Saturday, February 23, 2008

Irony... gotta love it....

I've just finished, Leonie Martin, A Difficult Life (the 'more unfamiliar' of St. Therese's sisters) by Marie Baudouin-Croix and it was excellent! I love the more obscure saints! I'm reading St Therese, Her Last Conversations, now. I've had a devotion to St Therese for a couple of years. Most do, but what a family! I hope her parents are canonized this year. What books are y'all reading during Lent? This one looks to be a great one. ~ susie



Ironies of Faith

Posted Feb. 21, 2008 9:43 AM || by Dr. Jeff Mirus || category Review
First Notice of New Content + Really Enjoyable, Useful Commentary.
Sign up for Catholic Culture Insights today!

I promised to comment on Anthony Esolen’s fine book, Ironies of Faith: The Laughter at the Heart of Christian Literature, published last year by ISI Books. Esolen is a professor of literature at Providence College specializing in the classical, medieval and Renaissance periods. He translated and edited Dante’s Divine Comedy for the Modern Library edition, and he is a senior editor at Touchstone, which is alternately described as a magazine of mere Christianity and a journal of ecumenical orthodoxy. He is a Catholic and, in fact, a very deep and learned Catholic.

The great insight which it is the purpose of Ironies of Faith to explicate is that irony frequently lies at the heart of the most important insights into human life, and it is definitely and always at the heart of the Christian vision. By irony, Esolen means not mere cleverness or satire but the dramatic reversals attending the inescapable fact that we are often most ignorant just when we think we know something or, to take the reverse, those who seem most ignorant often understand reality better than those reputed to be wise. Some of the richest moments of both life and literature occur when we realize the irony in some seemingly obvious situation: again, those who claim to know are ignorant; those who appear ignorant, know.

The great debater, wit and apologist, G. K. Chesterton made a living off this essentially paradoxical nature of irony. His trademark was to turn ideas upside down, and to make the real truth blaze out just where we thought it wasn’t. Esolen doesn’t use Chesterton to illustrate his point, but many readers will see the point more clearly by thinking of Chesterton in this context. Esolen himself mines the great classics and, in so doing, provides a penetrating introduction to more than a dozen masterpieces that we might otherwise either fear to approach or fail to fully appreciate. Through authors such as Virgil, Shakespeare, Augustine, Dante, Tolkien, Manzoni, Spenser, Dostoyevsky, Dickens, and the anonymous medieval author of Pearl, Esolen highlights the ironies of time, power, love and childhood which lie at the heart of the Christian mystery.

Consider: Our Lord teaches that whoever loses his life will save it, an irony of time. St. Paul boasts of his weakness, an irony of power. The great Latin Father, Augustine, gives us an example of love's irony in this famous saying: “So great is the difference between God’s approach and man’s approach to woman, that a man’s approach makes a wife of a virgin, but God’s makes a virgin of a wife.” And Christians can never forget that the hope of the world is not a great king in the full strength of his manhood, but a little child. God, and Christians with Him, really do revel in irony. Thus the true disciple will always find joy through suffering. Persecuted and abused, he will still be both first and last to enjoy the laughter forever bubbling up from the very core not only of Christian literature but of Christian life.

Jesus praises his Father for revealing the secrets of the Kingdom not to the wise and learned, but to the little ones—the childlike. On this ironic note, I should also mention that the first part of Esolen’s book, “Humility and Vision”, provides an outstanding introduction not only to irony but to artistic (and therefore human) criticism. Esolen insists that the critic must approach the object of his interest in humility and love, that is, like a child. Otherwise, he will interpret everything by imposing his own arrogant failings on whatever he reads, indeed on everything and everyone he encounters. Esolen sees clearly that too much contemporary criticism reveals nothing more than the passions, foibles and fallacies of the interpreters. This section alone is worth the price of admission.

A point the author does not make directly (but clearly intends the reader to understand) is that irony lies also at the center of every conversion experience, great and small: In our pride, we thought we knew; but we were blind, and now we see. For this reason, the reader can draw not only intellectual but spiritual profit from the book. If you love great literature and wish to understand both literature and life in a more deeply and essentially Christian way, you owe it to yourself to read Anthony Esolen’s Ironies of Faith.

