tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77333851945252821392024-03-05T04:30:54.352-05:00Lillian MarieLillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-42768286774734719432014-09-11T21:07:00.002-04:002014-09-11T21:09:43.426-04:00Joan's Mass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 3 weeks ago, my Mom passed away. The funeral Mass was beautiful! She loved singing the Alleluia. The Alleluia had to be sung with feeling, joy, and had to be fast. One of her favorite songs was "Alleluia, Alleluia, Let the Holy Anthem Rise." It was played beautifully by the organist and sung with joy by the cantor and congregation. What a testament to her life! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Many people have asked for the readings and sermon as well as a poem Gerry (my Mom's brother) wrote. So, here you go:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>1st Reading:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em>A Reading from the Book of Proverbs</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em>(Proverbs 31:10-17, 25-31)</em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She brings him good, and not evil, and all the days of her life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She obtains wool and flax and makes cloth with skillful hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Like merchant ships, she secures her provisions from afar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She rises while it is still night, and distributes food to her household.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She picks out a field to purchase; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She is girt about with strength, and sturdy are her arms.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She opens her mouth in wisdom, and on her tongue is kindly counsel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She watches the conduct of her household, and eats not her food in idleness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Her children rise up to praise her; her husband, too, extols her; </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Give her a reward of her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em>A Reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em>Romans 12:5-16</em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them; if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>Gospel:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em>A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong><em>John 14: 1-6</em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way." Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>Homily</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">On this sunny summer morn we gather to bid yours and our beloved Joan a warm Christian farewell. As we shared earlier on ... Joan may have uttered her final Amen on earth with a tear in her eye ... who would doubt that she shouted her first Alleluia in Heaven. She would be the first to bid us do the same at her Mass of Christian Burial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In life and in death we are all defined by our relationships. Joan Niebauer Sutula was a daughter and sister; wife and mother and grandmother; prayer partner and bridge partner; good friend and confidant to anyone and everyone. Accomplished seamstress - the sacred linens at this Mass are her own handiwork. How she will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by all gather before me this morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">How many people do you know who are as relentlessly cheerful as was Joan? She always wore her smile on her face and her heart on her sleeve. no matter how she felt in the morning ... Joan was going to have a good day and she prayed the same for you and for me. She was a nurse by profession and a caregiver by vocation. The perennial people person - she knew no strangers - not even in the line at Giant Eagle. Joan knew you and everything about you. She was a good talker but ah an ever better listener. Someone once said - you can listen a person's soul into existence. It was her vocation ... along with marriage and family! You were number one!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You and your soul mate did the old fashioned way! In a throw away world - Bob - you and Joan made your vows and lived your vows. I always thought of you and your marriage as serenity - but then you often said in the sacristy - you had to check with the boss! The Catholic marriage ritual of fifty ears ago included this telling admonition: <em>"Sacrifice is usually difficult and irksome ... But love can make it easy ... and perfect love can make it a joy."</em> You went for joy and have taught those who surround and support you today to the very same each and every day! Not even death can break the bonds you and Joan forged in life. Love is eternal and marriage is celebrated in Heaven.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bob Jr. - I truly believe you were truly correct ... your Mother KNEW you were there ... when she shed a single tear ... and a final breath ... A final Amen on earth and a first Alleluia in Heaven ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">What was it like ... Joan meeting Jesus face to face for the first time?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">C.S. Lewis put it like this ... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"When we die and finally see God we will not say: Lord, I could never have guessed how beautiful you are! We will not say that. Rather we will say: So, God, it was you all along!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Everyone I ever loved, it was you. Everyone who ever loved me, it was you. Everything decent or fine that ever happened to me. Everything that made me reach out and try to be better - it was you God ... it was you all along!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><strong>Gerry's Poem for Joan</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"She loved the Lord and all other too, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> For that's what Jesus wanted her to do</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Though she never had much wealth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> She served as a nurse helping others to health</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She shared Christ's love with one and all</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> For that, you see, was her call</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She loved to cook so others could eat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Her love for people couldn't be beat</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Jesus came first, then her family too</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Then she reached out to me and to you</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Ready to listen and also to pray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> She prayed for her friends every day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In sickness and troubles, she prayed us through</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> She had lots of love for me and for you</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She made friends of all she met</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> And her love was always the best you could get</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She raised her children to love her Lord</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> And to listen to His Holy Word</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">To live their lives following His way</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> And