Ave Momma

Rules for Our Home

2012-03-06T10:19:00.000-05:00

Here's a little post for your refrigerator! We formulated these rules based on the current state of lots of Lilliputians in the house. ....believe me, sometimes the very first rule is the hardest!

May the Lord bless your home with His order and peace!

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

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Rules for Our Home

1 - Alwayshave a joyous grateful attitude, even when no one else is looking. (Psalm34:1)

2 - JOY: Jesus first; Others next; Yourself last. Wait your turn patiently and help others. (Mark 12:30-31)

3 - Alwaysbe honest and respectful. Take good care of everythingand everyone God has given us. (Luke 16:10, 2Corinthians 8:21, I Timothy 3:4, Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:4)

4 - Alwaysbe kind in your words and actions. Treat others as you would wish to be treated. (Matthew7:12)

5 - Alwaysclean up your ownmess. Play with one toy at a time and put things back where they belong. (Numbers1:50, Numbers 3:31, I Chronicles 9:29, John 2:19)

6 - Alwayswonder. Explore, seek, and learn something newwhenever you can. (Luke 9:43)

7 - Alwayslive a balanced life. Think, learn,pray, work, play, and enjoy something every day. (Eph.5:10)

8 - Neverraise a hand to hit nor throw things. (Exodus 21:12)

9 - Neverlet the sun set on your wrath. (Ephesians 4:26)

10 - Alwayssay, “Goodnight, I love you!”

Blessings or Burdens?

2012-03-01T03:02:00.003-05:00

"She felt he was a burden to her....We were a burden."
(Lee Harvey Oswald's brother, Robert Oswald, in 1993, commenting on their mother's attitude toward her children)

It was late at night and we were watching a t.v. special on the Kennedy assasination, with interviews and photos of the never-before-seen type. On hearing Oswald's remark, my heart fell through my stomach like a cold fat rock plunging to the bottom of a murky pond. Oh. Oh. Oh, how awful. What an awful, awful, feeling to have from the person whose love for you is meant to be unconditional in this world. The person who, as I remind my own children when pressing my case for hugging, tickling, or kissing privileges, helped God to make you. The person whose title, "Mother," has inspired everything from epic poetry, to the naming of ships and airplanes, to the giddy grins of grown football players waving into the camera as they mouth, "Hi, Mom!" while dancing a jig in the end zone.

Oh. How awful.

.....yet, do I convey that to my children? That they are a burden to me?

One wouldn't think so. We had hoped fervently for nine years to have children, before we finally woke up and adopted our first one. Ready to begin a second arduous effort of paperwork and travel, we suddenly found ourselves pregnant with #2. And then had four more successive bundles of joy thereafter.

Whooppee!

Yet, in an entirely unscientific survey, I quizzed my friends as I brought my now mobile and rambunctious kids to soccer one particularly harrowing afternoon. "Please tell me you yell at your kids," I implored as my munchkins merrily sprinted off and I took a deep breath into the cold wind. The first mom nearly gasped and said, "Oh, my goodness! Are you kidding me? Thank you so much! You, too!? We had such a horrible day today! I feel terrible!"

Another friend with ten children actually snorted with suppressed laughter and readily admitted, "Yes. And anyone who tells you they don't is lying."

Since misery loves company, it was comforting to know I wasn't the only mother alive who had gone off like a grenade at her kids. The greater comfort, however, was in how remorseful each of us immediately felt, how instinctively we knew our behavior diminished our roles as mothers, regardless of how justified we were in wanting to strangle the offending offspring.

A wise priest and former Navy chaplain once gave me two assignments as penance in my confession: 1). find an outlet for my anger management (whether it was daily workouts like his former aircraft carrier commander or the silence of prayer time alone), and; 2). find a babysitter to enable me to get away from the kids for one hour a week (you know, like they say on the aspirin bottle -- "take two and keep away from children").

The merits or misdirection of "me time" is a post for another day, but in this instance the effects of my anger and desire for time alone needed to be addressed.

The Bible clearly says:

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord! The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate." (emphasis added) (Psalm 127:3-5)

"Children’s children are the crown of old men...." (Proverbs 17:6)

"For you formed my inward parts. You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:13)

"When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world." (John 16:21)

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.' " (Matthew 18:1-3)

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 18:10)

(....okay, do I need to keep quoting here?)

And yet, despite the Word of God, the world teaches us differently:

"I've got two daughters. Nine years old and six years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby." (Barack Obama, Town Hall Meeting, Johnstown, PA, March 29, 2008)

Which do I convey to my children? That they are a punishment? A burden? Or a blessing? Will my children look back on their childhood with wistful smiles and fond memories of warmth and love and laughter? Or will they cringe and attempt to shake it off, suppressing memories of brusque impatience and yelling to get through the day, just glad they are past that as they try to move forward with their lives, beyond the ill effects of my influence on their early childhood?

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not suggesting I attempt never to yell at my kids again. In a house with as much activity as ours, sometimes it's literally the only way to be heard. And my husband is a huge advocate of the "ATM" method of discipline ("Ask 'em. Tell 'em. Make 'em."), which sometimes necessitates a raised eyebrow, a raised voice, and a raised hand pointing the way to the directed task.

But, the words of Lee Harvey Oswald's brother were heavy in my ears, his voice strong and steady as he nodded firmly, almost emotionless and matter-of-fact:

"I don't know at what age Mother verbalized the effect that she felt he [Lee Harvey Oswald] was a burden to her. But she certainly conveyed it to John and I at very early ages. We're talking seven, eight, nine, 10 years old. At what age Lee started gathering this, or sensing it, or hearing it and applying it to him, I don't know. But certainly by age three, he had the sense, 'I need to be someplace else.' Mother would be putting him with a nanny, or a babysitter, or in an orphan home with us, just to get us out of her hair. We were a burden."

Out of her hair? Why? What else did she need to go do instead? What possibly could be more important than the formation of an innocent soul entrusted to your care? We all have many other responsibilities, too, but as mothers we have first and foremost a primary priority: the raising of our children.

Do I consider my children to be a burden or a blessing? Without question, I consider them a blessing! But, is that what I show them day to day? Do I hug, kiss, smile at, encourage, listen to patiently, pray with, and appreciate their presence in my life? Or do I relegate their presence to another set of must/needs on my endless home and homeschool "To Do" lists each day -- snarling when we fall behind, growling when we fall short of perfection, and seething when they get side-tracked and fail to see the big picture of what we must accomplish that day?

I'm not Pollyanna and I don't envision successfully comporting myself with the practical perfection of Mary Poppins any time soon. But, I am honest enough to recognize that I need to step back and regain some of the perspective I had as an individual in the Lord's presence before all The Wee Folk arrived. In the words of Venerable Bede Jarrett, O.P., we have no abiding city here, but our actions will bear out our eternity.

And as mothers, we also are training (for good or for ill) other impressionable souls.

"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." (Matthew 18:6)

"Preach the Gospel always. When necessary, use words." (St. Francis of Assisi)

"Children Learn What They Live" (by Dorothy Law Nolte)

Am I teaching my children, by my example, to be know-it-alls, love the things of this world, and be self-serving? Or am I teaching them to know, love, and serve Him in this world and be happy with Him forever in the next?

A wise friend once said, "the years fly by, but each day is an eternity." Maybe God sometimes lets our days seemingly drag out so that we have as much time as possible to mend our ways, to turn to Him, and to train our children to do so, too. At this point in my life, I now know mothers whose children have pre-deceased them. From miscarriages to suicidal teenagers to cancer-striken adults, "How tragic!" doesn't begin to describe the pain these mothers endure. Any one of them would give her right arm for just one more day with her child.

Will I ever appreciate the presence of my own children as much?

I'm not touting impossible motherly perfection. And it's going to take more than one well-meaning Lent to amend my short fuse, change my habit of sharp anger, grow in Godly patience (actually, 21 days, I'm told), and be the mother I want my children to have.

It's going to take one step at a time. One small step at a time. But, I'm going to start now. Start today. And start small. You know -- a trip to the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, two aspirin, and a hope to at least attain mediumcalifragilisticexpialidocious.

I'll keep you posted in 21 days.

"There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

A happy childhood lasts a lifetime!

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Children Learn What They Live

2012-03-01T02:12:00.000-05:00

by Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D. - 1972

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those aboutthem.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Ember Wednesday

2012-02-26T23:56:00.000-05:00

Remember, this Wednesday is the first Ember Wednesday of the Church year! See my post here for all the details on the ancient feasts of "Ember Days". You won't want to miss this special opportunity to join the universal Church (because that's what "catholic" means, you know -- universal!) in prayer and fasting during Lent.

Many hands make light work! Let's carry each other and the cross of Christ -- together!

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Only the Fearless Can Be Great

2012-02-21T00:18:00.005-05:00

Ever see the Disney cartoon movie "Ratatouille"? In an early scene, the protagonist (a rat with a love of cooking) receives the following advice from his mentor, an enormously famous, successful, Parisian chef and restauranteur:

"Cooking is not for the faint of heart. You must be imaginative, strong! You must try things that may not work. You must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul. What I say is true! Anyone can cook. But, only the fearless can be great!"

These now-familiar lines came drifting out of our family room as our children watched this movie the other day. When I heard this passage again for the third or fourth time, it struck me that this advice also could apply to our prayer life.

