Time to Bombard the Heavens!

Help! I Need A Flying Novena to Fly to Memphis 

When Blessed Mother Teresa needed extra graces, and needed them fast, she would pray a Flying Novena. Turns out, I could use some extra graces to get me to the Women's Morning of Spirituality in Memphis.

Picture Title: Walking in Metuchen on a Snowy Day

Now, when I first heard of this notion of a Flying Novena, I was excited for two reasons. Number one, I love Blessed Mother Teresa. Two years ago she was my patron saint for the year and as I look back, it was one of the most spiritual years for me and oddly—though not to Mother Teresa—it was a year in which I spread the message of consecration to Jesus through Mary around the country. Number two, it's a perfect novena for busy person, because it is quick and simple!

Blessed Mother Teresa's Flying Novena consisted of nine Memorares in a row, and then get this—she'd add a tenth one in thanksgiving for the intention she KNEW the Blessed Mother would lay before her Son and her Son would answer. So cool!

On Friday, I am heading to Memphis for the Women's Morning of Spirituality, where they are expecting 1,200 women coming together to praise the Lord, rejoice in their gifts as women and grow in their faith. That means, I get to leave the frozen tundra of Minnesota for the balmy temps of Memphis, but there appears to be a little caveat—they just predicted 12 inches of snow would cover Minneapolis this afternoon. Therefore, I'm inviting you to join me in a Flying Novena.

So, as the skies begin to bombard us with snowflakes, let us bombard the heavens with prayer!

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

THE WAY OF BEAUTY

THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC

THEME: TIME AND OTHER CREATURES

FOCUS OF THE MEDITATION: All creatures form the least to the greatest belong to God, yet God is the only absolute. Reverence for creatures can lead us closer to the Lord

Ludovico Carracci

Vatican Museums' Pinacoteca

Circa 1586

"All the drama and contradiction of the heroic event recorded in the book of Genesis on The Sacrifice of Isaac gets concentrated here into this painting by Ludovico Carracci. Both in the story and with this painting, Abraham is regarded as a strong figure."

"Notice how Abraham is looking upward, his gaze focused on God. Even though his grief must have been great as it reflected his love for his own son, Abraham did not turn toward creatures, but to the Lord. Like our father of faith, we need to look to the Lord in order to clearly see the things of the earth."

"We must be willing to submit our plans to the Lord, even when we are asked to give up our most cherished creatures and loves in order to follow God's path."

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION

Genesis 22:1-19

After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 

He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori′ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off.

Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.”

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.

And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will provide;[a] as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”

So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.

PRAYER AND REFLECTION

"Who or what do you treasure most in your life? Have there been moments when God has called you to loosen your grip pin earthly treasures in order to embrace divine goodness?"

The comments above are taken from Meditations on Vatican Art by Fr. Mark Haydu. To truly enter into this Visio Divina, I suggest purchasing the book as each masterpiece comes with a complete description, prayer and reflection, and spiritual exercise.

The Way of Beauty

ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN

THEME: We are stewards of creation

FOCUS OF THE MEDITATION: In the Garden, God named out firsts parents as stewards of creation. Though beings made in the image and likeness of our Creator, we are yet creatures among creatures. We are to love God above all creation, but we may do so likewise through our care for the animals and the earth in its proper order. A profound acceptance is necessary, as we are to love the earth and all it contains in relationship to God.

Peter Wenzel

Vatican Museums' Pinacoteca

Acquired by the Pope Gregory XVI in 1831

"In this idyllic landscape of Adam and Eve in the Garden, Peter Wenzel magnificently depicts the harmony and multiplicity of all God's creatures."

"Our senses find in this image a perfect habitat of protection, freedom, and communion with creation and Creator.. And at the center we see Adam and Eve. Traditional farm animals are nearby, with domesticated creatures including man's best friend at Adam's right hand, with a cat sitting at his feet."

"Like our first parents, we are not alone in our search for God. For God is gifting us at every moment with life, relationships, and the magnificence of creation. The beauty of the earth reflects the glory of God in order to lead us back to him."

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION

Genesis 1:26-31

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 

And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." 

And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 

And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. 

