithLeave a comment

In today’s Gospel from Matthew (Matthew 5: 1-12a), Jesus gathers his apostles, and the growing crowd of disciples and followers, and shares the familiar Beatitudes with them – these words shared are a radical blueprint for the heart for those of us searching for answers. Although I’ve heard these verses many times, they spoke to me with a new weight this year. Ever since the Vigil Mass on Saturday, words like ‘peacemakers,’ ‘persecuted for righteousness,’ and ‘hunger and thirst’ have been nudging me to spend more time with them. What am I being called to do? How might I move beyond hearing the words and make them become a part of my life? What is my role to help embody the words at a time when our world needs more light and peace? I don’t have the answers, so I have gathered a few favorite quotes from many that I respect and turn to for wisdom, with a prayer that they might help me understand the words Jesus is calling us to live. I also share a personal example at the end of how we are invited to reflect on our own journeys.

As a Benedictine Oblate, I begin with St. Benedict and the peace he advocates in our daily living of The Rule, from the Prologue: “Let peace be your quest and aim.”

Pope Leo XIV, yesterday in his address to participants at the “Political Innovation Hackathon: One Humanity, One Planet” Conference, said “there can be no peace while humanity wages war against itself—by discarding the weak, excluding the poor, and remaining indifferent to refugees and the oppressed.” He said “Only those who care for the least among us are capable of accomplishing what is truly great.” He urged the young people to seek peace always.

Dorothy Day: “If peace is to be built, it must start with the individual. It is built brick by brick.”

St. Mother Theresa: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

Anthony deMello: “Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.”

Thomas Merton: “We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God.”

Thich Nhat Hahn: “Peace in every step.”

Lastly, I share the personal experience from my reflection during Adoration this past Wednesday on the Buddhist monks walking for peace. I prayed to let their walk continue to plant seeds of peace in my heart. That they might encourage me to spread a message of peace in my own way. I contemplated the number of people they are influencing by their walk and their daily messages. I continue to write in my journal each morning, “Today is going to be my peaceful day.” I paused and thought about others, like the Peace Pilgrim, who have journeyed for peace. Then God reminded me he has a sense of humor and is listening to all these silent prayers and yearnings.

I reached down and picked up my copy of the new book, Encounter Grace: Moments of Hope, Joy and Peace, by mentor and friend, Becky Eldredge. I opened and turned to pages 36 and 37 and read the two reflections “A Call” and “Healing Power”. In “A Call”, Becky wrote that we are invited to pray for the grace of getting to know Jesus more intimately as we journey through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. “It means not only hearing the call to follow Jesus but also to WALK with him and be there working with him.” Then in “Healing Power”, Becky reflected on the ways that Jesus healed others and the impact it had on her. She invites us to consider that it is through our connection with Jesus in our “inner chapel” that “his power moves from him to us.” When we do that, we “encounter Jesus the same way Jesus encountered people tangibly when he was WALKING around the earth.” (Using caps for both quotes here is my emphasis.) I laughed out loud, quietly because I was in Adoration, but I thanked God for reminding me of Jesus’ constant effort to be and share peace. I can turn to scripture just as easily as I can turn to YouTube to see where the monks are walking today.

So today, in whatever way is most helpful for you, consider how you are and might be sharing a message of peace to those around you. We all need it so desperately.

Wishing you abundant peace this week, Deena

Image: A photo of a banner at Subiaco Abbey in Subiaco, Arkansas taken during an Oblate conference.

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Guide our feet into the way of peace

On By dpavinatoIn #sacredwork, a life of joy, A life worth living, a school of God's service, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Christmas Peace, Coming home to myself, Compassion, contemplation, Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, hope and healing, Life in the Spirit, mindfulness, Our unique call, Personal call and vocation, praying for peace, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, Teachers and Guides on the journey, toolkit for the spirit, Trust the journey2 Comments

In the very first paragraph of the Introduction of Joan Chittister’s book, The Monastic Heart, she asks “Where do we go now as individuals to find our way out of the shadows and toward a new light?” She says that each of us have within a desire to be more of ourselves, to figure out what is being asked of us when the “pressures of our time seem insoluble and our inherent energy begins to fray.” Her answer to these problems of the world, or the unsettled spaces within our spirit, is monastic living. “Monasticism is the single-hearted search for what matters in life.”

