Inspired by Scholastica

  Overcoming Fear   What did the Apostles do after Jesus was crucified? They holed themselves up in a locked room, fearful as mice hiding in a secluded corner.   When they heard that Jesus had risen, they slowly began to understand what He had said about rising on the third day.   Still fearful, they inched open the door and found the women who had discovered the empty tomb. Dumbstruck, Peter and John hastened to see if it were true.   The apostles felt shame at deserting Jesus and letting him die alone, except for Mary and John and the other faithful women.   The twelve knew they had been chosen to carry on Jesus’ mission, but they were uneducated and simple, and a little hesitant to step forward.   Maybe the women, his mother, Mary Magdalen, Mary Salome, and others showed them how to begin their work. Women seemed to know how to touch and heal, and are bold enough to spread the good news: “Jesus is alive!”   Barbar

  Inspired by Scholastica   Success or Failure? I’m reading an interesting novel titled Patchwork Quilt by Anne Tyler. She is one of my favorite authors because of her unusual characters. The main character, Barnaby, works for a small company called Rent a Back. It caters to elderly people who need help doing small jobs that they can no longer do. His family considers him a failure since he didn’t go to college, lives in a tiny apartment, and drives a run-down old truck. His parents are wealthy, and his brother works in his father’s trust company. Barnaby had been married and has a nine-year-old daughter that he tries to visit once a month, but his former wife is not very welcoming. The people he helps think he is kind and trustworthy. Instead of having set hours, he adjusts his work hours to his clients’ wishes. He doesn’t seem to have any friends except the people he works with. He seems happy with his life and has no desire to change. Is he a failure for his lifestyle a