Daily Thoughts

Netanyahu’s speech

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The other night my husband and I watched a replay of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent speech at the UN. After he took the podium, more than half of those at the meeting walked out. I guess it was better than throwing rotten tomatoes, but nonetheless, heart rendering; at least that is how we saw it.

We have been impressed with Bebe for a number of years through his speeches and visits and also his autobiography. He is unapologetically patriotic to Israel, a country the size of New Jersey.  His words were poignant, serious, factual, truthful. God chose this people as his own. Has there ever been a more persecuted race than the Jews? Yet, they are favored by the Almighty. He sent His own Son to live among them as one of them.

When writing my first novel, Daybreak from on High, I watched and read ‘everything Jewish’ from a modern-day soap opera to the horrendous boat trip that carried Jews to Israel after World War Two. They were turned away bur later returned and after some time regained possession of their land. Netanyahu has faced tremendous odds both military and political, as well as, the loss of his brother and suffering a wound himself. They are practically, militarily, politically, and ideologically, the closest thing to an ally our country has today.

Daily Thoughts

Where Were You on 9/11/2001?

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My husband and I often can’t remember what we did a week ago. But my memory still remains vivid of that day and the aftermath. My daughter-in-law was supposed to stay in bed during her third pregnancy for a number of weeks before her due date. I spent the week helping out and caring for her two other sons, age three and two weekdays and overnight.

They had no TV or radio at the time, so we didn’t hear the news until her sister called. Her sister’s husband worked in a building very close to the twin towers, but he called in sick that day. I didn’t see the towers fall until that weekend and watched one of the many replays on TV at home. It just didn’t appear real as the planes hit one at a time and went straight down one story upon another.

It changed the way we viewed our serene, safe world. The amazing days following the attack that killed 3000 in NYC and a number of others in the pentagon and in a quiet feild in Pennsylvania, also renewed a reverence for our country and the founding values and most of all a return to God. There were US flags flying everywhere in homes, on trucks,at half mast in towns. God seemed to have returned to a country where mention of Him or prayer was not in vogue. A huge gathering at Madison Square Garden featuring religious leaders was televised.

Christian churches were filled including our own country parish. Patriotism made a comeback. When did this resurgence of God and country disipate. I don’t know, but it waned gradually. I always thought if another attack came shortly after that, it would have united our country. I even dare to think the enemy knew that as well. How many of us know our country was founded because of freedom of religion? And became like a ‘a city on a hill’ for the good for all peoples to follow– and will this return without another 9/11.

Daily Thoughts

The light of Hope Continued

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On June 24th,2026, I wrote a blog titled The Light of Hope that ended with the following paragraph: ‘Have you ever noticed the connections you experience in daily life? It is as if the Creator reaches down and causes events to occur and connect to one another to reinforce our faith. In my next blog I’ll reveal some of those connections I have noticed lately.’ (It’s now August 23rd and in a writer’s sense of time, I am keeping my promise because in the meantime my mind was preoccupied with promoting my first published novel.)

As you might have heard this Sept. Archbishop Fulton Sheen will officially be recognized a saint by the Catholic Church. Yesterday we had a Rosary prayer meeting held at the grotto of Our Blessed Moher outside our parish church. Mary R. who had given us that prayer referred to in my June 24th post, distributed copies of several quotes by Bishop Sheen about the Rosary. In addition, the page also included an experience he had at the at the Sea of Galilee.

On a visit to the Sea of Galilee, Sheen reflected on a scrpture passage in which Jesus was standing on the shore tending a charcoal fire where he awaited the Apostles returning after a night fishing without a single catch. He had already ascended to heaven and they did not expect to ever see Him again on earth and didn’t recognize Him. He called out to them to cast their net on the other side. When they did, the net was filled. Peter, being the spontaneous person he was, threw off his outer garments and swam to Him. Later after eating the prepared fish, Jesus spoke to Peter saying: “Feed my sheep.”

Bishop Sheen stood there recalling that incident from scripture. He knew the Lord always used the surroundings of where He was at the time to explain a teaching, but why did He use sheep there by the sea where there were no sheep? It did not make sense to him until a shepherd tapped him on the shoulder and place a lamb in his arms. The shepherd explained he herded sheep on a hillside nearby and bought them to the Sea of Galilee every day. A man took a photo of the Bishop holding the lamb.

He said: “As I cradled the lamb on the shore where the Lord stood, Mr. Karsh came and took the favorite picture of my life–an unworthy shepherd holding a precious lamb in his arms!” Jesus was and is a Master of connections!

Daily Thoughts, Daybreak

My first Book signing: How this novel came to be!

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My first book Signing: How this novel came to be.

