A Gift for Our Lady

One of the many beautiful statues at the office

  It's volunteer season here in Kansas!  Lol.  My husband works for the Organization "America Needs Fatima," and a large part of his job is working with the approximately 150 volunteers who travel to Kansas from all over the country (and sometimes internationally!) to make phone calls for Our Lady.  It is a CRAZY time for us, but a really fun and rewarding time, as well.  I'm blessed to be able to work in the kitchen serving meals, and getting to visit with everyone.

    The volunteers come, as I said from everywhere and from all walks of life.  Right now there is a young man heading back to college when he leaves us, and another couple is celebrating their 61st wedding anniversary today! Some are able to trace their family back to the American Revolution, while others are new to our country.  The one thing they all have in common is that they love Our Lady.  A love that is so strong that they are willing to give up two weeks every year to come make phone calls for her.  They often find themselves leaving message after message without talking to someone.  Or they get hung up on before being heard.  Some have even been sworn at! Yet they keep calling, working for Our Lady, and asking for prayers for our country.

   So why are they here?  They are making calls asking people to be captains for the 2017 Public Square Rosary Campaign.   The Public Square Rosary Campaign was started in 2007. They had 2,100 rallies across the nation, and 30 volunteers manning the phones.  Last year there were 16,323 rallies.  This year, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the apparitions in Fatima, the goal is 20,000!

  Now, I know you would love to do something for Our Lady, especially on this major anniversary.  You don't have to come to Kansas (although I'd love to see you!) It won't cost you a dime (unless you still pay by the minute on your phone plan, I suppose.)  Here are the super simple steps to being part of this great gift to Our Lady.

First:  Open up your Calendar to October 14th.  It's the Saturday after the 100th anniversary.  If there is already someplace you are supposed to be at 12 noon, see if you can reschedule.  Otherwise, put down "Public Square Rosary Rally" from 12-1 pm.

Second: Pick your rally location.  The only requirement is that it is outside so it can be seen by the general public.  For some people, this is in front of their homes or at a local park.  Others pick a busier street or intersection.  Some choose to do their rally in front of the local capital or even an abortion clinic.  The important thing is that you are visible. Some locations may have ordinances about where you can be, so look into that - but don't worry about it too much.  Most places there either aren't any rules, or it is as simple as filling out a form.

Third:  This step is pretty important.  Register as a Rosary Rally Captain.  You can either call us here in Kansas at 866-584-6012 and make a volunteer very happy OR go to America Needs Fatima's website  https://www.americaneedsfatima.org/rrtoolsinfo.html.  They will send you a banner and a manual with the prayers of the rosary, some helpful suggestions, and things like that.  It's all free, so you can't argue it isn't in your budget, lol. They will want to know at least the city where you will hold the rally, and you will have the option of posting your information on the America Needs Fatima website so others can join you, but neither thing is required.

Finally, tell your friends and members of your parish! You can have a rally with just one person, but the more the merrier.  And also encourage others to sign up as captains!  Yes, a large crowd will be noticeable, and wonderful, but many smaller groups spread across town will have an even bigger impact and more people will see them.  So spread the word!!! Not sure why we need these public square rosaries? Go to https://americaneedsfatima.org/Rally-News/why-public-square-rosary-rallies.html for ten great reasons!

A couple of our local Rosary Rallies! 

Where will you be holding a rally?  Anything else you are doing to celebrate the Centennial? 

Lenten Resources

   I should have made this list in the beginning of Lent.  But here it is, at least ready for Holy Week, and maybe for next year, right?  One advantage of doing this now is that I’ve had all of Lent to remember and discover and use these, so they are fresh in my mind.

   MYSTERIUM FIDEI - This source has been a soul saver for me this year.  As you may or may not know, I came down with whooping cough a couple of weeks before Lent.  Tomorrow will be my first Sunday Mass in about two months (I was able to get to Mass and Confession this morning, too.  Yay!)  One of the things I tried to do every Sunday to keep it holy was to listen to Msgr. Cook’s homily from the corresponding Sunday from last year and the year before.  I would also get this year’s homily usually later in the week when it was posted. There are many, many excellent sermons on here - I haven’t listened to any without feeling I learned something.  (A note: I usually attend the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, and I know many of my readers do the same, so I want to point out that these are from Msgr. Cook’s Ordinary Form Sunday Masses and the corresponding readings. Sadly, he doesn’t do a homily at his beautiful Extraordinary Form Saturday morning Masses.) THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS BY ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI 
 
There are many meditations on the Stations of the Cross, but my favorite are the ones written by St. Alphonsus Liguori. There is such beautiful prose and repetition in it.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to use these meditations, I encourage you to do so.  Especially an older translation with the “Thee”s intact.  Did you know that Thees and Thous were terms for loved ones, not formal?  There is also a recording of these meditations produced by David Phillips, featuring Robert Kochis and Seraphim.  The music added is so lovely - I only wish it was possibly to listen to the hymns without the meditations. 
BENJAMIN’S BOX:
I love this book.  Yes, it is a children’s book, and yes, there is one page that needs to be edited a bit (on page eleven, when telling about the last supper it says the wine was “like” His blood, and the bread “like” His body. A bit of marker fixes that easily.) I think this copy has a little "parents guide" that is geared toward the "saved" thinking, too. But what better way to bring children closer to the story of Christ’s Death and Resurrection than through the eyes of a child? If you have children, I recommend reading this book with them during Holy Week.  You can buy the eggs that go with it, but my brothers enjoyed putting together their own boxes and improvising. 

That's all for now, folks!  Oh, and you can check out my YouTube Playlist for Lent.  It's a little short, but maybe I'll add a few more songs.

May God Bless and Keep You this Holy Week!