reach out to others every day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For love not shared isn't love at all</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> And to love Jesus is to answer his call</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">To reach out to others each and everyday</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> And, for them, to pray, pray, pray</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joan has gone home to Jesus, you see</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> From her troubles, He has set her free</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">But her love still goes on from here</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> To be spread by us for all to hear</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She loved the Lord more than anything</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> And found the peach only He can bring</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She found Him each day in prayer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> And she trusted in His gentle care</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now she is with Jesus in Heaven, above</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> She is with Him basking in His love</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She will greet us when we get there one day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> But only if we follow Jesus along the way</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> He is the only way out of this world's strife</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joan reached out to one and to all</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Always following Jesus' call</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She wanted each of us to know Him too</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> For that was what Jesus wanted her to do</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">If you don't know the Lord, Jesus, today</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Open your hearts to Him and follow His way</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">He will fill you with peace and with love</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> And He will lead you home to Heaven above</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There is no other way to get eternal life</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Than to let Jesus lift you from this world's strife</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joan prayed that we all would know Jesus, too</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> I have met Him, have you</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Open your heart to His love, today</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> Let His love always guide your way</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Joan is gone, but her love is still here</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> She loved one and all without fear</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">She is with Jesus and you can also</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> If you turn to Him before you go."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Amen"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">~ Gerard L. Niebauer</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09803066871546599517noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-83238004504809513682014-02-25T03:14:00.000-05:002014-02-25T03:30:37.396-05:00Limbo<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am feeling like I am in 'limbo'. No, not the "Limbo Rock" ... "how low can you go" made famous by Chubby Checkers (although teenage and college years I did very well; not so much any more). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Limbo - like Purgatory on Earth. The in between places or phases of our life. It's the area where we end one chapter of our life and are on the blank space or page before the next chapter begins. I think this is where God is helping me grow and mature in both faith and being, preparing me for my next phase of life; giving me the 'faith upgrade'. The only problem: I am missing the 'Important Global Consumer Support Information' booklet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess this is why I call this phase 'Limbo'. It is where God is asking me to rely on His Divine Providence, pray His Holy Word, listen for His voice, and rely less on the sensual and worldly views. But this is where it gets difficult. I feel like I have the good angel (in white, of course) on one shoulder telling me to pray and trust in God and the bad angel (in red, no less) on the other shoulder telling me to rely on myself and make the move. My choice and path depends on which voice I listen and heed. Do I listen to the voice of Truth (the Angel in white) or do I listen to the voice of lies (angel in red)? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The song '<u><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwsvqVmFV6Y%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">The Voice of Truth</a></u>' by Casting Crowns sums it up well:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Oh what I would do to have </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Onto the crashing waves</span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br style="border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">To step out of my comfort zone </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">To the realm of the unknown where Jesus is </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">And He's holding out his hand</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">The waves they keep on telling me </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Time and time again. 'Boy, you'll never win!' </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">"You'll never win"</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">But the voice of Truth tells me a different story </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">And the voice of Truth says "Do not be afraid!" </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">And the voice of Truth says "This is for My glory" </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Out of all the voices calling out to me </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">I will choose to listen and believe the voice of Truth</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">God is preparing me for my next chapter in life; my faith upgrade. Do I trust Him or do I put my faith in myself?God's plan is perfect; my plan is based on false assumptions. I need to step outside my comfort zone and into God's arms, praying and listening to His Word, and the voice of Truth. Only then, will I be prepared to take the next steps in life for Him.</span></span></div>
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K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09803066871546599517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-33442151065042675312014-02-15T02:44:00.005-05:002014-02-20T18:57:31.123-05:00Random Thoughts on the MassAs I was perusing through my blog posts, I was awestruck (again) by the <a href="http://www.trinitarians.org/about/spirituality.html">Trinitarian mural</a> (posted at the bottom of my blog). This is a representation of what occurs at every Mass. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBC_klG55Ibk8r4MhxAizxhJnxkiukc9d2kb7Z-KxQSsGfaWL7t7rbqK75k0mKb6nVDU74hH6vm03q_TZ9HbH8P0l-lYH733D2aVvqUGoauA0cRlYvuiVkx5ql-8gTjKmjMjPYX9MhzyQ/s1600/DiningRoomMural1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBC_klG55Ibk8r4MhxAizxhJnxkiukc9d2kb7Z-KxQSsGfaWL7t7rbqK75k0mKb6nVDU74hH6vm03q_TZ9HbH8P0l-lYH733D2aVvqUGoauA0cRlYvuiVkx5ql-8gTjKmjMjPYX9MhzyQ/s1600/DiningRoomMural1.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></div>
