Thursday, July 29, 2010

The End, Or Is It?


Summer is speeding swiftly by with nothing to show for it but a really bad sunburn. I am so itchy right now, even as I type my trusty backscratcher is never far from me. I know, I should have been smarter in the sun. I guess we just can't feel ourselves cooking until we're cooked. Or maybe it's the classic, "it could never happen to me." Whatever the case this particular sunburn has made me think about my own mortality. Oh, it's not just the sunburn, I happen to be reading a book right now titled, The End of The Present World and The Mysteries of the Future Life by Fr. Charles Arminjon, AND, I just finished a course on Biblical Archaeology.
It must be the cataclysm of these three events combined that have made me focus on the eschatalogical,(End Times)and my own mortality.
St. Therese of Lisieux said that "Reading this book was one of the greatest graces of my life."
It is a fascinating book indeed and I highly recommend reading it. The archaeology course was also pretty amazing. It made me realize how alike we are to peoples of the past. They were smart, solved problems, worked, created art and inventions, educated themselves, worshiped The God, a god or many gods and built upon the foundations of previous civilizations. I will never look at a retaining wall the same way again. They lived and died as we will also. What will be our legacy when they unearth our civilization? Will they say of us that we were a nation committed to child sacrifice? Will they consider us uncivilized barbarians, unable to see the wealth of the human person?
We looked at so many slides of the Holy Land, it was just beautiful. One picture showed the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It is the church built over the spot of the Crucifixion of Christ and the tomb where he was laid. It showed the Hill of Calvary which was a rock formation that had cracked open and permeating the rock was a red stain. Tradition says that when Christ shed his blood it ran down the hill of Calvary staining the rock, cracking it open and falling upon the skull of Adam buried beneath it, thus redeeming mankind. I will think about this for a long time. It is tradition, not dogma, but beautiful none the less.
It is good for us to think of the end, the greatest uncertainty of our existence and yet the greatest confidence.
St. Jerome says with regard to St. Paul's reference to the "sounding of the last trumpet", "At the sound of the last trumpet, the whole earth will be stricken with fear", and, "Whether you are reading or sleeping, writing or keeping watch,let that trumpet always resound in your ears."
Let us always be attentive, listening for the sound of that trumpet. For one thing is certain, the trumpet will blow whether for one or for all, and to the God who made us we will render an account.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy Birthday America


Ah, the 4th of July! Bar-b-Que, watermelon, cool drinks, fireworks,r & r and just plain old American fun. Thanks be to God that we live in a country where men are free to enjoy all that we have been blessed with.
This holiday has special significance for me, it is my husband's birthday. He has always had a patriotic side to him. He has served God and his country well, and his loyalty to God and country never cease to amaze me. He is truly the best of what makes America great.
I watched him put out the American flag in front of our house, he didn't know that I was watching, but after he put the flag in the holder, he placed his hand over his heart and looking up at the stars and stripes I could see his lips moving slightly. I know that he was praying for our country. It is fitting and proper that he was born on this day. God knows what he is doing. While some use the day to work on their tans or add a few inches to their waist, I must say that my husband has always had an understanding of this day from a very young age.
Thank you honey for your example and love of country, it is contagious. Happy Birthday and many, many, more. I love you.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Remember to Pray for Priests


When the Blessed Mother looks at a priest, she sees her Son.
When the Blessed Mother looks at a priest at holy mass,
She sees her Son on Calvary.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Thanks to the Greatest Generation

Just couldn't let Memorial Day go by without a post. Public television ran a documentary all day long about four school teachers that went back to Omaha Beach with some of the soldiers that had landed there in 1944. They looped the story and it ran over and over. I must have watched it at least four or five times. It was truly a heart wrenching journey. The main idea was that these teachers knew that they had a responsibility to keep the memories alive, and pass them on to the next generation.
When I looked at the crosses in the cemetery of the fallen at Normandy, and realizing that there was a life, a face, that belonged to each cross, a young life. Many of these were mere boys, 15, 16, 18 years old, just at the beginning of their lives, it was almost overwhelming. Seventy five thousand lives lost in military casualties.
The ultimate sacrifice.
Freedom. One of the most beautiful words in the English language, and one of the most misunderstood, until it is lost.
I took my 3 grandchildren to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery yesterday at sunset for prayer and remembrance of those who had served. The cemetery was quiet and peaceful. The ceremony of the days events had long ended. Each grave was rightly adorned with its own American flag, the symbol of freedom. Deer fed unaffected by us as we made our way through the ranks. It seemed as if even they realized in some remote way that they were protected by those who rested beneath the grass that nourished them. May we never, ever, forget them.
May God have mercy on those brave and honorable specimens of humanity. May God comfort the hearts of their families. May God grant them the peace that surpasses all understanding, and a place of Eternal Light and rest.
I remember you Dad, thanks for your service and love of country, hope to see you again in just a little while. I love you.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