"Why I love the Traditional Latin Mass"

I’m home!  As you may have noted, I spent the weekend with a group of AWESOME people, doing AWESOME things, like going to daily Mass, listening to wonderful talks, and taking beer and brat cruises.  More on that another time.  It pertains to this post, but is not the subject of it. 

The subject of this post is “Why I love the Traditional Latin Mass.” Oh, you noticed that from the title?  Ok than.  I was working on this post before I left, but never got it finished.  Truth told, I don’t know if I could ever finish such a subject.  So I decided to recruit a little help.  I asked my friends from Sursum Corda to write down, in a short paragraph, why they love the Traditional Latin Mass, a.k.a. the Tridentine Mass, a.k.a. the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, a.k.a. the TLM.  Here are there replies (along with their ages, to forever dispel the myth that the TLM is for old people, nostalgic for their youth.) 

“There are so many things I love about the Traditional Mass that it is difficult to cut it short, but I'll try!  I'll just chose one thing. One of the many things I love about the Tridentine Mass is that it is timeless.  When I am at this Mass, I know that the words that are being said by the priest are the same as those that were once used by all of Christendom.  They were used by St. Thomas Aquinas, St John Vianney, St. Edmund Campion, and Pope St. Pius XII.  As G. K. Chesterton says, "It is of new things that men tire – of fashions and improvements and change.  It is the old things that startle and intoxicate. It is the old things that are young."” --Audrey, 20

“I love the extraordinary form of the Mass because of the reverence it inspires and the way it leads you to a more internal experience of the Holy Mass.  The music, the language, and the rituals point you to the deeper reality of what is really going on during the Mass of Christ’s Sacrifice for our salvation.” -- Joanna, 26

“It is comforting to go to. I feel closer to God.  Definitely I am in love with the reverence and beauty.”  -- Ruthanne, 18

“To know the Latin Mass is to know the history of Western Civilization.  The liturgy is the hope of our time, as it has been for the ages.  The Latin Mass is Home.” -- Petra, 21

“Love the reverence and solemnity that lift up your heart to Him.  Embracing both the sensible and the spiritual sides of our human existence, the Extraordinary Form of the Mass excels at using the more sensible things like art and music to take you to the higher, less physically sensible things of God.” -- Fabian, 25

“One of my favorite things about the Latin Mass is its universality.  It isn’t for one place or another...it is for the whole world.” -- Maddie, 24

I know I cannot say it better than these, but I will add my own.  I love the Extraordinary form because it is extraordinary.  It is beyond the ordinary.  It transcends both time and place.  It is capable of inspiring awe, reverence, and contemplation.  I think one of the things I love the most, that I do not find in the Ordinary form, is the silence.  The silence holds the words sacred, as never using God’s name aloud kept it sacred for the Jews.  The silence allows me to focus on lifting my mind and heart and sacrifices to God, along with Christ’s sacrifice of the Cross. -- Rae, 26

Please, share why you love the Tridentine Mass. You don’t have to add your age, but I think it does help to show that the appeal of the TLM is not confined to any one age group.  God Bless! 

Keeping Sunday, Part 2...

    Let’s see...it’s been three weeks since my last “Keeping Sunday” post.  Time for round two!  

Okay, so we determined that shopping on Sunday isn’t the greatest idea.  At least, I hope that’s what we gained from that little rant.  This post shouldn’t be a rant.  It is on what we SHOULD be doing on Sunday. 

First Things First: Mass.  It isn’t an option.  You know those days they talk about, those “Holy Days of Obligation,” when we are supposed to go to Mass?  You know the ones.  The ones that they say if you don’t go to Mass, it is a mortal (soul-damning) sin?  (The ones they keep moving to Sunday?)  Yeah.  Now you remember.  What were they again?  Oh yes:  Christmas, New Years (Circumcision and Mary’s Purification,) Immaculate Conception, Ascension, Assumption, and All Saints Day.  But wait...why isn’t Easter on there?  And what about Pentecost? Aren’t they really, really important feasts?  Shouldn’t they be Holy Days of Obligation, too?  Hmmmm... Oh yeah!  That’s right!  They are.  Because every single Sunday is a Holy Day of Obligation.  Yup.  We risk our immortal soul if we don’t go to Mass on Sunday.  Of course, there are good reasons for missing Mass, like being sick or having to care for someone who is sick, but those are the exception to the rule.  Now that we have that straight.... but you knew all of that anyhow.  I will go into the wonders of the Mass another time.  Back to some ideas on keeping Sunday. 

So you go to Mass.  Maybe it’s an early Mass, maybe a later Mass.  You have breakfast (or brunch, or lunch.) Now what? Now I’m going to be honest.  I am not the perfect Sunday keeper.  You are probably far better at it than I.  I would love to hear your ideas, actually.  But I’m going to make a few suggestions.  Actually, I’m going to give a list of ideas.  ‘Cause lists are fun!

• Read the Bulletin.  Most pastors have a little article in there, so you might learn something.  It’s also interesting to see who’s getting married, who’s had a baby, things like that.  It’s the Catholic Gossip Page ;)  Events are generally listed, like fundraisers, or classes, or talks.  Don’t forget to check confession times!  By this time, you’ve drank your coffee, so time to move on…

• Spend some time with Family.  My dad always calls his parents on Sunday.  We used to go visit my other grandparents after Mass on Sundays.  All week we are running around, working, studying, and getting on with our individual lives.  It’s a good idea to have one day to reconnect with those people God put into our lives, (whether we like it or not.  Some get us to heaven by their holiness, others because they require OUR holiness to put up with them...) Talk to your family.  Play a game.  Share a few beers.  Get into deep theological discussions.  Or just talk about all the silly and wonderful things that happened to you all week.  I was watching a talk on marriage on EWTN one day, and something they said struck me, because I had never looked at it in this way before.  The speaker pointed out that all of the works of mercy are part of raising a family.  Seriously.  And, I might add, being part of a family. Visiting the imprisoned might be a stretch (I hope!) but the rest certainly hold true.  So before you lament that you have no time for the works of mercy, look at your family and start there.