How often have we cowered in prayer, sought refuge in bland platitudes, or merely mouthed memorized words? How often have we allowed our minds to be distracted, to drift aimlessly, or to simply shrug and throw up our hands, baffled by what we perceived to be a lack of response to our (honestly) weak and lame attempts to communicate with the Almighty?

Be brave! Be strong! Be courageous!

Tell God your problems. Tell Him the gory details. Tell Him why you are frowning in frustration. Tell Him your needs. Tell Him your woes. Complain to Him!

Tell Him the most amazing thing your kid said or did today. Tell Him breathlessly how thrilled you are with your latest accomplishment at school or at work. Tell Him how happy you are that the new puppy finally got potty-trained. Rejoice with Him!

Tell Him you love Him. Tell Him how much you want to thank Him for the many blessings you enjoy. Tell Him He's the best dad ever. Tell Him every breath you take and every move you make is done all for the glory of Him. Praise Him!

Gush! Moan! Squeal! Whine! Clap! Cheer! Groan! Grin!

And then be still and know that He is God.

Listen.

Listen for His voice.

When Elijah journeyed into the wilderness, he did not hear the voice of the Lord in the violent wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire. He heard God's voice in a nearly silent whisper (I Kings 19). And Elijah was humble before it.

For you see, God doesn't need you to tell Him all about your life. He doesn't need you to tell Him any of that. He already knows your wants, your needs, your joys and sufferings.

But, He wants you to tell Him. Just as an earthly parent listens with indulgent love to his child detailing a latest achievement, so too does God want you to love Him so much that He is the first person to whom you are dying to tell your latest triumph, tragedy, secret, or story. He wants you to seek His input, His ear, His advice. He wants you to talk to Him and consult with Him all day. He wants you to love Him so much that every corner, every aspect of your life becomes filled with your desire to tell Him, to converse with Him, to listen to Him.

To know, love, and serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.

Prayer is not for the faint of heart. You must be imaginative, strong! You must try things that may not work. You must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul. What I say is true! Anyone can pray. But, only the fearless can be great!

The one to Whom we sing, "How Great Thou Art!" is there. He is there waiting. For you. Always. Whether you approach Him boldly or timidly on any given day, go to Him. Seek His presence. Seek His counsel. Demand His attention.

And be humble, gracious, and thankful in receiving it.

Then soon, before you know it, before even the end of Lent maybe, you will be great in prayer. Great in the frequency of your contact with the Lord. Great in your confidence and trust in Him. Great in your example to your loved ones and children. Great in your love for He Who has given it all to you.

Be brave! Be strong! Be courageous!

Be assured of God's love for you. Now put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a great catch.

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Happy Heart Day....!?

2012-02-14T23:19:00.000-05:00

Is it just me, or did anyone else notice the plethora of Valentine's Day greetings this year which not only (once again) ignored the saintly origin of the holy day (from which we derive the word, "holiday"), but even excluded the saint's name altogether? Instead, a graphic of a heart or even the actual word, "heart", was featured in the title greeting, thus rendering the salutation, "Happy Heart Day!", as in, "I [*heart*] NY!" or "I [*heart*] My Pekinese!"

Yes, my friends, here is yet another example of the secular commercialization of what was once a Christian holy day and now slowly has become a rabid excuse for excessive materialism. Don't get me wrong -- I'm just as thrilled as the next girl to give and receive chocolates, flowers, and expressions of undying devotion from a loved one (...okay, just before Lent, especially the chocolates part).

But, amidst it all, I pause and marvel sadly at the subtle ability of the evil one to stuff our gaping maws with more unnecessary, worldly, marshmallow fluff, utterly diverting our attention from the real gift of love: Christ on the cross. That's why Valentine died (all 14 of them -- see my other post today). Not just for intense, but nonetheless limited, earthly love, whether passionate or filial, but for eternal love, so we may come to know, love, and serve Him in this world and be happy with Him forever in the next.

That's what St. Valentine's Day is all about, Charlie Brown.

So this year, if you are buying your sweetie a box of chocolates or a bouquet of flowers, consider also gifting him or her with a Spiritual Bouquet, your own personally crafted gift of prayer. Plus, it's free! Whether your Valentine is a friend, a spouse, your children, or another loved one, pray that you both may arrive someday at The Pearly Gates, ready to welcome each other in to the presence of God.

What a celebration of love that will be!

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T22:41:00.000-05:00

While the Church recognizes 14 saintly martyrs named Valentine, the earliest known one was St. Valentinus, a 3rd century Catholic who refused to obey Emperor Claudius The Cruel's dictate to worship 12 gods. Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. His jailer surreptitiously asked Valentinus to teach his blind daughter, Julia. Valentinus taught her the beauty of God's creation, as well as how to pray. Julia believed and humbly prayed for healing, which God granted in a flash of bright light. On the eve of Valentinus's execution (February 14, 270 A.D.), he wrote Julia a note encouraging her always to stay close to God, and signed it, "From Your Valentine."

And that, in the immortal words of Paul Harvey, is the rest of the story!

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Feast of St. Scholastica

2012-02-11T00:13:00.000-05:00

Today is the feast of St. Scholastica. I've always loved how she went over her brother, St. Benedict's, head to jump up the chain of command and get what she wanted!

Oh. You're not familiar with that story? Well!

St. Scholastica was the twin sister of St. Benedict, and both went on to found holy orders at Monte Cassino, Italy, within five miles of each other. The two would meet at a farmhouse between their respective religious houses to discuss all things holy in life. At what was to be their last meeting, Scholastica sensed she soon would be called home to God, and asked Benedict to stay in the farmhouse for the night, so the two could stay up throughout the evening continuing their discussions.

Benedict, being a good Rule-follower (having, um, written the actual monastic rule), refused to do so, as he did not want to violate his own rule and spend the night outside a monastery. Greatly distressed, Scholastica prayed fervently to God. Shortly thereafter, a violent storm arose outside, preventing Benedict and his humble entourage from leaving.

"Sister!" he exclaimed. "What have you done!?"

Scholastic smiled. "I asked you for a favor, and you refused. I asked God and He granted it."

Three days later, back inside the walls of his own monastery, Benedict beheld the soul of his sister rising to heaven in the form of a dove. He buried her within the sepulchre he had built for himself.

Here's a copy of our favorite book here at home, telling the whole tale in brilliant form (you can purchase it here - scroll down to the direct link to Amazon in the right sidebar):

So remember, it's God whom you should ask whenever you REALLY need a favor! Enjoy!

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Homeschool Support Groups

2012-02-09T01:40:00.000-05:00

If you homeschool, I strongly urge you to join a local support group with a similar faith, style, and values to yours. We definitely are not "group therapy" type of people, but I don't know what I would do without the contact, interaction, shared faith, play time, and sustenance of our homeschool group. Our affinity is so strong that when our national entity disbanded, our local group (within one week!) took steps to form a new organization, a non-profit, and a bank account so we seamlessly could continue the support and activity of our educational faith family.

How truly grateful I am!

Really, where else can you take your eight year old daughter to a gathering of her shrieking, giggling peers (in this case, Little Flowers, which basically is like Catholic Girl Scouts, but is focused on our faith) and learn on the way home that one of the hot topics of their conversation was to determine on which day each girl goes to Adoration? (They had almost the whole week covered!)

Find "your people" and mesh with them. Sign up. Show up. Get involved. Their children are the people you want your children to learn from, and vice versa.

May God bless the families of our homeschool group in the same measure as they have brought joy to ours!

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Senator Rick Santorum IS Horton!

2012-02-09T01:06:00.000-05:00

Dear Senator Santorum,

Ever read Horton Hears a Who! ?

I am Jo-Jo from Who-ville in Apartment J-12.

I am a Catholic homeschooling mother of six children, one of whom has special needs.

I am supporting your campaign now.

And I have a gift for you: your next ad. It's going to be a home run, and here's why:

When you swept three states, I thought, "I'm going to pray a rosary tonight that Rick Santorum becomes our nominee." Then I thought -- what if my tiny prayer puts Senator Santorum over the top? What if my plea is the one to tip the scales for his success!? Just as Horton the elephant fought for the Whos' right to exist on that small speck, Senator Santorum is fighting for the ignored middle-America. And just as the Whos were ignored until they all made themselves heard (when "that one small extra 'Yopp!' put it over!"), we can and we WILL win your nomination by uniting conservatives ALL!

- The media are the Wickersham Brothers monkeys.
- Americans are the Whos of Who-ville fighting for their lives and livelihoods on that speck.
- Barack Obama is the eagle Vlad Vlad-i-koff (who tells us, "Quit your yapping!" and "I think you will fail.")
- And YOU, Senator, are Horton.

Save us, Senator Santorum! We are prepared to sound our barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world. Lead us! Save us! Save our country from the fundamentally changed path on which Barack Obama has placed us. Repeal Obamacare! Reform the culture of government dependency! Revive inherent American resilience and individual exceptionalism! Restore our inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness!

Be the Republican nominee, and approve this message! :-)

Thank you, Senator, for your generous time, which I know with both your family and your campaign is at a premium. May God continue to bless you for your valor, integrity, and perseverance. Always be assured of our prayers! (Our homeschool group was praying for Bella!)