But don’t despair, you don’t have to run off to a monastery to live a life guided by monastic principles. You do it where you are, as you are, but guided by different values.

Granted that isn’t always easy. As a Benedictine Oblate, I have promised to live by monastic values and The Rule of St. Benedict. But, this week has tested my ability to see Christ in the other, to allow solitude to bring calm and clarity when inside my thoughts and feelings are tumbling, and to be thoughtful in speech, knowing what to say and when to say it. Thankfully support comes from many places, most especially during this Christmas season.

Christine Valters Paintner, author and online abbess of Abbey of the Arts, described the “inner monk” in her weekly email this morning. Christine said “The ‘inner monk’ seeks God as the source of all being, searches for a mystical connection to the divine source, longs for what is most essential in life, and cultivates this through a commitment to spiritual practice. The monk is nourished through silence and a commitment to see everything as sacred.” Reminders such as these, to see the world from a contemplative perspective, to find mystery, wonder and awe in daily life, are critical for me, as I attempt to maintain a balance of being informed but not being pulled down in a pit of despondency and hopelessness.

I don’t have blinders on by any means. As a monastic, a Benedictine Oblate, we aren’t called to that. But, I can only watch a limited amount of news (or videos as the case was this week) before I feel it getting too heavy for my spirit. I have chosen updates from sources I trust. I prefer these updates from political historians, like Heather Cox Richardson, or award winning journalist, who worked for 60 Minutes and National Geographic, Jeff Newton. People that have the experience to back their perspective. Although I will also admit to enjoyed the clever, daily updates from Pasture Politics, a farm from Upstate New York. I have no idea of his background, (will admit it’s closer to my political views and not unbiased), but it’s innovative and captivating.

Joan Chittister, in The Monastic Heart, says that “every moment of social tension needs a peacemaker.” But the “truth is that only one thing can really bring peace: the commitment not to destroy other people’s sense of self, of dignity, of value in the name of truth.” That makes keeping up on social media difficult. Every post brings deep and cutting responses, full of malice, contempt and an attempt to demean versus state an opposing opinion. It’s sad. It’s uncalled for. It will not bring peace.

This past two months I found another source of inspiration for compassion and peace, besides my daily prayer and reflection. My friend Maribeth shared with me the journey of the Buddhist monks (@walkforpeaceusa on Facebook) walking a 120 day, 2,300-mile journey from Fort Worth, Texas (the home of their monastery) to Washington D.C. Their only goal is to raise awareness of peace, loving kindness and compassion. It is not to raise money, to convert people to Buddhism, or to mention any specific national event or ideology. I listen to their talks daily and have never once heard an unkind or judgmental statement. This week I had a deeply personal involvement with their journey. Two weeks ago, when Mari and I saw that they would be nearing her home in South Carolina, I asked her if she was going to attend. We began following their daily schedule. I encouraged her to attend, and hoped she would. I said given more time to plan, and care for my cats at home, I would have picked up and flown to make the journey with her. She did attend and after capturing videos and special moments at the Saluda County Courthouse, and accepting a peace bracelet for me from a monk, she admitted to me that the only reason she attended was for me, but was glad that she did have the opportunity to be with them. My heart was overflowing with gratitude for the gift of her friendship and for the ability for both of us to encounter the monks, even if my presence with her was virtual.

It hasn’t altered my Christian beliefs, but it has enriched them. Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara suggests a practice, in his daily teachings, that I have incorporated into my daily journaling. It is a simple practice. It is to begin the day by writing (with pen and paper, not just thinking or typing it), “Today is going to be my peaceful day.” It is simple, easy but powerful. It helps me desire peace before being exposed to or consuming the thoughts of others or letting thoughts of worry or fear hijack my day.

Imagine if our first thoughts were of peace and if we wished for others what the monks wish for all in each and every post they make on social media; May we be mindful in everything we do throughout the day. May you and all beings be well, happy and at peace.

By the way, a local news channel recorded the Saluda talk. It’s a bit soft and hard to hear at the beginning but well worth sticking with it. It is a wonderful summary of all they are sharing on their journey. You can find it by clicking here. This was the event that Maribeth attended.

As I pray each morning in the Benedictus, I wish and pray “In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Amen.