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Can you imagine the immense change in us if we approached Mass the same way? I am so guilty of attending Mass (and Adoration) with distractions: rehashing the prior day's or weeks' events; reviewing the agenda for the day or week to come; mulling over a conversation with a loved one or friend; focusing my attention on a child or family sitting in front of me; or being distracted by people talking behind me during Mass (*shudder* - one of my pet peeves). I allow these distractions to infiltrate my mind, which in turn, diverts my attention from the most awesome transpiration being manifested directly in front of me - God's Love!<br />
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There is a story about a husband and father coming home after work. As he walks down the sidewalk toward his front door, he stops in front of a small tree. He gestures taking something off around his neck, like a person would be taking off a necklace, and he places it on the tree, then continues up the sidewalk and into the house. The next morning, as he leaves the house for work, he again stops by the tree. Instead putting something onto the tree like he had done the prior evening, he takes something off the tree and places it back around his neck, then proceeds to go to work. One day, a friend of his came home with him. He again stopped in front of the tree on his way into the house, gestured pulling something off of him and placing it on the tree, then proceeding to enter the house. Once inside, his friend asked him why he stopped by the tree and what he 'placed' on the tree. The man stated that when he comes home, he leaves all of his worries, frustrations, and obligations from work on the tree. He can not bring those things with him into the house and into his family. As he leaves for work the next morning, he shoulders those work responsibilities he left on the tree and returns to work.<br />
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My task, as I see it, is the same as the husband/father as I enter the Church. My duties, agendas, and responsibilities in my life need to be shelved before I enter for Mass. It's not that God does not care about these things. It is more about how my love for God needs to be in the forefront of my mind, as the Altar is at the front of the Church. I can only imagine how this would change my perspective of Mass. Rather than being distracted, could I actually see and comprehend and believe that everything and everyone is connected at Mass? Would I be able to envision my loved ones who have died joining with the Priest, Christ, and His Sacrifice? Would I be able to fully understand that the Angels and Saints are joining us, packing the Church from floor to ceiling? Would I be able to relax and just 'be' in front of God for an hour and praise Him?<br />
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Friday, I had to travel to Parma after work to visit a coworker whose father had died recently. While at the funeral home, he introduced me to his family. His father's last moments were doing things he loved. His father played cards with a group in the morning, ate lunch, then played another game of cards after lunch. He had a few moments, so sat down in a common area by the fire. When he did not show up for dinner, the staff and friends searched for him, finding him sitting in a chair by the fireplace. He had quietly passed away. <br />
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What do I want my last moments to be? As Jesus had stated, we do not know the day nor the hour. Therefore, every moment must be focused on Him. If I bring my baggage, frustrations, and needs into Mass, what would my last moments be focused upon? Do I really want to look back and know that work and inconsequential 'things' were more important than the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? This gives me a whole new perspective as I enter the Church. This Sunday, these will be placed on a bush or tree outside the doors of the Church, allowing me to enter with one focus - Him.<br />
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<br />K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09803066871546599517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-77495822689198609282014-01-17T06:07:00.002-05:002014-02-15T01:38:37.321-05:00How to go to Confession<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This article was posted on <a href="http://www.spiritdaily.com/">Spirit Daily</a> recently. I learned some things about the Sacrament of Reconciliation ... so I thought you may also enjoy the article. I have added it to my links on the right side of the blog. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Click <a href="http://catholicexchange.com/how-to-go-to-confession">HERE</a> to go to the website.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09803066871546599517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-86072517042299991742012-12-31T05:29:00.001-05:002014-02-15T01:37:44.535-05:00<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This article was posted on Facebook and thought others may enjoy reading. It is about a Priest's view of the Sacrament of Reconciliation ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can find the original article and information on Fr. Mike Schmitz <a href="http://lifeteen.com/MY-SIDE-OF-THE-CONFESSIONAL-WHAT-IS-IT-LIKE-FOR-A-PRIEST/">HERE</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">MY SIDE OF THE CONFESSIONAL: WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR A PRIEST?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="meta-prep meta-prep-author" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By </span><span class="author vcard" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://lifeteen.com/author/mikeschmitz/" rel="author" style="border: 0px; color: #007ca5; margin: 0px; outline: none medium; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Posts by Fr. Mike Schmitz">Fr. Mike Schmitz</a> </span><span class="meta-sep meta-sep-entry-date" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">| N</span><span class="entry-date" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><abbr class="published" style="border: none; cursor: text; letter-spacing: 0.05em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;" title="November 26, 2012">OVEMBER 26, 2012</abbr></span></span><br />
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I was once riding in a shuttle-bus with a number of older folks on the way from an airport. They noticed that I was a priest and started asking questions about it. “Do you do all of the priest stuff?” “Yep.” “Even the Confession thing?” “Yeah. All the time.”</div>
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One older lady gasped, “Well, I think that that would be the <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">worst</em>. It would be so depressing; hearing all about people’s sins.”</div>
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I told them that it was the exact opposite. There is almost no greater place to be than with someone when they are coming back to God. I said, “It would depressing if I had to watch someone leave God; I get to be with them when they come back to Him.” The Confessional is a place where people let God’s love win. The Confessional is the most joyful, humbling, and inspiring place in the world.</div>
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WHAT DO I SEE DURING CONFESSION?</h2>