 I found this image here. The Works of Mercy are a great place to start your Sunday!

• Write letters.  I love the idea of writing letters on Sunday afternoon.  It never happens, but who knows? Maybe this week I’ll succeed.  I want to write a real letter, with paper (you know, the stuff that goes in the printer?  Only nicer.)  Real paper and a real pen.  Maybe I’ll even make my own stationary.  A girl can dream.  There is just something about a real letter that email and facebook and chatting can’t touch.  Maybe it’s because you can hold it and smell it and because the letters aren’t perfect.  Besides, it’s lovely getting something in your mailbox besides bills and political ads (they are coming...) “But,” you are thinking, “I have nobody to write to.  Nothing to write about. Everybody knows everything about my life because I text and chat and facebook and email all day.” I’m guessing, though, that there is SOMEONE not on facebook.  Your grandma, perhaps?  Or maybe you know someone who deserves a little more personal touch?  Who knows...you may make their week.  As far as what to write about, write about them.  Share a memory, or share a story that made you think of them.  Share a prayer.  Tell them why you are thankful God made them part of your life.  (Must find pen and paper tomorrow.  And stamps.  Must find stamps.)

• Find ways to become closer to Christ.  This is really what it is all about.  “Honor the Sabbath and keep it holy.”  Everything about can bring you closer to Christ.  Actually, any act that is not sinful can bring you closer to Christ, if you offer it to Him.  Find Christ in those around you.  Spend some time learning more about your faith (there is ALWAYS more to learn.) Spend some time in front of the Blessed Sacrament, or take a walk and say an extra rosary.  Thank God for your week, and ask Him to bless the next week.  Ask Him what He wants you to do this week.  Ask what virtue you need to practice, and what vice you need to conquer this week. 

• Relax. Take a nap.  Sundays are made for naps.  And planning for a nap later really makes it easier to get out of bed for Mass some mornings.  Really, the fact that we aren’t supposed to work on Sunday is a blessing.  Our minds and bodies need refreshment.  A nap, or reading a good book, or doing other things that relax us really are healthy for both mind and soul.  

So, this is the end of my list of suggestions.  How do you Keep Sunday?   

Monday Reflections

I am weak.  I don't know how to defend the honor of my Lord and my God.  I want to, but instead, I say nothing.  I pray in my heart, and frown, but it is little to defend the honor of His most Holy Name.  Perhaps if I suggested that my coworkers say "Oh Buddha" or the name of some other deity out of frustration, they would get the picture.
We could use the names of false gods "in vain," but would that help to bring about the conversion of those who believe in these false gods? (Hmm, perhaps I should add "o Bama!" and "governementdam" to that list of acceptable alternatives?) I don't think, though, that blaspheming their gods would really weaken their faith - it would only weaken their faith in us.
Our "charity" makes us a group of easy targets, you ever notice? We are easy to ignore and easy to offend without opposition. If a Christian criticizes anyone for their choices, they are told that they are judgmental, bigoted, and uncharitable.  Ironic, considering these virtues that we are so painfully short on weren't even considered virtues before Christianity.  It was a Christian idea that men didn't judge one another, rather that they leave judgement to God.  It was a Christian idea that we love our neighbor, regardless of his status, color, or gender, for the love of God. Before Christianity, equality was an idea unheard of.  True, Christianity did not do away with classes or slavery, but it taught mankind the equal dignity of every human in the eyes of God.
Bigoted.  Now there's an interesting word.  I actually had to look it up.  I had a fair idea of what it meant, but I wanted to be sure.  According to my handy-dandy iPod dictionary: Bigoted - "having or revealing an obstinate belief in the superiority of one's own opinions and a prejudiced* intolerance of the opinions of others." Hmmm.  Sounds like something that can go both ways.  Hey, I'll admit there are a lot of bigoted christians out there.  And I would say ALL of us have a streak of that in us somewhere - we like to be right, and we like to have our own opinions.  But see, there is this little thing called "truth" that not everyone recognizes as even existing.  I believe it does exist, and I believe that the Catholic church holds the fullness of it.  Therefore, I don't consider myself a bigot.  First, because I'm not talking about opinions, I'm talking about facts.  If it was merely my opinion that 1+1=2, and I refused to back down from that, I could be considered a bigot.  Or, to give a better example, if it was merely my opinion that 7+5-2 x 4 = 4, I could be considered a bigot.  However, math doesn't deal in opinions, it is fact.  And it is a fact that 7+5-2 x 4 = 4.  I could be wrong, though, and say that 7+5-2x4=40, and then I could obstinately refuse to listen to my math tutor explain the order of operations.  In that case I would be a bigot.
I would also like to mention that I am not a "blind sheep" following everything the Church teaches just because it says it is right.  I consider there to be sufficient evidence for what I believe.  I don't understand it all, I admit.  But when there is something that doesn't make sense to me, I look for an explanation.  After all, I want to make sure I'm understanding what I think I'm hearing. It's been said by many different people in many different ways, but to put it simply, most people hate the Church for what they think it is, not for what it actually teaches.  So far, I have found an answer to all of my questions. Prove to me that the Church is wrong, and there is nothing to hold me - I do not look for the honor and glory that comes man, only that of God.  Prove my God does not exist, and I have no reason to follow a Church that is false.  Ah, but you can't prove it.  I know it to be truth.
God Bless,
Rae

*Prejudiced: To quote my then-8 year old brother to my then-10 year old brother: "Your just prejujished.  You don't like cocoanut and you haven't given it a fair chance!"

Keeping Sunday...Part One

This is my seventh weekend at my new job, and my fifth Sunday out of that seven working.  Argh.  I knew, of course, when I got the job that I would have to work some Sundays -- every other, to be exact.  However, with training and schedule juggling and what have you, I’m working AGAIN on Sunday, and tipping over that 50/50 mark.  

