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Spiritual Reflections

These are reflections given by Loretto members at Sunday services.

Reflection on the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

By Mary Swain SL / January 1, 2025 /

Numbers 6:22-27, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:16-21 We just heard in the first reading about God telling Moses to instruct Aaron and his children just how to bless the people.  A…

Reflection on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

By Eleanor Craig SL / December 29, 2024 /

1 Samuel 1:20-28         1 John 3:1-24            Luke 2:41-52 The focus of this Sunday in Christmas week is family.  We celebrate the…

Reflection on the Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord

By Eileen Custy SL / December 24, 2024 /

This evening, we begin our celebration of the incarnation, God’s choice to live in our midst in the person of Jesus. What a wonderful gift to us. But I would…

Reflection on the Fourth Week of Advent

By Donna Day SL / December 22, 2024 /

“During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country, in haste, to a town of Judah, where she entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.” We have all…

Reflection on the Third Sunday of Advent

By Sharon Kassing SL / December 15, 2024 /

When I worked at the Zoo, I had two favorite animals I liked to use in programs because they had such cool adaptations. One was the hedgehog. Generally, a hedgehog…

Reflection on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

By Mary Ann McGivern SL / December 9, 2024 /

When I was about 9 and my mother was pregnant and told me she was carrying a child in her womb, all of a sudden I recognized the word womb…

Reflection on the Second Sunday of Advent

By Kathy Wright SL / December 8, 2024 /

When I first read these readings several weeks ago, I had a variety of wonderful thoughts related to being wrapped in God’s cloak of justice, continuing the good work that…

Reflection on the First Sunday of Advent

By Eleanor Craig SL / December 1, 2024 /

Jeremiah 33:14-16 Thessalonians 3:12–4:2 Luke 21:25-36  I struggled with today’s readings and was relieved to find that even the scholarly have difficulties with Advent. Words of several commentators mirrored my…

A reflection on the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

By Kim Klein CoL / November 24, 2024 /

In 1925 Pope Pius XI declared the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year to be the Feast of Christ the King. He did this to resist the rising fascism of…

Reflection on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Donna Day SL / November 17, 2024 /

As I read the readings for today, especially the Gospel’s story of preparing for the end times, I kept looking for a word of hope. It is there if you…

Reflection on the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

By Eileen Custy SL / November 10, 2024 /

Listening to the Gospel for today I imagine a tiny, bent-over, old woman shuffling up to the treasury box and dropping in two small coins from her meager funds. I…

Reflection on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Mary Swain SL / November 3, 2024 /

Deut. 6:2-6, Mark 12:28b-34          John McKenzie, a scripture scholar from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, says that Jesus’ answer to the question – “Which is the greatest commandment?”  – is…