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

PRAYER AND REFLECTION

"All humans are loved by God. Do you revere God in the face of others in yur life? Have you gossiped about or slandered others? How might you change behaviors that are self-centered or hurtful toward others or yourself?"

The comments above are taken from Meditations on Vatican Art by Fr. Mark Haydu. To truly enter into this Visio Divina, I suggest purchasing the book as each masterpiece comes with a complete description, prayer and reflection, and spiritual exercise.

THE WAY OF BEAUTY

Vision of St. Francis

THEME: God created us for a mission

FOCUS OF THE MEDITATION: By fulfilling our unique role in God's plan, we hope to recognize and embrace our individual paths to heaven endowed with the theological virtues—faith, hope, and love.

Vision of St. Francis

Pietro da Cortona

Circa 1641

"What is our purpose and what prompted God to create each of us? The answer is simple—God has created us for heaven. You have one goal, one dream, and one destiny: to be with God, who loves you for all eternity in heaven."

"In this gorgeous image by Pietro da Cortona, we view all the splendor of heavenly treasure, Jesus Christ, set amid a luminous cloud of glory."

"In the center of the painting, we see St. Francis reaching out to take the Child from Mary's hands... Francis is a mirror of our prayers. Like us, he has little to offer but everything to gain." This act of Jesus extending his plump little hand "represents how Christ longs to reach out to us in prayer by coming into our hearts and abiding there with light and love."

 

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION

Mark 10:17-22

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.  

You know the commandments: ‘Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”

And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth.”

And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

PRAYER AND REFLECTION

"Is God calling you today for a special mission or purpose? Keep in mind that no job is too small in the sight of God."

"Make a ist of your gifts and thank God for giving them to you. Ask God to help nurture your creativity and light, that you might share generously with other the life that you have been given."

The comments above are taken from Meditations on Vatican Art by Fr. Mark Haydu. To truly enter into this Visio Divina, I suggest purchasing the book as each masterpiece comes with a complete description, prayer and reflection, and spiritual exercise.

Goodness Always Tends to Spread

"Goodness always tends to spread. Every authentic experience of truth and goodness seeks by its very nature to grow within us, and any person who has experienced a profound liberation becomes more sensitive to the needs of others. As it expands, goodness takes root and develops. If we wish to lead a dignified and fulfilling life, we have to reach out to others and seek their good. In a sense, several sayings of St. Paul will not surprise us: "The love of Christ urges us on' (2 Cor 5:14); 'Woe to me if I do not proclaim the Gospel'" (1 Cor 9:16). (The Joy of the Gospel, paragraph 9)

I always joke that someday I'm going to give a talk called, "Suffering is Like Being Pregnant." Now, for many that is true. My dear cousin Jenny suffered greatly through her pregnancies, yet the end result was two beautiful girls. But that's not where my mind is going when I'm thinking of the connection here.

If you've ever been pregnant, you'll understand. If not, bear with me and perhaps you'll find the equivalent in your life. (If you're guy, that equivalent might just be your Harley!)

The moment you find out your pregnant, everything changes. For example, the first time you go to the grocery store after learning you are pregnant, what do your see? Pregnant people EVERYWHERE! Why is that? Is it because all of a sudden everyone decided this was the right time to have a baby? Is it because you have gone to the grocery store exactly 9 months after a major power outage? No! It's because when you're pregnant, you notice all the pregnant people around you. When you are carrying life within you, you have a heightened awareness of others carrying life within them. The same happens with suffering. When we are suffering, we are naturally more in tune to the suffering of others. I think this too is what the Holy Father is talking about when he said, "... and any person who has experienced a profound liberation becomes more sensitive to the needs of others." Sometimes that liberation can come from being in the midst of our own pain. 

For example,  have you ever been hurting and yet felt compassion for someone whose pain or suffering you perceived is far worse than yours? I'm sure we all have. We could have a horrible day or be going through some rough times, and then we see that story on the news. The story of the little child fighting cancer, or the young father of five who died in the line of duty, or those suffering the terrible effects of a fatal storm. And we look at those people and our heart aches and we may even say, "I'm hurting, but nothing as bad as that. God bless them." When you react that way, you are reacting with your heart and what you're heart is experiencing is mercy.

Mercy is love when it encounters suffering and there seems to be something to the fact that we are more merciful when we ourselves are aware that we have been the recipient of mercy.

