Today we pray for the soul most like ourselves.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Find things to rant about
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Day 29. Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today, we pray for the soul who was least prepared to die.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Monday, November 28, 2011
Link Removed
In case you were visiting and got a notice about this site linking to a site known for malware, I've fixed it. Sorry about the inconvenience. :-(
Day 28, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul least thankful for their Guardian Angel.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Day 27, Holy Souls In Purgatory
Today for pray for the least penitent soul in Purgatory.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Day 26, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for those souls who have taken their own lives.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thanksgiving
Make it a habit to raise your heart to God, in acts of thanksgiving, many times a day. Because he gives you this and that... Because someone has despised you... Because you don't have what you need, or because you do have it.
And because he made his Mother, who is also your Mother, so beautiful. Because he created the sun and the moon and this animal or that plant. Because he made that man eloquent and you he left slow of speech...
Thank him for everything, because everything is good.
(St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 268)
And because he made his Mother, who is also your Mother, so beautiful. Because he created the sun and the moon and this animal or that plant. Because he made that man eloquent and you he left slow of speech...
Thank him for everything, because everything is good.
(St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 268)
Patron Saints 2012
It's that time of year again....the new year of the Church is coming up fast - November 27! At the start of every new year, it's time to get a new patron saint for the coming year!
This is a beautiful Catholic devotion. The idea is that I put together saints names in a basket, and draw one for anyone who wants one, after praying over the basket with your name in mind. The patron saints for this coming year that are in the mix: the "standards", converts, imprisoned/prisoners, martyrs, families, and the poor. Please, pass this onto anyone who you think would like a saint picked for them. Here's a little more on this devotion:
Religious orders, both male and female, particularly in the 1800's and early 1900's got into the habit of drawing a saint's name at the close of each year, and that saint would be their "patron" for the coming year. St. Faustina writes about this in her diary, but it was not an unusual practice at all. The saying is, "you don't choose the saint, the saint chooses you - that in the realm of the Eternal, they know better than you what your needs for the coming year will be, and so they "choose" to be with you, through it. But the point is to not simply pull the saint but then develop a bit of a relationship with him/her -ie, learn about them, include them in your prayers, ask them to pray for you, and (when praying) to join you in prayer -that sort of thing.
“There is a custom among us of drawing by lot, on New Year's Day, special Patrons for ourselves for the whole year. In the morning during meditation, there arose within me a secret desire that the Eucharistic Jesus be my special Patron for this year also, as in the past. But, hiding this desire from my Beloved, I spoke to Him about everything else but that. When we came to refectory for breakfast, we blessed ourselves and began drawing our patrons. When I approached the holy cards on which the names of the patrons were written, without hesitation I took one, but I didn't read the name immediately as I wanted to mortify myself for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard a voice in my soul: ‘I am your patron. Read.’ I looked at once at the inscription and read, ‘Patron for the Year 1935 - the Most Blessed Eucharist.’ My heart leapt with joy, and I slipped quietly away from the sisters and went for a short visit before the Blessed Sacrament, where I poured out my heart. But Jesus sweetly admonished me that I should be at that moment together with the sisters. I went immediately in obedience to the rule.” (Excerpt from Divine Mercy in My Soul, the Diary of St. Faustina)
If you would like a saint, email me with your name or if you are comfortable, comment here. Please tell me a little of yourself (if i don't already know you): Student? Discerning? Any worries about the coming year? etc.... This post will remain at the top of the page for awhile.
This is a beautiful Catholic devotion. The idea is that I put together saints names in a basket, and draw one for anyone who wants one, after praying over the basket with your name in mind. The patron saints for this coming year that are in the mix: the "standards", converts, imprisoned/prisoners, martyrs, families, and the poor. Please, pass this onto anyone who you think would like a saint picked for them. Here's a little more on this devotion:
Religious orders, both male and female, particularly in the 1800's and early 1900's got into the habit of drawing a saint's name at the close of each year, and that saint would be their "patron" for the coming year. St. Faustina writes about this in her diary, but it was not an unusual practice at all. The saying is, "you don't choose the saint, the saint chooses you - that in the realm of the Eternal, they know better than you what your needs for the coming year will be, and so they "choose" to be with you, through it. But the point is to not simply pull the saint but then develop a bit of a relationship with him/her -ie, learn about them, include them in your prayers, ask them to pray for you, and (when praying) to join you in prayer -that sort of thing.
