A Princess Defended Her Kingdom

That's what we'll tell everyone tonight while the kids are trick or treating.

See, the Wide-Eyed Mischief Maker got bonked by her brother's hard head and has this pretty spectacular black eye. Since her brother is going as a liger (yes, a liger, my husband's idea), and the WEMM is going as Cinderella, I'm going to tell everyone she was defending her kingdom from the liger's attacks.

Partly true.

Just a reminder

Prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory starts on November 1.

No Adoration updates for awhile, the chapel is closed for the time being. As soon as I start feeling better (damn cold), I'll be back to posting.

Meanwhile, to tide you over, I dare you to caption these photos:

Ill Papa

Does the Pope seem to be ill to you? I was watching the Rome Reports video (from Deacon's Bench) and he seems not only to be moving rather stiffly (my gramma's 93 and moves better than that), but he also seems to have lost a lot of weight. If you start it at the :56 mark, and then again at 1:43, you'll see what I mean.




If you'd like to read more about the Assisi remarks, read at Whispers in the Loggia or the AP report.

Scary monsters

Sometimes, I wonder about my child.

This is from my phone, and I couldn't rotate it, but the left side is the top of the drawing. It's a one-eyed monster, the mouth is directly underneath it, and the belly underneath the mouth.



I wonder if she saw this in a dream or something. Who knows?

Concelebration Sucks

The reason I hate when priests concelebrate is that at the "Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever", they sing it together, which have the church takes as cue that everyone should sing it. So irritating.

On another note, people who stay after Mass and chat up a storm and laugh really loudly while other people are trying to pray, is also really irritating.

Three Tales of Freedom

In the files of gross, gross, and grosser, I'd like to bring you three stories. I like to read the Daily Mail from the UK...yes, I know it's a trashy 'news' site, but still I think it's entertaining. While reading through, I came across an article about David Boreanez cheating on his wife and how it bonded them closer together; Ashton Kutcher reportedly cheating on his wife, Demi Moore; and the drinking problems of young professional women (and I don't mean 'professional' in the way of a 'pro' working the streets).

What do two cheating husbands, and women who have a disconnect between public and personal life have to do with each other? Pretty much everything. We have Mr. Boreanez saying that cheating on his wife was ultimately a bonding experience -- perhaps Mr. Kutcher thought that cheating on his wife would be a bonding experience for his marriage to Ms. Moore. Then we have women who go out to get 'smashed' on the weekends because it is the only way they know how to have fun and let loose...and don't forget about the 'hooking' up.

It all boils down to society's notions of what 'freedom' is.

He now says it made for 'a bonding experience, in the long run' with his wife, a one-time Playboy Playmate. 'In a sacred ground like marriage, you find yourself out of it at certain times for reasons unknown that can be destructive,' the actor, who also starred in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel told TV Week. 'There could be a demon that kind of comes out and overtakes you.' 'Do I believe in giving up? No, I don't. I'm a fighter. I'm a lover,' he said.

Well, I suppose that when you have sex before you're married, and live together before you're married, you are bound to need to 'spice' up your sex life after a few years, because the ole spark isn't there. People wonder why there aren't many marriages that last to death (i.e. 50+ years) anymore?

Kutcher, 33, is alleged to have had sex with 23-year-old Texan Sara Leal in a hotel at the end of September – at a time when the actor should have been preparing to celebrate his sixth wedding anniversary with Miss Moore.

As I said, perhaps he was just thinking that this would spice up their marriage and help them over the "I'm getting bored with you" blues. On their anniversary, no less.

'We only do embarrassing things when we're really drunk,' Naomi says. 'I kiss random men in the street and Hannah has had sex behind a chicken coop.'

Among them I met teachers, nurses, occupational therapists, personnel professionals and full-time mothers, all determined to shake off responsibility and have fun in the only way they know how. By getting 'smashed'.