Wishing you abundant peace and happiness this week, Deena

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Go by another way

On By dpavinatoIn #sacredwork, a life of joy, a school of God's service, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, contemplation, discernment, epiphany, Every day Catholic, Ignatian prayer, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Life of purpose, Our Lady of the Way, Our unique call, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, Trust the journey, visionary faithLeave a comment

I sat down this morning to do social media work I have been hired to do, before starting this blog, and I heard a bird calling. It wasn’t the typical wrens or sparrows of the morning. It was clearly not cardinals or blue jays I hear in adjacent neighborhood trees. It’s too early for robins. It was distinct, different. I immediately got up to find it, in the front yard, or in my backyard tree. I couldn’t find it but I kept looking as it kept calling out. It stopped me from doing anything else, I couldn’t resist the invitation.

I wonder, as I reflect on the wise men in today’s Epiphany story, if these magi had the same urgency to respond to the unique star they were seeing, seeking the important event it was foretelling. It’s easy to ignore those inner promptings, whether as simple as the little bird I heard, or as illuminating as a distant star. We pass them off as impractical ideas or a passing flights of fancy.

Sometimes the way will find you, even if you go another way.

This Fall I listened to a talk, either by Fr. Bonafice Hicks or Sr. Miriam Heidland (my journal notes weren’t clear as I looked back), and a reference to a new book by Bishop Eric Varden on Chastity and how chastity, and Bishop Varden’s description of chastity, speak of a reconciliation of senses and a love of beauty. I had listened to Bishop Varden online in the past, and enjoy his teaching, so I ordered it immediately. Once it arrived, and I attempted reading, I quickly realized I was in over my head. I set it aside. I picked it up again at a later date and came to the same conclusion, I was not going to get the point so easily captured by the review I listened to.

During a recent homily, my pastor spoke of Bishop Varden, so Friday I dropped off the book, thinking he might enjoy reading it and would certainly be a better student of the concepts than I was. I consider myself fairly adept at spiritual literature and theological teaching. Not an intellectual, but also not completely amateur to spiritual reading. After all, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Catherine of Siena, St. John of the Cross aren’t kindergarten reading and I enjoy spending time with their writings. I handed over the book as well as any hope of being able to understand it.

Friday night I was listening to a daily session of Minute Monk on the Hallow app, led by John Cannon, founder of Monk Mindset (a website but also a paid app released in 2025). The reflection was given by Fr. John on the Feast of Saints Basil and Gregory. He began talking about the Tools of Good Works in the Rule of St. Benedict and the love of chastity. He described chastity, not as an absence of sin, but as a good desire, a virtue, a mark of a human being fully alive. He then referenced Bishop Varden’s book on Chastity. I literally laughed out loud given that I handed over the book earlier in the day.

Ok, God I am listening, I exclaimed. Where are you leading me?

The summary was an excellent one, much like the one that led me to order the book in the Fall. Fr. John continued to describe chastity not as a list of do’s and don’ts but as an re-establishment of wholeness. It restores our senses to see and truly love, is a marker of integrity and allows us to see the world in truth, to have a contemplative spirit. It leads us to be more clearly attuned to our ultimate purpose of loving God and others.

For clarification for those who might be confused about chastity versus celibacy (a vow or state of being to remain unmarried and chaste), chastity is a broader virtue of having fidelity, sexually, to one’s state in life, whether being married or unmarried.

The instance wasn’t for me a reminder of living a chaste life, but instead was a reminder of living a contemplative life, focused on love and compassion for others (Compassion is my chosen “word” for 2026). It was a reminder that being free of other responsibilities, I have desired a life dedicated to prayer, contemplation and monastic virtues. But lately I have questioned how I have been living that commitment. How deep is my love of others when I react harshly, with judgment, to those I encounter? Am I seeing Christ in the other?

This morning, the USCCB social media pages, released a reflection on the Feast of the Epiphany by the Most Rev. Ronald Hicks, Archbishop-designate of New York and Bishop of Joliet. Even though he is Bishop in the nearby Diocese of Joliet, I have learned more about him recently as he has been introduced to the people of New York. He talked about how his experience of living in Central America transformed him, his experience of the people and the culture, changed him. He said that when he encounter Jesus and his word, in scripture, and the sacraments, when we care for others, we go home by another way. We are changed and we are challenged to carry that Light, that we have experienced, out to others.

Let it be so.

Wishing you a week of abundant hope and joy, Deena

Image: a photo of a sunset, a moment of beauty.