Now, just think what the world would be like if people really understood that we are all the recipients of the greatest of all mercy—God's Divine Mercy. Something tells me that once people realize that the greatest love of all was nailed on a cross for our suffering and salvation—people would be much more merciful, much more sensitive to the needs of others. And from that mercy, that act of love, goodness would take root, develop and spread.

It appears that what the world need now, is love sweet love... in the form of mercy.

Thank You St. Louis... and St. Charles!

Speaking to 800+ Women on Fire for their Faith 

A special "Thank You" to all the planners, organizers, volunteers, sponsors, workers and participants of the Catholic Women for Christ conference in St. Louis this past weekend! It was truly a blessing to be with you and an honor to share how we, as beautifully gifted women, can share the JOY of the GOSPEL and live the JOY of CHRIST!

I thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality. I thank you for your laughter, your passion, your tears, your words of encouragement and your chocolate. Thank you for feeding and nurturing me with your witness and desire to grow ever closer in your relationship with the Lord. 

Remember ladies, this is OUR FIAT—Mary shared her YES with us— and she did it in haste, because she knew we would "relate" and share the JOY with others in the same way. So, "go therefore and make disciples of all nations!" (I believe this is where the Blessed Mother would say, "You go girl!") 

May the Lord bless and keep you as you continue on this journey!

THE WAY OF BEAUTY

THE CREATION OF ADAM

THEME: The creation of man

FOCUS OF THE MEDITATION: God, I came from you, live in you, and am going to you. I am yours, you are mine

The Creation of Adam

Michelangelo

Sistine Chapel

Circa 1511-1512

"Regard how God holds the sphere of the world in this pairing, how it rests secure."

Notice how Rapael depicts the "Triune God as an eternal relationship of love, a divine family where the Father is over all and in all. The Son is sent from the Father into the world through the Virgin Mary who adores him among the hosts in this fresco…. The Holy Spirit is represented here as the dove, the peacemaker and Sanctifier who leads us into all truth."

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION

Jeremiah 1:15

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you

before you were born I dedicated you

a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

Psalm 139:13-14

You formed my inmost being;

you knit me in my mother's womb.

I praise you, because I am wonderfully made;

wonderful are your works!

My very self you know.

PRAYER AND REFLECTION

"How is God's creative loving hand present in your life now? Where do you need the Lord's presence more?"

The comments above are taken from Meditations on Vatican Art by Fr. Mark Haydu. To truly enter into this Visio Divina, I suggest purchasing the book as each masterpiece comes with a complete description, prayer and reflection, and spiritual exercise.

The Greatest Age

The very moment your child is born the phrase, “This is the greatest age” becomes common place in your inner thoughts and frequent in your conversations with other parents. That first week when your little newborn cocoons herself from breast to shoulder… to the first giggle (who cares if it’s gas)… to the moment she sleeps through the night… to the first time you hear the words, “MaMa” out of her precious little mouth, all of these moments are monumental in the eyes of a parent.

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And, just when you thought it couldn’t get better, that little helpless baby becomes a little helpful being who talks and walks and offers to dress herself, not caring that the hand-me-down hunting boots don’t really go with the pink tutu that adorns the purple princess dress. And, you think… “this is the greatest age!”

Then, that little princess looses her front teeth, heads off to kindergarten with tears in her eyes, makes the 3rd grade volleyball team, sings the solo at the Christmas pageant and is chosen to be the 8th-grader to crown the Blessed Mother for May Crowning, and the whole time, you revel in the comfort that “this is the greatest age.”

And then, much to your surprise, it happens again. That cute little girl begins to grow into the beautiful young lady God intended her to be, and soon you begin to realize that the time spent in high school making new friends, getting involved in activities, giggling with girlfriends to the wee hours of the night, and growing as a child of God as she delights in her activities at church all certainly must be proof that this is “the greatest age!”

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The truth is, she will probably go on to college, become a young adult who will make a positive impact on her coworkers, maybe she will become engaged, get married, and have children… and the whole time, you will think, “This is the greatest age!”

Why? Why with each new stage do we think “this is the greatest?” The answer is simple.