I’m lucky, though.  I know that my job is necessary - I work at an assisted living facility in the dining room.  People are depending on us for their meals.  Really, it is a corporal work of mercy (even if I am getting paid.  Service with a smile and all that.  I hope.)  Anyhow.  Not everyone who has to work on Sunday has that benefit of knowing that their work is, however humble, necessary.  There are many jobs in this world where it is very necessary people work on Sundays.  I’m guessing that those who are nurses, or police officers, or firefighters, or dairy farmers are aware when they choose those careers that they will have to do some of their ordinary, everyday work on Sundays.  Keeping the Sabbath holy, for them, doesn’t always involve a day off, as much as they would maybe like it to.  I’m thinking mothers and priests fall into that category, too.  But there are other jobs that aren’t necessary.  I’m thinking specifically of those who have to work at stores.  It must be difficult knowing that the only reason you have to work on Sunday is because either someone didn’t plan ahead or couldn’t wait for something.  

Ours is a world of instant gratification.  When was the last time you stopped and thought about that?  With the internet and cell phones, instant is really really really fast.  Want that new song?  No need to wait until you can take the car or catch a bus - just download it.  Have a movie you want to see?  Just download it.  A book to read?  Download it.  New computer game? You get the idea.  The funny thing is, the more we have, the more we want.  When you don’t have to wait for one thing, it gets harder and harder to wait for other things.  What was I talking about?  Oh yes.  Sundays.  

How often do you find yourself shopping on a Sunday?  Now before you say “hardly ever,” don’t forget about that cup of coffee and doughnut from the gas station.  And that quick stop to grab buns at the grocery store on the way home from Mass.  We all do it.  Sometimes more, sometimes less.  Did you know there was a time (before the internet, I think) when gas stations weren’t open on Sundays?  Or stores?  If you ran out of gas, you had to hope a neighbor had some to spare (or you had to bang on the station owner’s door and interrupt his Sunday dinner.)  Now, gas stations are open all the time.  Which is kind of sad, because now, they don’t need to be open, and no one has to run out of gas, thanks to the whole pay-at-the-pump thing.  Which doesn’t apply in NJ because people aren’t allowed to pump their own gas, which is another sad tale.  Stores are open all the time, too, in case anyone completely emptied their cupboards on Saturday night, who hasn’t got a neighbor to borrow a cup of sugar from (yet another sad tale!) Departments stores don’t even have that excuse.  Instant gratification.  

“But,” you ask, “what does it matter?  After all, I don’t really even consider shopping work.  I actually consider it recreation.  Aren’t we supposed to relax on Sunday, after Mass, of course? The stores are all open anyhow.” 

Yup.  The stores are open.  They are open because they are making money.  And, because they are open, someone has to work.  I have never done retail work, but I hear it isn’t really recreation. Although it may fall under the category “purgatory on earth.” Which means, because of our impatience, we are ruining someone else’s Sunday.  Now don’t you feel ashamed?  I hope so.  

Actually, I hope not.  I mean, yes, we need to realize the price what we are doing, but I really don’t like making people feel bad.  It’s kinda one of my weak points.  I do, however, like making people think.  THINK!  Think outside the box!  Did you run out of flour for your fried chicken?  Call your neighbor - they might be glad to help (work of mercy points for them!.)  Or use leftover sour-cream-and-onion cracker crumbs, and invent a new family favorite.  Oooh! Better idea! Make Beer Can Chicken!  Or give everyone a break and throw in a frozen pizza (that you picked up on Saturday.) Next time you think you have to buy something on a Sunday, see if you can put it off until Monday.  Or improvise.  Or do without.  Offer it up :) God gave us six days to work and to shop.  All He asks is for one day in return, where we gather together to adore, praise, ask pardon, and thank Him in the Mass.  Then He asks us to rest, as He rested, and to allow others to do the same.  No, we don’t all get to rest on Sundays, but our work should be the sort of work that we can make holy, if we must do it.  Nurses have to nurse, doctors have to doctor, cooks (and lowly culinary assistants) have to feed the hungary, and farmers have to feed their animals.  We can’t really get around that.  But honestly, there is no reason anyone should have to sell shirts.  Or ties. Or purses.  Or even bread. Eat ice cream for breakfast if you are out of toast ;) And have a happy and holy Sunday! *hops off of soap box*

Next time on Rae’s Rambling Rants... Meatless Fridays!Also, stay tuned for “Keeping Sunday, Part 2 - How to Celebrate!”

Comments welcome - and fully expected.  After all, ranters should expect some arguments.  So should renters, especially if they really like music and are hard of hearing.....

The Rose: Love, Suffering, and Sacrifice

What is love? It is seeing goodness in something, and then acting on that goodness.  Chocolate is delicious and healthy (good), therefore I eat (action) chocolate.  Therefore, I love chocolate.  Very basic example.  Ah, but the true example?  The full example?  The Cross.  Christ saw the world, and He saw the hope and the faithfulness of humanity, but also darkness and death.  He died on the cross to destroy the darkness and to conquer the death.  He saw good, and He acted.  

There is no love without suffering, and there is no suffering without love.  They are linked, and inseparable.  Think about it.  Think about something (or someone) you love.  Now imagine life without them.  You feel pain.  You suffer.  Your heart goes into your throat and you want to cry or start throwing things.  Because you love.  But, you say, do we not suffer even when we don’t love?  No, we don’t suffer when we don’t love (there is at least self-love.)  We may feel pain, or anger, but do we suffer?  Ah, but what is suffering?  Is it merely pain?  Discomfort?  What do we mean when we say, “she did not suffer”?  Suffering is more than just pain.  Suffering is not just of the body, but also of the soul -- perhaps more of the soul. 