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Word of the Year

2012-01-10T00:34:00.000-05:00

I happened across this post from www.Scrapgirls.com and was touched by the inspiration of choosing a Word of the Year. I hope you enjoy it, too! I also encourage you to choose a SAINT OF THE YEAR, to intercede for you and your family in all your endeavors before the throne of God!

Have You Chosen a Word of the Year?

Choosing a word of the year has become fairly popular among bloggers and scrapbookers. Last year, I decided to try it out and see what happened. The word I choose for 2011 was SAVOR. My intentions when choosing SAVOR was that I begin to live life more fully and bravely. I wanted to take more pleasure in my life and enjoy it.

That is what I intended, and in the end, that is what happened. But, as it turned out, in order for me to savor my life, I had to make some very difficult decisions and take actions that scared me to death. I had to do some house-cleaning both within and without. I had to examine myself and face what I found.

It was a tough year. Very, very tough. It was a wonderful year. Very, very wonderful. It was a year that I'll never forget.

Now - one year later - I can safely say that 2011 was a gigantic growth year for me. It was the year I became brave. It was the year I learned to fully believe in myself. It was the year I learned to forgive myself and others. It was the year I dropped things that had bothered me for decades. It was the year I learned not to be bothered by things I can't control.

By year's end, I had re-found my zest for living. I regained my appreciation for my family, my friends, and my work. I remembered why I love my life and what I do. I began to relish my days and now I look forward to getting up each morning. My ability to come up with new ideas returned. I learned to relax and enjoy myself.

Do I still have problems? Sure. Do I still have health issues to battle with? Sure. Do I still have challenges of all sorts? Sure. Do I occasionally have self-doubts? Sure. Do I make mistakes? Nearly every day. But overall, I'm okay. I'm really, truly okay. I feel like a different person than I was one year ago, and that's a very good thing. It's good to grow.

So, as you can see, I found the Word of the Year experience quite fascinating. After carefully considering what it might mean to me to take on another word, I've decided to try it again. Because I now feel that choosing a word is a serious matter, I took months to decide what this year's word would be. I was having such a hard time picking one this time around that I nearly abandoned my search. But then one morning, I read a couple of talks about faith and gleaned a couple of ideas that I knew I wanted to remember.

Faith is an action word.
Faith looks towards the future and leaves the past in the past.

I love those thoughts. I think it will be quite useful for me to drum them into my head, heart, and soul. Therefore, my word of 2012 is FAITH.

Last year, I made a couple of very simple paper reminders of my word SAVOR. I stuck one on a dresser drawer and one on my bathroom mirror, which I looked at twice a day. As I think back on it, I realize that my choice to place it on the mirror was a good one because I did think about my word fairly often as I prepared for my day and for bed each evening.

This year, I decided to spend a little more time on my word declaration, and so I created a printable piece of artwork that I have hung on my office wall in an 8x10-inch picture frame. I'm also going to print out a little one and stick it to my mirror.

(The lighting in this photo is a little off. It is actually as gold as the original and looks very nice against my blue wall.)

If you'll read it carefully, you'll see that faith is either the first or the last word of each sentence.

Here is a portion of one of the talks that helped me select faith as my word of 2012.

"Because of the conflicts and challenges we face in today's world, I wish to suggest a single choice - a choice of peace and protection and a choice that is appropriate for all. That choice is faith. Be aware that faith is not a free gift given without thought, desire, or effort. It does not come as the dew falls from heaven. The Savior said, "Come unto me" (Matthew 11:28) and "Knock, and it shall be [given] you" (Matthew 7:7). These are action verbs - come, knock. They are choices. So I say, choose faith. Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism." Richard C Edgley

I challenge you to choose a word for 2012. Once you have, place the word where you can see it. Don't worry about having to "do" anything about the word. Chances are that life will bring opportunities for your word to take on a life of its own. At the end of the year, take a little time to reflect on the word and see if it made an impact. You might be very surprised at the results. If you would like, you could make a digital scrapbooking layout or a piece of printable artwork with your word on it, as I have. If you'd care to, you could share your layout or artwork with us in the Scrap Girls Gallery. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Have a great day.

Until tomorrow,

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Epiphany

2012-01-06T23:07:00.000-05:00

In our house, Epiphany is one of our favorite feast days! How can one not admire and be inspired by the effort, expense, humility, and determination of three powerful pagans kneeling in worship before a heretofore unknown Infant King?

To remind us of this, our family takes the front of the first Christmas card we receive bearing an image of The Three Kings, or the Magi, and we tape it to the inside of our front door at eye level. The card, thereby, reminds us throughout the year to welcome whomever appears outside our door as we would welcome The Three Kings.

(Unless it's Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses -- they get the extra bonus of receiving tracts on the Real Presence of the Eucharist! ....you know, now that I think of it, they haven't come by in a while....)

A beautiful children's storybook retelling the Italian tradition of La Befana (the Christmas Witch) is Tomie DePaola's The Legend of Old Befana, which recounts one old woman's never-ending search for the Infant King.

Some parishes also distribute a printed prayer and sticks of chalk, to inscribe above one's front door specific marks invoking the patronage and blessing of The Three Kings throughout the coming year. Here is a nice summary of these blessings:

Epiphany Blessing - Water and Chalk

Epiphany Blessing - Your Home

May the blessings of Epiphany reveal Jesus's real presence in your own life, "for God so loved the world [that includes you] that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him [hey, you again!] shall not perish, but have eternal life [you! with God! for all eternity! in heaven! WOW!]."

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

2012-01-02T01:15:00.001-05:00

Between the years 1558‑1829, English Catholics were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Without regular Mass, sacraments, orcatechism lessons from the priest, parents sought help to assist their children in learning andremembering their Faith. This song wascreated to keep the Catholic faith alive, though hidden for the time. The 12 days are from the feast of Christmas,December 25^th, to the feast of Epiphany, January 6^th.

Instead of referring to a suitor, the “true love”refers to God Himself. The “me” who receives the presents symbolizesevery baptized person. The “partridge in a pear tree” is JesusChrist. A mother partridge will feigninjury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings. The children hearingthis song would have known that, and therefore would have understood theparallel between the acts of the mother bird and the sacrifice of Christ.

The other items continue the symbolism:

2turtle doves theOld and New Testaments;

3French hens Faith,Hope and Charity;

4calling birds theFour Gospels;

5golden rings thefirst five books of the Old Testament

6geese a laying thedays of creation;

7swans a swimming theseven gifts of the Holy Spirit;

8maids a milking theeight Beatitudes;

9ladies dancing ninechoirs of angels;

10lords a leaping theTen Commandments;

11pipers piping theeleven faithful Apostles;

12drummers drumming the twelvepoints of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

Merry Christmas!

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Going to Confession Is Like Brushing Your Teeth

2011-12-28T17:03:00.002-05:00

“Brush your teeth,” I tell mykids every night. And why wouldn’tthey? Everyone knows brushing your teethwipes away the detritus left in your mouth after a full day of eating and living. Whether healthy or hedonistic, your daily culinaryactivities inevitably leave dirt, film, or some other undesirable gunk on yourteeth. Plaque buildup, dentists call it. We all want to show others a brilliant smile,so we clean our teeth regularly. It won’tmake your teeth perfect, and you’re going to have to brush them againtomorrow. But, for now, it expunges theday’s dirt and makes them shine.

Well, going to sacramental confession is a bit like that. You go to confession to wipe away the sinsthat have accumulated since the last time you went, whether that was 40 daysago or 40 years ago. It won't make you perfect and you're going to have to go again in your lifetime. But, for now, *poof!* yoursoul has a brilliant shine! Pure as the day you were born! Allyour sins are forgiven. Really!

Sure, you have to do somepenance for the temporal punishment due to sin, but you also have to spit afteryou brush your teeth, to get rid of all that gunk you just scrubbed off, don’tyou? And you have to rinse out yourtoothbrush and wipe up the sink a bit. No one is embarrassed by that sort of clean up. In fact, in my house, that kind of tidinessis downright praiseworthy!

So seriously, regardingconfession, why are you embarrassed? Whydon’t you go? Who’s going to know? I mean, when was the last time – in all ofknown recorded human history – that you heard of a priest running outside thechurch to put up a hand-lettered sandwich-board sign listing all the sinssomeone just told him within the confines of the sacred seal of theconfessional? He can’t. Not, “He won’t.” He can’t. The solemn seal of the confessional issacred, and the priest is forbidden to share anything you might reveal, nomatter how mundane or incriminating.

Not anything.

And believe me, if you are astudent of history with even half an imagination, it doesn’t take much to dreamup some of the colorful offences many historical figures might need to haveconfessed. I don’t want to name anynames, but…..

No, never mind. Let’s not add “gossip” to my own lengtheninglist.

Fortunately for most of us,there’s virtually nothing we can say in confession that genuinely would shock apriest. Do you think he’s never heardsins like yours before now? And if hehas – say, from you the last tentimes you were there – so what? You haveto brush your teeth again every day because you engage in a fairly steady dailydiet, right? Well, so too are your otherliving habits. Fairly steady. Same stuff, different day.

This, I think, is the otherside of confession: Am I tooboring? Do I have enough goodmaterial? I mean, really, does Fatherwant to hear for the forty-eleventh time that I yelled at the kids, took theLord’s name in vain twice, gossiped inappropriately, and didn’t listen to mymother? Well, I have it straight fromthe proverbial horse’s mouth that a priest would be appalled if every time youwent into confession you came up with new and exotic sins to confess. Just what sort of unstable eccentric lifewould you be living then!?