I went looking for the answer to the real question: Why? In a series of raw but illuminating interviews, I discovered that beyond the superficial bravado, their nights of booze-fuelled excess make them anything but happy – but they still have no intention of changing. Naomi Jenkins is a classroom assistant from Carmarthen and is adamant that downing sickly Jagermeister shots (which she nicknames medicine) is 'a laugh'.

What quickly becomes apparent is the ease with which these young women distinguish their responsible weekday personas from their 'fun' selves. Naomi easily switches from diligent teaching assistant to Saturday night party girl when she squeezes into a skintight minidress. She tells me: 'I wouldn't do this if it affected my work.'

Occupational therapist Sally Baldwin, 24, added: 'If I bumped into any of my patients or their relatives, I'd hide. It doesn't give off the right image... But as long as it doesn't interfere with my work, I'll carry on.' By splitting their characters into two personas (professional and social), these young women appear confident that their professional reputations remain unblemished. In their own minds, at least.

Eight girls ask me not to use the interviews in the four days afterwards. I agree and have changed several of the names in this article. Tellingly, no one will explain why anonymity is now so important to them but I suspect my presence has blurred the line between weekday and night time and, on returning to their workplaces, they have panicked. Many are no doubt worried that their parents or bosses will find out about just how extreme their Saturday night personas are, compared with the way they usually act as daughters or employees.

 These women have been sold a lie...a lie that sexual irresponsibility is 'freeing' and 'empowering' but ultimately is depressing and heartbreaking. So to squash the feelings of guilt and depression they feel, they go out and get smashed and tell themselves that it's all in 'good fun'.

But the Truth is written on our hearts, and so no matter how they try to run away from it, they will ultimately keep feeling the guilt of the 'freedom' of this world.

Slacker-itis

My brain hurts.

I've had a pretty constant headache for a week and a half. I told my husband last night that I had 3 leprechauns doing a jig on top of my skull. Fun times.

At any rate, I have a lot of stuff to talk about on the blog, but can't put two coherent thoughts together to form a cohesive post.

For example, I started the Catholicism Project (at a local parish cluster) last night. I'm really excited for the series, but last night I had a few thoughts: why am I the only person here under 50; why are there only 6 people here? I really don't think they presented it all that well. And I like the guy who is facilitating it, really a great guy, but his speaking style is so dry that it drives me up a wall.

Last night was just an introduction, which I don't think they really needed; received our materials, found out more about the program...which seeing as I had watched the trailer video online, was nothing new to me. But, while watching it, I did have a new thought, mainly that Catholicism is enormous! It is monolithic! It spans so many countries, years and people. It is almost as mind-boggling as the idea of God made man is. But yet for all its enormity, it still comes down to the basic, personal question...Do I believe in God made man and that God made man died to save me from eternal separation from God?

It's a little humbling to realize what I am a part of, being Catholic.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin

Saint Margaret Mary was born in 1647 in the diocese of Autun in France. She joined the Sisters of the Visitation at Paray-le-Monial where she advanced in the life of perfection, and was favored with mystical revelations. She was especially devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was responsible for spreading that devotion throughout the Church. She died on October 17, 1690. [Ranter's note: Her spiritual director, St. Claude Colombiere, was my son's patron saint two years ago.]

For the sacred heart is an inexhaustible fountain and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to his good pleasure.
     From this divine heart three streams flow endlessly. The first is the stream of mercy for sinners; it pours into their hearts sentiments of contrition and repentance. The second is the stream of charity which helps all in need and especially aids those seeking perfection to find the means of surmounting their difficulties. From the third stream flow love and light for the benefit of his friends who have attained perfection; these he wishes to unite to himself so that they may share his knowledge and commandments and, in their individual ways, devote themselves wholly to advancing his glory.
     This divine heart is an abyss of all blessings, and into it the poor should submerge all their needs. It is an abyss of joy in which all of us can immerse our sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counteract our foolishness, and abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to meet our every need.
(From a letter by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin)

Lord,
pour out on us the riches of the Spirit
which you bestowed on Saint Margaret Mary.
May we come to know the love of Christ,
which surpasses all human understanding,
and be filled with the fullness of God.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Saint Hedwig, Religious

Saint Hedwig was born in Bavaria around the year 1174. She married a prince of Silesia and they had seven children. She led a most devoted life, looking after the poor and the sick, and founding hospitals for them. When her husband died, she entered the monastery of Trebnitz and died there in 1243.