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The story of our families

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, A life worth living, a school of God's service, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Christmas Peace, Daily Prayer, discernment, Doing what we love, Every day Catholic, Family Stories, grounded in faith, hope and healing, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Life of purpose, Our Lady of the Way, Our unique call, Personal call and vocation, Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, savor the days, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, Teachers and Guides on the journey, Trust the journeyLeave a comment

I have been reflecting this morning on the journey of my grandparents from Italy to Ellis Island, then on to Illinois. My grandmother was born, on this day, December 28, in 1898. She met my grandfather during the war. He traveled here first to get a job and then my grandmother came after. They had three children here. My grandmother lived, caring for her young children after my grandfather’s death, by first working in a factory and then in later years sewing for others. My other grandparents lived in the area as well, after migrating from Slovakia. My great-grandfather died in the Cherry Mine Disaster in 1909, when my grandfather was a young boy. The family name was changed for ease of describing who people were and where they came from while they worked, so the last name on one of the few tombstones in the Cherry Cemetery represents the area in Slovakia that he came from and then the name that became our family name here in the United States.

During the holidays I also recalled so many wonderful family occasions with aunts and uncles that are no longer with us. All families with struggles and accomplishments, just like any other family. My mother and father worked hard, in a variety of occupations, to provide for us. We moved from Illinois to upstate New York then back to Illinois again as my father followed his career and then desire to open his own business. My mom, a nurse, ceased her career to work alongside my father for over 25 years.

I am sure you have similar stories and history. Parents trying to provide for and do the best that they can for their children. Perfect? No, not by any means. But the family that we are one with and come from, the families that make us who we are, for better, or motivated to change. If you don’t know, or haven’t shared your family story, make a point to do so. There are so many details that I wish I had now, but they are gone with the memories of those who held them. But I am grateful for countless images captured in photos, like the one I share today, before we stored everything on our phones.

Today we celebrate the Feast of Holy Family, a young family also journeying in life, with Joseph doing his best to care for his little family. December 28 also recalls the death of the Holy Innocents, the young boys massacred because of a cruel and jealous king who couldn’t stand the thought of someone having more authority than him. The message that Joseph received, to flee to Egypt, saved Jesus from this horrible persecution.

Today, Pope Leo XIV reminded us that the world “has its ‘Herods,’ its myths of success at any cost, of unscrupulous power, of empty and superficial well-being, and it often pays the price in the form of loneliness, despair, divisions and conflicts.” He asked us to pray for all families suffering due to war and violent conflicts. We can pause and pray for all those families who, like our own families, are trying to find a better place in the world to live and flourish.

So today, reflect on the family that helped form you into the person you are today. Tell stories and share memories, so that they are passed on. If you are lucky enough to have them, spend time with old photos and recall family celebrations and gatherings.

Then as Pope Francis wished in his 2020 encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, “Let us dream, then, as a single human family, as fellow travelers sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth which is our common home, each of us bringing the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all.” (No. 8).

Wishing you abundant joy and peace with the family memories that you hold, Deena

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We wait in love – Fourth Sunday of Advent

On By dpavinatoIn a school of God's service, a season of hope, advent, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, contemplation, Every day Catholic, Ignatian prayer, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Life of purpose, Our unique call, Pause and rest, Rest for the weary, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, savor the days, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, Trust the journey, waiting and reflectingLeave a comment

Our theme this Fourth Sunday of Advent is Love. We listen to the story of Joseph’s dream and his response, with love, to take Mary into his home. We reflect on the coming Solemnity of Christmas and the love God demonstrates for all of us by sending his Son into the world. As we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ into the world, by remembering his birth over 2000 years ago, we are invited to birth that love to others in our words and actions.

We’ve arrived, in just a couple of days, we end our Advent waiting and join the angels singing songs of praise for the birth of Jesus in our world. Do you feel prepared? Not just with all the activities of preparing for Christmas, but in your heart? Have to tried to make room each day to welcome the Christ?

I have certainly tried but each year I ponder whether I have prepared adequately, instead being too focused on all that needs to be done. So, today I will slow down the pace a bit. On this first day of Winter, I will accept the invitation to savor the longer night and reflect on my Advent preparation for the 8-day Christmas Solemnity, reflecting on the Incarnation of Jesus.

I offer these suggestions for you today as you prepare for Christmas this week:

Listen to this soothing musical Taize chant meditating on the coming of the Lord at Christmas, Wait for the Lord.

