Christ Be Our Light

Advent is upon us, and we have less than one week before Christmas!  While I'm spiritually preparing for Christmas, my social obligations and gifts are a different story.  I don't feel prepared.  I don't have cards written; my decorations are missing - you might wonder why I've embraced the minimalist approach to Christmas decor and not my desk!  On one hand, I'm not interested in skipping over Advent just because it's socially acceptable to do.  This really awesome video does an excellent summary of Advent.

My favorite part?

A New Normal - A New Year

2017 began like any other year.  I expected good things.  Dad would turn 90 in January, Mom would turn 85 in June, and they would celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary in October.  A year to remember!

There was no herald, announcing that this year would be difficult and painful. 

There was no fanfare, suggesting there would be a final family gathering.

In reality, it was just another year.  In reality, it was . . .  life.

January 8, 2017, we celebrated Dad's 90th birthday.  Friends and family gathered together.  It was the party he requested, with plenty of food and lots of smiles and laughter.  We did group pictures, sibling pictures and more.  

There was love and laughter.

There was happiness and smiles.

I'm happy to say that had we known then, what was coming, I don't think much would have changed. 

The eternal now

Have you ever considered the possibility that we are living in eternity?  I don't mean that we will live forever on Earth, no matter how good medical advancements are.  One time, in bible study, we talked about living our eternity NOW.  That is, if we desire Heaven, we should/would/could live as though we are in Heaven.  Not the "I-can-abdicate-all-my-responsibilities" lifestyle, but the choice to live as a conscious Catholic Christian, treating others with love and mercy.

All in God's time

Living in the present - being present - living with full awareness.  I do not do these well all of the time, but I'd like to think that I am persistent in my efforts.  I choose my attitude and my effort.  Some days are harder then others.  Yet, through it all, I am aware of God.

God is good.

So naturally, we all wish to respond:  All the time.

And, if we've done that, the next step is:  And all the time . . .

GOD IS GOOD!

Even when there are crappy times and struggles and pain and hurt, our sovereign God is still loving us, reaching for us, inviting us closer.

Thankful Thursday 3/3/16 - The Unexpected

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13

So, my Thursday started like any other day.  Lots to do at work.  Go to Mass.  Stop to visit my parents.  Eat supper with them.  Fracture my foot on my way out the door.  The usual routine.  Wait . . . . What???  

Well, I took the 2nd last step as if I were on the bottom step, and down I went.  The irony is, we worry about my parents tripping and falling, and I"m the one who fell!  Oops.  The doctor says I'm in the boot for now and he wants to see me in 10 days.  

Well, that certainly wasn't part of MY plan.  I just attended a healing Mass the night BEFORE!  Rotten timing.  Just another reminder that I'm not in charge :-)!

I'll admit, I have a history of crazy foot injuries.  Well, only 2, but they are unique.  The time I stepped on a pork chop bone when I was a kid (this is when you gave food bones to your dogs on the farm and they left them all over) and it punctured my shoe and foot and I had to get a tetanus shot.  Or the time I sprained both of my ankles at once when I was first out of college, living by myself (I blame my platform shoes).  Stairs were especially challenging.  Talk about being immobile!  

Sacred Silence

Are you listening? Can you hear Jesus calling? If not, you might want to take a minute or ten to quiet yourself and listen for His gentle voice.

That's exactly what I got to do tonight. We had a healing Mass - an opportunity to bring our pain, sufferings, challenges, fears, and give it all to God.

It's not as easy as it sounds, but it's worth the effort to try.

The setting: a darkened church, with votive lights flickering. Soft music playing. Jesus, exposed in the monstrance, beckoning us closer.

And so it goes . . .

Church of the Transfiguration - Israel

Life has been rather surprising the past 6 weeks.  When I started writing my Christmas letter for 2015, my focus was on my pilgrimage to the Holy Land, as most everything else in my life was the same . . . At least at that moment in time.

Advent 2015 began much the same as previous years - focus on preparation, worrying about getting things done, and trying to remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas.  There were Christmas parties to plan, and reconciliation service to attend.  It was especially memorable to think that I was preparing for my pilgrimage to the Holy Land just one short year ago.  I felt a new connection to Mary and Joseph and their journey to Bethlehem.  