[Anthony M. Esolen, Ironies of Faith: The Laughter at the Heart of Christian Literature, ISI Books, Wilmington DE, 2007. 412 pp. Paper $14.40; Cloth $22.40 from ISI Books; also available on Amazon.]

Friday, February 15, 2008

Can we "take one for Jesus?"...


While listening to Dr. Ray's brilliant monologue this past Wed. a line he said during the last 5 minutes of the program just stuck in my head: "He wasn't just critiqued." Sometimes a word or phrase just sticks and I know there's more below the surface. Doc made me think we really need to "suck it up," "shake it off" and . . .

Take One for Jesus

He wasn't just critiqued but He was crucified
Jesus did only good and still He had to die
I try to follow him and claim to and yet
I've such thin skin I can't forget
A harsh word spoken by my tired spouse?
Or an unkind word heard at a friend's house?
I've become so prickly, I'm all 'needles and pins'
And to be quite honest, I don't resemble Him
He stood before his accusers, silent as a lamb
Yet I lash out a retort just as quick as I can?
When I don't get my way and my needs aren't met
I'm seldom found silent because... "I need to vent!"
Mary didn't lash out at those who lashed Her dear Son
She remained silent, too, and like Him, she was dumb
Jesus told us we're going to be hated the same
I wonder when we'll believe Him and realize His Name
Is more than a slogan on a tee shirt we wear
It means going the distance because "life isn't fair"
We're going to be hated and not given respect
But I've never been spit upon for my beliefs yet
I might receive an odd glance or some crude remarks
But nothing like the sword that pierced Mary's heart
We're too slow to forgive, muttering under our breath
I say we "take one" for Jesus, 'cause it's a far cry from death


susie melkus
02-13-08

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

I flu the coop...

And don't I wish I looked this good being sicker than a dog.... give me a break! Does anyone else out there agree that this chick looks like Tara King of Avengers fame? I know TJ's old enough to remember that fine Brit series. I was such a Emma Peel fan, that I never liked any of the others. They say we all have a twin.... I found Linda Thorson's!

No, I'm not actually breaking my blog fast rule or, am I? Well so what if I am... I'm not seeking prayers, for I'm on the mend, but just so you know, if anyone else has started their Lent with the flu, I'm in solidarity with you, my brothers and sistas! : ) And to let you all know, my hubby's a SAINT and has taken care of me so lovingly since Sat night! I offered this last 4 days Sat and Sun and yesterday wracked with more aches and pains than I've had in years, (not relaying that info for sympathy) for my priest friend, Fr. G and for the poor souls. Especially those of Priests and Religious. Not to get sympathy, far from it, but to encourage each of you to really "offer up" that suffering, no matter how big or small and enter those 5 sacred wounds. A term I am discovering and learning about for my life. What I've learned by reading about St Margaret Mary during this time, has been enlightening, too. These dear Saints did not grumble to God incessantly about their sufferings, but seemed to long for more! Crazy! For me, that's a BIG goal and my main aspiration. To not complain. I only said "sh*t" once when trying to turn over Saturday night, so I was as amazed as my hubby's been!

If you're blessed enough to have a spouse to care for you when you're sick, hug them and thank them. If you don't have a spouse, don't bemoan that, but thank Jesus that He can be your Companion and "ALL FOR YOU" Let Jesus be your Spouse, even if you aren't a "religious" per se. He IS our Lover, our Husband, and our Brother, and Friend, and when we unite the pain in our body or our emotions with the pain of His in Gethsemane or on Golgotha, we share deep and profound intimacy. Listen to that Precious Sacred Heart, I have to trust that only "GOOD" will come of it. NO matter how we fail in our attempt to bear patiently our trials. That Sacred Heart's beating just for you and your loved ones. Don't fear, but give it all to God and let that intense flame consume you, too. You might not know what's going on for a while, and maybe won't until Kingdom come, but waiting in that Heart will ignite a brighter flame in you, and maybe be that spark for someone else you may never have noticed or discovered before. Now my little 'Lenten cheating' is done.

Back in 33.




Can I recollect a face or what? : )

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Why do they cover images and crosses? And,..see y'all in 40 days!


For the answer, click here.