This life, from the very beginning, has been a gift from God. There can be nothing greater. Life is the greatest gift. Christ, Himself, gives us that gift of life in the Eucharist. “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (Jn 6:53-54).

So as a parent and as a child of God, I thank Him daily for the gift of life, and I take comfort in knowing that this time with my children is “the greatest age!”

The pictures are by Laura Monahan—an incredibly gifted photographer who teaches moms the art of photographing their families at a "Mom's Night Out Workshop"... complete with food, beverages and no crying kids!

Check out Laura Monahan Photography for a "Mom's Night Out" near you! More of Laura's work can be seen at Heaven's Gift

Simple and Powerful Message from the Holy Father

TRUST IN THE LORD: THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN LIFE

“Jesus is called the Lamb: He is the Lamb Who takes upon Himself the sin of the world. One might think, how can a little lamb, so weak, take on so many sins, so much malice? With love. With his meekness. Jesus never ceased to be a lamb: meek, good, full of love, close to the little ones, close to the poor. … But he had the strength to bear the weight of all our sins, all of them. 'But, Father, you don't know my life: I have one that... I wouldn't be able to carry that weight, even with a truck'. So often, when we look into our conscience, we find some sins that are very great! But He takes them on. He came to us for this reason – to forgive, to make peace in the world, but first of all in our hearts. Perhaps some of us have sorrow in our hearts, perhaps we have darkness in our hearts, perhaps we feel a little sad for the guilt we bear... He came to relieve us of all this - He gives us peace, and He forgives all”.

“We often place our trust in a doctor, and this is good, because doctors are there to cure us. We trust in people: brothers and sisters who are able to help us. It is good to have this human trust between us. But we forget our trust in the Lord: and this is the key to success in life. Trust in the Lord – let us entrust ourselves to the Lord!”. He concluded, “this is a gamble we must take: to entrust ourselves to Him. And He never disappoints. Never, never! Listen carefully, boys and girls, those of you who are starting out in life now: Jesus never disappoints”. (Taken from the Holy Father's homily on Sunday, January 19 at the parish of “Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio”.)

Reflection

Jesus came to take away the sins of the world and He didn't do it merely as something he would check off his "to do" list, he did it out of pure unending love and mercy.

I think sometimes we feel we can be a burden to the Lord, almost like we're in the mind set that since he took our sins on himself and gave his life for us, by our continued sinning we re-open his "to do" list and he has the burden to now forgive us again. That disappointment in ourselves (that we keep sinning) can cause us to shy away from the Lord—to hide in the "Garden" when he comes looking for us. Perhaps our hiding is that we let our prayer time, our time with him slip away more easily. Maybe we don't frequent the sacraments like we use to. Perhaps we fill ourselves with distractions so we don't have to feel guilty for the time being.

Pope Francis assures us that Jesus does not want this at all! The Lord does not want us to turn away from him in our sin, but rather to turn toward him, to find comfort in his Divine Mercy—to trust him even more than we trust our doctor, our close friends, our family. Think how easy it is to trust your best friend. We should trust God even more! Pope Francis refers to this as a gamble. I don't think he means that we gamble on whether or not the Lord will forgive us. (In fact, I am certain he does not mean that!) He is talking about us taking the risk in our own lives to turn toward him, to not hide in the "garden" but to walk up to the Lord in full trust of his forgiveness.

Jesus hasn't checked forgiving us off on his "to-do" list, and he is never the gamble. He is infinite mercy and he is never disappointed in us when we take the gamble in our own lives and turn to him in our sin! And best of all—he never disappoints. Never, never!

The Way of Beauty

The Distribution of the Holy Sacrament (La Disputa)

THEME: The nature of God

FOCUS OF THE MEDITATION: God is the beginning and the end and holds all things in his providential and loving embrace. We desire to acknowledge, honor, and rest in God's life and authority.

The Distribution of the Holy Sacrament

Raphael Sanzio

Room of the Signature, Raphael Rooms

Circa 1508

"Regard how God holds the sphere of the world in this pairing, how it rests secure."

Notice how Rapael depicts the "Triune God as an eternal relationship of love, a divine family where the Father is over all and in all. The Son is sent from the Father into the world through the Virgin Mary who adores him among the hosts in this fresco…. The Holy Spirit is represented here as the dove, the peacemaker and Sanctifier who leads us into all truth."