People brush their teethevery day to rid themselves of the normal accumulated filth that is detrimentalto their oral health and inhibits their ability to share a sparklingsmile. We're all very attentive to the needs of ourteeth. So why wouldn’t you take such good care of your soul? After all, ultimately, your teeth just willbe used for identification purposes when you’re dead. Your soul will live forever. And do you know precisely where your soul is going to liveforever? If you’re like me, you wantpenthouse accommodations, but more realistically will be enormously gratefulif you even can slip in the back door to Purgatory, because then you’re only going up from there!

Remember who made you? God made you. Why did God make you? God madeyou to know, love, and serve Him in this world and be happy with Him forever inthe next.

So go to the Divine Dentist,visit the Divine Physician. Let himclean your soul. Let him make your soulsparkle and shine like new, so that you are fit to reside in Hispresence for all eternity!

Don’t letpride prevent you from lasting peace. Don’t let the devil make you think that your sins are so uniquelyprofound or insignificantly mundane that the priest is going to laugh you out of the confessional and thenrun to post them on Facebook. This is asacrament, not social networking. What do you think the priest actually isgoing to say, “Weeeeell, I don’t know. Is that your final answer? Let methink about that absolution thing.” Ofcourse not!

With a good confession, true contrition for yoursins, and a firm purpose of amendment, you will hear some of the most beautifulwords in the English language:

“God, thefather of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, hasreconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for theforgiveness of sins through the ministry of the church. May God give you pardonand peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, the Son,and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Please, go toconfession. Hurry. Don’t wait. Because Our Lord is waiting for you. An outpouring of grace and mercy awaits you.

GO!

And while you’re on your wayto confession, please, forward this post to someone you love, maybe someone whomight not have been to confession in a while. That way, years from now, you can smile at each other in heaven!

BONUS POINTS: I found absolution in Latin!

Deus, Pater misericordiarum,

qui per mortem et resurrectionem Fílii sui

mundum sibi reconciliavit

et Spiritum Sanctum effudit

in remissionem peccatorum,

per ministerium Ecclesiae

indulgentiam

tibi tribuat

et pacem...

Et ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis

in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

Amen.

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

"Yes, Virginia....."

2011-12-25T17:34:00.000-05:00

NewYork Sun, 1897

Editorial Page

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently thecommunication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification thatits faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

“I am 8 years old.Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, ‘If you see it in The Sun,it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?” -- Virginia O’Hanlon

“Virginia, your little friends arewrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a sceptical age. They donot believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is notcomprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they bemen’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mereinsect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world abouthim, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth andknowledge.

“Yes, Virginia, there is a SantaClaus.

“He exists as certainly as love andgenerosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to yourlife its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if therewere no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. Therewould be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable thisexistence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The externallight with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

“Not believe in Santa Claus! Youmight as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men towatch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even ifyou did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody seesSanta Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most realthings in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did youever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof thatthey are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseenand unseeable in the world.

“You tear apart the baby’s rattleand see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseenworld which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all thestrongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love,romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beautyand glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia,in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

“No Santa Claus? Thank God he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart ofchildhood.

“Merry Christmas and a Happy NewYear!”

From The People’s Almanac, pp. 1358-9.

Francis P. Church’s editorial, “YesVirginia, There is a Santa Claus” was an immediate sensation, and became one ofthe most famous editorials ever written. It first appeared in the The New YorkSun in 1897, almost a hundred years ago, and was reprinted annually until 1949when the paper went out of business.

Thirty-six years after her letter was printed, VirginiaO’Hanlon recalled the events that prompted her letter:

“Quite naturally I believed in Santa Claus, for he had never disappointedme. But when less fortunate little boys and girls said there wasn’t any SantaClaus, I was filled with doubts. I asked my father, and he was a little evasiveon the subject.

“It was a habit in our family that whenever any doubts came up as to howto pronounce a word or some question of historical fact was in doubt, we wroteto the Question and Answer column in The Sun. Father would always say, ‘If yousee it in the The Sun, it’s so,’ and that settled the matter.

“ ‘Well, I’m just going to write The Sun and find out the real truth,’ Isaid to father.

“He said, ‘Go ahead, Virginia. I’m sure The Sun will give you the rightanswer, as it always does.’”

And so Virginia sat down and wroteher parents’ favorite newspaper.

Her letter found its way into thehands of a veteran editor, Francis P. Church. Son of a Baptist minister, Churchhad covered the Civil War for The New York Times and had worked on the The NewYork Sun for 20 years, more recently as an anonymous editorial writer. Church,a sardonic man, had for his personal motto, “Endeavour to clear your mind ofcant.” When controversial subjects had to be tackled on the editorial page,especially those dealing with theology, the assignments were usually given toChurch.

Now, he had in his hands a littlegirl’s letter on a most controversial matter, and he was burdened with theresponsibility of answering it.

“Is there a Santa Claus?” thechildish scrawl in the letter asked. At once, Church knew that there was noavoiding the question. He must answer, and he must answer truthfully. And so heturned to his desk, and he begn his reply which was to become one of the mostmemorable editorials in newspaper history.

Church married shortly after theeditorial appeared. He died in April, 1906, leaving no children.

Virginia O’Hanlon went on to graduate from Hunter Collegewith a Bachelor of Arts degree at age 21. The following year she received herMaster’s from Columbia, and in 1912 she began teaching in the New York Cityschool system, later becoming a principal. After 47 years, she retired as aneducator. Throughout her life she received a steady stream of mail about herSanta Claus letter, and to each reply she attached an attractive printed copyof the Church editorial. Virginia O’Hanlon Douglas died on May 13, 1971, at theage of 81, in a nursing home in Valatie, N.Y.

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Come Close to the Crib

2011-12-25T17:26:00.000-05:00

Let us come close to thecrib.

If you love riches, you willfind the gold that the kings brought;

if you are looking for thesmoke of hours, you will find that in the incense;

and if you take delight inthe delicacies of the senses,

you will find the delicateperfume of myrrh that pervades the stable.

Be rich in love for thisadorable Saviour,

respectful in the familiaritywith which you relate to Him,

and delight in the joy ofexperiencing in your soul

so many inspirations andaffections,

because you belongexclusively to

Him.

(St. Francis de Sales)

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary this Christmas, ever closer to the Manger and the Sacred Heart of her Son, the Infant Christ Child, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Meditation of James Francis Cardinal Stafford on Infant Death

2011-12-20T22:03:00.002-05:00

Following is a letter to Miki Hill from James Francis Cardinal Stafford on the unexpected passing of Miki's two year old grandson, Charles Daniel Hudson Hill, who died in his sleep on Sunday night. It is shared here with permission:

Dear Michele,

C.S. wrote to me about the death of your two-year old grandson. This represents a very harsh reality for you, your son and his wife,their innocent young son now dead, and the whole family. Many stumblebefore it. Encompassed by such darkness, many are tempted to rejectoutright the prophetic word of God and of His Son, Jesus.

How do believers get beyond their anguishand numbness before such an event? They should rush to the word of God inlong prayer and reflection begging for knowledge and wisdom. They should climbthe steps of the "ladder" of lectio divina (holy reading). The foursteps are the following: reading, meditating , praying, and contemplating theHoly Word of God in Sacred Scripture, both individually and in community.

The call of the prophet Isaiah (Is. 6) is a good place to begin.It concludes with a definitive answer. Before reaching that ending,however, the text carries great irony. At one point we seem left with thequestion "How long???" Inreality, the whole text of Isaiah six is a part of the apophatic traditionof revelation. (God reveals himself through negation - e.g., therevelation of God's glory takes place on the summit of Calvarywhere we contemplete the Cross and the pierced Heart of His Son.)

So, before the cold indifference of the universe where innocent childrendie, believers are first driven to cry out to God, "How long?" Wedeserve something better than this. God's answer to this complaint is,"Until ......termination." "'How long?......Until cities lie wastewithout inhabitant, and houses without men,and the land is utterly desolate,and the Lord removes men far away, and the forsaken places are many in themidst of the land. and though a tenth remains in it, it will be burned again, likea terebinth and an oak whose stump remains standing when it is felled. The holyseed is its stump.'" (Is. 6: 9-13)

At first the story of the prophet's call seems to oscillatebetween rejection and acceptance and finally terminate with divinedestruction. But the very last words contradict that seeming interpretation.They need to be heard and studied closely. They indicate that the finalwords from God to Isaiah's complaint are not of death and destruction,with only the dead stump remaining after a fiery conflagration.The divine oracle concludes with the stump and its unexpected, surprisinghints of new growth.

That last line is brief, "The holy seed is its stump." But, it represents the wonderful, enduringresponse of God: before the harshness of life, including the experience ofthe death of the young and innocent, a holy seed arises from thestump! God's response is not a quick and easy answer; it is not cheapgrace. But, at the end, there is divine comfort, there is consolation;there is a holy seed arising miraculously from the stump. After theterrible numbness and incomprehension, the stump of the great, felled treeis seen to give forth something completely unexpected. It will come in theform of those disciples (in this case parents, grandparents, etc.)who hear the word of God under horrific circumstances. They listen attentivelyto the words of Isaiah and attend to the mysteries contained inthe life and death of Jesus and place their total trust in God. Fromtheir total faith in God the Father, there will be a new growth coming forth.