I pray for you all to have a Happy and Blessed Lent, all my fellow Catholic bloggers and all my visitors. No matter what faith community you are from, know you're welcome here and at all our blogs. Let's pray for unity in charity, and that as we enter into this Lenten season, that we'll grow closer to Christ, and as many Catholics know, we grow much closer to Him when we grab hold of His and our Mama's hand. She always is there to take us to her Son. "To Jesus Through Mary." I hope to read more, love more, learn more, give more, write more, listen more, speak less and pray more, adore Him more and when I return to this blog in 40 days, I'll hope to be a brighter light for Christ and HIS CHURCH, both of which I desperately need, and long to love more deeply.

PAX Christi, bloggers,

susie

P.S. I will probably be adding some poetry to my other blog during these 40 days, if anything so inspires me, so take a peek there now and then. I will be 'glancing' around the blogosphere checking in on y'all from time to time, and perhaps commenting here and there, but my "daily blogging frenzy" is taking a nice long fast! Pray for me. I'll pray for you.

JPII we love you! Pray for us Papa!

What were you doing when you were 12?...

Well, for starters, I wasn't being beheaded for Christ and His Church. I was more than likely waiting for a new BeaTle album to come out and wishing I had a horse...

Thank God for so many faithful who did give up their lives, and who NOW, even as I type, are praying for us as we live our lives in whatever state or country. I know many martyrs are still being tortured for their faith in many parts of the world. Yet, what is Faith, if it's not entirely True Truth? And where is that entire Truth found if not in His Church? We're to worship in Spirit and in Truth. Not part truth, but all truth and truth isn't relative or subjective, but TRUTH is objective and complete and never changing. For He is Truth and left us a Church where the Fullness of Truth is. We were not and are not orphans, left by Christ to "find our way" stumbling around from 'church' to 'church, ' 'fellowship to fellowship' constantly trying to find the "perfect fit." Where it's all "about us."

No, Jesus in His Infinite wisdom left us a physical as well as a spiritual entity, a Church, with authority to guide and lead us in matters of faith and morals...dare I say, perfectly? Does that mean everyone in this Church does so? Heck no. Since its inception, being in the hands of humans, with flaws, weaknesses, and a sinful 'bent' things can get pretty mixed up and need reforming. Reform yes. Divorce? No. Luther got it wrong there and how! Now some 33,000 new sects, denominations later, all disagreeing on EVERY matter of doctrine, except what's been come to be known as "the essentials, the basics." What are those, if we can't agree on baptism for Heaven's sake? As for me and my house, we will be Catholic, never to roam from Rome again!


Photobucket


January 21 was the Feast of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr I'm a bit late, but just a while ago I read this and had to acknowledge this remarkable and holy, heroine of our Faith. St Agnes, pray for us! ~ susie

St. Agnes (c. 304) like St. Cecelia, is to be numbered among the most famous martyrs of Rome. When the Diocletian persecution was at its height, and when priests as well as laymen were apostatizing from the faith, Agnes, a girl of twelve, freely chose to die for Christ. When she was commanded to offer incense to false gods, she raised her hand to Christ and made the Sign of the Cross. When the heathens threatened to bind her hand and foot, she herself hastened to the place of torture as a bride to her wedding feast. Pain had no terror for her—although the fetters slipped from her small hands while even the pagan bystanders were moved to tears. When the son of the Roman prefect offered to marry her, she replied: "The one to whom I am betrothed is Christ Whom the angels serve." When the executioner, who was to behead her, hesitated, she encouraged him with the words: "Strike, without fear, for the bride does her Spouse an injury if she makes Him wait". The name of "Agnes" means "lamb-life," and hence the lamb is the symbol of the modesty and innocence of the virgin-martyr.

Seen any good movies lately?

H/t again, Fr. Art. I'm lifting stuff off your "my space" like crazy! Do I need to confess this? : )

Just a few words...



h/t to Father Art

Monday, February 04, 2008

What my sins did...and yes, what my sins still do

not only to my Lord, Jesus, but to His Mother, my "Mama, Mary"...

h/t TJ for this sobering, and as I said in your com box, heart-wrenching picture.

Fr. Damien Cook of St Peter, Omaha, said this Sunday at Pro Sanctity's afternoon of honoring Our Lady of Trust feast. (my paraphrase) "When Jesus was stabbed by the spear of the soldier, he was already dead and didn't feel the pain of that stab, but who did? Mary, His Mother."