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I think there are three things. First, I see the costly mercy of God in action. I get to regularly come face to face with the overwhelming, life-transforming power of God’s love. I get to see God’s love up-close and it reminds me of how good God is.</div>
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Not many folks get to see the way in which God’s sacrifice on the Cross is constantly breaking into people’s lives and melting the hardest hearts. Jesus consoles those who are grieving their sins . . . and strengthens those who find themselves wanting to give up on God or on life.</div>
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As a priest, I get to see this thing happen <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">every day</em>.</div>
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I SEE A SAINT IN THE MAKING.</h2>
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The second thing I see is a person who is still trying – a saint in the making. I don’t care if this is the person’s third confession this week; if they are seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it means that they are trying. That’s all that I care about. This thought is worth considering: going to Confession is a sign that you haven’t given up on Jesus.</div>
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This is one of the reasons why pride is so deadly. I have talked with people who tell me that they don’t want to go to Confession to their priest because their priest really likes them and “thinks that they are a good kid.”</div>
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I have two things to say to this.</div>
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<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">He will not be disappointed! What your priest will see is a person who is trying! I dare you to find a saint who didn’t need to God’s mercy! (Even Mary needed God’s mercy; she received the mercy of God in a dramatic and powerful way at her conception. Boom. Lawyered.)</li>
<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">So what if the priest is disappointed? We try to be so impressive with so much of our lives. Confession is a place where we don’t get to be impressive. Confession is a place where the desire to impress goes to die. Think about it: all other sins have the potential to cause us to race to the confessional, but pride is the one that causes us to hide from the God who could heal us.</li>
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DO I REMEMBER YOUR SINS? NO!</h2>
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So often, people will ask if I remember people’s sin from Confession. As a priest, I rarely, if ever, remember sins from the confessional. That might seem impossible, but the truth is, sins aren’t all that impressive. They aren’t like memorable sunsets or meteor showers or super-intriguing movies . . . they are more like the garbage.</div>
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And if sins are like garbage, then the priest is like God’s garbage-man. If you ask a garbage-man about the gross-est thing he’s ever had to haul to the dump, <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">maaaaaaybe</em> he could remember it. But the fact is, once you get used to taking out the trash, it ceases to be noteworthy, it ceases to stand out.</div>
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Honestly, once you realize that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is less about the sin and more about Christ’s death and resurrection having victory in a person’s life, the sins lose all of their luster, and Jesus’ victory takes center stage.</div>
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In Confession, we meet the life-transforming, costly love of God . . . freely given to us every time we ask for it. We meet Jesus who reminds us, “You are worth dying for . . . even in your sins, you are worth dying for.”</div>
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Whenever someone comes to Confession, I see a person who is deeply loved by God and who is telling God that they love Him back. That’s it, and that’s all.</div>
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IN CONFESSION I SEE MY OWN WEAKNESS.</h2>
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The third thing a priest sees when he hears Confessions is his own soul. It is a scary place for a priest. I cannot tell you how humbled I am when someone approaches Jesus’ mercy through <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">me</em>.</div>
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I am not over-awed by their sins; I am struck by the fact that they have been able to recognize sins in their life that I have been blind to in my own. Hearing someone’s humility breaks down my own pride. It is one of the best examinations of conscience.</div>
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But why is Confession a scary place for a priest? It is frightening because of the way in which Jesus trusts me to be a living sign of His mercy.</div>
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Archbishop Fulton Sheen once told priests that we scarcely realize what is happening when we extend our hands over someone’s head in absolution. We don’t realize, he said, that the very Blood of Christ is dripping from our fingers onto their heads, washing the penitent clean.</div>
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The day after I was ordained, we had a little party and my dad stood up and made a toast. He has worked his entire life as an orthopedic surgeon, and he was a very good one. My whole life, his patients have come up to me at one time or another and told me how their lives have been changed because my dad was such a good surgeon.</div>
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So, there my dad was, standing in the midst of these people, and he began to say, “My whole life, I have used my hands to heal people’s broken bodies. But from now on, my son Michael . . . um, <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Father</em> Michael . . . will use his hands (at this point, he got choked up) . . . He will use his hands to heal broken souls. <strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">His hands will save even more lives than mine have.”</strong></div>
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Confession is such a powerful place. All I have to do is offer God’s mercy, love, and redemption . . . but I don’t want to get in Jesus’ way. The priest stands in judgment of no one. In the Confessional, the only thing I have to offer is mercy.</div>
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I GET TO SACRIFICE FOR YOU.</h2>
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Lastly, when a priest hears Confessions, he is taking on another responsibility.</div>
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One time, after college, I was returning to Confession after a long time and a lot of sin and the priest simply gave me something like “one Hail Mary” as my penance. I stopped.</div>
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“Um, Father…? Did you hear everything I said?” “Yes, I did.” “Don’t you think I should get a bigger penance than that?” He looked at me with great love and said, “No. That small penance is all that I’m asking of you.” He hesitated, and then continued, “But you should know . . . I will be fasting for you for the next 30 days.”</div>
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I was stunned. I didn’t know what to do. He told me that the Catechism teaches that the priest must do penance for all those who come to him for Confession. And here he was, embracing a severe penance for all of my severe sins.</div>