“There is a custom among us of drawing by lot, on New Year's Day, special Patrons for ourselves for the whole year. In the morning during meditation, there arose within me a secret desire that the Eucharistic Jesus be my special Patron for this year also, as in the past. But, hiding this desire from my Beloved, I spoke to Him about everything else but that. When we came to refectory for breakfast, we blessed ourselves and began drawing our patrons. When I approached the holy cards on which the names of the patrons were written, without hesitation I took one, but I didn't read the name immediately as I wanted to mortify myself for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard a voice in my soul: ‘I am your patron. Read.’ I looked at once at the inscription and read, ‘Patron for the Year 1935 - the Most Blessed Eucharist.’ My heart leapt with joy, and I slipped quietly away from the sisters and went for a short visit before the Blessed Sacrament, where I poured out my heart. But Jesus sweetly admonished me that I should be at that moment together with the sisters. I went immediately in obedience to the rule.” (Excerpt from Divine Mercy in My Soul, the Diary of St. Faustina)
If you would like a saint, email me with your name or if you are comfortable, comment here. Please tell me a little of yourself (if i don't already know you): Student? Discerning? Any worries about the coming year? etc.... This post will remain at the top of the page for awhile.
Day 25, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who has sinned most against their children.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Day 24, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who has sinned most against their spouse.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Self-Reflection
My daughter decided to draw herself:
"That's my big big face," so says the Wide-Eyed Mischief Maker. I swear to you, my daughter was not born with tentacles.
"That's my big big face," so says the Wide-Eyed Mischief Maker. I swear to you, my daughter was not born with tentacles.
Day 23, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul for whom I am bound to pray.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
The Smells of a Mother
I'm coming up on the first major holiday without my mom, and in reflecting about how much I miss her and how much this is gonna suck, I'm reminded of all the wonderful smells of my mom. Not just her person, but the smells she created through her cooking.
My mom would have said she was no great shakes in the kitchen...and don't get me wrong, she couldn't make a pie crust to save her life, among one of the cooking arts she never mastered. She tried for most of her married life to make a decent pie crust - including using my gramma's recipe which is delicious - and usually it ended up too doughy or too crumbly. One of the things that taught me was that it's okay sometimes to try and fail, try and fail, and just use store-bought.
But the smells that woman could make! The smell of making cinnamon rolls from scratch, rolling out the dough, spreading the cinnamon and sugar and butter, rolling up the dough and putting them in the oven...I have such good memories of baking and cooking with my mom.
Isn't it funny how smelling brings back memories, or how remembering brings back smells?
Growing up, once you hit a certain age, you were required to help out in the kitchen; of course, starting off small, like peeling potatoes, or setting the table. The older you got, the 'bigger' things you got to do, like mixing up the meatloaf and putting it in the dish. I didn't much enjoy this part of growing up, I enjoyed making the 'special' things with my mom, like the cinnamon rolls, or caramel corn, or cakes and cookies. The really special things were making candies at Christmastime...like divinity, or fudge.
Holidays were always a time for 'extra special' smells and sights...the best china, the fancy silverware, the fabulous stemware (that even the kids got to use!), the lacy white tablecloth over the brown tablecloth (for Thanksgiving), putting table leaves to extend the table because of so many family members, and the general craziness of having a houseful of people.
As everyone got older and moved away, or started their own traditions, the only thing that was missing were all the people; the main dishes still were made, the china and the tablecloths put out. The last couple of years, we've been splitting time between my parents & my husband's dad (his parents are divorced and his mom lives far away), so the celebrations were still lovely at my parents house, albeit at a different time or day. The best part was just relaxing with my parents, enjoying some wine while cooking, and having good conversation.
This Thanksgiving, I just want to be with my family...they may be turkeys, but they're my turkeys.