Mary felt that excruciating pain "full force" in her heart, just as Simeon prophesied at the Presentation of our Lord. Looking at this scene, with Mary lying on the ground, overcome by a pain so severe, it just 'gets me'....in my own heart. God forgive us. Mama Most Holy forgive us for killing your Son, and causing you such a deep and most severe grief and heartache.

Say "hi" to William....

Great blog and conversion story, and post on "When Family Members Convert." Chock-full o' stuff. Interesting and fun place to spend, waste or more violently "kill some time." GORF anyone?






Just for you, William. : )

"I did it my way" or "Have it your way" but what about THE WAY?



These are related to the post below.

My unsent reply to a friend's statement...

My friend wrote me this reply to an email I sent her. If anyone out there can comment or help me give a reply to her statement, I'd be grateful. I didn't write this with any 'arrogant' tone or thought. I don't know if she'd read it with that understanding, however. I'm not trying to be argumentative toward her, but she's very "proud" of her beliefs and much of those contain an adamant dislike of "authority" as most American Evangelicals seem to cherish. She, to her credit, has stood up for Catholics against Protestants, but also made it clear she stood up for Protestants against those more "ritual focused" folk. (whatever that means?)

Be it Sinatra, "I did it my way" approach to life, or the ever-popular and tasty "Burger King theology" of "Have it your way" are strong and running rampant all over the Protestand/Evangelical fray and why deep down I believe I was starving so ....but I digress. (as much as I like Sinatra and a char-broiled burger, it doesn't cut it when it comes to worshiping in Spirit and in TRUTH) but I digress again.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I'm waiting to hear back from Father Felix on this one. But I admire all of your Cathlolic insight as well. ~ susie

J. wrote: "No one denomination has all the Truth; even if one started out with it, our human-ness has made some serious un-Truth adjustments."

Me again: "Trinity" below, refers to our former fellowship/faith community, that's going through major turmoil and is splitting even as I type, into at least two more smaller 'churches.' The irony of it all....at one time, most members were in "agreement" and committed to following God's Word, as it says' in the tagline on the website. I know Pastor Les is sincere and most are dear, devout loving Christians, and good, well-meaning folks,but then, things began to 'change' as things so often do. So without the fullness of TRUTH and an apostolic Authority, we watch yet another large "mega cookie" crumble and many hurt people left wondering "where to go" now. So very sad. It really is so very sad. Many are now angry and others apathetic, and who knows where those souls will wander off to next. God forbid it's to yet another "man" or "woman" and her interpretation of the Word of God. I pray for them. Please pray for them, too. Especially Pastor Les. He's got a great heart and true passionate love for Jesus. How I'd love to see him on The Journey Home! How Mary and Jesus would love that, too! JMJ pray for us!

My as of yet, unsent thoughts:

That's right...no one "denomination" has all the Truth. But then some think they know what the Truth is. Like Trinity now, half think they're right and leave and half think they're right and stay. Who's right? What's the "truth" about that situation? Why another major split? Trinity Interdenom doesn't have the fullness of Truth, that's for sure, but neither does any other denom out there. I think 33,000 splits and factions determines that easily enough. HOWEVER, Jesus did build a Church not churches. Before there was one denominatinon there was the Catholic Church. The early Church fathers attest to that. They being first generation disciples of the FIRST disciples, that Jesus "hand-picked" (and a motley crew he chose!) flawed and sinful. Peter the leader, denied Him, Judas in his human-ness sold him for some quick cash, they all deserted him in his final hours, (all but Mary that is, but that's for another day.) The disciples of John and Peter, however, I would venture to say, must have had it right. More right than "Joe Blow" or Joel Osteen does.

Those early fathers certainly didn't go off the rails only to have someone come along 1500 years later (Luther) and 'get it right.' That's not logical and doesn't hold even a drop of water. And no one else could come along 2000 years later, Pastor Murdoch or whoever, start a 'home church' in Omaha or elsewhere and 'get it right.' Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church. Well, that would lead me to ask, "Was he right?" If our sinful, weak, flawed human-ness could in "truth" cause HIS Church to "go off the rails" and "go wrong" and "flub up to such a degree" that would thus make Jesus a liar, which of course we know He's not.