He Is Risen, Alleluia, Alleluia


He is risen indeed! Wow this Lent was a tough one, so much suffering everywhere. Thank God He lives. The house is clean(sort of), the Easter feast is as prepared as much as possible before tomorrow(Easter Sunday) and I rest from my work as I write and listen to the chanting of the Exsultet from St. Peter's in Rome. It doesn't get any better than this. Unless, of course, if I were there.
I reminded myself all day that I was doing my work for Christ. It's all for You, Jesus, because You gave All for me. Christ makes everything we do out of love for Him worthwhile. He made me, He sustains me, and He will raise this mortal body from the dust one day. I am going to live forever, forever. As the song says, "forever is a long, long time, baby." I just hope it is in the non-smoking section. I am rambling now, too many Pinesol fumes. A Blessed, holy and joy filled Easter to all.

Monday, March 22, 2010

What Happened?


Well, well, well. I guess it is official. After a year of daily updates, emails, contacting representatives and senators, writing letters to the newspaper, fasting, praying, praying,and praying some more, it happened. The unthinkable. Government take over of health care, with the help of groups that insist on calling themselves Catholic when they are not.
How? Why? I allowed myself to take this a step farther in my own imaginings. What will the repercussions be from this? Why was the king so preoccupied with this issue?
It is easy to see that this was a bail out for Planned Parenthood, but what will that mean for the rest of us?
Will abortion clinics be federally protected now that they will be federally funded? Our government has made a decision to go into the abortion business after all. The new health care bill says that you can keep your children on your policy until they are 26. If everyone will be covered, why do they need to be on your policy?
And the abortion expansion, merciful Jesus. Why do we need to rev up the abortion machine? 50,000,000 dead children aren't enough?
The United States can no longer call itself a world leader. With the passage of this bill, we have lost any shred of credibility that we may have been clinging to.
Dear, sweet, Lord Jesus, what are we doing wrong? Has the time come for us to call down the cleansing chastisement upon ourselves? Is that it? Must we totally accept whatever suffering we must endure to end child killing in our land, and actually beg for it from You? Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.
Help us to endure O Lord. Give us the grace to keep our faith.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Eve of Destruction


Well it won't be long now. The moment that has been the object of frustration for those waiting and praying for the health care bill to fail. Sunday will be the day we find out if we continue as a nation, or flush ourselves down the sewer. Personally, I think we are headed for the sewer. I don't want to be right, I hope and pray that I'm wrong, but I seriously think we are in trouble.
If we are forced to finance the abortions of our fellow citizens, then I truly believe God will take away the money of his friends to keep them from paying for child killing. Would it not be an act of mercy for Him to prevent us from participating in so grave a sin? And if He does not take our money from us, we must make the initiative ourselves to de-fund child killing.
Tough times ahead my friends. I'm sure glad Nancy Pelosi is praying to St. Joseph for us, we're going to need all the help we can get.
Jesus I trust in You.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

How Sweet It Is


I know this may seem juvenile for Lent, but here goes. Even though I try to grow spiritually during Lent by acts of prayer, fasting, and alms giving, I always end up being more conscious of what goes into my mouth. Trying to give up the sweet things in life end up giving me an appreciation for those things that seem undesirable outside of Lent. Today I gained an appreciation for raisins. This is so weird, but when you give up sweets, things like raisins start looking really, really good. I was eating some golden raisins and thinking how they were grapes that got all shriveled up and now they are almost as good as candy.
Then I started to think how noble a fruit the grape is to be the base and means of consumption for the Precious Blood of Christ, and the Wedding Feast at Cana, how Jesus used the grape to perform His first miracle, and then I almost started feeling guilty about eating those delicious raisins.
If it wasn't Lent I probably wouldn't have given those raisins a second glance. Anybody can eat a piece of candy(a man made confection) and satisfy a craving. But to feast on raisins, well now that is a blessing of untold wealth.
I dare say I will never take the raisin for granted from this day forward. Next to the grape, it has become my second favorite snack. I may never eat another piece of chocolate again. (What am I saying?)Just kidding. Keep moving toward the prize, the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, God bless.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Half Way Home


Well here we are, half way through Lent, so how are you doing? Lent for me is a time of self knowledge. I begin with vigor, roaring like a lion, determined to follow Christ into the desert and carry Him if need be, but i usually end up losing Him somehow, taking a wrong turn at the Tumbleweed Cafe' and spend the rest of Lent assuming that He has abandoned me. Nothing of course could be further from the truth. He withdraws to the deep recesses of my heart to allow me a taste of the bitterness He experiences there. The bitterness of always wanting things my way. The bitterness of false self-denial. The bitterness of forced charity, and the list can go on and on. Dear Jesus, please do not console me, no matter how deserving I think I am. Help me to grow in genuine love of neighbor, help me to bring peace to a world of terror. Give me the graces I need to grow in virtue. Help me to be humble, because I have no idea what humility is, but I know that it is what you desire for me. Help me Lord,for I am so lost without You. Amen