The other night I had a dream.  It was a nightmare, so terrible I don’t want to share the details here, other than that there was a car accident with my family members involved, including an infant brother that I don’t have.  Weird how that happens in dreams. In my dream, the last thing that happened was I was looking at my hands and praying, saying I couldn’t handle it, it couldn’t be real.  I forced my eyes open, and was so relieved to see my bedroom.  I couldn’t even turn on a light because the power had been out for hours from a storm.  Instead I prayed.  In the darkness, I realized that what had happened in my dream had not happened to me, but similar things had happened to others, and could happen to me.  I prayed for them.  My suffering was the suffering of a few moments -- theirs would continue for a long time.  And there was something I could do.  I could pray, and I could offer my little suffering for them.  I was given, for a few moments in a dream, the chance to love someone I have never met in my life.  Perhaps that person, that baby brother, wasn’t real.  Does it matter?  The love was real.  The love allowed for the suffering.  The suffering allowed for a sacrifice.  And, I pray, the sacrifice led to a little more grace for someone who needed it.  

If love is the rose, and suffering is the thorns, than sacrifice is the stem that connects the two.   Sacrifice is suffering for the sake of something good.  The downside to the link between love and suffering is that it can make love more difficult and painful.  The upside is that it can make suffering easier.  Perhaps this is why suffering seems of the soul -- because it is our opportunity to sacrifice, and sacrifice truly is of the soul.  There would have been no point, no benefit to Christ’s suffering dying on the cross had He not offered it as sacrifice for our sins.  And, as members of the Mystical Body of Christ, our suffering is united to His, on the cross and in every Mass.  Every act of our lives that is not sinful can be offered as a sacrifice, and it is our suffering that holds so much merit.  If we can only keep this in our minds and in our hearts!  The more we love, the easier it is to suffer, because we know that our suffering has a point.  It has value.  It is worth it. 

Who do you pray for?  Family members?  Friends?  Are there those who you remember especially because of their trials?  A sister with cancer?  A friend who has left the faith?  A cousin who can’t find work?  There is no person without trials -- only people who are good at hiding their trials.  Offer it up.  Yes, your mother said it a million times when you were young.  But I mean it.  Offer it up.  Offer up your sore back for your grandma who is sick.  Offer up dealing with that nasty client for your friend who just lost her mother.  Offer up your heartache for the one who has lost her faith. This is the essence of St. Therese’s “Little Way.”  It is taking each trial and offering it to God.  It is suffering for love.  The pain may not be any less, but there is meaning in it.  There is joy.  Or, sometimes, just resignation.  Without the stem, could you have a flower?  The stem provides the nourishment for the rosebud, and the thorns protect it.  And sacrifice provides nourishment for love, with suffering it's strength.  And remember -- you can always put roses on your thorns.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us! 

Reading...

“What is reading, but silent conversation.” - Charles Lamb

I love conversation.  I love the exchange of ideas and the expansion of the mind.  I love discovering something new, or rediscovering something old.  I love to share dreams, and to feel. And I love to read.  Everything from cookbooks and cereal boxes to newspapers and old mysteries, if it is there to read, I will read it, even if I have read it a hundred times before.  Silent conversation.  Perhaps it is my temperament.  I am a phlegmatic-sanguine.  In otherwise, I love people, but I’m terribly shy.  Perhaps this is why I love to read so much.  Books allow the conversation, without the risk of rejection.  We still connect to people through books, only it is limited by a number of pages - and our imaginations.  Have you ever had conversations in your head with your favorite book characters?  Or arguments with those characters you despise?  Sometimes I have conversations with the authors themselves, imagining having tea with G.K. Chesterton.  Someday I hope we will share some excellent conversations in Heaven.  In the mean time, I pull a volume off my shelf, listen, and nod in agreement.  Sometimes I throw in a “yes, but,” and often he replies satisfactorily.  Or not.  And our silent conversation continues.  

Growing up, I think I had more friends in books than in real life.  Actually, that is probably still true. Nancy Drew’s adventures dried my tears when my older sister’s teasing got to be too much.  Or maybe Betsy, Tacy, and Tib helped me forget the tragic loss of a kitten.  Of course, not all of my book friends were the sort I was supposed to be talking to.  Some were too old, and my mother cautioned me against them.  I remember sneaking “Mandy” books off my sister’s shelf.  Mom thought she was too grown up for little nine year old me.  Looking back now I see she was right - too many boys and too much romance.  Just the thing a young girl loves.  I still enjoy an innocent romance...on the side.  But it was the adventurers that stuck with me.  The characters who learned things and got things done.   


Mysteries were my favorites.  I loved puzzling things out, and all the action.  Nancy Drew, of course, and The Dana Girls.  I didn’t discover Cherry Ames until later, but we are still fast friends after all these years.  Mandy I find insufferable now, but she’s one of the few.  Of course, I don't mean Julie Andrews Edwards' Mandy.  Where is that book?  How I'd love to read it again.  It's on a shelf or in a box somewhere, waiting.  Along with the All of a Kind family and the Melendys.  Those were the friends I spent my summers and afternoons with.  I still love mysteries, and adventures.  I’m learning, though, that life rarely wraps up as neatly as it does in a book.  That doesn't take away the lessons held within the pages, though.  Lessons like perseverance, loyalty, the value of hard work, and acceptance.  Did you ever notice how accepting people are in Avonlea?  Not that they liked everyone, but they realized that everyone has their limitations.  And the "types" of people...Miss Marple would have been right at home, I think. Do we really know people anymore?  Do we really accept them for who they are, weaknesses and all?  Sometimes I think we are too busy accepting their sins to accept the person.