That same Catholic Church has stood the test of time for 2000 years, not bending one iota to the whims of the age, any age, in faith and morals. So many "denoms" have crumbled and succombed to the world and secular thought, it's down right scary! That Truth, the Fullness of Truth, is found in the Catholic Church, for that is what the Catholic Church says, claims and teaches. No other denomination makes that claim. Now, reasonably and logically speaking that's either true, or it's not. Either the Church is lying or it's not. Like C.S. Lewis said about Jesus, either he was a lunatic, a liar, or the Lord. There's no "middle-ground" when it comes to the Truth. Jesus did indeed build a Church that wouldn't crumble, or collapse like a deck of cards, but would in fact REMAIN for all time and eternity, or... He screwed up and we're all nuts.

Like Rich says so brilliantly, "It's, [i.e. the Catholic Church] not denominational or "inter-denominational" but PRE-denominational." And I add, the most MEGA Church on the planet. It's so "mega" it has parishes to contain all it's members! Sweet. ONE MIND, ONE BODY, ONE CHURCH,ONE BAPTISM, ONE FAITH....ONE. with many a flawed, sinful, weak, stubborn, orthodox and unorthodox, right wing, left wing, wheat and tares. A most motley group of souls that are growing along side each other as they did from it's inception. ONE day, they'll be divided, but until then, HIS CHURCH will prevail against the gates of Hell and He'll be with Her always, like He said, unto the end of time

I notice Ray Mayhew's been reading the Early Church fathers. He wrote me a nice email about my interest in his very cool website. I gave him a couple of links to peruse and he thanked me for them, since he's always looking for more informative websites. Those are Mike's blog, and St Paul Center.


susie
--
"If you're not a thorn in somebody's side, you aren't doing Christianity right." Mother Angelica

Let's get this straight...She's our Mother, not an idol. Got it? Get it? Good!



No, we as Catholics do not worship Mary. We honor, revere, respect, venerate her. (none of which means "worship"...look 'em up if you don't believe me) Why, even the Angel of the Lord, called her "Hail! Full of Grace." Question: Was the Angel of the Lord, Gabriel, worshiping Mary?? Was he wrong to call her Full of Grace? That's her name, well, one of them, so if you want to argue with the Angel of the Lord, go ahead. But please, don't accuse us of worshiping Mary when we don't. Catholics revere her for being the Mother of God. For Jesus was/is God, incarnate...so....logic should fill the minds God gave us, and dictate that indeed, Mary IS the Mother of God. Not that she was/is before God the Father. So don't let the Protestant/Evangelical knee jerk reaction rob you of contemplating her role as the "First Disciple" of Christ. For that is what she was. And maybe, just maybe, take this time, where ever you are, and say a prayer, to Jesus...asking Him to put a love for HIS OWN MOM in your heart, and then ask Mary to be "your Mama" too. She'd love to take you closer to Jesus. For if we love the mother's of our friends, and we grow closer to our friends on earth by knowing and loving their mothers, if that expands our relationships with our dear friends on earth, how much more would knowing, loving, caring for Mary expand our relationship with Jesus? Some food for thought.

This song is so soothing and beautiful, just like our Mother, Mary. She's your Mother, too. Why don't you just rest in that, love her and let her point you and take you to Jesus, for that is what she's always done, and is still doing today.

Jesus is our brother, we all agree on that, right? Logic then should thus prevail and ask this question... Doesn't that make Mary our Mother? Yes. It does. Jesus gave Mary to us all, the entire Church, when he gave her to John at the foot of the cross, where they both stood and watched Jesus die. John is symbolic of The ONE CHURCH. I am now so grateful to be back in the ONE TRUE CHURCH, and to KNOW Mary is my Mama. What a gift from Jesus to us!! This song was my prayer this morning. Let it be yours, too, and let Mary's love take you even closer to Jesus. Closer to His Heart than you've ever been. For they were meshed, melded, ONE in their Hearts and always forever will be! That's what takes place when you get to know Mary, you'll know Jesus even more! Know Mary, Know Jesus.

So, let us all say "yes" to Christ, to Honor our Mother as Jesus did, for he knew the 4th commandment and obeyed it. Let us begin to follow her most holy example today and say "yes,Lord" "Be it done unto me according to Your Word." No matter what may befall, with His love in our hearts, we will prevail,as the Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us! ~PAX CHRISTI

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Sobering words from the readings today...

February 3, 2008
_______________________________________________________________

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Zep 2:3; 3:12-13

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth,
who have observed his law;
seek justice, seek humility;
perhaps you may be sheltered
on the day of the LORD’s anger.