She afflicted herself with continual mortification of the flesh, but she did so with prudent discretion. The more attentively she kept watch, the more she grew in the strength of the spirit and in grace, and the more the fire of devotion and divine love blazed within her. She was often borne aloft with such ardent desire and impelled toward God that she would no longer be aware of the things that were around her. 
     Just as her devotion made her always seek after God, so her generous piety turned her toward her neighbor, and she bountifully bestowed alms on the needy. She gave aid to colleges and to religious person dwelling within or outside monasteries, to widows and orphans, to the weak and the feeble, to lepers and those bound in chains or imprisoned, to travelers and needy women nursing infants. She allowed no one who came to her for help to go away uncomforted. 
(From the life of Saint Hedwig by a contemporary author)

All-powerful God,
may the prayers of Saint Hedwig bring us your help
and may her life of remarkable humility
be an example to us all.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

St. Teresa of Avila, Virgin and Doctor

Saint Teresa was born at Avila in Spain in 1515. She joined the Carmelite Order, made great progress in the way of perfection and enjoyed mystical revelations. When she reformed the Order, she met with much resistance, but she succeeded with undaunted courage. She also wrote books filled with sublime doctrine, the fruit of her own spiritual life. She died at Avila in 1582.

If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us. He is a true friend. And I clearly see that if we expect to please him and receive an abundance of his graces, God desires that these graces must come to us from the hands of Christ, through his most sacred humanity, in which God takes delight....
     What more do we desire from such a good friend at our side? Unlike our friends in the world, he will never abandon us when we are troubled or distressed. Blessed is the one who truly loves him and always keeps him near. Let us consider the glorious Saint Paul: it seems that no other name fell from his lips than that of Jesus, because the name of Jesus was fixed and embedded in his heart. Once I had come to understand this truth, I carefully considered the lives of some of the saints, the great contemplatives, and found that they took no other path: Francis, Anthony of Padua, Bernard, Catherine of Siena. A person must walk along this path in freedom, placing himself in God's hands. If God should desire to raise us to the position of one who is an intimate and shares his secrets, we ought to accept this gladly.
(From a work by Saint Teresa of Avila, virgin)

Father,
by your Spirit you raised up Saint Teresa of Avila
to show your Church the way to perfection.
May her inspired teaching
awaken in us a longing for true holiness.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.

Open Tabs

Just a few posts that caught my eye this morning:
Faith and the Muse talks about Christian music, and shares some of her favorites. Me like.

Jesus Needs New PR....love it...

On National Tart Up Your Daughters Day by Dyspeptic Mutterings...spot on! I really hate that young women (and some old women...ewwwww) take the opportunity on Halloween (Not JesusWeen *rolleyes*) to dress like total whores and then wonder why nobody respects them. On another note, Dyspeptic Mutterings is another new favorite.

The email archive of the Occupy WallStreet Movement...I'd like to read, but I just don't have the headspace for it today.

Because, really, I need to watch the last episode of Castle that I missed. Yes.

This video:


It's pretty great, but they really should've just used the word 'ass'.

Fr. Pavone doesn't meet up with Bishop Zurek....but tweets unrelated things during the day. WTF?

Freakin' creepy.

The higher education bubble...as I said on a friend's facebook, youth were sold a lie about college: "Have a college education and you will be guaranteed a lifetime of wealth!"

Dirt and Diapers is back to blogging after her adventures in trans-atlantic travel! Yay! I can't wait to hear more about the trip.

I think I'll use Simcha's Guide the next time we have a child.

My brain does the 'let me give the most amazing ideas ever while you go to sleep, all of which you will forget by morning."

Stupid celebrities...but I repeat myself.