The week of Christmas was when life took an unexpected turn.  A casual inquiry about a job quickly became an interesting dilemma.  I wasn't looking, and it showed up.  Lots of prayer and thinking happened over the next days.  It quickly became obvious that this could be a huge opportunity for me, which was both scary and exciting.  Despite the fear of change, I felt called to this move.  This was the opportunity to focus on my passion and dream - a full-time job with a basis in my Catholic faith.

2nd Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday 2015

What a glorious day!  The signs of spring are out, the earth is waking up, and life is beautiful.  Yet, there is something even more perfect than these lovely gifts of nature.  God's mercy.  Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, which highlights this amazing gift.  What a fitting complement to Easter and this octave of Easter.




What is mercy?  Dictionary.com gives the following definitions:

A new view of Palm Sunday - Part 3

Continued from Part 2.

Branch from a thorn plant, similar to which would have
been used for Jesus' crown of thorns.  Ouch!

I have never enjoyed playing the part of the Crowd when we read the Passion of Our Lord.  "Crucify Him, Crucify Him!"  I don't want those words to come out of my mouth.  Yet, how easily I forget.  When I gossip or make a hurtful comment, I am crucifying Jesus.  When I desire something that isn't mine or I act with greed, I am nailing Him to the cross.  If only I could wrap my brain around the idea that my actions are screaming, "Crucify Him!" when I choose sin.

Thankful Thursday - Holy Thursday 2015

Beauty. Liturgy. Song. Prayer.

Mass of the Lord's Supper.

So many thoughts, so many joys and sorrows.  Words are inadequate to describe the power of the experience.  From the washing of the feet, to the Eucharist, the richness of Scripture and Tradition was repeated.  "Do this in remembrance of me." 1 Corinthians 11. "....that as I have done for you, you should also do." John 13.  What power is present when we fully enter into these Sacred Mysteries.  Are we even able to fully comprehend the boundless depths of God's love for us?  In sharing of ourselves and opening our hearts to God, we catch a mere glimpse of the joy of Heaven.  And from my glimpse tonight, it is a beautiful thing.  

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Hope & Healing

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/020815.cfm 

Quick recap:

1st Reading - Job - ultimate suffering and hopelessness

Psalm - 147 - Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted

Epistle - 1 Corinthians - stewardship and giving of oneself

Gospel - Mark 1 - healing Simon's mother-in-law

What great Scriptures! These have been more comfort to me as I long for complete health. I have been limited in my actions, and I struggle with accepting God's Will concerning my current state of health.  (See my earlier post on the struggle here).

I find Job to be such an interesting figure. To be stricken with so much desolation and pain, and yet be able to praise God; I am in awe. I come down with a sinus infection and I assume God messed up somewhere in the grand scheme of things. It is not so. This was the first full weekend I've been back to Newman. It's been pretty tiring, and slightly frustrating since I don't have my voice back 100%, but it has been even more fulfilling to be present, celebrating with a community of believers.

Prayer - part 2

Read Prayer - part 1 here.  I've been prayerfully pondering this post for quite some time, and I didn't quite know how to finish out this particular topic.  I think I've experienced my answer.  The past two weeks have wreaked havoc on my sense of normalcy and control.  I don't believe that I control my universe, but I do have a certain level of expectation on how things will proceed in an average day.  That was not the case in the recent past.  This was exacerbated by the excitement and stress of my upcoming pilgrimage.  So, not only was I not experiencing my healthy self with normal stress/routine, I was upping the ante with illness and chaos.  Again, what I have experienced is not catastrophic by any stretch of the imagination, but I think the lessons learned can apply to many situations.  During this time, those who knew I was sick offered prayers.  The people closest to me offered lots of prayers and sacrifices.  It was a bit overwhelming.  When I started the post on prayer, I was on the giving end of prayer.  Now, as I finish part 2, I'm on the receiving end of prayer.  It's a unique place to be.  Similar to the situation of the pray-er, now as the 'pray-ee', I am finding a variety of responses to this situation.  I've also noticed that my response can vary depending on the closeness of my relationship to the person offering prayers.  Personally, I have generally responded in 3 ways:  surprise, defensiveness, gratitude