I don't know what my dad is planning on doing...all I know is that it will be incredibly lonely to go to their house on Thanksgiving and Christmas and not smell her cooking...that will be another moment of loss, for me.
My mom would have said she was no great shakes in the kitchen...and don't get me wrong, she couldn't make a pie crust to save her life, among one of the cooking arts she never mastered. She tried for most of her married life to make a decent pie crust - including using my gramma's recipe which is delicious - and usually it ended up too doughy or too crumbly. One of the things that taught me was that it's okay sometimes to try and fail, try and fail, and just use store-bought.
But the smells that woman could make! The smell of making cinnamon rolls from scratch, rolling out the dough, spreading the cinnamon and sugar and butter, rolling up the dough and putting them in the oven...I have such good memories of baking and cooking with my mom.
Isn't it funny how smelling brings back memories, or how remembering brings back smells?
Growing up, once you hit a certain age, you were required to help out in the kitchen; of course, starting off small, like peeling potatoes, or setting the table. The older you got, the 'bigger' things you got to do, like mixing up the meatloaf and putting it in the dish. I didn't much enjoy this part of growing up, I enjoyed making the 'special' things with my mom, like the cinnamon rolls, or caramel corn, or cakes and cookies. The really special things were making candies at Christmastime...like divinity, or fudge.
Holidays were always a time for 'extra special' smells and sights...the best china, the fancy silverware, the fabulous stemware (that even the kids got to use!), the lacy white tablecloth over the brown tablecloth (for Thanksgiving), putting table leaves to extend the table because of so many family members, and the general craziness of having a houseful of people.
As everyone got older and moved away, or started their own traditions, the only thing that was missing were all the people; the main dishes still were made, the china and the tablecloths put out. The last couple of years, we've been splitting time between my parents & my husband's dad (his parents are divorced and his mom lives far away), so the celebrations were still lovely at my parents house, albeit at a different time or day. The best part was just relaxing with my parents, enjoying some wine while cooking, and having good conversation.
This Thanksgiving, I just want to be with my family...they may be turkeys, but they're my turkeys.
I don't know what my dad is planning on doing...all I know is that it will be incredibly lonely to go to their house on Thanksgiving and Christmas and not smell her cooking...that will be another moment of loss, for me.
Day 22, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who has been in Purgatory the shortest.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal Rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal Rest...
Monday, November 21, 2011
Day 21, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul most abandoned.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The worst kind of an ass...
...is a Christian ass. Don't use your "Christianity" as an excuse to be a tight-fisted cheapskate.
Day 20, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the souls who have turned away from their Catholic faith.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Day 19, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who sinned most because of the misuse of power and influence.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Friday, November 18, 2011
Any movie plans?
Meh, I don't know...I mean, I like George Clooney, but another movie about a broken family?
Really? Again? Seriously? Just. Stop.
I'm not tired of Scottish accents, but I'm tired of cartoons with Scottish accents. Not really excited about this either.
Meh...Danny DeVito?
Now this looks good. I would pay to watch it in the theater.
I could go either way on this; isn't there another Snow White movie coming out besides this one? Yes, found it, "Mirror, Mirror". Based just on the two, I'd rather go with the one without Julia Roberts, thankyouverymuch. Here's the trailer for the other one.
Looks good!
Open Tabs
5 Things to Know About Black Friday via The Consumerist. I don't do the whole 'get up at the butt-crack of dawn' shopping, since my sister-in-law does and is willing to purchase items for me (should I want/need anything). Last year it was an HP printer for $25-ish. Year before it was a leather jacket for hubster that was $50-ish. Usually I see a bunch of toys that the kids don't need (and I don't want around), some adult 'toys' (not the dirty kind, you pervs) that I don't want or need, perhaps one or two household items I'd like, and the rest is junk. I expect this year to be no different.
Speaking of buying things you don't need and will throw away, Aggie Catholics gives a little perspective on what being 'rich' is all about.
We, as a Church, are very rich in the beautiful works of art, in our history, and in our people. I'm currently attending the Catholicism Project at a local parish, and enjoying it very much.
Ah, Walker Percy on the insolence of Christianity.