Contemplate the Incarnation of Jesus using the Ignatian prayer method written about by Becky Eldredge.

Continue our Advent daily prayer of the ancient and poetic O Antiphons (recited each day, from December 17 to December 23, as part of evening prayer in the Catholic Church) by listening to the Benedictine Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles sing O Come O Come Emmanuel. Listen to it as prayer, rather than a familiar Christmas hymn, reflecting the longing in our hearts for a savior. Listen to each title for God as a plea for help, which one would you ask God for the grace of assistance this year? Perhaps O Wisdom – for guidance when confused or have a decision to make, or O Key of David – if you feel stuck or in need of a way where there feels there is none, or today’s verse, O Dayspring – help to clear the clouds of confusion, depression or grief that you might be holding in your heart.

We have a few days left. Let’s use them to prepare for this amazing gift of Love. Spend time pondering the source of every gift in life, consider the Spirit’s prompting us to share the love of Christ, and reflect on the real reason we celebrate Christmas Day, the coming of Christ into our world.

Wishing you abundant Love this week, Deena

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We wait in joy – Third Sunday of Advent

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, a season of hope, advent, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, savor the days, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, spirituality1 Comment

We have the opportunity during Advent to immerse ourselves in the poetry of the Prophet Isaiah. Today, the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday is a special treat. We listen to the prophecy of a time when the desert and parched lands exult and the land rejoices and blooms in abundant flowers. The earth will be an exuberant display of the glory of God. We hear that the ailments of our human condition, being feeble, weak, blind and deaf, will be annihilated. We will sing in everlasting joy and gladness.

In a world with so much turmoil and bad news, it sounds heavenly to me! This Third Sunday of Advent reminds me to pause and realize that there can be moments like this in each and every day. Also, the Letter of St. James implores us to be patient and not complain. Some days that feels like a task, and we might have to look harder, but those moments of joy are there to be found.

We received a new blanket (a thick several inch blanket!) of snow yesterday, and this morning, as the sun rose in the frigid temperature, I gazed upon the serene beauty of the fresh snow. The world is quiet and still. The desert and parched land of my inner landscape were fortified by the peace of the morning. I felt an inner joy and gladness bubbling up within. So for today, I will not let the anxious thoughts of all that needs to be done overwhelm me. The days are busy enough. Today is a day to rejoice and replenish our spirits. Writing this, I looked around at the number of items, besides lights on the trees, that I have that light up and the peace that they bring. As I reflect in the hush of the night, or in the early morning, with all the items lit, my life feels so peaceful and my soul finds the quiet stillness that Advent invites us to savor.

So, I invite you today to find a few moments to sit in stillness. Perhaps it is simply sitting quietly and looking at your Christmas tree or listening to soothing holiday music. Pick up a daily reflection book, the Bible, or visit a website with the scripture readings for today and slowly read and reflect on Isaiah 35: 1-6, 10. Pause and read the words again. Where might you find a glimpse of that joy today?

Wishing you abundant joy this week, Deena

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We wait in hope – First Sunday of Advent

On By dpavinatoIn a school of God's service, a season of hope, advent, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, Daily Prayer, discernment, Every day Catholic, grounded in faith, growing in faith, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Our unique call, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, spiritualityLeave a comment

Today is the First Sunday in Advent, the beginning of the Church’s liturgical new year. We begin the year with reminders of the promises of God and with cautions to put aside works of darkness and to stay awake and be ready. We begin the year waiting, not celebrating.

There are certainly different kinds of waiting, some easier to bear than others. We can be excited waiting, as we would waiting for the birth of a child being born to loved ones or excited waiting to leave on a vacation we have been planning. We might feel anxious waiting if we are waiting to hear from the doctor after having tests done or when we sense a change coming to a job due to corporate restructuring. We can wait with nervous anticipation to hear about a job that we really want, sensing that we did well during the interview. I suppose there are as many ways that we wait as there are the personalities of each of us. Waiting isn’t always easy. We all handle waiting differently and as I heard Dr. Arthur Brooks, one of my favorite leadership speakers and authors, say recently, we don’t wait well. We run from waiting, distracting ourselves with our phones, TV or other preoccupations.