Sodality of Mary

These are pictures (front and back) of the medal my mom gave me. Originally it was a lapel pin, but that broke. I'm sorry for the quality of the pictures, but I was trying to get a good resolution on them. The above image is Jesus, pointing to His Sacred Heart. The below image is of the Blessed Virgin, hands crossed over her chest, with a crown on her head. Over her it says "Ad Jesum Per Mariam", and under her feet it says "Sodalis Mariae." 

This is the information from Catholic Girl's Guide:

The Object of this Association

The Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Congregation of the Children of Mary, has for its object to assemble its members at the feet of the Mother of God, to dedicate them in a very special manner to the veneration and service of the Blessed Virgin, and to place them under her particular patronage and protection both in life and at the hour of death.
     "It is impossible," writes Benedict XIV, "to overestimate this pious and praiseworthy association among persons of every rank and class." In and through this Confraternity Mary confers on her children two unspeakably great and precious graces - heartfelt love of God and the preservation of their innocence. Then again, girls who join the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary make more rapid progress in virtue, and by their united prayers afford one another greater help. Hence what St. Bernard says of Religious and their state may with justice be applied to the Children of Mary and the Sodality: "In it they lead a purer life; they fall less frequently, and if they fall, they fall less deeply; they rise up again more easily; they walk more circumspectly; they rest more securely; heavenly graces are bestowed on them more abundantly; they meet death with greater confidence, and a more glorious crown awaits them in heaven." Wherefore, Children of Mary, you have every reason to thank God and your celestial Mother for having made you a member of this association.

St. Callistus, Pope and Martyr

Saint Callistus is reputed to have been a slave. Once he obtained his liberty, he was ordained a deacon by Pope Zephyrinus and succeeded him in the Chair of Saint Peter. He fought against the Adoption and Modalist heretics. He was crowned with martyrdom in 222 and was buried on the Aurelian Way.

The spirit of a strong and stable character strengthened by meditation endures; this unshaken spirit, which is strengthened by a certain and solid faith in the future will be enlivened against all the terrors of the devil and threats of this world. During persecution the earth is closed off from us, but heaven lies open; the Antichrist threatens, but Christ protects us; death is brought on, but eternal life follows. What an honor, what happiness to depart joyfully from this world, to go forth in glory from the anguish and pain, in one moment to close the eyes that looked on the world of men and in the next to open them at once to look on God and Christ! The speed of this joyous departure! You are suddenly withdrawn from earth to find yourself in the kingdom of heaven. 
     These are the thoughts you must grasp with your heart and mind and reflect on day and night. If persecution should overtake such a soldier of God, it will not overcome one so virtuously prepared for battle. Even if our summons should come sooner, our faith which was prepared for the witness of martyrdom will not go unrewarded. For we would immediately receive our reward by God's judgment. In time of persecution the battle wins the crown, but in peace it is the testimony of a good conscience.
(From a treatise to Fortunatus by St. Cyprian, bishop and martyr)

God of mercy,
hear the prayers of your people
that we may be helped by Saint Callistus,
whose martyrdom we celebrate with joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Sun Miracle at Fatima

Terry at Abbey-Roads reminded me that the anniversary of the miracle of the sun at Fatima is today, October 13; then pointing me to this link by Fr. Ryan at New Theological Movement on what the miracle might have exactly been; which led me to see if my new books had anything in them about Our Lady of Fatima, and of course they did:

Act of Reparation
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, I adore You profoundly and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrageous sacrileges and indifferences by which He Himself is offended. And by the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.
(Prayer of Reparation which was taught and recited by the angel of Fatima)

Mischief Maker Drawings

What do you think these are? Answer after the jump.

Catholic Girl's Guide

So, I was up at my parents' house looking for an old children's book (that I used to read), when I came across a few religious books of my mom's. 