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION

Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth—

and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and 

a mighty wind sweeping over the waters —

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things came to be through him,

and without him nothing came to be.

What came to be

through him was life,

and this life was the light of the human race;

the light shines in darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it.

PRAYER AND REFLECTION

"How do you relate to the Blessed Trinity? COnsider the role of each person—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in your daily life and thank God for their eternal love.

The comments above are taken from Meditations on Vatican Art by Fr. Mark Haydu. To truly enter into this Visio Divina, I suggest purchasing the book as each masterpiece comes with a complete description, prayer and reflection, and spiritual exercise.

Let the SUNSHINE in!

God never ceases to amaze! Just when I thought the only person who read my blog was my mother, I was honored (and wee bit shocked) that my blog was nominated for the Sunshine Award.

Lest you think this award is second only to a Warwick Prize for Writing, the Sunshine Blog Award is passed on by bloggers to other bloggers who “positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere” and I am honored to have been nominated by fellow blogger Gloria Laudes (cool name, huh?) over at A Life Dedicated to Prayer.

Here are the "rules" for acceptance of this award:

1.  Use the award logo in the post.

2.  Link to whoever nominated you.

3.  Write 10 pieces of information about yourself.

4.  Nominate fellow bloggers who Nominate ten fellow bloggers "who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere."

5.  Leave a comment on the nominees’ blogs to tell them of the award.

OK, so on to ten things about me. Grab your coffee, so you don't fall asleep at this part… or your wine, so you at least enjoy your time reading!

1.  When I was six years old I wanted to change my name to Jeanie because I figured with the name change would come the super powers and the cool pink sofas enclosed in a bottle.

2. I took German in high school and to this day I can still recite the Our Father and the Hail Mary in the tongue of the people of Deutschland. I can also sing all the words to 99 Luftballons.

3. Since we are talking about singing, last month I stood in Independence Hall and sang "The Preamble to the Constitution" for my friend Patti Jannuzzi, one re-creationist dressed as Ben Franklin and a slew of passerby's wondering if I had engaged in one too many Sam Adams at the City Tavern. (Truth be told, I had not… I had just been raised on School House Rocks.)

4. I played volleyball and basketball in college, and once googled my name and saw that I still hold a record for blocking in volleyball at the school. Wild!

5. My grandma and her sister married my grandpa and his brother, so I grew up with my third cousins being like my first cousins. One big funny Irish-German family. (To clear up any confusion, there was no inbreeding, just two sisters marrying two brothers.)

6. My plan since I was a little girl was to work in the medical field, which I did for 20 years until the Lord decided He had a plan for my life, and my heart was lit on fire for Christ and my life changed through a bible study my friend Nicole signed me up for…. much to my chagrin!

7.  I love to cook and have been part of various gourmet clubs, yet even with my pompous tastebuds I find a bag of Bugles and a can of squirt cheese makes for a tasty snack. (There ya go. Now you know what goes in the open cornucopia shaped corn concoction…. cheese with the shelf life of 100 years!)

8. Speaking of corn, I studied —and I mean intently studied corn— in college. My major focused on genetics and my thesis was: The Endoreduplication Cell Cycle in the Endosperm Tissue of Maze. 

9.  I think if something is funny once, it's always funny. There are days I can think of something funny a friend said years ago and literally lay in bed and laugh myself to sleep.

10. I am aware that this blog title dates me a wee bit. (Actually, the song was hit on the top ten the year I was born.)

And my nominees are… and I REALLY read them all….

Rocco Palmo

Mark Cardaronella

Pat Gohn

Thomas Smith

Maria Morera Johnson

Sarah Reinhard

Elizabeth Scalia

Lisa Hendey

Deacon Mike Bickerstaff

Sarah Damm

Homework From the Holy Father

No fair, the Pope gave us homework! Have YOU done yours yet? 

"And do not forget your homework today: find out, ask for the date of your Baptism. As I know my birthday, I should know my Baptism day, because it is a feast day." ~ Pope Francis

Do you know the date of your Baptism? Do you celebrate it?

We began celebrating our baptismal days at the Wahlquist house a few years back when one of the kids had a K4J Challenge. We don't go overboard with the celebration. We keep it simple and centered on the Light of Christ.