I will pray that the Spirit of God with whom disciples are anointedin Confirmation may plunge you deeply into the mystery of new growthfrom a dead stump.

+ Cardinal Francis Stafford

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

On Infant Death

2011-12-20T21:53:00.001-05:00

As we await the imminent arrival of the tiny Infant Savior on Christmas Day, please allow me to share with you a devastating and inspiring tragedy that continues to unfold.

What an immeasurable graceand blessing it has been to talk with Miki Hill today. If you are in the greater Baltimore Catholic homeschool community, you mightknow Miki and Tim Hill. Their two yearold grandson, Charles Daniel Hudson Hill (“Charlie”), passed away in his sleepunexpectedly Sunday night, after going to bed with a slight fever. Miki and her children were driving back thisevening from the funeral services in Chicagowhen we spoke.

Miki noted that the human sorrow of this tragedy is severe nearly to the pointof being unbearable. While any otherdeath seems to pale in comparison to the loss of a child, I shared with Miki myrecollection of when I first experienced someone close to me dying. For days thereafter, I looked around atnormal life and gaped in stupefied horror. Why were people still driving? Why were they still shopping? Stilleating? Still talking? Still……living!? Didn’t they know that someone magnificent and vital to my existence had justshuffled off this mortal coil? Didn’tthey know that it really was the endof the world as we know it? Why didn’tthe Earth stop spinning on its axis in acknowledgement of the enormity of thistragic loss?

“Yes, that’s it!” shesaid. “It. Is. Staggering.”

And yet, Miki observed thatGod definitely is in control. From suchfar-flung places as seven continents and the Vatican, God has provided theirfamily with enormous and frequent consolation. “See?” she asked in wonder. “Themore we let go of the arrow, the further it will fly.” Little Charlie has, indeed, flown far. Straight to heaven. And apparently he’s going to drag a lot ofother people there with him eventually, as there were at least six priests hearingconfessions at his viewing, “because Charlie wanted everyone to get to heaven.”

Miki and I agreed that,particularly in times of trial such as this, we are enormously grateful to havebeen born “cradle Catholics,” because I for one never would have been smartenough to choose Catholicism myself(as my brilliant husband The Convert did). Whatever would we do withoutthe transformative grace of the sacraments!?

Miki is firm in her conviction that her amazing little grandson, while being abeam of light in their lives, truly was not made for this world, which hismother must intuitively sensed, for she always called him her “cherub.” In the face of such simultaneous vulnerabilityand strength, I can only submit the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln:

“….I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word ofmine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss sooverwhelming. But, I cannot refrain fromtendering you the consolation that may be found….I pray that our HeavenlyFather may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only thecherished memory of the loved and lost.” (Abraham Lincoln in a letter to Mrs.Lydia Bixby, November 1864)

Thus, with Miki’s permission,I will share with you in the next post Francis Cardinal Stafford’s consolingmeditation to Miki on the tragedy of infant death. May his words bring us God’s peace.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yetinwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternalglory that far outweighs them all. So wefix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseenis eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:16-18)

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Christmas Cookies

2011-12-19T21:57:00.001-05:00

Here you go, folks! My favorite roll out sugar cookie recipe, just in time for Christmas! The beauty of this dough is that you and the kids can roll out, bake, and decorate them immediately. I like to bake a bunch, ice them in white, let them dry on the table overnight, then let the kids paint details on the next morning.

For Easter, you can make eggs and go to town decorating them in fancy colors and sugar crystals. For autumn, you can swirl orange/red/yellow paint on leaf shapes. For Christmas, the easiest thing to make is white snowmen with a hat, and features and buttons dotted on. Green Christmas trees also work well, because you can use mini-M&Ms, nonpariels, or mini-red-hots as ornaments.

Enjoy! :-b

SUGAR COOKIES
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour

Cream butter, sugar, and egg. Add baking powder and vanilla. Gradually add flour. Mix well. Form dough into ball and roll out approximately a 1/4 portion onto floured surface. Cut into shapes w/ cookie cutters. Place on non-stick baking sheet or parchment paper on sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes.

SUGAR COOKIE ICING
2 c. confectioners sugar
1 tbl. meringue powder
2-6 tbl. water

Beat confectioners sugar and meringue powder at low speed. Add water slowly, 1 tbl. at a time, mixing well after each one until desired consistency is achieved (thick, but slightly runny). Tint with PASTE food coloring (liquid food color will alter the texture). Cover with plastic wrap or a wet paper towel to prevent drying out while using. Apply with small spatula or artist's paint brushes. Thin with warm water, if needed.

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Jejunia Quattuor Temporum (Fasts of the Four Seasons - EMBER DAYS)

2011-12-14T01:03:00.000-05:00

Throughout the year in theWestern Church, Ember Days are four quarterly groups of three days within oneweek (Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday), set aside specifically for prayer andfasting.

The Ember Weeks are asfollows:

Between the 3^rd and 4^th Sundays of Advent
Between the 1^st and 2^nd Sundays of Lent
Between Pentecost and Trinity Sunday
Week beginning the Sunday after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14^th)

The term is a corruption ofthe German Quatember, derived fromthe Anglo-Saxon ymbren (a circuit orrevolution, from ymb, around, and ryne, a course running), relating to theannual cycle of the year. In Latin, itis rendered quattuor anni tempora(four seasons of the year) or jejuniaquattuor temporum (fasts of the four seasons), in Irish Gaelic as Laethantana gCeithre Thráth (days of the four times), and in Welsh as Wythnos yCydgorian (Week of the Processions).

The most accepted origin is theearly Church’s practice of assigning a holy purpose to Roman or Celtic paganholidays, in this case calendar and harvest festivals. The earliest known mention is in the writingsof Philastrius, Bishop of Brescia (died c. 387), Pope St. Leo the Great (A.D.440 – 461, who wanted to bring the grace and discipline of abstinence from meatto every season of the year), and Pope St. Gregory the Great (590-604, who isbelieved to have fixed the timing). Thecurrent schedule was established by Pope Blessed Urban II at the Councils ofPiacenza and Clermont, 1095, and can be remembered by this clever mnemonicdevice in Latin:

DantCrux, Lucia, Cineres, Charismata Dia

Utsit in angariâ quarta sequens feria

or in old English:

Fasting days and Emberings be

Lent, Whitsun, Holyrood, and Lucie

[Lent, Pentecost, the Holy Cross, and St. Lucy]

The Ember Days began on theWednesday immediately following those feast days.

The Church originallymandated fasting (only one full meal per day, plus two small meatless meals) onall Ember Days, and the faithful were encouraged (but not required) to receivethe Sacrament of Penance. On February17, 1966, Pope Paul VI’s decree Paeniteminiexcluded the Ember Days as days of fast and abstinence, and their observancenow is up to the discretion of the local bishops conference. Pope St. Gelasius I (492-496) is creditedwith associating the Ordination of clergy to Ember Weeks.

Pray! Fast!

Esther 4:16 (Esther fastedthree days without food or water)

II Samuel 12:16-18 (Davidfasted seven days without food)

Isaiah 58 (what is a properfast before God)

Matthew 17:21 (prayer andfasting are linked)

Acts 9:9 (Paul fasted threedays)

II Corinthians 11:27 (Paulfasted often)

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Hebrews 13:2

2011-12-05T23:56:00.001-05:00

So it happened not once but twice today -- the Lord put us in a position to share a moment of blessing with someone else.

We were in the adoration chapel at our church, and I had left momentarily with my youngest two children, who needed a potty break. Suddenly, my other son came dashing into the bathroom, waving a $10 bill at me. "Mom! Mom!" he gasped, eyes nearly popping out of his head. "The lady gave me this! She said to take us to lunch at--- " here he blinked incredulously and gave an intake of breath suitable for the magnitude of the news he was about to impart. "....McDonald's!!!"

Whoa. A rare treat for us, indeed.

Puzzled, I returned to the adoration chapel and exchanged grateful tears with a woman who was there praying, who missed her own grandchildren and greatgrandchildren dreadfully, all of whom lived several states away.

"Enjoy them," she admonished sagely, wiping her cheeks and nodding toward my kids. "I know I miss mine."

I felt joyous and awful, all at the same time. How right she was. How frequently do I outright ENJOY my kids? Really just toss care to the wind for a moment and sit down and giggle with them? I resolved to do so more often this Advent season.

(See? It's ALWAYS worth it to squeeze in a visit for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, even if you can only pop in and say "Hi!" to Him for a minute. He's ALWAYS glad you're there! .....yes, YOU! You and your whiney kids....probably especially the whiney kids. Jesus never said, "Let the children come to me -- oh, except for the whiners." Go and gain the strength you need as a mom to guide your children in His peace. After all, He made 'em. Let Him help you form them!)

Later, in a store parking lot, we pulled into our parking space next to a woman who was seated in her car talking on her phone. Two beautiful rosaries hung from her rear view mirror, one blue with an antique cross, the other white.

Hmmmmm, I thought. Shameless promotion or an opportunity for grace, I wondered? Should I give her my business card, or pray a silent prayer instead and mind my own business?