After attending a Wednesday night Mass at our home parish Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Fr Gabriel, our interim priest, suggested I have a book signing event at the church. Having self-published my first novel, Daybreak from on High, I seized the opportunity and held the event on July 11th after the 5 pm Mass and July 12th after the 12 noon Mass.

My friend Patricia, helped set up the tables and chairs for the quests and also made ready the coffee pot and hot water for tea. With the help of my husband, Tom, and oldest grandson, Matthew, we decorated the signing and refreshment tables. Fr Gabriel and Deacon Al announced the event at all the Masses.

Saturday, five of my grandchildren and five fellow parishioners came. I began with telling them: “I am a writer not a speaker, so hope you will bear with me as I read How this novel came to be.” Needless to say, I read the presentation perfectly.

On Sunday, my heart palpitated as people, parishioner and friends, poured into the room and began lining up, some with books already purchased on Amazon and others buying them that night. Thankfully Matthew and Tom assisted as I sign all twenty plus novels. Then I read my presentation, but tried to look up and lost my place several times. But the audience listened and Fr Gabriel led the applause. The following photos (by Matthew writer/editor/map maker) attest to the success of my first book signing.

Daily Thoughts

The Light of Hope

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            This past April, a dear friend and member of our Rosary Prayer Group returned from a visit with her daughter in Oregon. She gave me a card with this prayer John Paul 11 recited in 1982 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal:     

Immaculate heart of Mary, help us to conquer the menace of evil which so easily takes root in the hearts of people today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down our modern world and seem to block the paths toward the future…

The Pope went on to name the forms of evil, and ends with:

Let it be revealed once more in the history of the world, the infinite power of merciful love. May it put a stop to evil. May it transform consciences. May your Immaculate heart reveal for all the light of hope! Amen

If we pray for peace and conversion in the world, it can feel hopeless without a powerful companion and intercessor. The patron saint of our country is the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Who better to have than the Mother of God to intercede for us in this crazy mixed-up world of today, where darkness seems to prevail? Our Lord Himself told us He is the Light of the world and gave His Mother to us. Pray without ceasing in everything we do, not only the prayers we say.

Have you ever notice the connections you experience in daily life. It’s as if our Creator reaches down and causes events to occur and connect to one anther to reinforce our faith. In my next blog I’ll reveal some of the connections I have noticed recently.

Daybreak

Writing Historical Biblical Fiction: Is it worth it?

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Having just self-publishing my first novel Daybreak from in High and currently editing a sequel Hadar’s Son, I wonder if the genre, Historical Biblical Fiction, has a large enough audience to be worth all the many hours—especially those spent on research.

As fate or providence would have it, I came upon a favorite Gospel passage on EWTN daily Mass readings today, at the very end of the Gospel of John (21:20-25 NAB).

24) This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his witness is true. 25) But there are many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the whole world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

It is true the Main Characters in my two novels are purely fictional, but the historical events are as accurate as I could possibly document. In addition, the novels came together with amazing ease. I like to believe the Holy Spirit led me in the writing from the beginning to the ending. However, the research involved came about from perseverance—also a gift from the third person of the Trinity.

Have a Blessed Pentecost!

Daily Thoughts

The Rosary and Poetry

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Habit can be a profitable thing. One of those habits, is for me, praying the Rosary on my eastern deck in early morning as the sun rises; sometimes, even in winter dressed in my thick bathrobe, footed warm stockings, head covering, blanket, etc. And always, on mornings in cool, clear spring weather such as today.

I take my Bible, Rosary, coffee, & toast, pen and slip of paper, and as a perk the crimson sky precedes the sun’s appearance above the eastern horizon—perfect setting to pray and write a few lines of verse to birth a poem amid the sights and sounds of life awakening to spring!

Here are the lines that slid upon the page today:

A Spring Morning

How can one describe the beauty of a spring morning? The greeting of a blazing crimson sky, layered among the clouds. Life—the sound of a lone bird, beginning of a chorus—or a choir Wild turkeys gobbling in the distant woods, sweet notes of tiny birds unseen, yet heard. A single squirrel slipping gently from branch to branch Tree to tree, light-footed, sure-footed What a way to begin the day To imitate the ways of nature and the Lord!

Daily Thoughts

What is Truth?

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This is the question of today–and every day. What you read, what you hear, what you see, and ultimatlely, what you think. Once upon a time, I wrote letters to the editor of the newspaper in our area. People with opposing views wrote letters. Sometimes, I commented on theirs and other times they commented on mine. We thought differently, but read the same newspaper. Families celebrated special ocasions and holidays together and not everyone held the same opinions; we expressed our opinions freely even if we thought differently. But we continued our relationships with family members.