One is called "The Catholic Girl's Guide" by Father Lasance, with a subtitle of "Counsels and Devotions for Girls in the Ordinary Walks of Life and in Particular for the Children of Mary". It's so neat! The first part is on "The Maiden's Wreath" about different flowers and what they represent (sunflower-faith, ivy-hope, etc.). The second part is "A Wreath of Lilies", and it's all about the lily and what it represents. The third part is about either the married state or the religious state or 'unmarried life in the world'. The fourth part is on "Family Life". The second 'book' is about Devotions (daily prayers, devotions for Mass, Confession, Communion, novenas, etc.). The second part of the second book is on "The Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary", which is something I've been trying to find more about, and that my mom actually gave me a medal that said "Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary." My mom got this book in 1949 for her Confirmation, but this printing is from 1946. The original N.O. is from Remigius Lafort (Censor Librorum) and Imprimatur from John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York, from 1905. The N.O. from 1945 is from Arthur J. Scanlan, STD (Censor Librorum) and Francis J. Spellman, D.D. (Archbishop of New York).

The other books that I found were in a box with a sticker of "The Library of Catholic Devotions", put out by The Catholic Press, copyright 1958. I'm going to have to try to take a picture of some of the illustrations in these books, because they are beautiful! 

The first book is 'The Prayer Book" is edited by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A. with Imprimatur from Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago, 1954. It's really just different prayers (of the week, months of the year, various needs, to saints, the rosary, etc.) and about the sacraments. 

The second book is "The Life of Christ: Our Lord's Life with Lessons in HIs Own Words for Our Life Today", edited by the above, and Imprimatur as above, with Nihil Obstat by John A. McMahon. It is pretty straightforward, all about Christ's Life. 

The third book is "The Missal", containing all the Masses for Sundays and for holy days of obligation, edited by the above, and Imprimatur as above.  

Anyway, I thought I'd share, and hopefully I'll be able to post some snippets from these books. They really are a hidden treasure that I've found; just the illustrations and photos themselves tell a most beautiful story of our faith, not to mention the beautifully written prayers. Just as I was flipping through them in the short amount of time that I have, I mused to my husband that if Catholic books were still written and published like this on a wide scale, we would have much better educated Catholics today. 

Look for future posts from these books! 

That we may be possessed completely by His love

(From an instruction by Saint Columban, abbot)

Jesus, our most loving Savior, be pleased to light our lanterns, so that they may burn for ever in your temple, receiving eternal light from you, the eternal light, to lighten our darkness and to ward off from us the darkness of the world.

Give your light to my lantern, I beg you, my Jesus, so that by its light I may see that holy of holies which receives you as the eternal priest entering among the columns of your great temple. May I ever see you only, look on you, long for you; may I gaze with love on you alone, and have my lantern shining and burning always in your presence.

Loving Savior, be pleased to show yourself to us who knock, so that in knowing you we may love only you, love you alone, desire you alone, contemplate only you day and night, and always think of you. Inspire in us the depth of love that is fitting for you to receive as God. So may your love pervade our whole being, possess us completely, and fill all our senses, that we may know no other love but love for you who are everlasting. May our love be so great that the many waters of sky, land and sea cannot extinguish it in us: many waters could not extinguish love.

May this saying be fulfilled in us also, at least in part, by your gift, Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday Feast

The focus every Sunday is to feast with my family, to truly make Sundays a day of rest; which means to refrain from the internet and other technology as much as I can. I'm going to be putting up the previous Wednesday's general audience with Pope Benedict XVI, and I encourage you to read and to study. What are you reading today? What are you talking about this morning?

General Audience of Pope Benedict XVI on Psalm 23:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,


Continuing our catechesis on Christian prayer, we now turn to Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”. With its exquisite pastoral imagery this much-beloved Psalm speaks of the radical trust in God’s loving care which is an essential aspect of prayer. The Psalmist begins by presenting God as a good shepherd who guides him to green pastures, standing at his side and protecting him from every danger. “He leads me beside still waters; he refreshes my soul” (vv. 2-3). The scene then passes to the shepherd’s tent, where the Lord welcomes him as a guest, gracing him with the gifts of food, oil and wine. “You prepare a table before me … you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (v. 5). God’s protection continues to accompany the Psalmist with goodness and mercy along his way, a way which leads to length of days in the Lord’s Temple (v. 6). The powerful image of God as the Shepherd of Israel accompanied the whole religious history of the Chosen People, from the Exodus to the return to the Promised Land. It finds its ultimate expression and fulfilment in the coming of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for his sheep, preparing for us the table of his Body and Blood as a foretaste of the definitive messianic banquet which awaits us in heaven.