I opted for both. Something....imperceptible in her demeanor gave me the answer. Before I even realized I had decided, I was breathing a prayer and tapping a fingernail gently on her window. She paused, startled, and rolled it down a bare inch.

"Hi!" I grinned, slightly embarrassed, but now determined. I pointed to her rearview mirror. "I noticed your rosaries hanging there, and I make rosary bracelets," I raised my arm and wiggled my wrist, showing her mine and proffering my business card through the tiny crack with the other hand. I shrugged, "in case you need a present for someone special for Christmas!"

Well. Not exactly smooth, but the message was there.

She took my card, gave me a polite smile as if I was the village lunatic who had just escaped and was holding a knife, then quickly rolled up her window. Well, who could blame her, I thought. But, as I unloaded my kids, I saw her still talking on the phone, now reaching out her hand to finger the crucifix hanging from her rearview mirror.

We left the store and returned to the parking lot well over an hour later. As we approached our van, I noticed the woman's car still was there, but she was gone (probably gone to request police protection). As I was loading my kids back into the van, I turned to see her re-appear, now opening her own car door to leave, too.

This time, she smiled at me openly and broadly.

"Thank you for talking to me earlier," she began. "I needed that. I, uh....I was....I was having a bad day." She nodded and seemed at a loss for further words, so she shrugged and smiled again.

I grinned back. "Well, not any more!" I assured her, and nodded at the rosaries suspended in her car. "You just keep close to your rosary and the day can only get better!"

Be an angel to someone else today, and allow someone else to be an angel to you!

Advent Blessings!

"Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2)

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Christmas Novena

2011-11-30T00:41:00.001-05:00

While a novena is normally a nine-day [or nine hour] prayer, the term sometimes is used for any prayer that is repeated over a series of days. The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena is often called simply the "Christmas Novena" or the "Christmas Anticipation Prayer," because it is prayed 15 times every day from the Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle (November 30th) until Christmas. The First Sunday of Advent is the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saint Andrew.

The novena is not actually addressed to Saint Andrew, but to God Himself, asking Him to grant our request in the honor of the birth of His Son at Christmas. You can say the prayer all 15 times, all at once, or divide up the recitation as necessary (perhaps five times at each meal).

Prayed as a family, the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena is a very good way to help focus the attention of your children on the Advent season.

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena

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.

(source: by Scott P. Richert at Catholicism.about.com)

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Coraggio! (Have Courage!)

2011-11-24T01:27:00.000-05:00

THANKSGIVING DAY

A group of us are following "Total Consecration to Jesus According to St. Louis Marie de Montfort," with our consecration to be made on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It's definitely a "weed out the wimps" regime of prayer. As promised, I sent the group some encouraging thoughts and hope these will bless you today, as well:

See? Now that wasn't so bad, was it? I mean, c'mon. That first week? The "Preparation"? A few prayers. A wee paragraph of reading for mediation. I don't know about you, but I was thinking, "Hey, I can do this! This'll be a snap!"

Then we hit Week One.

You know, I've discovered already during Week One that I'm really not interested in Knowledge of Self. Really. Not. As a matter of fact, I actually cringe from it. No, really. You know why? The same reason why I come out of every confession sobbing, that's why. Because of the stunning, humbling, almost debilitating realization of how abhorrent and insulting my insignificant little self must be to the Face of God. I mean, judging from the way He spanked the ancient Israelites in the Old Testament (several times, mind you) whenever they needed it, I cannot BELIEVE that the Almighty hasn't reached down with His thumb and forefinger and flicked me off the face of the planet, just to spare the rest of humanity the boil of my existence.

But then, in the confessional, the priest utters some of the most beautiful words in the English language: "God, the father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins through the ministry of the church. May God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

(*heavy relieved sigh*) And I resolve to try all over again. I swear and promise and beg and plead anew to ACTUALLY try to know, love, and serve God in this life so I may be happy with Him forever in heaven.

Now, that's a tall order. I haven't even had my morning tea and I've failed miserably already. But, I'm beginning to think it's okay to start there. Because if I didn't start with failing miserably, I might have this horrible misconception that, at least in some area, I was fine, okay, enough, good, perfect.

Perfect.

Hey. Waaaait a minute. That sounds familiar. Wasn't there something in Genesis about that? About the serpent promising perfect knowledge to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? Ha. Yeah. And we all know how that turned out.

So. I examine my conscience. Confess. Sob. Atone. Get on with life. And sin again. So, I examine my conscience, confess, sob, atone......well, you get the idea.

The point being: It's never a pretty picture to truly see oneself as God sees us. The word, "vermin" comes to mind. Yet St. Louis de Montfort, Thomas a Kempis, and the Bible (Psalm 141) all encourage us not only to be brutally honest in our self-assessment, but to be confident in the mercy of God. Mercy is when you get what you don't deserve. Mercy cannot be earned; it must be given. And for eternity, only Almighty God can give it.

So, visit Him, my friends. Make a well-worn path to the confessional, to adoration. Be inspired in our consecration. "Coraggio!" Have courage! Courage is not the absence of fear, but action in the face of fear. Be humble yet firm of purpose as we strive to follow this way of prayer! If you miss a day, continue to soldier on. If you forget a prayer, return to it. If you are distracted, redouble your efforts. For Jesus Himself said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God," (Luke 18:27).

And THAT is a great cause for "Thanksgiving!"

(Now do you see why Luke is my favorite Gospel!?)

Please pray for me during our Total Consecration, as you may be ever assured of my heartfelt prayers for you!

May Our Lady be your joy this Advent as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the manger and the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus!

Love,

P.S. - Just by way of coolness, I also found absolution in Latin:

Deus, Pater misericordiarum,
qui per mortem et resurrectionem Fílii sui
mundum sibi reconciliavit
et Spiritum Sanctum effudit
in remissionem peccatorum,

per ministerium Ecclesiae
indulgentiam
tibi tribuat
et pacem...

Et ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis
in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.
Amen.

"What is impossible with men is possible with God," (Luke 18:27).

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Oriens Vitualamen (Morning Offering)

2011-11-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

If your brain has as little spare room as mine, it's sometimes difficult to remember to offer up what we do throughout the day. There are many beautiful ways to consecrate one's day to the Lord from the minute your feet hit the floor, but this one is my favorite:

Our Morning Offering:

Oh my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining with it the offering of my every thought, word, and action of this day. Oh my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence and merit I can and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them to the interests of Thy Sacred Heart. Precious Blood of Jesus, save us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Amen.

And remember, as the saying goes, live your life so that when you wake up in the morning, the devil says, "Oh sh**, she's up!"

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Keys Ut Regnum (Keys to the Kingdom)

2011-11-08T00:58:00.000-05:00

My dog is a social butterfly. There is little on this earth that makes herhappier than when people come to see her, as clearly everyone must be when theyarrive at our front door. When the dooropens, she leaps about in joy, delighted that another of her People Friends hasmade her day by dropping in to say hello. Her enthusiasm bowls them over, as she covers them in kisses, tailwhirling like the blur of helicopter blades.

Thus, the joke around our house is, if it were a burglar atthe front door, she would invite them in and offer them the silver.

Despite this, however, my dog otherwise is a pretty smartcookie. It didn’t take her long, forexample, to figure out that the jingle of scooped up car keys meant theimminent solitude of her cage: abandonment. And in the worst possible form for a dog from the pound. Having lived in a cage and been abandoned toone, she never exactly has been what you would call an avid fan of cratetraining. No matter how cozy we made herlittle den, my dog never truly resigned herself to the fact that, as theunfortunate possessor of a hamster-sized bladder, she must, for the sake of thecarpet, be relegated to her Cozy CanineCubby whenever she is left alone in the house. (And no, the charming moniker did not fool her either.)

So, when my dog hears keys rattle, she knows we are about toleave. Keys, therefore, meanabandonment.

I was reminded of this last Sunday in church. My husband and I are the antithesis of mostCatholics; we make a bee-line for thefront row, right in front of the tabernacle. I want to be front-and-center with the Lord, where He can keep an eye onme and I can keep an eye on Him, with minimal distractions.

But last Sunday, this wasn’t to be.

We were running late (no surprise, with six small childrenand my perpetual vice of tardiness), so we altered our path and entered thechurch from the rear vestibule, joining other late-comers in surreptitiouslyslinking into a rear pew, mumbling and fumbling through the last verse of theopening hymn as everyone settled in.

Although it was disconcerting for me to be what felt like afootball field’s distance away from the Lord, all went well throughout the Mass-- until we stood for the closing hymn. As the cantor announced the number in the hymnal, I had to struggle tohear her voice over a different sudden chorus of sound. A chorus of jingling.

Keys.

Now, I would like to think that I am smarter than mydog. And so is God. So, it took only a moment to put two-and-twotogether for what my dog already knew: people + keys = abandonment.

Not a good position to be in with the Almighty, eh? And He is a lot smarter than me and my dog.

Barring family crisis or extenuating circumstances, let’ssee whose company we keep when we decide to nip out early on the Lord as weleave Mass:

1). Judas:Hardly a model of good manners, Judas slipped out of the Last Supper beforedessert to go finalize plans to abandon the Lord. Should we collect 30 pieces of silver alongwith the bulletin, too, then?

2). TheApostles: The apostles all made hasty retreats into anonymity as the Lord wasdragged from Gethsemane. Blessedly for us, however, all but one latersuffered martyrdom for the Faith.