Advent waiting is different. Sadly, it is a waiting that often gets muffled and diminished by the preparations for more secular aspects of Christmas such as shopping, decorating and parties. As Advent begins we are invited to look within and prepare our hearts. I haven’t gotten to most of my Advent reflections yet today but one posed a question that stopped me from moving through the morning with a careless disregard for the season that begins today. If this Advent was the last one for the world, or for me personally, would I be ready?

As Christians we do wait with hope in a world that is better than the one we live in. We hope for endless bliss, anticipating the joy in the presence of the God we profess to believe in. But if I wait in hope, I must stop and ask whether I am living a life that reflects hope in God’s eternal promise? Do I live with joy and peace even during the trials that appear in my life? Am I spending my time, money and relationships that reflect my belief that all is gift and that I possess those things as a steward, treating them as the fleeting possessions they are? Do I live with generosity for those less fortunate? Do I make choices that reflect my beliefs and share those beliefs with others?

Advent doesn’t have the same penitential aspects that Lent has but we are invited to spend time each day to look within and assess how we’ve been doing. In whatever little ways we are able, let us wait in hope as we listen to God’s promises, we reflect on the narrative of the coming of Jesus in the world over 2000 years ago, and we review our lives in relation to the beliefs we hold and profess.

If you need suggestions for this Advent, please see my blog from last week with a list of resources, online or book format, that you can use for your daily reflection.

Wishing you a abundant hope in the promises of the Christ this Advent, Deena

A special note of thanks to each of you who have been reading and following me as I begin the fourth year of this blog, whether you began in 2022 or recently. I appreciate your support and that you have read and commented, whether personally or publicly, about my musings each week. It has meant the world to me. May peace be with each of you, and our collective community, as we begin this new year.

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Preparing the way

On By dpavinatoIn A life worth living, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Christ the King, contemplation, Every day Catholic, grounded in faith, growing in faith, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Our unique call, Pause and rest, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, spiritual freedom, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, The Spiritual Exercises, waiting and reflectingLeave a comment

The Feast of Christ the King, the final Sunday in the Church’s liturgical year, gives us a reason to stop and pause and ask how important Christ is in our lives. The Feast acknowledges Jesus’ authority over all of creation, including us. But do we live with that in mind? As we end the liturgical year this week and prepare, during the four weeks of Advent, for the celebration of Jesus’ birth over 2000 years ago, are we giving the same attention to planning for Advent that we give planning our preparations for Christmas celebrations and family gatherings?

This week I’d like to offer some suggestions of a variety of books and virtual programs you might consider for your prayer and reflection time during Advent. With the speedy shipping of Amazon, you have plenty of time to order and receive books. Online programs are even easier. (If you are reading this on social media, please visit my website for the links to all the programs, online resources and books.)

Hallow – the #1 Christian and Catholic app for prayer, meditation, and music has planned an Advent program, Be Still, starring several actors and well-known Catholic teachers, which will journey with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. It will be “a journey into the Christmas story as it truly was.”

Ascension – The Ascension App will be offering Fr. Mike Schmitz’ Advent program, Waiting Well. You can listen to the program with a 7 day free trial or a 90 day subscription for $4.99 (new subscribers only, otherwise 8.99/mo). To find out more, click here.

Ignatian Ministries – In addition to a virtual retreat (Advent Light: Finding Hope in the Word Made Flesh) on Thursday evening, December 4, I am delighted to see that an individual prayer resource I helped to create during my time at Ignatian Ministries, Living Into Advent, is still on the website and available to purchase and download. It offers daily scripture and reflection questions.

My spiritual director for the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and her colleague at IgnatianRetreats.com are offering a free 8 day Advent retreat, Follow the Way of Hope, Peace, Joy, Love. You can take on your own if you are familiar with Ignatian Contemplation or arrange to meet with a spiritual director during the retreat.

Mary DeTurris Poust’s Advent and Christmas reflection book, Waiting in Joyful Hope 2025-2026, is a wonderful guide for the season. It includes Mary’s reflections on the weekday and Sunday scriptures and invites us to ponder where we are on our spiritual journey. Mary writes a reflection for a daily scripture passage and then a meditation for our personal consideration. I really love this guide and will be meditating with it each day during Advent and the Christmas.

Fr. Gary Caster’s book, The Little Way of Advent: Meditations in the Spirit of St. Therese of Lisieux, is the book we selected for the Advent Discussion Group I will be leading at my parish. Fr. Caster is a priest in our Diocese of Peoria. I used the book when it was first published. It includes readings for all three cycles of the Advent season, so you will be able to use it over again. It is available on Amazon but it now being published by, and available on, Dynamic Catholic. Dynamic Catholic also has a free online program, Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy, for Advent.