* * *

I welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Audience, especially those from England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Nigeria, Singapore, the Philippines and the United States. My special greeting goes to the alumni and friends celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Pontifical Filipino College. I also greet the new students from the Pontifical Beda College, and I offer prayerful good wishes to the deacon class of the Pontifical North American College and their families. Upon all of you I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace.

In a special way, I would like to greet the Delegation of the Theology Faculty of the University of Thessaloniki, who have wished to confer upon me the Apostle Jason of Thessaloniki Gold Medal. I am deeply honoured by this gracious gesture, which is an eloquent sign of the growing understanding and dialogue between Catholic and Orthodox Christians. I pray that it will be a harbinger of ever greater progress in our efforts to respond in fidelity, truth and charity to the Lord’s summons to unity. I thank the Delegation most cordially, and I offer my prayerful good wishes for their teaching and research. God bless you all!

Adoration Saturdays

If this is your first time reading about this series, please read the first post.

(This is from Adoration on the 30th.)
I had been to Confession two days before, and was really struggling with how to persevere in faith, and in my prayers. feeling spiritually sodden and weighed down. I had literally been scared straight a few nights before at Bible study, because of Romans 3 and our discussion centering around the two judgments that everyone will face and that everyone will have all their sins proclaimed before everyone else. I literally had the fear of hell put into me during that discussion and had so gone to Confession.
     God desires my beauty - he desires to root out all that is ugly in me - which is to say all sin - and make me beautiful in His sight.

Re: The Gospel reading (Luke 10:13-16)
     How many mighty deeds does God do in my midst and I do not repent. I will not be exalted in heaven if I do not repent. But listen to the Gospels, listen to the saints, the Pope & the bishops and I will be listening to Jesus. I reject them at my own peril.
     If you want to avoid hell, listen to Jesus' words, and listen to the apostles (then and now). Listen and repent.


For some reason, I was thinking of my guardian angel, and thinking of the spiritual battle that he wages on my behalf. I hesitate to call what came to mind 'visions' as perhaps it was just my over-active imagination at work; regardless, what I saw/envisioned/imagined was a great battle that is invisible to the human eye but nonetheless is epic.

Hello My Name is Simon

I'm going to start featuring art that my daughter, the Wide-Eyed Mischief Maker, draws because I'm a proud mom and I think she draws some fun things. She has this magnetic draw board that she absolutely loves to draw and now write with. Sometimes the art is a little abstract, but hopefully I can stamp that out fairly quickly. I kid...mostly.

We'll start off with an easy one. Today's picture is a sailboat in the ocean and the sun. 

St. Bruno, priest

Saint Bruno was born at Cologne about the year 1035. He was educated at Paris and, after ordination to the priesthood, he taught theology. However, he desired a solitary life and to this end he founded the first Carthusian monastery. When called upon by Pope Urban II, he aided the pontiff in meeting the needs of the Church. He died at Squillace in Calabria in 1101.

Therefore rejoice, my dearest brothers, because you are so blessed and because of the bountiful hand of God's grace upon you. Rejoice, because you have escaped the various dangers and shipwrecks of the stormy world. Rejoice, because you have reached the quiet and safe anchorage of a secret harbor. Many wish to come into this port, and many make great efforts to do so, yet do not achieve it. Indeed many, after reaching it, have been thrust out, since it was not granted them from above.
     Therefore, my brothers, you should consider it certain and well-established that whoever partakes of this desirable good, should he in any way lose it, will grieve to his death, if he has any regard or concern for the salvation of his soul.
(From a letter to his Carthusian sons by Saint Bruno, priest)

Falling Into Life

I just read an incredibly moving post over at Calah's place (Barefoot & Pregnant), and all I could think of after reading it (besides Calah's amazingness) was that I have never had an experience like that. I have never had a "Saul" moment of conversion, or a moment of knowing that a particular thing was something I had to do or was meant to do.  For most of my life, I've simply fallen into the next thing. (Perhaps it's 'youngest child' syndrome or something.) I have never had a real go-get-'em attitude in choosing something - I have that attitude once I'm doing something - but never in the choosing.