3). Peter: TheRock of the Church himself abandoned the Lord, denying Him three times. Not exactly one of Peter’s more shiningmoments.

4). Thomas: Wedo not call someone a “doubting Thomas” for nothing, do we? Possibly an aspiring lawyer, Thomas demandedcold hard evidence before he would believe that a Man, whom he personally hadseen perform numerous physical and spiritual miracles, had performed theultimate miracle Himself.

Abandoned. Everysingle one of them abandoned the Lord. Yet, all the way up to the Cross, the Lord never abandoned us.

So, why do we keep abandoning Him?

Thankfully, eleven of the twelve apostles were “scaredstraight,” later spreading the Good News and, for some, even giving their livesfor Jesus and His Church.

With such sacrifice in mind, I mean, really, is it thatcritical we get out of Mass a few minutes early? Do we all have a dying parent to whose deathbed we are rushing? Do we not have amere two more minutes to sing, praise, and give thanks to the God from Whom weprofess to believe all blessings flow? Or do we have one eye on our hymnal and the other on Father to see if wecan beat him to the door. As mygrandmother used to say, “It’s not a race, you know!”

This is where our Protestant brothers and sistersexcel. They’re still enthusiasticallysinging several hymns for hours, while we’re busy watching the clock andleaving skid marks out of the church parking lot. Forget the Sign of Peace – turn on yourblinker and get out of my way, pal!

If we’re going to put an egg timer on Mass, then we’re therefor the wrong reason. Stop. Slow down. Take a deep breath. Maybe evenstick around for a few minutes and enjoy the soothing silence once the churchis almost empty. Don’t just show up andpunch in and out. Be there. Be present. Take time to be with the Lord. After all, He’s waiting there just for you.

That’s right – the Creator of the known Universe is waiting in the tabernaclejust for lil’ ole YOU! Isn’t thatgrand!?

“Ugh!” I can hear yousay. Do I sound like your mother? Maybe. Or a grouchy old harpie? Probably. But, I’ve got six young babies of my own, soI’ve already had a ton of practice in reminding little people about theimportance of our Faith, which I also frequently do not fully appreciate norutilize.

So please, remember the wisdom of a small dog: keys mean abandonment. You’re not fooling anyone, least of all theLord.

He’s a pretty smart cookie, you know.

P.S. - Please note, sadly, this beloved dog has since passed away. But, we still have our 130lb., cantankerous, grouchy, clever, perpetually hungry, protective, bear-hunting Akita. Just in case you had your eyes on the silver. ;-)

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.“Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fallinto temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matt. 26:40-41)

May Our Lady be your Joy as she leads you through the rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

NFP - Natural Family Planning

2011-10-29T00:52:00.000-04:00

I realize that hawking NFP (Natural Family Planning) here on a Catholic homeschool blog is a bit like preaching to the proverbial choir, but you never know who's out there who might read this....

A friend asked me to write the following brief article (brief? from me!? ha!) a few years ago about our successful use of NFP, and I felt called to repost it to share. Some people's mission in life is not to have children, because God has chosen another purpose for them to exemplify His greater glory. But, if you or someone you know and love is despairing of having any or more children, yet feel certain that it is God's Will for you, don't give up! Believe!

"For nothing is impossible with God!" (Luke 1:37)

Now do you see why Luke is my favorite gospel!?

Please be assured of my prayers for any of you who are searching for His Divine Will and purpose in this regard. And remember, especially during this 40 Days For Life, that adoption is an option, too!

______________________________________________

NFP ARTICLE

“Infertility.” The diagnosis is a death knell to someone whowants a large family. The fact that itis even a “diagnosis” (like terminal cancer or emphysema) is intimidating enough. But, infertility also seemingly robs one’sfuture of the dream of a family, children, grandchildren.

It is a rough pill toswallow.

I swallowed a lot of pillsafter being diagnosed with infertility. First came the vitamins and “natural” remedies. Then came endless rounds of pharmeceuticaldrugs. Finally, one day, I hadenough of being an overdosed infertility lab rat. There were plenty of children already in theworld, I thought. Let’s start buyingthem up!

And we did. We adopted a beautiful baby boy from Ukraine. Two years later, after eleven years ofmarriage, we began paperwork for a second adoption. But instead, the Lord surprised us: I became pregnant with our daughter.

Whoa.

“Pregnancy” had been deletedfrom my mental and emotional radar screen. But now.... If it could happenonce, maybe it could happen again!

Surprisingly, although raisedCatholic, I never considered Natural Family Planning (NFP) to conceive. I assumed it was a way to avoidconception, and not a very successful one at that – The Rhythm Method, mymother called it disparagingly. “Youdon’t know how many rhythm babies there are out there!” she snapped.

Thankfully, a dear friendstepped in and gave me accurate advice. And a gift – a set of NFP study materials, with the command to usethem. Following NFP, it took only onecycle for us to hit the jackpot. Ninemonths later, our third child was born.

For nothing shall beimpossible with God.

As faithful Catholics, myhusband and I were at peace using NFP, because it honors the fullness of themarriage covenant between a husband and wife, yet allows them to delay orattain pregnancy. NFP’s only drawback ispoor or inaccurate P.R. If other obstaclesto pregnancy have been ruled out for you, get an NFP counselor, get thematerials -- and believe!

“Blessedthe barren woman, if she be blameless. Better to have no children, yet to have virtue. It holds triumph through eternity, havingemerged the victor.” (from Wisdom 3:13,4:1-2)

“Behold,children are a gift of the Lord.” (Psalm 127:3)

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Basium Pro Jesu (A Kiss for Jesus)

2011-09-05T00:35:00.000-04:00

"Look-look-look!" I whispered fiercely to my toddler as he struggled up on tiptoes on the kneeler to see Father holding up the host during the consecration at Mass today.

"Look! See? See that little circle? That's Jesus! Father's holding up Jesus!" And then I whispered in my son's ear, "We love you, Jesus!" and surreptiously blew Jesus a kiss across the church, a gesture my son generously bestows on everyone he loves. Eagerly, he mimicked me.

Then my little daughter blew the moment right out of the water. "Mom!" she breathed urgently. "I have to go potty!"

Young-daughter and toddler-son in tow, we crept quickly to bathroom, where an intercom system enabled us to continue to listen to Mass. My son froze, eyes wide, fascinated.

"Who dat!?" he gasped. Then inspiration lit his face. "Dat Jesus! We love you, Jesus!" he screeched as he happily blew a kiss to the wind.

Oh, from the proverbial precious mouths of babes! Thank you, Lord, for this moment of unabashed loving joy!

"You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet." (Luke 7:45)

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Ora Pro Mater (A Prayer for Mothers)

2011-09-01T00:28:00.000-04:00

Summer has been luxurious, like a cat's long, languorous stretch in a warm sunbeam.

Alas, however, I am the mother of six Lilliputians, all but one in single digit ages and several still in diapers. Now, as we begin the homeschool year, I find myself feeling that initial shock of jumping into a cool pool and feeling the water close over my head. With that last quick intake of breath, and before the panic of lack of air sets in, I push upward immediately through the chilly depths toward air and light, gasping deeply like a landed fish when my head breaks the surface. And I realize I will survive homeschooling!

It is both a challenge and a privilege to homeschool one's children, and I remind myself often of that on good days and bad. Toward that end, I'd love to share with you a prayer, which I partially composed and keep visible on my teacher desk. I hope it brings you inspiration, solace, courage, and joy....especially on days when you'd rather be throwing a vase at the wall!

"Sweetest Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity of my high vocation and its many responsibilities. Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way to coldness, unkindness, or impatience." (1) As I respond to my children's repeated needs just one more time, fill the depths of my heart with Your Loving Concern and instill on my tongue the Wisdom of Your Words. Transform my tiredness, frustration, and anger into Your Joy, Compassion, and Love.

Sweetest Lord, "I want to do what you ask of me, in the way you ask, for as long as you ask, because you ask it." (2) Help me believe I can do what you ask me to do. Forgive me for the times when I fail. Strengthen me to rise and reach for Your Hand when I fall. Give me joy in attending to my Little Ones. As I embrace each of them, graciously infuse my anxious soul with the same quiet, peace, and surety of Your Holy Mother's Loving Embrace.

Sweetest Lord, let my feeble limitations as a parent dissipate and be swept away by your Almighty strength. Grant me the grace to live a long life of loving fidelity and generous surrender to You, through the gentle care of my children.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I Place My Trust in You!

Amen.

1 - Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

2 - Pope Clement XI

"....never tire of doing what is right." (2 Thessalonians 3:13 )

"Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart." (2 Corinthians 4:1)

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Nos Promptus Ut Rugio (Let's Get Ready to Rumble!)

2011-08-25T01:34:00.000-04:00

It can be so disheartening....

We just read on-line that an upcoming memorial service, to be held by NYC Mayor Bloomberg, commemorating the anniversary of the September 11th attacks SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES religious or clergy representatives or references. Really? Is this how we remember our loved ones and ask God to Bless America?

Subsequent to that....

We just read on-line that, due to damage sustained by the earthquake, the service for the unveiling of MLK's memorial in Washington, D.C. will be MOVED from the Episcopal National Cathedral to the Catholic Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, "the largest Catholic church in the United States and North America and one of the ten largest largest churches in the world" (sources: www.dcquake.nationalcathedral.org/ and www.nationalshrine.com). The Lord works in mysterious ways!