Kate Bowler is a Christian author and podcaster that I have mentioned in this blog previously. Kate and her team have put together a free program in Substack subscriptions (last two years it was a downloadable PDF) but you can also request a daily email directly to your inbox.

Catherine Smith, another author that I have mentioned in my blog, will be reading Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas, a collection of poetry, essays, sermons, and stories by classic and contemporary authors. If you just want to listen to Catherine read and use her reflections, you can upgrade to a paid subscription to Wonder & Awe, her platform, for $5 which will only last one month and won’t be billed another month after. Catherine sends her monthly messages out via email.

I know there are probably dozens of programs you can choose from, these are just some that I am aware of and will be using during Advent. Choose one that fits you and your style of prayer and reflection. Choose one or two, whether a book or an online program, and commit to following it through Advent. Spend time each day reflecting on the real reason for the season. Today’s Feast of the Solemnity of Christ the King, and the season of Advent, can help give us clarity and direction if we pause and look inward. If we realize that our focus has been misplaced, Advent is the perfect time to recalibrate and recenter.

I hope you will join me this Advent to create some quiet time for prayer and reflection as the world tries to tell us we are behind, that we have to spend more money and that the season has to be full of activity to be joyful.

Wishing you abundant peace and hope this coming week, Deena

Image: a church visited during an Oblate conference

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Embrace joy

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, A life worth living, a school of God's service, a season of hope, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, mindfulness, Our unique call, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, seeing beauty around me, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual freedom, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, Trust the journey, visionary faith, visual creative journalingLeave a comment

Joy and happiness are emotional states that are often used interchangeably but actually joy is very different. Happiness might be found in response to life circumstances such as setting and completing a goal. Joy, science is telling us, may be experienced even amidst life hardships or uncertain times. I might not be happy all of the time, but I can experience joy regardless of what is going on in my life by being intentional about certain things in life. For me, my faith and prayer life, are huge contributors to my experience of joy.

An article published by the National Institute of Health in May of this year said that lots of attention is given, in popular psychology, to positive emotions and finding happiness while joy is still an area that would benefit from further study. A study cited, of adults ages 28-59 from the United Kingdom, reported “fostering positive relationships, engaging with nature, and cultivating self-awareness were identified as key strategies for sustaining joy.”

A study of 7000 individuals, reported by National Public Radio in 2023 as part of the BIG JOY Project, reported that “people who commit daily “micro-acts” of joy experience about a 25% increase in emotional well-being over the course of a week.” Emotional well-being was described as attributes such as better coping, less stress, quality relationships, and feelings of hope, optimism and even fun. Examples of the micro-acts of joy included gratitude journaling, doing a random act of kindness, visiting a sick neighbor, celebrating a friend’s joy, or engaging in self-reflection. The researchers asked whether doing these small acts of joy can make a difference and referred to “the ideas of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who both spoke about how it’s possible to feel joy even in the midst of suffering, and to use that feeling to help do good.” Our joy, it seems, help us not only enhance our own well-being but contribute to the lives of others when we use our joy as a motivation to share with and help others in the world. I am sure we can think of others in our personal circle, or the wider circle of our communities, that could use a bit more joy these days.

Randy Taran, founder of Project Happiness, wrote in her daily email update that “joy isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you choose, amidst the struggle and in life’s tender moments, that make life worth living. Embrace the people and the things that bring your heart healthy doses of joy.” Things like buying yourself flowers, watching the sunset (or I would add, stepping out to experience the Northern Lights this past week), dancing in the kitchen or taking a long route home are some of the suggestions she offered.

Exploring the world of creativity, the impact of expressing myself in creative acts, is also a way to increase joy and mindfulness, while decreasing stress and anxiety. Creativity becomes a means to tap into my own wisdom, gain clarity in difficult situations and decrease stress, either personal situations or response to societal events. Perhaps painting, knitting or crocheting, making handmade cards, or frames like the one I posted as the featured photo, are ways that you might express yourself. A friend, Joan, on Facebook shares her creativity by posting her table settings. They are always expressions of beauty, care and love by the way she has displayed her table. I love creating little vignettes with decorations, like a Thanksgiving display, photo included on blog site, or setting out favorite seasonal items. Some of those items may evoke an emotional response, to a family member or celebrations in the past. It may just be the way the colors you choose make you feel when you look at them. All of these are ways of expressing your inner artist and creative soul.