We celebrate with the child's favorite dinner by candle-light... the candle-light of our baptismal candle.

"To know the date of our Baptism is to know a blessed day." ~Pope Francis

PS. Mine is July 9. (Feel free to mark it on your calendar, but no need to send me gifts as nothing could top the gift of salvation that allows me to live in communion with God!)

Daily Gospel Reflection on CatholicMom.com

Today’s Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

When I was a little girl, well before the invention of laptops, iPhones, FaceBook, Angry Birds, or Candy Crush Saga, we played games where kids actually interacted. (Insert horrified teen-age gasp.) One game that filled our afternoons was “Captain May I?” (Or some may have called it “Mother May I?”)—a game where one person has all the authority and controls the movements of the others, movements that will ultimately result in the winner reaching the finish line.

As I meditated on today’s Gospel, for some reason memories of that childhood game filled my head. Trust me, the memory of something so childish while reading a Gospel so profound was a surprise to me! (The Holy Spirit loves to keep me on my toes!)

As I initially read the Gospel with the intent of writing this reflection, my heart leapt with joy. I love the deep theological writings on Christ teaching with authority and my mind raced as how to incorporate them. Then, the Holy Spirit took a turn and brought me to the simplicity of a child’s faith.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus enters the synagogue in Capernaum and astonishes the people with his teachings, because “he taught them as one who had authority.” Often times we think of those who have authority as those who have power over others and dictate their every movement. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to Christ, the True Authority. 

There is no greater authority than Jesus Christ and there is no humbler servant. “Not my will, but your will be done.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus’ incarnation is the ultimate act of humility—God became man to save humanity, and in this act of utter humility, Jesus uses his true authority to lead us back to the Father. 

It’s like the ultimate game of “Captain May I.” Jesus is a true servant who gently guides us to the goal by showing us what steps to take through Scripture, through prayer, through the Sacraments, through the works of the Holy Spirit.

True authority doesn’t reside in one who dictates, it is the hallmark of one who serves.

PONDER:

Do you lead others to the Father by imitating Christ? When you share Christ with another is your heart truly thinking “how can I best serve this person’s needs” or are you caught up in getting your message across?

PRAY:

Lord, give me the humility to surrender my heart to you that I might hear the needs of others before I speak your truth.

Taken from CatholicMom.com Daily Gospel Reflections

God Loves Each of Us as if There Were Only One of Us

We all have days where we feel our plans are thwarted, where we feel all that we have worked up to has been shattered, or the prize which we were just about to grasp has been taken out of our reach. It's that gut wrenching feeling of not being picked for the team, being uninvited to the party, or seeing a road block placed right before us as we reach the destination we so strived for. It is the sense of not being understood, not being included, not being missed. 

It is the hollow feeling of being alone. Yet even in the darkness of the soul, there is hope. For in the soul there is an inner realization that we are made for more. As C.S. Lewis noted, human beings long for something that nothing in the world can satisfy, and that is because we are created for another world.  We are made for union with God, and as such, God has a plan for our lives, a plan that will lead us to Him.

Sometimes it is hard for us to recognize that plan through shattered dreams, but it is then that we must trust God, and believe that He did not leave us to navigate this journey alone. Christ has promised us the He will be with us always, until the close of the age. And if at times we don't feel that security, we can find comfort in the cross; for on the cross, Christ had "my" name on his lips. He died for "me," so that I might be saved, so that I might one day stand before the Beatific vision.

It's at times when we feel most alone that we should drench ourselves in the love of the cross and take comfort in the words of St. Augustine, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." 

Pray Always

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightul that that of a continual conversation with God."

- Brother Lawrence

The Way of Beauty

Vision of St. Helena

Scripture Meditation

Matthew 6:19-21

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 

But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there also will be your heart.

Vision of St. Helena

Paolo Veronese

Vatican Museums’ Pinacoteca

Circa 1580

“This richly decorated portrait of St. Helena immediately draws us into a very personal and intimate experience of prayer.”

“Tradition holds that, while clearing the hill of the Holy Sepulchre, St. Helena found the relics of the cross on which our Lord was crucified. And Veronese captures St. Helena by portraying her like a Roman goddess in the majestic moment that she received her vision of the cross.”