The Daily Show on OWS
Just another reason not to trust when Hollywood comes a'knockin' for your children
I thought Obama was smart and stuff, not a naive, wide-eyed waif?
This looks amazing.
Speaking of buying things you don't need and will throw away, Aggie Catholics gives a little perspective on what being 'rich' is all about.
We, as a Church, are very rich in the beautiful works of art, in our history, and in our people. I'm currently attending the Catholicism Project at a local parish, and enjoying it very much.
Ah, Walker Percy on the insolence of Christianity.
The Daily Show on OWS
Just another reason not to trust when Hollywood comes a'knockin' for your children
I thought Obama was smart and stuff, not a naive, wide-eyed waif?
This looks amazing.
Day 18, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who sinned most because of the misuse of modern media.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Day 17, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the souls who have sinned most against humanity through genocide, abortion, infanticide and euthanasia.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Day 16, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the souls of priests and other religious men and women.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Day 15, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul most devoted to (insert your patron saint here).
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Monday, November 14, 2011
Surprise!
I hate surprises, in any way, shape, or form. Perhaps this is why I despise traveling - I despise the unknowing, the surprise of not knowing what or when or how something is going to happen.
When I went to the conference back in August, imagine how I felt on the first full day of the conference when they said there would be Mass. Okay, my surprise wasn't then, because I knew we were going to have Mass every day. No, the surprise was about 2 minutes before Mass started, a gentleman announced, "Oh, yes, this will be the Ordinary Form in Latin."
Oh shit! You should have seen my face! (Though I'm hoping I covered up fairly well! And yes, I'm a bad Catholic.) I started panicking a little bit. Why, you ask? Because I hate surprises. I'm a planner. If I could plan out each day in detail - well, I wouldn't, because I'm too lazy. But regardless, surprises - especially spiritual surprises - unnerve me.
After the initial irritation, I tried to follow along in the Adoremus hymnal, I truly did. But I was unnerved and irritated and so it didn't happen. But over the next two days, I did better and better each time at responding when and how I was supposed to respond.
It's funny how you can absorb a feeling or attitude without ever knowing that you are absorbing it. Coming home, I went to a Mass for vocations at the cathedral. What immediately struck me was the casualness of the Mass, the informality. I was surprised by this, partly because I wasn't really thinking about it and partly because it was what I would think of as a 'good' Mass, said by a holy and orthodox priest; yet the informality still was there.
Perhaps part of it is the attitude of congeniality, of familiarity with the people. This doesn't sound like necessarily a bad thing, but this is Mass we are talking about. Shouldn't our attitude at Mass be more formal, more structured, so as to properly proclaim the mystery we are participating in?
Now, don't get me wrong - even if the OF in Latin or the EF was offered in my diocese on a regular basis, I wouldn't be going every week. Maybe once a month? Maybe more often once I was familiar with the responses. I do think there should be a move to have the priest say Mass ad orientum, because I think that would add a layer of formality to Mass that is sorely needed.
When I went to the conference back in August, imagine how I felt on the first full day of the conference when they said there would be Mass. Okay, my surprise wasn't then, because I knew we were going to have Mass every day. No, the surprise was about 2 minutes before Mass started, a gentleman announced, "Oh, yes, this will be the Ordinary Form in Latin."
Oh shit! You should have seen my face! (Though I'm hoping I covered up fairly well! And yes, I'm a bad Catholic.) I started panicking a little bit. Why, you ask? Because I hate surprises. I'm a planner. If I could plan out each day in detail - well, I wouldn't, because I'm too lazy. But regardless, surprises - especially spiritual surprises - unnerve me.
After the initial irritation, I tried to follow along in the Adoremus hymnal, I truly did. But I was unnerved and irritated and so it didn't happen. But over the next two days, I did better and better each time at responding when and how I was supposed to respond.
It's funny how you can absorb a feeling or attitude without ever knowing that you are absorbing it. Coming home, I went to a Mass for vocations at the cathedral. What immediately struck me was the casualness of the Mass, the informality. I was surprised by this, partly because I wasn't really thinking about it and partly because it was what I would think of as a 'good' Mass, said by a holy and orthodox priest; yet the informality still was there.