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This is why Confession reveals the priest’s own soul; it reveals his willingness to sacrifice his life with Christ. He sees our sins as a burden that he will take up (with Jesus!) and offer them to the Father, while offering us the mercy of God.</div>
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Remember, <strong style="border: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Confession is always a place of victory.</strong> Whether you have confessed a particular sin for the first time, or if this is the 12,001st time, every Confession is a win for Jesus. And I, a priest, get to be there. That’s what it’s like . . . I get to sit and watch Jesus win His children back all day.</div>
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It’s flippin’ <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">awesome</em>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="entry-date" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><abbr class="published" style="border: none; cursor: text; letter-spacing: 0.05em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;" title="November 26, 2012"><br /></abbr></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="entry-date" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><abbr class="published" style="border: none; cursor: text; letter-spacing: 0.05em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;" title="November 26, 2012"><br /></abbr></span></span></div>
K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09803066871546599517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-24029287794761469652012-11-01T22:19:00.001-04:002014-02-15T01:38:26.224-05:00Purgatory ... an article in Spirit DailyIn honor of all Souls Day, I will post an article found on Spirit Daily today. It is very poignant and interesting. It is regarding a nun who was in Purgatory who talked with a nun who was in a cloister. There is a small prayer and novena at the end. <br />
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Remember to continually pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. They are unable to pray for themselves, but they are constantly praying for us. Offer your Mass, your work day, your time with family, your Adoration time, offer your entire day for these Holy Souls. <br />
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If you would like to read this article on Spirit Daily, then click here.<br />
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<b>FROM THE MAIL: RECALLING THE REPUTED WORDS FROM A NUN IN PURGATORY TO ONE IN A CLOISTER</b></div>
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A suffering soul in purgatory to Sister M. at a cloister in 19th century France (from <i><a href="http://www.spiritdaily.com/booksal.htm#unpublished" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory</a><span class="text-node">)</span></i>:</div>
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"If you could only know what I suffer! Pray for me, please. I suffer intensely everywhere. My God, how merciful You are! No one can imagine what Purgatory is like. Be kind and take pity on the poor souls.</div>
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"May 1874. I have been in the second Purgatory since the Feast of the Annunciation. On that day I saw the Blessed Virgin for the first time. In the first stage, we never saw her. The sight of her encourages us and this beloved Mother speaks to us of Heaven. While we see her, our sufferings are greatly diminished.</div>
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"You do well to pray to St. Michael <span class="text-node">and to urge others to do so. One is indeed happy at the hour of death when he has had confidence in some of the saints. They will be his protectors before God in that terrible moment.</span></div>
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"Make it a practice to live in the presence of God with a pure intention. God seeks devoted souls who will love Him for His own sake. These are very few. He wants you to be one of His true friends. Many think they love God, but they love Him for their own sakes.</div>
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<tt><b><img align="left" src="http://www.spiritdaily.com/saintpraying.jpg" height="232" style="border: none; clear: right; float: right; margin: 1em 0px 1em 1.5em; page-break-inside: avoid;" width="164" /></b></tt>"February 1875. Watch carefully over your interior life. Keep all your small troubles for Jesus alone. He is well able to make up to you for whatever He takes from you. Your life must be one of unceasing interior acts of love and of mortification, but God alone must know of it. Do nothing extraordinary. Lead a very hidden life, yet one closely united to Jesus.</div>
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"Love God very much.<span class="text-node"> How happy are the souls that do this. They possess a treasure! The great penance of your life will be, not the absence of your Jesus but great sorrow for all the pain you have given Him, by your failure to love Him as you desire, in return for the overwhelming number of graces which He has showered upon you and which He will continue to shower upon you.</span></div>
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"Love everyone, but do not put your trust entirely in anyone, because Jesus wants to be your great confidant. Everything for Him and for Him alone. Perform all your actions in the presence of God as I have so often told you. Consult Him before all you do or say. Let your life be one of faith and love... Do nothing to distinguish yourself. Without offending anyone, avoid the company of those who are too unreserved and those who are uncharitable. As for yourself, be busy about your own affairs. Keep your opinions to yourself and never express them unless obliged to do so. Be preoccupied with only that one subject, the mainspring of your life, Jesus.</div>
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"December 8, 1875. Love God intensely. Do not fear your own suffering. Trust in Him, never in yourself. Die to yourself from morning to night... Do not breathe or live except for Jesus Christ. God must be your only confidant. Complain to no one except for Him. Be quite hidden from the eyes of everyone else.</div>
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"Feast of the Annunciation. When God wishes a soul to be entirely His, He begins by crushing it, very much as apples are crushed in the press—to extract its passions, its self-seeking, in a word, all its defects. When a soul is sufficiently broken, He reshapes it according to His will. If it is faithful, it is soon transformed. Only then does Jesus load it with His choicest graces and inundate it with His love.</div>
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"Jesus wants you to deal with Him,<span class="text-node"> as with an intimate friend, without any fear whatsoever. It is true that His Majesty is frightening and that you are not worthy to have such intimate converse with your Jesus, but is He not the Master that enriches whomsoever He wills? Ask Jesus to make you rich in every virtue, as He wishes you to be, but in the meantime, shape your life in accordance with His inspirations. Enlarge your heart because what Jesus desires above all things is to see in it His love. What wonderful graces you will receive if you are faithful, graces you have never even thought of.</span></div>
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"May 12th. Mortify yourself corporally, but more especially spiritually. Forget yourself. Deny yourself in everything. Never look at what others are doing. God does not demand the same perfection from everyone. All are not enlightened in the same way, but you, whom Jesus Himself enlightens, look only to Him, let Him be your aim and object in everything.</div>