Prayer and Reflection

“Regard Vision of St. Helena. How does her contemplation help you see the face of God? In what way does her interior glimpse of God’s beauty invite you into prayer.”

The comments above are taken from Meditations on Vatican Art by Fr. Mark Haydu. To truly enter into this Visio Divina, I suggest purchasing the book as each masterpiece comes with a complete description, prayer and reflection, and spiritual exercise.

God Thirsts

"And forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us." How often do those words roll off my lips with no regard for what I'm really asking God to do? I'm asking Him to forgive me in the same way that I forgive those who hurt me. Wow! That makes me stop and think, "How do I forgive those who hurt me?" But, hold on... that's different then, right? People really hurt me, I don't really hurt God. Do I?

St. Augustine tells us that "God thirsts that we might thirst for Him." That is a strong statement. He could have said "God longs that we might long for Him," but he didn't, he said, "God thirsts." Thirst indicates a life sustaining desire, a deep internal yearning that leads us to what is needed to survive. And God thirsts that I might thirst for Him, because I am created by God, and for God. It's a hard concept for my finite mind to grasp, that God created me for Himself and He never ceases to draw me toward Him. Yet, when I sin, I am turning away from God. I am quenching that thirst with the sin, or the pleasure of the sin, and in essence no longer longing for Him, but for the things of this world that will allot me only temporary happiness.

If I would thirst that someone might thirst for me, how devastated would I be if that person turned away from me? How hard would it be to forgive that person for the pain they caused me by their denial? I thought about that in today's Gospel about the Prodigal Son, and the one thing that hit me in that reading was, "While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him..." And, it struck me that the reason the father caught sight of him while he was still a long way off, was because the father thirsted that his son might thirst for him. And when the son did indeed "thirst" for the father, the father rejoiced. 

Next time I have to forgive someone who has hurt me deeply, I am going to remember to rejoice in that forgiveness, not to merely utter the words, "I forgive you" without meaning... and I am going to feel much more confident as I say, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

The Way of Beauty

Day 1: Vision of St. Helena

On January 11, I am beginning my New Year's resolution. Ok, yes, I realize I will already be eleven days into the New Year, but my resolution was to incorporate Visio Divina into my prayer life on SATURDAYS. Ok, yes, I realize I already missed the first Saturday of the New Year, but in my defense my book Meditations on Vatican Art buy Fr. Mark Haydu had not yet arrived. So, alas, I shall begin this Saturday, January 11th! (Taking into account my "cup 1/2 full" perspective, this is like beginning a diet on Tuesday —and we ALL know starting a diet on Tuesday is always more successful than beginning on a Monday!)

If you want to join me as I travel down this prayerful path that the ancients called The Way of Beauty (Via Pulchritduinis) and work to deepen my prayer life by being more aware of God's beauty that surrounds me, I encourage you to by Fr. Haydu's book.

Each Saturday I will post an art piece from one of the 12 museums that make up the Vatican Museums. I will follow the order of Fr. Haydu's book and I will post the theme and Scripture verse that accompanies the painting to meditate on as well. But truth be told, to get the fullness of the prayerful meditations, you'll want to buy Father's book. The book offers insightful summaries on each painting, prayer and guided reflections for each meditation and each chapter culminates in a magnificent spiritual exercise. (Please note: I am not making any commission on selling this book…. though I imagine my reward will be great in heaven if praying with the beauty of Vatican art deepens my relationship with Christ... and yours too!)

I'm doing this because, let's face it, I could use a little depth in my prayer life. I'm also intrigued with Visio Divina. While I was in Rome with my daughter in 2010, I spent many hours in awe of the beauty that surrounded me. How great to be able to now pray with it! To give thanks to God! To rejoice in the beauty of His creation! As always, I invite you to join me on my adventure. It would be wonderful to create some discussion around our Visio Divina experience, so please don't be shy to leave a comment on my Saturday blog posts.

Today I'm giving you a sneak peak at this Saturday's reflection, Vision of St. Helena. The theme is "Treasures that last" and I couldn't think of a better way to begin my new year than to allow God to divert my attention from the treasures of this world to treasures that never parish.

I'd love for you join me for the next 28 Saturdays as I journey along The Way of Beauty!