Perhaps part of it is the attitude of congeniality, of familiarity with the people. This doesn't sound like necessarily a bad thing, but this is Mass we are talking about. Shouldn't our attitude at Mass be more formal, more structured, so as to properly proclaim the mystery we are participating in?
Now, don't get me wrong - even if the OF in Latin or the EF was offered in my diocese on a regular basis, I wouldn't be going every week. Maybe once a month? Maybe more often once I was familiar with the responses. I do think there should be a move to have the priest say Mass ad orientum, because I think that would add a layer of formality to Mass that is sorely needed.
Day 14, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul undergoing the most suffering.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday Feast
General Audience of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on Psalm 119:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In our catechesis on Christian prayer, we now turn to Psalm 119, a solemn celebration of the Torah, the Law of the Lord. In twenty-two stanzas, each beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the Psalmist proclaims his love for God’s Law, which brings light, life and salvation. His song voices the range of sentiments which fill the hearts of those who pray: praise, thanksgiving, trust, supplication and lament, all within the context of a heartfelt openness to the Lord’s word. In praying this Psalm, Christians see in the Blessed Virgin Mary the model of this loving docility to God’s will, and in Jesus the fulfilment of the Law. A striking example of the Psalmist’s devotion is seen in his words: “The Lord is my portion” (v. 57). We can apply these words in a special way to priests, whose lives of celibacy testify to their call to complete devotion to the Lord and his Kingdom. But they can also be applied to all the faithful, who share in Christ’s royal priesthood and are called daily to bear witness to the Gospel. May the Lord grant us a deeper love for him, so that, like the Psalmist, we may always make his word “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path”.
Psalm 119 (118)
In our catechesis on Christian prayer, we now turn to Psalm 119, a solemn celebration of the Torah, the Law of the Lord. In twenty-two stanzas, each beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the Psalmist proclaims his love for God’s Law, which brings light, life and salvation. His song voices the range of sentiments which fill the hearts of those who pray: praise, thanksgiving, trust, supplication and lament, all within the context of a heartfelt openness to the Lord’s word. In praying this Psalm, Christians see in the Blessed Virgin Mary the model of this loving docility to God’s will, and in Jesus the fulfilment of the Law. A striking example of the Psalmist’s devotion is seen in his words: “The Lord is my portion” (v. 57). We can apply these words in a special way to priests, whose lives of celibacy testify to their call to complete devotion to the Lord and his Kingdom. But they can also be applied to all the faithful, who share in Christ’s royal priesthood and are called daily to bear witness to the Gospel. May the Lord grant us a deeper love for him, so that, like the Psalmist, we may always make his word “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path”.
Day 13, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who is in most urgent need of our prayers.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Day 12, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the souls of teenagers who yielded to the immorality of modern society.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Friday, November 11, 2011
Day 11, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul most discouraged in earthly life.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Day 10, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who was most indifferent to the needs of others.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Day 9, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who was least responsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Day 8, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who has been in Purgatory the longest.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Monday, November 7, 2011
Day 7, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who most offended God through sins of the flesh.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal Rest...
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday Feast
General Audience of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today, the day after the Solemnity of All Saints, the Church invites us to pray for the faithful departed. This yearly commemoration, often marked by visits to the cemetery, is an occasion to ponder the mystery of death and to renew our faith in the promise of eternal life held out to us by Christ’s resurrection. As human beings, we have a natural fear of death and we rebel against its apparent finality. Faith teaches us that the fear of death is lightened by a great hope, the hope of eternity, which gives our lives their fullest meaning. The God who is love offers us the promise of eternal life through the death and resurrection of his Son. In Christ, death no longer appears as an abyss of emptiness, but rather a path to life which will never end. Christ is the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in him will never die. Each Sunday, in reciting the Creed, we reaffirm our faith in this mystery. As we remember our dear departed ones, united with them in the communion of the saints, may our faith inspire us to follow Christ more closely and to work in this world to build a future of hope.