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"Never grow weary in your work.<span class="text-node"> Begin each day as if you had so far done nothing. This continual renouncement of one’s will and comfort and one’s own opinions is a long martyrdom, but it is most pleasing to God. God wants you to be something special, not as regards your exterior, but in your inner soul. He asks of you a union with Himself, so great that you never lose sight of Him, even amidst your absorbing occupations.</span></div>
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"While on earth one truly cannot picture or imagine what God really is, but we (in Purgatory) know and understand Him for what He is, because our souls are freed from all the ties that fettered them and prevented them from realizing the holiness and majesty of God, and His great mercy. We are martyrs, consumed as it were by love. An irresistible force draws us towards God who is our center, but at the same time another force thrusts us back to our place of expiation. We are in the state of being unable to satisfy our longings. Oh, what a suffering that is, but we desire it and there is no murmuring against God here. We desire only what God wants. You on earth, however, cannot possibly understand what we have to endure.</div>
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"Be ingenious in mortifying yourself and in breaking your own will. Be especially nice to those who are less agreeable to you than to others, no matter what wrong they may have done to you. This means renouncing yourself and pleasing Jesus. Nothing else matters. It is on these occasions that you must silence the human will, but you must do it because Jesus wills it. Do not allow self-love to get the upper hand, but do all blindly to please Jesus alone."</div>
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<i><span class="text-node">[resources: </span><a href="http://www.spiritdaily.com/booksal.htm#unpublished" style="color: #026ad9; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory</a><span class="text-node">] </span></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #080000; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Praying the 27-day Family Tree novena</i></div>
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<span class="text-node">The first nine days for our Father’s side.</span><br /><span class="text-node">The next nine days for our Mother’s side.</span><br /><span class="text-node">The next nine days for yourself.</span><br /><span class="text-node hilight" style="background-color: #f9ffb5; cursor: pointer; position: relative;">The Creed, Our Father, three Hail Mary’s and Glory be.</span><br /><span class="text-node">Then fourteen times: </span><br /><span class="text-node">Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be and </span><br /><span class="text-node">Eternal rest grant unto them O! Lord </span><br /><span class="text-node">and let perpetual light shine upon them and may they rest in peace. Amen.</span><br /><span class="text-node">Make an act of Contrition.</span></i>K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09803066871546599517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-81405012036101407912011-10-06T00:14:00.000-04:002011-10-06T00:14:13.544-04:00A-Head of it all<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past summer my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily the doctors caught it early. My Aunt, my Mom's sister, was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and had a double mastectomy. Needless to say, my Sister and I are now frightfully aware that we may have breast cancer in our lifetime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm getting ahead of myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">She was getting a routine mammogram ... well, should have been routine. The tech saw something in one of the x-rays and took a few more pictures ... then there was something in the other breast ... again more pictures. When all was done the normal 4 pictures turned into 13.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Then she was called back for an ultrasound and a biopsy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I am unsure if any of you had had a biopsy, but let's just say that they hurt! They use a huge needle ... huge I mean in circumfrance, not length ... so they can suck the tissue right out of you. Tissue that should be left alone under normal circumstances. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It's funny how God answers prayers ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I had prayed the night before that God would give me my Mom's pain. It was a short quick, fleeting-of-the-moment, mindless type prayer ... but I do remember asking. My Mom never felt a thing! The doctor had a few biopsies to do because both breasts had questionable spots. The needle went in, cells came out, and my Mom felt nothing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I, on the other hand, had a major headache that day. It was cloudy, work was a bit stressful, so I took some tylenol and thought nothing of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">She decided to get a double mastectomy. In fact they were not going to be used any longer ... we were all weaned and on solid foods now. (yes, you can laugh). As the doctors made preparations for the surgery and additional doctor's appointments, my headaches grew worse and were happening daily. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I had made some doctors appointments but nothing was working. I do not get migraines, so I knew that was out. But every test that was taken, everything came back normal - even the CT scan. But I did not put 2-and-2 together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My Mom had the surgery ... the doctor's said everything went really well. She had staples from one side of her chest to the other, two drains, one on each side, and lots of bandages. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My headaches had gotten worse to the point that I could barely think. I couldn't concentrate and just keeping my eyes open was painful. Imagine Uncle Fester putting your head in a vice and tightening it then grabbing a sledge hammer and hitting the back of your head with it ... my headaches were worse than that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day my Mom and her Sister were in the hospital room ... my Mom felt no pain whatsoever! She has traintracks running across her ... she just had major surgery ... and she felt no pain! Nothing! In fact, she was up and walking around (not far, mind you) that day. The hospital, however, in their infinite wisdom, put her in a room with a patient who had massive infections (doctors were overheard talking about major antibiotics to attack the infection). Needless to say, my Mom was NOT going to stay there any longer than she had to, in fact, she asked her doctor to discharge her that day so she could recouperate at home. Because she was feeling well and the drains were working properly, the doctor did discharge her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For the next 2 weeks, I had major headaches ... nothing was working ... even major pain pills. They would knock me out, but when I would awaken, the pain was back. My doctor's scheduled an MRI. I had to now wait for the radiology department to call so we could schedule it ... 3 weeks later was the earliest I could get in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It wasn't until my Mom and I were talking that we were able to connect the dots. God allowed me to take her pain ... He gave me that gift, and what an awesome gift it was! As I was in pain, I would offer up my pain, ask that it would be combined with Jesus' suffering, for anyone who needed prayers. I am just amazed at God's infinite wisdom and kindness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">When the staples and the drains were taken out, she felt nothing! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As she recouperated, my headaches lessened. The day of the MRI, I had no headaches at all. Well, not like they were. I would have a twinge here or there, but it was more of an annoyance than actual pain. The MRI came back normal - everything that should be in there is in there and nothing that should be in there was not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I now have no headaches at all. They have completely disappeared. And my Mom? Well, she's been a swell patient. She made sure (as did we) that she did not pick up anything too heavy, lift anything above her head, and was able to rest as much as she needed. She's now back to doing her exercises. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Would I do it again? Absolutely!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">God gave me a gift ... a gift of faith. He allowed me to get a snippit of the pain Jesus felt in his suffering. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">My Mom, on the other hand, yells at me when I tell her I would do it again ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Another gift from God ... an answered prayer.</span>K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09803066871546599517noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-71305627397083303472011-02-22T20:23:00.000-05:002011-02-22T20:23:37.969-05:00Surrender<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blanketed with snowfall of a new day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on my knees, my arms outstretched</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as dew on a new leaf, eyes watered from sorrow</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tried it on my own, tried it by myself</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">failing and falling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my head bows in despair</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hands outstretched save me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His eyes know my pain</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gentle touch wiping the tears, lifting me</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not to do it alone</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is always beside me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His love for me greater</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is waiting ... yearning for me ... loving me</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">asking me to surrender.</span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-10035355003838007812010-09-30T11:18:00.000-04:002010-09-30T11:18:09.266-04:00I'm back!It has been over a year since I have 'blogged'. The Holy Spirit has been nudging me to get back to writing, and as an unfaithful servant, I have been arguing with God. (I think I would have learned by now that arguing will not work).<br />
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What has happened:<br />
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I lived in the Community of Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity for 3 months. During that time, I was working at my job and living in the community. I was having a very difficult time separating the secular world from the religious world. Through discernment, God wanted me to leave the community, which He displayed through a very recognizable sign. I had asked God to send me red roses if He wanted me to stay and yellow roses if He wanted me to leave. That Tuesday, there were yellow roses on every table! <br />
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I am unsure what God has in store for me next. I am continuing to work at the job I had before I entered the Convent. I am trying to lead the life God wants me to live. I pray that I am pleasing to Him.<br />
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Since my departure at the Convent, I have had many challenges and many successes. As of yesterday, I am now coordinating the Perpetual Adoration at my Church. (The Holy Spirit nudged me and then confirmed it during the Spirutal Formation Committee meeting).<br />
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I look forward to writing again and reading all of the comments.<br />
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Thanks!Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-42783927788686002982009-03-11T12:40:00.002-04:002009-03-11T12:54:28.350-04:00God's Path for Me ... Beginning of a New Life<span style="font-family:arial;">As I look back, it amazes me how intricately involved God and Mary have been in my life. We hear through God's Word that He knows the number of hairs on your head. What is amazing is that it changes from minute to minute. Hair falls out or is shaved off. New hair grows back or a cell dies and becomes dormant. So we never know from minute to minute or second to second how many hairs we have ... but God, in His infinite wisdom and love for us, does.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">He loves us so much that there is no problem too small that He wants to hear about. We think we can only take those grandiose problems that we can not find an answer or solution. However, He wants to know how our day went; what we were feeling; the good things that happened; the anger we felt; the joy; the pain ... He wants it all ... totally and completely.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">To be asked by God to join Him is an enormous responsibility and a great privilege. My prayer is that I can successfully complete His will as He requests. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I greatly appreciated your prayers and support during my discernment. As I take this first step tomoorow, joining Him through the Trinitarian Order, I will keep you all in my prayers. Please know that during my Postulancy, I am given limited access to the Internet so my blogging will be few and far between. Please be patient. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">God Bless you all!</span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-88769792193272442652009-02-25T05:37:00.003-05:002009-02-25T05:53:59.349-05:00Lenten Message - CatholiCity<span style="font-family:arial;">I received this from CatholiCity and thought it was very well written - thought I'd share.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The CatholiCity Message</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Volume XIII, </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Number 2</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Special Lenten Edition</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Dear CatholiCity Citizen,</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Our only purpose today is to help you begin your Lent well. Remember the initials YBLE: Your Best Lent Ever. Before we start, we saved a really, really, really good insight for last, entitled "YOU ARE NOT DEAD." Hmmnn.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">1. NOW FOR THE...CONCEIT</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This is one message you may want to forward to your friends and relatives--before Ash Wednesday is over. Let us being with...a conceit. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Huh? A what? </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">What is a "conceit"?