I never really was passionate about sports or music or arts growing up. I fell into a sport in high school because one of my sisters was doing it, and though I stuck with it all four years, it was more a determination to see it through than a love of the sport. I wasn't a great student, though I wasn't bad. I didn't have a passion for math or english or arts or languages...just fell into whatever courses were offered, and didn't really have a passion for going to college after school...so I didn't.

I fell into marriage. My husband didn't propose in some romantic or outlandish way....we were in bed one night (you already knew I was a bad Catholic) and I asked where our relationship was going. He looked surprised and said, "We'll get married" and that's when we considered ourselves engaged.

I fell into being a mom. I was on the pill for the first month of marriage, but found I couldn't stand myself, so I went off it. We used condoms for awhile, then I started to learn more about what the Church taught (keep reading).

I fell into a life of secularism, then fell into youth ministry. I got kicked out of my parents' house for my 19th birthday (no, I've never been that bad of a Catholic, they just thought it was time for me to grow up on my own), and so I fell out going to church every Sunday (I never was any good at confession). It wasn't until I was asked to volunteer as a youth ministry helper that I fell back into my faith...albeit in a distorted way.

St. Francis of Assisi

Happy Memorial Day to my patron saint!

Saint Francis was born at Assisi in 1182. After a carefree youth, he renounced his paternal wealth and committed himself to God. He led a life of evangelical poverty and preached the love of God to all. He established a rule which a number of his companions followed and which gained the approval of the Holy See. Subsequently, he founded an order of nuns and a society of laypersons who practice penance while living in the world. He died in 1226.

Furthermore, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbors as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble, and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God's sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father's children who do his work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(From a letter written to all the faithful by Saint Francis of Assisi)

Your truth lasts from age to age

Psalm 119:89-96

A meditation on God's law

Your word, O Lord, for ever

stands firm in the heavens:

your truth lasts from age to age,

like the earth you created.

By your decree it endures to this day;

for all things serve you.

Had your law not been my delight

I would have died in my affliction.

I will never forget your precepts 

for with them you give me life.

Save me, for I am yours 

since I seek your precepts.

Though the wicked lie in wait to destroy me

yet I ponder on your will.

I have seen that all perfection has an end

but your command is boundless.

Guardian Angels

He has given his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways. Let them thank the Lord for his mercy; his wonderful works are for the children of men. Let them give thanks and say among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them. O Lord, what is man that you have made yourself known to him, or why do you incline your heart to him? And you do incline your heart to him; you show him your care and your concern. Finally, you send your only Son and the grace of your Spirit, and promise him a vision of your countenance. And so, that nothing in heaven should be wanting in your concern for us, you send those blessed spirits to serve us, assigning them as our guardians and our teachers.
     He has given his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways. These words should fill you with respect, inspire devotion and instill confidence; respect for the presence of angels, devotion because of their loving service and confidence because of their protection. And so the angels are here; they are at your side, they are with you, present on your behalf. They are here to protect you and to serve you. But even if it is God who has given them this charge, we must nonetheless be grateful to them for the great love with which they obey and come to help us in our great need.
     So let us be devoted and grateful to such great protectors; let us return their love and honor them as much as we can and should. Yet all our love and honor must go to him, for it is from him that they receive all that makes them worthy of our love and respect.
     We should then, my brothers, show our affection for the angels, for one day they will be our coheirs just as here below they are our guardians and trustees appointed and set over us by the Father. We are God's children although it does not seem so, because we are still but small children under guardians and trustees, and for the present little better than slaves.
     Even though we are children and have a long, a very long and dangerous way to go, with such protectors what have we to fear? They who keep us in all our ways cannot be overpowered or led astray, much less lead us astray. They are loyal, prudent, powerful. Why then are we afraid? We have only to follow them, stay close to them, and we shall dwell under the protection of God's heaven.
(From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot)

Sunday Feast

The focus every Sunday is to feast with my family, to truly make Sundays a day of rest; which means to refrain from the internet and other technology as much as I can. I'm going to be putting up the previous Wednesday's general audience with Pope Benedict XVI, and I encourage you to read and to study. What are you reading today? What are you talking about this morning?