Today, the day after the Solemnity of All Saints, the Church invites us to pray for the faithful departed. This yearly commemoration, often marked by visits to the cemetery, is an occasion to ponder the mystery of death and to renew our faith in the promise of eternal life held out to us by Christ’s resurrection. As human beings, we have a natural fear of death and we rebel against its apparent finality. Faith teaches us that the fear of death is lightened by a great hope, the hope of eternity, which gives our lives their fullest meaning. The God who is love offers us the promise of eternal life through the death and resurrection of his Son. In Christ, death no longer appears as an abyss of emptiness, but rather a path to life which will never end. Christ is the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in him will never die. Each Sunday, in reciting the Creed, we reaffirm our faith in this mystery. As we remember our dear departed ones, united with them in the communion of the saints, may our faith inspire us to follow Christ more closely and to work in this world to build a future of hope.
Day 6, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who sinned most because of oaths, curses, and taking Our Lord's name in vain.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest....
Traveling Today
By the time you read this we'll have been on the road for at least an hour. We're traveling to another state today for a part and for a tournament. It's supposed to be cold, wet, and snowy. Please pray we make it there and back home safely. God bless you on this Sunday!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Absurdity of Mass
Do you ever have a conversation with someone who isn't engaged? You know they're just waiting for you to get done flapping your gums so they can spout off their opinion...no matter what it is that the conversation is actually about.
Now, I admit, I've done this. I think most people would admit that somedays they have a verbal diarrhea and all they need is someone to talk to, so that others don't think they're crazy for talking to themselves.
At the Creed tonight, I had this thought come to me, in part because of the homily that Father had just given, about needing to have a conversation with God at all times, so that our 'well' doesn't dry up; and I was reflecting upon how the Mass is a conversation, except I realized that the Mass is a conversation in which it seems like we are just waiting for the priest to say his part and shut up so that we can start talking. In other words, we're not really listening.
I've attended Mass probably thousands of times, and the responses just become rote, just another thing to say. I stop engaging and actually praying the Mass, and just say the responses...sometimes it even seems like the congregation wants to pre-empt the priest!
These are the 'rote' responses we say, and that the priest says, that struck a nerve with me tonight. The next time you go to Mass, try to really engage in what you are saying (and if you already do that, good on you!). I hope that I can remember this for the next Mass, because I was in tears tonight over the impact of the Mass, what we participate in, what we say, and what we believe. I wanted to shake people, to slap them awake and say... "Do you believe this? Do you believe in the absurdity of God made man, and dying for us? For us?! Are you for real?"
Now, I admit, I've done this. I think most people would admit that somedays they have a verbal diarrhea and all they need is someone to talk to, so that others don't think they're crazy for talking to themselves.
At the Creed tonight, I had this thought come to me, in part because of the homily that Father had just given, about needing to have a conversation with God at all times, so that our 'well' doesn't dry up; and I was reflecting upon how the Mass is a conversation, except I realized that the Mass is a conversation in which it seems like we are just waiting for the priest to say his part and shut up so that we can start talking. In other words, we're not really listening.
I've attended Mass probably thousands of times, and the responses just become rote, just another thing to say. I stop engaging and actually praying the Mass, and just say the responses...sometimes it even seems like the congregation wants to pre-empt the priest!
These are the 'rote' responses we say, and that the priest says, that struck a nerve with me tonight. The next time you go to Mass, try to really engage in what you are saying (and if you already do that, good on you!). I hope that I can remember this for the next Mass, because I was in tears tonight over the impact of the Mass, what we participate in, what we say, and what we believe. I wanted to shake people, to slap them awake and say... "Do you believe this? Do you believe in the absurdity of God made man, and dying for us? For us?! Are you for real?"
Day 5, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who sinned most because of malicious gossip, slander.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Friday, November 4, 2011
Day 4, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul who sinned most because of pride, vanity.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Thursday, November 3, 2011
I'm related to someone famous
I dreamt last night that I was related to Simcha Fischer.
In my dream, for some reason, I was vacationing with Simcha and her family; she was still pregnant and I was playing with her kids. But then, some of my family members joined us, but they didn't know I was there; they were there to see Simcha because they were related to her. That's when I pointed at Simcha and said, "We're related?! How cool is that?"