Let us pray for all who will be present for this service, as they suddenly find themselves present in the premier Catholic church in America, in the Eucharistic presence of Our Lord, dedicated to our country's patron saint!

May Our Lady gently move each person's heart closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

May each person be inspired by the visual homage and praise of the cathedral!

Most of all, may the Eucharistic presence of Jesus flood each person's heart with the Joy of His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity!

Vive Jesu!

"After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, â€œDo not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said." (Matthew 28:1-6a)

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

In Caelum (On Heaven)

2011-08-19T01:32:00.000-04:00

So you wanna hear today's giggle from my monkeys? We were in the van and the subject of "paradise" came up. "What's paradise?" my young son asked. "Some people think it's heaven," my little daughter immediately replied, and then excitedly continued, "And some people think it's Hawaii!"

My daughter also got a stunner this weekend when she had to use a one-room, unisex bathroom with her younger brother and my husband, and saw for the first time a urinal on the wall. "What's that!?" she asked, looking concerned as she pointed at the urinal. My son (fresh from his experience of "pee-ing like a man" for the first time on the Blue Knights camping trip with Daddy) grinned proudly and said, "That's for me and Dad. We can pee standing up!"

My daughter looked horrified. "You mean like an animal!?" she gasped.

The blessing of animals traditionally takes place in autumn, as the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is October 4^th. St. Francis's love of all God's animals is well-documented, particularly in his "Canticle of the Creatures."

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Lacrima Pro Vereor (Tears for Fears)

2011-08-04T01:31:00.000-04:00

So once again, one of my kids found her suuuuuuuuffering unimaginably interminable. You know, one of those hand-to-the-forehead, drama queen, "Woooooooooe is me!" moments (*sigh*).

"Offer it up!" I quipped (for the forty-eleventh time). This remark was met with a blank look, which definitely would have been an eye-roll-look, if eye-rolls-at-adults were allowed in our house. Which. They. Are. Not.

"Offer it up for the souls in purgatory," I continued. "Pick a soul," I added, just to make it interesting. "Pick the soul who needs one more prayer to get out. Pick the one at the end of the line who'll be locking up. Pick the youngest soul, the oldest soul, the tallest soul, the skinniest soul, the soul who has absolutely no one to pray for him, the soul with a wart on his nose, the soul with the horsey laugh....." and on I went with ever-more ridiculous characteristics, hoping to lighten my daughter's mood.

It worked. My wee banshee began to giggle and happily went about her assigned task, which moments ago had been the proverbial bane of her immediate existence.

But then my little son, just stood there looking thoughtful, then slightly concerned. "I'd pick the youngest soul," he said, tears beginning to pool in his large dark eyes. "Because he might be a little afraid to be there."

My heart dropped, my throat closed up, and I dropped to my knees on our kitchen floor to hug both these kids and thank God for them, praying we all actually might make it to heaven together some day after all.

This was a moment just too good not to share!

"He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin." (2 Maccabees 12:43-45)

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Datum Grate (Donate Happily!)

2011-07-19T01:27:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I removed the majority of our two year old's and about half of my clothes closet at 11:30p last night. I mean, seriously folks, let's be honest -- after giving birth to five of our six kids, my posterior end just is never gonna see the inside of those pants nor skirts EVER again, no matter how many pilates I do (...which, I don't do any, so that might be part of the problem. Bon-bons are not very slimming). :-)

I feel GRRRREAT! How incredibly blessed are we that I've packed up so very, very, very many clothes to donate, and yet my closet still looks "full"? The breath of fresh air space is marvelous and already I can't even remember which clothes I pitched. Many of the items are excellent quality suits and skirts from when I was gainfully employed (in another life B.C. -- Before Children), so our church's thrift shop is about to get lucky! Here's hoping this counts toward "clothing the naked". Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow! My recommendation - just do it!

"Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (II Corinthians 9:7)

"Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28-30)

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the Sacred Heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Pax Inter Mutationes (Peace Amidst Change)

2011-06-26T01:26:00.000-04:00

"Do not look forward in fear to the changes of life; rather look to them with full hope that as they arise, God, whose very own you are, will deliver you from out of them. He has kept you hitherto, and He will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in His arms. Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you everyday. He will either shield you from suffering, or He will give you strength to bear it. Be at peace and put aside anxious thoughts and imaginations." (St. Francis de Sales)

"Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but He was asleep. They came and woke Him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We are perishing!' He said to them, 'Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?' Then He got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm." (Matthew 8:24-26)

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

On Hand-Holding During the Our Father

2011-05-11T02:04:00.000-04:00

Recently, the question was raised among friends about the appropriateness of holding hands during Mass while the congregation prays the Our Father. Predictably, this potentially polarizing topic quickly stiffened more than a few spines. Could we disagree on this critical subject, yet still remain friends!?

I have too many diapers and Math tests today to share here anything more in-depth than a quick weigh-in (and lunch and laundry are right around the corner! Oy!), but here's my take on our discussion:

You see, I believe we only will benefit and increase our erudition in the Catholic Faith by learning the Church's specific intent behind the clearly articulated rubrics of the Mass, via either respectful personal discourse (as with my dear friends) or edifying dissertation.

As the highest form of prayer, the Mass deserves our highest consideration, as do our fellow Catholics who, like us, also seek to praise and worship Almighty God as He deserves. Let us be truthful yet amiable in our speech, lest we defeat the origin and fruits of our worship by allowing ourselves to degenerate into morally opprobrious conduct amidst each other.

"He gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-15)

(...my underline emphases added...)

So. That's how we discuss it. Now how do we practice it? Having just concluded the Eucharistic Prayers, during which our Lord Himself has been made Real and Truly Present on the altar, do we turn the focus on ourselves and stretch across the aisle kumbaya-fashion to hug, shake hands, fist bump, or engage in other similar gestures?

Um, no. I'm with Father Z.* on this. While the Our Father inherently unites us in Faith, the reverential aspect of the Mass demands our highest regard and obeisance. Personal interpretations of the Mass (other than ethnic/cultural variations approved by the Holy See) by priests or laity, no matter how seemingly insignificant, small, or well-meaning, whether unwitting or deliberate cozenage, are scrofulous and a slippery slope to outright heresy. And certainly no congregation specifically should be impelled to participate in a way that is not within the rubrics of the Mass.

Far more wise and saintly hearts and minds than mine have weighed in on this oftimes delicate topic, so I encourage you to research it personally, as well.

* Father John Zuhlsdorf addresses this and many other liturgical questions on his excellent blog, "Father Z's Blog - What Does The Prayer Really Say?" You can find his entry regarding the above topic at the following link: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/05/quaeritur-our-father-hand-holding-fr-z-rants/

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Meus Nomen Alexander (Call Me Alexander)

2011-02-28T00:48:00.000-05:00

Okay, folks -- in light of ACTUAL urgent prayer needs, I have the most mundane of all possible prayer requests. It's for me.

Ever read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? Yep. Well, you shoulda been at my house today. Australia was looking better and better by the minute. In the immortal words of Jimmy Buffett, "the doggies were a-yellin', the children were a-bitin'....". I am bulbous as a beach ball (baby #6 is due later this month) and just as slow, the top of my desk has disappeared beneath the layers of an avalanche of papers and "things to do", and The Shriek Scale (both for me and the kids) seems to be rising exponentially.

I'm almost looking forward to a trip to the hospital for extreme pain just to get away. After all, you get room service once the baby's born, right?

A wise woman, however (...okay, it was Amy M.), told me never to make homeschool decisions in February. Today being the last day for that injunction, I opted (with great difficulty) not to quit, but instead fed the children (didn't I just feed them yesterday?) and read to them and tucked them in w/ my strained smile and their genuine, strong, tiny, warm little hugs (....*sigh*....okay, so THAT was the good part of the day).

So. For whining publicly like this amidst my innumerable blessings, I suppose I've just earned at least another 10 years in purgatory (assuming I even make it that far). Anyone willing to toss up a few Hail Marys for me will be my hero (and my children's)! And have my eternal gratitude.

No, really. I mean it. Even in Australia.

With Love, Gratitude, and Great Mortification,

I Thank You!

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!

Beer Pro Meus Ferrum (Beer for My Horses)

2011-02-10T00:42:00.000-05:00

A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum -- we had six children! (Did you read our "About Us" tab at www.AveMomma.com? No? Go ahead. I'll wait. Really, go. I'll wait right here.)

So. Here I am, homeschooling our little sapling souls. Since our eldest child has special needs, we sometimes have a need for expensive equipment or services, so I began Ave Momma as a small way to contribute some pin money to the family fortunes (thus beer for our horses), as well as follow Our Lady of Fatima's recommendation to spread the Joy of the Rosary.

We're looking forward to sharing some uplifting thoughts with you!

Thank you for joining us on the journey!

"Happy are all who fear the LORD, who walk in the ways of God. What your hands provide you will enjoy; you will be happy and prosper: Like a fruitful vine your wife within your home, like olive plants your children around your table. Just so will they be blessed who fear the Lord." (Psalm 128:1-4)

May Our Lady be your joy as she leads you through the Rosary, ever closer to the heart of her Son, Jesus! Vive Jesu!