Prayer - part 1

A recent conversation with a friend centered around a request for prayers.  It is sometimes disconcerting to be asked to pray.  I find that I generally have one of three responses:  1 - Overwhelemd/honored.  It is a little intimidating to have someone request your prayers for a situation.  2 - Disbelief.  If they really knew me, they wouldn't ask me to pray.  What could I possibly accomplish?  3 - Initial enthusiasm/agreement, and then forgetting their request.  I would compare this to the way we may respond to to the generic inquiry of 'How are you?' and our subsequent 'Fine.'  Our polite niceties usually fail to actually connect to the other person, which can be the case when we are approached to pray for something.  We agree, because that is the expected response, but do we go any deeper?  Do we actually follow through?

As I have journeyed in my faith life, I still experience all three of these thought processes.  As I'm preparing for my trip to the Holy Land, I have experienced the feeling of a great gift when someone asks me to pray for them or their intention.  This doesn't come from a sense of superiority, but rather a realization that because of our unity and communion through Jesus Christ, we are all connected.  As it states in Romans 12:4-5, "For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."  The prayers of all members become my prayer, and vice versa.

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

First reading - Isaiah - celebrating the glory of the Lord
Psalm 72 - Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Epistle - Ephesians - we are all graced people
Gospel - Matthew 2 - visit from the magi

I heard an excellent story, which I will share here.  I have not discovered the source, but it is certainly worth hearing.  On the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, we hear about King Herod's jealousy when the magi arrive in search of the newborn King.  The first reading and psalm highlight the goodness of the King, which stands in contrast to Herod's behavior.  Rather than behave in a kingly fashion, which would, as a representative of God, mean serving the people and acting justly for all, Herod is consumed with his own importance.  This behavior is the backdrop for the story.

3 men of different religions were discussing which religion was the one, true faith.  The discussion became heated and they almost came to blows.  They decided to seek the counsel of a wise man in the area.  The spiritual guru told the men that the answer would lie with a flour mill on the other side of the great mountain.  The guru said they could climb the mountain and go over the peak to reach the mill.  It would be a very difficult journey, but it could be done.  Then the guru said there was a path around the left side of the mountain which would take them to the mill.  He said the path was rocky and full of obstacles, and would not be an easy journey, but it could be done.  Finally, the guru said that there was a road around the right side of the mountain to the mill.  The road was smooth and clear, and the journey would be easy.  "But," said the guru, "when you get to the mill, the man there will not inquire as to how you reached the mill.  Instead, he will ask about the quality of your wheat."

There are many paths to God.  Some will be significantly easier than others.  Ponder your path.  Are you attempting to climb over the mountain, through rocks and brambles, or along a smooth road?  Do not spend all of your energy struggling on the path.  Ultimately, we are all called to God, and will be judged by "our wheat".

Second Sunday of Advent - 2014

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120714.cfm

Quick recap:

1st Reading - Isaiah - announce the coming of our God

Psalm 85 - Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Epistle - 2 Peter - God's time, prepare for the Lord

Gospel - Mark - Introduction of John the Baptist

Our God is coming! Yet, our God is here, and our God was born into our world over 2000 years ago. We must remember that we celebrate Jesus' coming in history, mystery, and majesty.

In the season of Advent, it is easy to focus on the history of Jesus' birth. However, we must go beyond the history to realize the breadth and depth of the presence of God. The mystery of Jesus' coming is something we experience every day of our life, through the Holy Spirit, and especially when we celebrate the Mass. Many others, much wiser than myself, can delve into these thoughts more clearly, but I consider the mystery piece to be both comforting and confusing! Comforting that our Lord is continually present; in our daily life, in the people we meet, and in our prayers and actions (hopefully!). Confusing because we cannot comprehend God's complete love for each of us, nor are we able to fathom the Paschal Mystery. Jesus Christ's passion, death, and Resurrection gave us the gift of salvation. Wow! Finally, the majesty speaks to Jesus' coming at the end of time, when He will sit in judgment of the world.

Whew! That gives me a lot more to consider during Advent. Maybe this year I can include a new focus in my Advent preparations: to prayerfully ponder Christ's coming in mystery each and every day. Especially during the final days of Advent when life becomes even more hectic.