Yeah, maybe I need to not eat ice cream before bed any more. But, just for the record, if I really was related to Simcha, I'd be so excited.
In my dream, for some reason, I was vacationing with Simcha and her family; she was still pregnant and I was playing with her kids. But then, some of my family members joined us, but they didn't know I was there; they were there to see Simcha because they were related to her. That's when I pointed at Simcha and said, "We're related?! How cool is that?"
Yeah, maybe I need to not eat ice cream before bed any more. But, just for the record, if I really was related to Simcha, I'd be so excited.
Drink Thursdays
I know I've missed the past couple of weeks on Drink Thursdays posts, but to be honest, lately there is no one I feel like drinking with. That all changed this week, when I read my guest's posts. Simply put, I thought, here is a lady I would love to kick back and have a drink with, especially after the brew-ha-ha (yes, spelling it that way intentionally) that kicked up over at her place.
Day 3, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul in purgatory who was most abusive to their fellow man.
Our Father....
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Scary scary shark
This is a super scary shark, because as the WEMM says, "It lives out of the water!" Well, you know, if I saw a shark on land that was as big as she told me it was, I'd say it was a pretty scary shark too.
The upper left corner, with the four circles, is the tail of the shark. The bottom right is the head of the shark, though I'm not sure what those two shapes are coming off of it.
The upper left corner, with the four circles, is the tail of the shark. The bottom right is the head of the shark, though I'm not sure what those two shapes are coming off of it.
Day 2, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul whose liberation from Purgatory would give God the most glory.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal Rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal Rest...
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Good Women Project
Go check it out: Good Women Project
Two posts I'd like to point your attention to:
What I Wish I'd Known Before Watching Porn - a woman's perspective
My Greatest Mistake Wasn't the Lying, the Cheating or the Sex
Two posts I'd like to point your attention to:
What I Wish I'd Known Before Watching Porn - a woman's perspective
My Greatest Mistake Wasn't the Lying, the Cheating or the Sex
Blinded
For personal reasons, this blog post will be intentionally vague, but since it's my blog, my outlet, I need to rant about something. I don't wish to speak ill of the dead, but when people are continuing to canonize a person that shouldn't be, I have to rant. Since I don't wish to cause grief to persons in real life about how their 'hero' truly behaved, I am writing my rant here.
It's so frustrating to me that people can be so blinded about a person's character, about their supposed 'goodness', when the reality is so different, or maybe I should say the person I knew wasn't this saint, wasn't this 'hero'....he was a sometimes indifferent, sometimes deliberately cruel person, whose views on the Church were that priests should be able to get married, women should be able to be priests, gays should be able to get married, and that the Church needs a nuanced approach to abortion & birth control. (The day that Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope was almost a funeral day at the office, everyone was moping around and I was trying to contain my glee!) Working for him truly tested my faith, in God and in the Church, and to be honest, he almost destroyed any faith life I had while I was working for him. Since I knew he was sick, and going to die, I started praying for him to have a holy death, and I truly meant it. He died, and from what I heard (if it's true) there was a moving moment at the moment of his death. But I started to get concerned, and irritated shortly after his death.
It's so frustrating to me that people can be so blinded about a person's character, about their supposed 'goodness', when the reality is so different, or maybe I should say the person I knew wasn't this saint, wasn't this 'hero'....he was a sometimes indifferent, sometimes deliberately cruel person, whose views on the Church were that priests should be able to get married, women should be able to be priests, gays should be able to get married, and that the Church needs a nuanced approach to abortion & birth control. (The day that Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope was almost a funeral day at the office, everyone was moping around and I was trying to contain my glee!) Working for him truly tested my faith, in God and in the Church, and to be honest, he almost destroyed any faith life I had while I was working for him. Since I knew he was sick, and going to die, I started praying for him to have a holy death, and I truly meant it. He died, and from what I heard (if it's true) there was a moving moment at the moment of his death. But I started to get concerned, and irritated shortly after his death.
Day 1, Holy Souls in Purgatory
Today we pray for the soul whose liberation from Purgatory would give Mary the most honor.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
Eternal rest...
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