But I will leave as a remnant in your midst
a people humble and lowly,
who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD:
the remnant of Israel.
They shall do no wrong
and speak no lies;
nor shall there be found in their mouths
a deceitful tongue;
they shall pasture and couch their flocks
with none to disturb them.

The bold above is mine.

I read that in the sanctuary before Mass this morning. It just struck me about how even the humble who've kept the law, seek justice, seek humility PERHAPS will be "sheltered" or "saved" on the day of the Lord's anger. Not something I relished reading, I have to be honest. I am FAR away from seeking humility, justice, obeying and keeping God's law...but I hope and pray to be found humble and WITH faith when the Lord does return, as KING and I meet Him as JUDGE.


If even the elect are barely saved, what does that say? What does that mean? It does cause me to tremble, to WORK OUT my salvation WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. I too often get complacent, and settle for mediocrity in my life and my walk with the Lord. I must stay fervent in the FIRE of FAITH, in the FIRE of HIS LOVE, in the FIRE of cleansing, to CONFESS my sins to the priest God has given me, to be my Shepherd.

I didn't go yesterday to reconciliation. I wanted to, and 'felt' like it, but in the end, I didn't go. I made a choice not to go. Now, I'm not an over-scrupulous person, and don't want to beat myself up over every single thing I do or don't do, and become despairing of holiness. However, I must know this, my heart can be MOST DECEITFUL! It can take me down a wrong path so easily, in my thought life, long before I go down a literal path of destruction. So, here's my thought. If we're too presumptuous about our relationship with God, as at times, I know I have been...will I be able to escape His righteous anger? No. For God resists the proud, but lifts up the humble and gives ear to their cries/prayers.

So if I say "BUT GOD, the priest you gave me was too busy and didn't (As in the Garden of Eden) when Adam blamed God for giving him Eve, who 'did him wrong' and Eve blamed the Serpent, the Devil himself, and she didn't get off scot free, WHO AM I to think I can live as I please and do what I want, when I want, and think God won't mind, because He 'thinks just like me?!!" I could echo Adam and say, "God the husband you gave me didn't understand me." The boss you gave me never gave me a raise." "The house I live in is so small and not as nice as my friends" yada yada yada .... you know the drill. Complaining. That didn't make points with God in the desert, as those that did it found they became fodder for terra firma! Who do I think I am when I grumble and feel still so snug and safe in my "salvation" when I start making God in my image? JMJ pray for me! Pray for us to be faithful to our calling in life, no matter what it is. I am sometimes afraid of failing, but please, don't let me fall away. I know I can only fail when I truly am too blind to see my own sin, and yet see with eagle's eyes the sins of others. That will be a day too frightening to ponder, ...but I'm thinking I'd better ponder it, and I'd better examine my conscience a lot more than I do. Not to be a worry wart, but I sometimes think it might be better to some extent to be a "worry wart" about my salvation, than a proud so&so who's too confident to ponder it at all!

Please visit Mark's blog for more about the New Mother Teresa...

Send Me Daughters

PERHAPS it’s because she’s about the same height. Maybe it’s because her order is seeking the helpless. Whatever it is, when I met Mother Paul Marie, she reminded me of Mother Teresa. Indeed, her territory is the "new streets of Calcutta."

Read more… »

Blessing of throats... Saints are just so cool!


Today at Mass, we had our throats blessed, and all our priests and Mike, a deacon, were there to bless us, along with St Blaise. Fr. Shane told us about this blessing and about St. Blaise's connection to healing of throats, due to blessing a young tot who was choking on a fish bone. I had that happen to me when I was 5, when we lived in Michigan, and it was the scariest thing that I recall happening to me as a kid. I thought I was going to die. But I wonder if maybe St Blaise was there to deliver me from the fish bone stuck in my throat? I wasn't a Catholic kid and knew nothing about Saints, but one must wonder if they're all sent by God to go and perform miracles for everyone...and to be part of that long journey Home to Rome, where all roads lead. Thinking about that experience now kind of makes me really wish we'd have been Catholic all of our lives. I wonder...would I have left the Church for the "happy clappy" fellowships for 26 years? I don't know and shouldn't look back with regrets, as my journey has been a good one, well, at least it's brought me back to Holy Mother Church, but, like my friend, TJ...I do sort of feel 'cheated' to some extent.