Prayer - Lord, As I continue to learn, I am amazed at all of the ways You reach out to me. Grant me the grace to grow in knowledge of Your love for me. May I remember that You love me as I am, right now.

First Sunday of Advent - 2014

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/113014.cfm

Quick recap:

1st Reading - Isaiah - recognition of God's wrath with the sinful people

Psalm 80 - Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Epistle - 1 Corinthians - God's grace and faithfulness

Gospel - "Be watchful! Be alert!" We do not know when the master will return.

Let the chaos ensue! Now that Advent has begun, it's like there is a giant stopwatch ticking down the days until Christmas. Unfortunately, instead of helping us prepare our spirits for the season, it tends to remind us of how many shopping days we have, and our limited time to do everything we think we must do perfectly before we can celebrate. I'm not saying that we don't have legitimate things to accomplish, but Christmas is about more than giving a certain quota of gifts. In my experience, if I take my eyes off of the purpose of Advent, I can become stressed, distracted, and worn out.  

In today's Gospel, we are commanded to pay attention, "Be watchful! Be alert! Watch!" This is a great time to re-focus, stop and take some quiet time to reconnect with our Lord. Trust me - this is a good thing to do!  

Advent 2014

Wow - it's already time for Advent. I was proud that I had my Advent wreath out right after Thanksgiving. But what does that Advent wreath mean? It sits in the middle of my table for roughly 4 weeks. Why? Thanksgiving seems to be the final speed bump before Christmas can explode everywhere - sales, decorations, lights, trees, music, and more. Sometimes those things start even before Thanksgiving, and I can be just as guilty as anyone. So, what about Advent? It is a time of preparation, yes, but not solely for the purpose of finding the perfect gifts or displaying our picturesque decorations.

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112314.cfm

Quick recap:

1st Reading - Ezekiel

Psalm 23 - the Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Epistle - 1 Corinthians - Christ is the firstfruits

Gospel - Matthew 25 - "Whatever you did for the least brothers of mine, you did for me."

What a great day to be Catholic! Today is the last Sunday of the liturgical year (yikes!) which means we celebrate Jesus as King of the Universe. There is so much that can be said of today's liturgy and Scripture, but I want to focus on the connection I made with a book I'm reading: Jesus: A Pilgrimage by Fr. James Martin. I have this as both an e-book and an audio book, so I can read or listen whenever I had time. Today I started on Chapter 21 - Golgotha. It was interesting to read about Jesus' Passion and Death (resurrection was in the next chapter) on the day we celebrate Jesus as King of the Universe. I felt that the timing of this was not coincidental. Hearing the details of the Crucifixion seemed especially striking, considering the Feast for today.

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Bascilica in Rome

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110914.cfm 

Sunday was a great day for memories.  As we celebrated the Feast of the Bascilica in Rome - St. John in Lateran, I was reminded of my first pilgrimage.  It's hard to believe it's been 7 years since we went to Rome.  St. John's was incredible; huge and glorious.  What an experience!

There is so much more to this church, but I am not the best teacher.  Time has dimmed some of my details.  What I do know is that our Catholic faith has a beautiful history, as well as a wonderful same-ness no matter where you are.  It is that connection that unites us, both near and far.  Ultimately, with the celebration of such a glorious place, my heart is happy.  I'm happy to have had the opportunity to go there.  I'm happy that we have such a rich heritage in our faith.  I'm happy that we have a universal church that is diverse and similar, near and far, many and one.  I'm proud to claim a connection to this place via my Catholic faith.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - reconciliation

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/100514.cfm

Quick recap:

1st Reading - More vineyard stories :)

Psalm 80 - The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel

Epistle - Phil 4 - motivational letter from Paul

Gospel -Matthew 21 - A landowner leased out his vineyard before leaving on a journey, and the tenants killed his servants and then his son when they came to collect the produce.

In the first reading, we hear God's frustration. His chosen people have turned away, repeatedly. In the Gospel, Jesus highlights the continued behavior of the Jews, who ultimately kill the Son of God. This sets the backdrop for the psalm. In the psalm, we hear God's response to the Old Testament, and we add our plea that God protect this vineyard - us! This is nothing new to God - how many times had Israel sinned and repented? Not to mention us and our current society. Over and over, we beg God for mercy. We must have contrite hearts before God, and belief that our prayers will be heard.