I like books that make me think.  I dislike books that make me cry, except for “A Gown of Spanish Lace” by Jeanette Oake, which somehow gets away with it.  Probably because it was the first and only one of her books that did make me cry.  Where was I?  Oh yes, I like books that make me think.  They draw me into the conversation.  I dislike books that preach.  There is no conversation when someone is preaching at you.  It’s hard to find good books these days, it seems, that know how to make you think and that don’t preach.  Fiction, anyhow.  I want more good Catholic fiction.  Fiction like “The Masterful Monk” by Owen Francis Dudley, or “Conceived Without Sin” by Bud McFarlane Jr., or “The Endless Knot” by William Biersach. I want to read more books like that.  I want to write books like that.  I want more conversations like that.  Maybe especially with living, breathing, people, not just the pages of their books...So, who are your favorite authors and book characters? 

Reflections on Adoration

  If we were able to truly comprehend the Eucharist, we would be unable to do those which we are commissioned, by God, to do. We would desire to never leave His presence, to never stop adoring, as is right and just.  Yet this is a privilege reserved for Heaven.  We know by faith that Christ is present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.  We know we are in the presence of our Creator.  We know that He is all good, all powerful - He is everything.  We know that He loves us so much that He not only suffered and died for us - He humbled Himself to the point of allowing Himself to appear as a piece of bread.  Not only was He once a defenseless child, He now carries the form of an inanimate and defenseless piece of bread.  He wanted us to be able to receive Him, that He may receive us into His Mystical Body.  We know it all, by faith, but we do not understand it.  We cannot feel it.  Only once in a great while are we allowed that feeling, that brief glimmer of understanding.  

    We see the saints who knew this wonder intimately, and we wonder, “Why can I not have that faith!  Why can’t I see?” But what then would you do?  You, as they did, would spend hours adoring.  What of your responsibilities?  Your children?  Your work?  God gives each of us a task to complete here on earth.  Most of us will never know what that task is until we reach eternity.  For some, the job is to adore Christ and to pray.  A world without our cloistered nuns and monks would be lacking so many graces!  But for most, our job is in the world.  Essentially, we are to create new souls for Christ.  For some, this work is to convert those around us by our example.  Yet much of the work is in the family, and in the home.  I recently read a comment, I don’t remember where, that it used to be that the household produced most of its own needs.  Then, things became more specialized and the work moved outside the home, but it was still to provide for the needs of the home, and of the family.  What now is the purpose of our work?  We work to raise money to buy the things our family needs, yes.  But if you ask why we need more jobs, the answer is not “because it is good for the family” it is “it is good for the economy.”  What in the world is the economy?  And why should we care about it?  Have we perhaps lost perspective a bit?  I think so.  We have lost perspective because we can no longer see why the work that we do is a vocation from God.  It is our marching orders.  And it has a purpose in His quest for souls.  

   We cannot, must not, neglect prayer, especially prayer in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  No, we can’t understand its importance.  We can’t feel His presence.  But it is not because we are lacking, and it certainly isn’t because He isn’t there.  He hides Himself because He must.  He has work for us to do.  We go to Him for our marching orders, and for the provisions of grace that we need to complete those tasks.  And He is always waiting for us, always glad to see us, even when He is silent.  He is even more glad to see us when we come only on faith, and not from an emotional desire, because it is then that we prove our faith.  Someday we will see, and we will know, beyond faith, His presence; and we will have eternity to enjoy it.  

Christmas Anticipation Prayer

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.


Above is the most beautiful prayer of the Christmas Novena, aka the Christmas Anticipation Prayer, aka the St. Andrew Novena.  The mathematically inclined will point out that it is not really a novena, because it is not a multiple of nine, as it is said 15 times a day for 25 days (November 30th, the feast of St. Andrew, to Christmas Eve,) for a total of 375 times prayed.  I assure you, however, that can still be considered a novena, as the term has historically been used for other devotions that last multiple days. It is a beautiful - and simple - Advent devotion.  And it starts Wednesday!  I love this prayer because it is so simple, yet draws the mind to the whole point of Christmas: That hour, that moment, when Christ was born.  I've tried to find the history of this Novena, but in my half-hour or so of internet searching, I came up with nothing - not even on fisheaters.com!

I did, however, find the text for another novena, to be prayed from November 29th through the vigil of the Immaculate Conception on December 7th. I decided to put it into a separate post here.

There are so many ways we prepare for Christmas.  We buy gifts, bake cookies, and decorate.  Let's not forget to prepare our souls, too! There are many devotions, like the two above, and the Jesse Tree and the Advent Wreath.  There are so many fun little feasts, too, like St. Barbara (I'll update last year's post!) and St. Nicholas.  Have a Blessed Advent!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! A friend sent me a lovely email yesterday, and graciously gave me permission to share it with you all. Enjoy!

God Bless,
Rae

Dear friends and family,

With Thanksgiving just to come, I thought I'd share one of the beautiful traditions we had at the convent.  We would use the occasion of Thanksgiving, which reminds us of our heritage, as an opportunity to entrust our country to the Immaculate Conception, our patroness.  Before sitting down for our Thanksgiving meal we had a little prayer time.  An image of the Immaculate Conception was adorned on the mantle of the fireplace.  The lights were off and only the candles on the table and before her image lit the room.  We would read a sheet with a brief history of Thanksgiving, what it meant for Americans, and a little history about the Consecration to the Immaculate Conception.  Then we would all pray the prayer below.  Finally, we'd finish with a few hymns to Our Lady (in English!) like "Sing a Maiden" and "Hail Holy Queen".  Then we'd say the Benedicite and bless the table.

I thought maybe you might like to hear of this, and maybe do something similar.  Or maybe you have your own traditions already in place.  Either way I pray you a most blessed Thanksgiving-tide.

Deanna

Prayer for Renewal of Consecration
to Our Patroness of the United States of America, the Immaculate Conception
 

Most Holy Trinity: Our Father in Heaven, who chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters; Holy Spirit, who chose Mary as Your spouse; God the Son, who chose Mary as Your Mother; in union with Mary, we adore Your majesty and acknowledge Your supreme, eternal dominion and authority.

Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country to You. Through her we wish to thank You for the great resources of this land and for the freedom, which has been its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our President and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the poor, the tempted, sinners — on all who are in need.

Mary, Immaculate Virgin, Our Mother, patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give our country and ourselves to your sorrowful and immaculate heart. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pierced by the sword of sorrow prophesized by Simeon, save us from degeneration, disaster and war. Protect us from all harm. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, you who bore the sufferings of your Son in the depths of your heart, be our advocate. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to God. Amen. 
 http://www.tldm.org/News9/USConsecratedToOurLady.htm

Short history:

On May 13 1846, (exactly seventy-one years, to the day, before the Fatima apparitions), the Catholic bishops of the United States, who were gathered for the Sixth Provincial Council of Baltimore, adopted a decree by which they chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin, as Patroness of the United States.

This decree, translated from Latin into English, is as follows:

With enthusiastic acclaim and with unanimous approval and consent, the Fathers [of the Council] have chosen the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin, as the Patroness of the United States of America; without, however, adding the obligation of hearing Mass and abstaining from servile work on the feast of the Conception of Blessed Mary. And, therefore, they decided that the Supreme Pontiff be humbly asked to transfer the solemnity, unless the feast fall on a Sunday, to the nearest Sunday, on which both private and solemn Masses may be celebrated of the feast thus transferred, and the vesper office of the same feast may be recited.

The choice of Our Lady, in her Immaculate Conception, as Patroness of the United States was approved by Pope Pius IX in an audience on Feb. 7, 1847; and this approval was announced in a decree of Propaganda dated July 2, the same year. Both of these decrees of Propaganda have the signature of Cardinal Fransoni.

http://catholicknight.blogspot.com/2011/07/our-lady-of-america-immaculate.html

The consecration was renewed in 1959 and 2006 with bishops present.  

http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=21945 

Litany of the Infant Jesus

© Octavio Ocampo

I came across this litany in my iPieta app this morning, and thought it was beautiful.  God Bless!

Litany of the Infant Jesus

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, 

Christ, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, 

Lord have mercy, Lord, have mercy.

Infant Jesus, hear us, 

Infant Jesus, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Infant Jesus, have mercy on us.

Infant, very God, have mercy on us.

Infant, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us.

Infant, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.

Infant, begotten before the morning star, have mercy on us.

Infant, Word made flesh, have mercy on us.

Infant, Wisdom of your Father, have mercy on us.

Infant, Purity of your mother, have mercy on us.

Infant, only Son of your Father, have mercy on us.

Infant, First-Born of you mother, have mercy on us.

Infant, Image of your Father, have mercy on us.

Infant, Creator of your mother, have mercy on us.

Infant, Splendor of your Father, have mercy on us.

Infant, Honor of your mother, have mercy on us.

Infant, equal to your Father, have mercy on us.

Infant, subject to your mother, have mercy on us.

Infant, Joy of your Father, have mercy on us.

Infant, Riches of your mother, have mercy on us.

Infant, Gift of your Father, have mercy on us.

Infant, Offering of your mother, have mercy on us.

Infant, precious fruit of a virgin, have mercy on us.

Infant, Creator of man, have mercy on us.

Infant, Power of God, have mercy on us.

Infant, our God, have mercy on us.

Infant, our Brother, have mercy on us.

Infant, perfect Man from your conception, have mercy on us.

Infant, ancient in wisdom from your childhood, have mercy on us.

Infant, Father of ages, have mercy on us.

Infant, of days, have mercy on us.

Infant, giving life, and nourished at the breast, have mercy on us.

Infant, Eternal Word, and making yourself dumb, have mercy on us.

Infant, weeping in the crib, have mercy on us.

Infant, thundering in heaven, have mercy on us.

Infant, terror of hell, have mercy on us.

Infant, Joy of Paradise, have mercy on us.

Infant, dreaded by tyrants, have mercy on us.

Infant, desired by the Magi, have mercy on us.

Infant, exiled from your people, have mercy on us.

Infant, King in exile, have mercy on us.

Infant, Destroyer of idols, have mercy on us.

Infant, Vindicator of the glory of God, have mercy on us.

Infant, strong in weakness, have mercy on us.

Infant, powerful in abasement, have mercy on us.

Infant, Treasure of Grace, have mercy on us.

Infant, Fountain of Love, have mercy on us.

Infant, Author of the blessings of heaven, have mercy on us.

Infant, Repairer of the evils of earth, have mercy on us.

Infant, Head of the angels, have mercy on us.

Infant, Stem of the patriarchs, have mercy on us.

Infant, Word of the prophets, have mercy on us.

Infant, Expectation of nations, have mercy on us.

Infant, Joy of the shepherds, have mercy on us.

Infant, Light of the Magi, have mercy on us.

Infant, Salvation of children, have mercy on us.

Infant, Hope of the just, have mercy on us.

Infant, Teacher of doctors, have mercy on us.

Infant, First-fruits of the saints, have mercy on us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Infant Jesus.

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Infant Jesus.

From the bondage of the children of Adam, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the slavery of the devil, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the corruption of the world, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the lust of the flesh, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the pride of life, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the immoderate desire of knowledge, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the blindness of mind, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From the perversity of will, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

From our sins, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through your most pure conception, deliver us.

Through your most humble birth, deliver us.

Through your tears, deliver us.

Through your most painful circumcision, deliver us.

Through your most glorious epiphany, deliver us.

Through your most devout presentation, deliver us.

Through your most innocent conversation in the world, deliver us.

Through your most holy life, deliver us.

Through your poverty, deliver us.

Through your sorrows, deliver us.

Through your labors and travails. deliver us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Infant Jesus.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Infant Jesus.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Infant Jesus.

Infant Jesus, hear us, Infant Jesus, graciously hear us.