Homily of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin: 

Dear Brother Bishops and Priests,
Dear Sisters and Brothers,

As I look around the vast Olympic Stadium, where you have gathered today in large numbers, my heart is filled with great joy and confidence. I greet all of you most warmly – the faithful from the Archdiocese of Berlin and the Dioceses of Germany as well as the many pilgrims from neighbouring countries. It was fifteen years ago that Berlin, the capital of Germany, was first visited by a Pope. The visit of my venerable predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, and the beatification of the Berlin Cathedral Provost Bernhard Lichtenberg – together with Karl Leisner – here in this very place, is something that all of us, including me personally, remember most vividly.

If we consider these beati and the great throng of those who have been canonized and beatified, we can understand what it means to live as branches of Christ, the true vine, and to bear fruit. Today’s Gospel puts before us once more the image of this climbing plant, that spreads so luxuriantly in the east, a symbol of vitality and a metaphor for the beauty and dynamism of Jesus’ fellowship with his disciples and friends – with us.

In the parable of the vine, Jesus does not say: “You are the vine”, but: “I am the vine, you are the branches” (Jn 15:5). In other words: “As the branches are joined to the vine, so you belong to me!
But inasmuch as you belong to me, you also belong to one another.” This belonging to each other and to him is not some ideal, imaginary, symbolic relationship, but – I would almost want to say – a biological, life-transmitting state of belonging to Jesus Christ. Such is the Church, this communion of life with Jesus Christ and for one another, a communion that is rooted in baptism and is deepened and given more and more vitality in the Eucharist. “I am the true vine” actually means: “I am you and you are I” – an unprecedented identification of the Lord with us, with his Church.

Adoration Saturdays

If this is your first time reading about this series, please read the first post.

(This is from adoration on the 17th.)

I talked with Jesus about the grief support group (I ended up dropping it), my dad, his grief, and dealing with his grief and my own; my own perseverance in prayer; and obedience to the bishop. I ended up doing a little lectio divina with Friday's Gospel reading (Luke 8:1-3):

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

I got to thinking about the phrase "Many others who provided for them out of their resources." They were probably wealthy, or more well-off than others. Jesus walked, ate, slept, and travelled with those that others deemed 'not worthy' - probably even others that travelled with them. But Jesus and his companions (i.e. the Church) still needed resources (i.e. wealth) to preach and proclaim the gospel. Why do I expect the bishop to be much different? Because these people 'seem' to want to influence the bishop to their way? Maybe they are, but they are supporting the Church.
     We should rightly call out when the bishop is doing things in error, but always remembering to, 1: think the best of his intentions unless proven otherwise; and 2: go to him and share my concerns.
     The people under the 12 apostles were probably unhappy with many of their decisions, but they are rightly held up as holy men. My bishop is the spiritual descendant of those men and to emulate their footsteps, he needs my obedience to his authority, and he needs my prayers.

'Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another.' This must have taken much strength and perseverance to keep going with little outside encouragement. But he didn't go alone - the 12 went with and the women as well who supported them. To persevere you must not go at it alone, you must have prayer - spiritual support, and material support. Trust those whom God has put in your path.

Your heart will hurt for your dad for awhile, and there's not much else to be done except to be open and available to him, to be present to him and his pain. Jesus grieved over his friend, Lazarus, dying. When you are ready for the grief support group, you'll go. Don't force yourself to go now and have a breakdown. But don't close off from others' pain either.