As we move into preparing for the holidays, days that can be stressful or frantic, how might you engage in a daily micro-act of joy. What can you do each day to reconnect with inner joy or creativity, so that regardless of how holiday planning is going, you find more peace and tranquility? As we find and experience more joy, it will likely spread to those around us!

Wishing you a week of abundant joy and hope, Deena

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Savor these days

On By dpavinatoIn a life of joy, A life worth living, a season of hope, advent, Benedictine Oblate, Catholic faith, Coming home to myself, contemplation, Daily Prayer, Every day Catholic, Jubilee Year of Hope, Life in the Spirit, Life of purpose, mental wellbeing, mindfulness, Pause and rest, Pope Leo XIV, sacred listening, sacred seeing, sacred waiting, savor the days, seeing beauty around me, Seeing things in a new way, spiritual freedom, spiritual healing, Spiritual Journey, spirituality, Trust the journey, visionary faith, waiting and reflecting2 Comments

I watched one of my cats, Butters, this morning after he finished eating and was ready to settle down for a morning nap. He walked the house and looked at all of his favorite spots before settling on his blanket on the couch. I will likely join him with a blanket later today and a steaming cafe latte. It’s a good day to stay warm and cozy after the rain and snow last night and, now, the chill and cold in the air this morning.

Friday I was beginning to feel the panic of the season set in – busy days with work, church activities and errands to get done. I cleaned up the cemetery, thinking ahead to Saturday and knowing that I should clean up a variety of pots at home too. I had some bulbs to get in the ground and transplant a plant from a pot to the ground before the cold. I started thinking about the Christmas cards and shopping that I haven’t started yet. I will be helping with a pop up ornament class at the unique shop that I do social media work for, as well as working two mornings a week. November has meetings and holiday events. In December and early January, I will facilitate an Advent book discussion for my parish. I found myself short of breath thinking about it all! I stopped and reminded myself that I didn’t want these next two months to be a blur of activity and stress but rather moments of prayer, worship, family, friendship, and celebration.

Yesterday I simply enjoyed the day. I went to the gym and coffee with my friend, Kelly. Then home to clean out the pots and get the plant and bulbs in the ground, with a heavy coat of mulch. I went to Mass and then dinner with Kelly and her husband, Mark. We laughed and enjoyed our dinner and each other’s company.

It all gets done. Whatever doesn’t, probably wasn’t that important. Or better yet, focusing on being grateful, celebrating Advent and Christmas, spending time with people and making memories is what truly matters. Stress and worry doesn’t help. It also prevents us from savoring the moments as they present themselves.

I am enjoying my Thanksgiving decorations before I move into Christmas. Each night, in the house, I light my candles, lanterns and sparkly pumpkin. When I decorate for Christmas, I leave those decorations up until at least Epiphany. Since it falls on January 4th this year, I will likely enjoy them until mid-January. The merry lights and decorations help with the darkness of winter. The decorations make me happy but also bring lovely family memories with many of them.

I want to move around and make the best decision for my spirit and my well-being, just as Butters did this morning. I want to pause and savor the moment just as I did as I watched this little bird, today’s post image, as it landed in my tree this morning, swaying with the moving branches in the wind.

Maybe you are like me though, and you have to remind yourself to slow down and savor the moments. I don’t want the days to be a blur of getting things done but not enjoying them. As we move into this busier time of year, I invite you to join me in taking intentional pauses to be present, aware of the people you are with and the things you are doing. I know it’s cliche but if today was your last day, would you be happy with how you spent it? Let’s step back from the rush and hectic pace and find ways to enjoy the things we are doing and the people we are with.

As Pope Leo XIV reminded us in today’s Angelus address, we are invited to walk in “the joy of being the holy People that God has chosen” to spread the Gospel message of love and mercy through our daily witness in life. I am pretty sure being stressed out and anxious isn’t the best way to share that message. So, let us be grateful to God for the lives and people we have been blessed with. Even with daily challenges, we can find something to pause and be grateful for. In doing so, we will likely be a bright light of hope to those around us.

I wish you abundant peace and hope this week, Deena