Let us pray:

O Lord Jesus, who allowed the greatness of your incarnate divinity and most sacred humanity to be born in time, to become a little child, and to suffer bitter death, grant that we may acknowledge infinite wisdom in the silence of a child, power in weakness, majesty in abasement, so that adoring your humility and littleness on earth we may contemplate your glories in heaven. We ask this of you, who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns God, forever and ever. Amen

Home again, home again, jiggity jog...

Wow, what a week!  So much for a nice, quiet, summer!  It's been a fun one, though.  Last week, I had the privilege of chaperoning for the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest Girl's Youth Camp in Wisconsin.  It was wonderful - and exhausting.
I went into this experience entirely unsure of what to expect.  Also, I might add, everything my siblings told me to expect was wrong.  I was told (by my siblings) that chaperones got to sleep in the house.  Not true.  I was also told that the mothers and legal-age chaperones got wine after hours.  Also not true.  Actually, the disappointment of the truth in these matters was greatly lessoned by the fact that the chaperones were allowed to use the indoor bathrooms, unlike the poor campers who had to use porta-pottys.  Ah, the simple things in life!
As I said, it was a wonderful week.  Things were a little different this year, or so I understand.  The group of 90 girls was divided into 8 teams, and each team had its own chaperone.  I got the green team, which was pretty much an awesome group of girls.  My biggest regret is that I wasn't able to get to know them all better, as we were very busy with things like olympics and silly olympics and talks, and drying out our tents.
Yes, we got rained on Monday night and Tuesday morning.  Actually, it was more like poured on.  I don't think there was a single dry tent in the place.  I was lucky - only my blankets got wet.  Many girls had there bags soaked, as well as sleeping bags and pillows.  I didn't hear any complaints, though - other than those tempered with laughter.  A couple of wonderful volunteers spend the day Tuesday drying everyone's things out, enabling dry beds by Tuesday night.
Activities of the week included Olympics, with competitions like a soccer relay and tug of war (green won the tug of war!) Silly Olympics, with a sack race,  horseback riding, and a cooking contest.  I did get to help with the cooking contest, and had a blast.  Iron Chef, here I come!  My team, as I said before, was awesome.  We didn't win the cooking contest, but everyone made a good effort.  Next time we'll get it!
The best part of the week was the talks.  Everyday we had Mass in the morning, with a homily, and there was a formation talk after breakfast.  We were constantly reminded of the dignity and importance of women, and how much we can teach the world.  We are all called to be mothers, sometimes spiritually, sometimes physically.
One of the talks was on Our Lady of Guadeloupe.  There is so much symbolism in the image that I never knew about!  For example, did you know that the color of her veil was a color reserved for the Emperor, under pain of death?  Or that the angel below her was one of the Aztec gods?  I would go over all of it, but I think it may be better kept for another blog post :)
One of the greatest gifts of the week, I hope received by all, was the gift of good, true, friendships.  I made new friends, got to see some "old" friends (who I met last month at the Sursum Corda camp,) and was blessed to be able to reconnect with a very old friend, whom I had not seen in about six years.  I made some young friends, and some older friends, and the best part is knowing that these are people who will pray for me, (and who I will pray for,) and who I will hopefully meet again - if not here, than in heaven.
This is a prayer that one of my fellow chaperones shared:

Morning Prayer

Grant, O Lord, that none may love Thee less this day because of me;

That never one word or act of mine may turn one soul from Thee;

And ever daring yet one more grace would I implore: 

That many souls this day, because of me, may love Thee more. Amen

Sursum Corda young Adults Camp - Part Two

Holy Hill.

The second part of our journey was a trip to The Shrine of Our Lady, Help of Christians on Holy Hill, about a half-hour north east of Milwaukee.  I have wanted to return to Holy Hill since my last visit, about nine years ago.  I was with a church group, and didn’t have half the time I would have liked, then.  This trip we STILL didn’t have enough time, but I think we got to see much more than before.  

  If you ever get the chance to visit Holy Hill, jump at it.  It is gorgeous.  There is so much natural beauty in the area, and the craftsmanship throughout the Shrine is so beautiful, I cannot describe it.  It lifts the mind to God and to Heaven.  We cannot imagine the splendors of heaven in our ordinary surroundings.  In these extraordinary surroundings, we see enough of a glimmer of that splendor to realize just how amazing it must be.  I could do a full post on each section of the shrine, but there are other things I want to get to, as far as the weekend goes.  Perhaps another time.  For now, here are the highlights.

 I love the statues in the St. Therese chapel.  They are done in white, with gold trim, and the detail is magnificent on each.  Note the mirroring pieces of marble on the high alter, with the (I think) inlayed mosaic flowers.  There were so many mosaics EVERYWHERE we went!  It was so neat to see the detail in them!

  After the St. Therese chapel, we climbed the 170-some stairs to the tower.  Talk about a long way up!  The view was definitely worth it, but I admit I was shaking by the time we got back down again.  Who needs roller coasters with a thrill like that?

    Our next stop was the main church.  What little breath I had left after our climb was taken away by the beauty of it.  The mosaic above the high alter is unbelievable, and strips of marble radiate from it like heavenly rays.

  This technique is mirrored in the side chapel, where Our Lady, Help of Christians is being crowned.  It is in this chapel that I light my candles.  

  

We were only able to see one of the Stations of the Cross, due to our limited time.  I hope I will be able to go back someday soon to make the full half-mile journey.  

  Our last stop was the Lourdes Grotto.  Of the three grottos we saw, this was the largest.  Holy water runs down the face of the rock and into a pool, and there are spigots on each side to fill holy water bottles.  

  This is just a small part of Holy Hill (we took over 200 pictures!)  Everyone says to come back in the fall, when the leaves are changing.  I recommend allowing far more than two or three hours to really enjoy it - and be sure to bring your camera!