HOWEVER, we are never "too late" if we have breath and jump that Tiber and cross that Threshold of St Peter's...never too late if we indeed respond to the grace of God poured out to us as we're searching so diligently for Truth. That's the most wonderful and glorious thing, God is there, Mary is there, our Lord Jesus is THERE, all waiting for us, never accusing or belittling us for taking so long to come Home. Just welcoming us with every ounce of LOVE they have, which is every drop of purest Blood Jesus shed on that cross, and now gives us to drink at Mass every day. I'm almost too overwhelmed to type about it anymore. I need to pause and ponder. ~ PAX

Need a rosary?


Great place to view some made by monks in England. Of course, there are many places they're made here in the States, but nothing like spreading the Love of God to our brothers all over the globe! PEACE~

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Correction...

Scott informed me below that the prayer I'd posted as by Apollonia wasn't by her, but by Apollonius. I got the information all here and it's no wonder I was a bit confused, since it's all listed under Apollonia. ?? Anyway, I thank my visitor for his vigilance. I like that in a person! : )

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta13.htm

St Apollonia...


Prayer to Practice What Jesus Taught

O Lord Jesus Christ, grant us a measure of your Spirit. Help us to
obey your teaching,
soothe anger,
cultivate pity,
overcome desire,
increase love,
cast off sorrow,
sun vainglory,
renounce revenge,
and not be afraid of death.
Let us ever entrust our spirit to the everlasting God who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and rules forever and ever. Amen.

St Apollonius of Rome, Senator, Apologist and Martyr (not by St Apollonia)

I was doing a Google search to find the Patron St. of teeth/ tooth pain for a new visitor to my blog who's suffering severe pain from an abscessed tooth. I then found this prayer by St. Apollonia and thought it much too beautiful not to post.

St. Apollonia, pray for Kim and for us as we suffer various pains, trials, sorrows, sicknesses. Thank you! Amen!

And I ask you other bloggers to please pray for Kim, too. Tooth pain can be excruciating. Pray for her too, as she is honestly seeking more of the deeper Truth of her Christian faith. She's only just visited me today and I found out from her profile that we share a mutual fondness for Jeeves & Wooster, (as well as the Early Church Fathers) so thank you for your prayers for Kim. If you can, stop over and say "hello" and see her lovely, welcoming blog. I know mouth/tooth pain can be a real pain after a gum graft 8 years ago! After the nitrous wore off, it was pretty darn uncomfortable for a few days!

Be sure to check out the Early Church Fathers link above. I just found it today and it's very interesting.

A Prayer for Vocations...



Hail Mary, full of grace;
all generations call you blessed.
Hail Mother of God;
when asked by the angel to bear
the Son of the Most High,filled with faith,
you responded:"Let it be done unto me."
Holy Mother of Jesus,
at the wedding feast at Cana,
you prompted your Son
to perform his first sign.
Be with us as we discern our life's work
and guide us in the way we are called
to followin the footsteps of your Son.
Holy Mother of the Savior,
at the foot of the cross
you mourned the death of your only Son.
Bless and embrace the loving parents
of all priests,deacons, brothers and sisters.
Holy Mother of the Good Shepherd,
turn your motherly care to this nation.
Intercede for us to the Lord of the
harvestto send more laborers to the
harvest in this land dedicated to your honor.
Queen of Peace, Mirror of Justice,
Health of the Sick, inspire vocations in our time.
Let the word of your Son be made flesh anew
in the lives of persons anxious to proclaimthe
good news of everlasting life.

Amen.

For more wonderful prayers for vocations.

Every first Saturday at the Holy Family Shrine, we have mass and exposition and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and pray for vocations in Omaha. If you don't have this, maybe talk to your priest and see if he can do this, and ask prayer warriors to attend either in spirit or physically. Fr. Sohm is dedicated and committed to this every first Sat. This was his hope and 'vision' to do this, so we are so blessed to have his faithful, prayerful and holy heart in our community!

We all need to 'storm heaven' for vocations for we need many more priests and religious~ support and pray for your priest...Our Mother loves her dear priest sons and we need to pray for them every day! Their lives do burn out before God's Holy Shrine...they spend and consume themselves for souls ...yours and mine.