When was it all this changed? With the letters to the newspaper, it was for me, when I received my first rejection just after the newspaper became part of a large NYC paper.  And another and another and another… rejection. The controversial topics remained basically the same, but only one side ever appeared in print. Some people forgot there were different sides to the same issue, such as abortion, socialism, religious freedom, politics, etc. What is the truth? And where do we find it? The truth is families are especially divided by politcal affiliations.

President Trump commented at his State of the Union that no matter what he said or did, the other side would not agree. Let’s face it: they would hate him no matter what! He has that persona of arrogance; you can’y deny it. But you have to admit he does love this country–you know, the one of our founding fathers. Half of the country hate, and I do mean hate, him, and the other half actually love him in spite of his outlandish truthfulness. He had a great life there at Mara Logo, beautiful wife and family, plenty of money–extravagant indeed (probably the most extavagant ever known)!

Back to the question: What is truth? Jesus answered that question saying to Pontius Pilate: I am the way, the truth and the life. I really don’t think AI has the answers, certainly no life in that. Seek and you shall find, not in the–should I say it– fake news.

 

 

Daily Thoughts

Simplicity

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Never be in a hurry, do everything with a calm spirit. Do not let your inner peace be disturbed by anything.  St Fransis De Sales

Simplicity

The beginning of a new month reminded me of the excitement of a New Year; resolutions, reorganizing, putting things in order, prioritizing. I began my day with daily readings and neatly writing a line or two from each reading in a new loose-leaf notebook. It was gratifying to take my time especially writing legibly and reading slowly. I had noticed that lately, I did most things in great haste with my mind focused on a dozen other things that I needed to get to.

This ‘hasty habit’ had been going on a long time, but it had to stop. So, after the readings, I prayed the rosary quietly and meditated. I’d already had coffee and toast, half an orange, and half a banana. But then I began a list of to dos. That’s when I stopped and decided to write this blog. I said a prayer and thought about an incident that happened in the Shop Rite parking lot last week.

I hurriedly parked the car and grabbed my bags and purse. Looking back I realized my blinker lights were on. How annoying! Getting back into the car with my things, I tried this switch and that but could not turn them off. Desperate, I saw a man getting out of his car nearby and yelled, “Could you please help me?”

Probably thinking I might be having a heart attack, he came over and I explained my situation. He got in my car and found a very obvious button I failed to notice and off they went. I gathered my things once more and he started toward the store as I yelled, “I wish they would make a car without so many gadgets. Everything is like that these days.

He yelled back, “Simplicity, that’s what I want.”

“Me too!” Inhale, exhale slowly, paste this and pray my computer doesn’t make me crazy.  Simplicity.  

Daily Thoughts

The Stoneing Of St Stephen

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December 26 commemerates the first martyr of the Church, the Apostle St Stephen. The following is an excerpt from my novel: Daybreak from on High.

            This was to be a carefree day, and I felt lighthearted as we left my dwelling. We needed a respite to enjoy each other’s company. Walking toward the Sheep Gate, we passed the Bethesda bathes, where many unfortunate souls still awaited the stirring of waters, hoping for a cure.

            We heard shouting and commotion and saw a crowd rushing toward the gate. It appeared an angry mob approached from within the city walls and emerged through the Sheep Gate. First came two men grasping a young man between them and shoving him some yards ahead. We stopped, watching as the rest followed and surrounded him.

            “Blasphemer! Heretic! You are a disgrace to Moses and all Jews,” they chanted one after the other.

            The mob included scribes and others known to be members of the Synagogue of Freedmen, as well as Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and foreigners from Asia. We were familiar with the features and garb of each group. The level of anger reached a peak and suddenly the people began picking up stones.

            Josephus said, “I know that man. He’s Stephen, a disciple of Peter. He has spoken in the Portico, a man filled with faith. They are about to kill him.”

            We stood there frozen as the stones flew at Stephen. He did not wail or try to escape, but looked up to the heavens. When the blows struck, we heard his voice above the angry screams of his accusers.

            “Lord… receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59 NAB)! The stones kept crushing his body. He crumbled in a bloody heap, falling to the ground. As he fell, he pleaded, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60 NAB).

            Those who took part in his murder continued to scream insults. Stephen lay motionless, no longer in this world, for his soul had escaped the fury of men.

            “They cannot harm him, Jon. He lives in a totally safe place now,” Josephus said, staring at the crushed body.

            I heard another voice in my head: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 NAB). An echo from Golgotha from the person Stephen died for.

            Josephus took me by the arm and whispered, “We must leave here without notice. The Evil One has grasped onto the hearts of the persecutors. You and I could be their next victims.”