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As some of us may recall from English class in the olden days, a conceit, according the fourth definition of the third meaning of the noun in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, is (drumroll): "an organizing principle"</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">A Lent well-lived needs an organizing principle. May we suggest that your conceit for Lent 2009--your organizing principle--be to: </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Go. For. It. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><strong>THE POPE'S PETARD</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Go For It! </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We only have so many years on this earth, and to waste a Lent is just plain subpar for a believing Catholic. Challenge yourself spiritually in 2009. Choose extra *difficult* mortifications. Give up your very very most favorite things. Fast more often than ever before in your life. Commit to prayer or Mass or Good Friday devotions like never before in your life. Do not fall for the sadly common temptation to slide into this worldwide season of extraordinary grace like a wet towel into a hamper. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">By the way, you know the Pope is going to kick petard this Lent. This is the only time of year when it is, in fact, a good idea to be <em>more Catholic than the pope</em>. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Pope Benedict XVI practically invented the Conceit. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">He was going for it, like, over eighty years ago.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So plan today, right now, to look back on April 12, 2009 (Easter Sunday) with the wonderful sensation of knowing that you did your very, very best to grow closer to Jesus. That you did not squander another Lent. And let us know, on April 13, how It was goed for for you. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">(Yes, if you read that slowly, it makes sense. Sort of.)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><strong>CRACKERJACK, SURPRISE-INSIDE SUGGESTIONS</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Some of you are psyched. Some of you are groaning. Others are nodding (hopefully in agreement, not into sleep). Many stopped reading after the word "conceit."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And, now, for some suggestions. Please forgive us for listing some of the "usual suspect" suggestions. Our goal below is to make you tremble in fear: "Oh no, not that! I can't give up that!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Yeah, we (and you) are looking for the Perfect <em>Oh No Not That</em> to give up because this year, our conceit is Go For It.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And remember, there is no prohibition from "doubling" up, or choosing three, five, or seven things for Lent 2009 (Your Best Lent Ever!). </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We know that many of you have been intending to get off your duffs and do several of the following for years (and even decades--you know who you are).</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We can only offer this bold encouragement because we are weak, slothful, wimpy, selfish, lazy, prideful, ashamed, and cowardly. Here are some suggestions to get into the spirit of GO FOR IT, followed by helpful hints, resources and comments...</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">1. Pray the Rosary every day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">2. Receive Communion at Mass every day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">3. Go to Confession every Friday.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">4. Pray the Family Rosary every day or once a week.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">5. Pray in silence 20 minutes a day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">6. Make a Eucharistic visit every day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">7. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet (at 3:00 PM) every day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">8. Fast on bread and water one to three times per week.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">9. Read a spiritual book.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">10. Give a painfully large donation to charity.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">11. Give a donation to charity instead of buying something for you.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">12. Pray "Jesus, I love you!" in the first waking seconds of the day.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">13. Listen to Catholic CDs.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">14. Do something major to improve your marriage.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">15. Volunteer anywhere: at your kid's school, homeless shelter16. Visit a home for the elderly</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">16. Give up something you absolutely love, crave, or spend time on, </span><span style="font-family:arial;">or that annoys the people you love, including:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-television </span><span style="font-family:arial;">or your favorite television show</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-television before a certain hour</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-television AFTER a certain hour</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-coffee</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-diet soda</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-donuts</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-hamburgers</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-chocolate, and anything with chocolate flavor</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-all snacks </span><span style="font-family:arial;">or desserts</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-movies, Netflix, movie rentals</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-the Internet</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-following your favorite sports team</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-video games</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-celebrity magazines</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-golf (an objectively grave moral evil) (only kidding)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-booze</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-watching golf on TV</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-a destructive, irresistable "friendship"</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-foul language</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-picking your nose</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-sports radio</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-satellite radio</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-music radio</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-talk radio</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-restaurants</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-driving when you could walk</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-sleeping in late on the weekends</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-sleeping an "extra" ten minutes in the morning</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-fast food drivethroughs</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-not cooking breakfast for your kids</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-shopping for clothes </span><span style="font-family:arial;">or food</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-text messaging</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-not stopping by your neighbors to say hello for weeks</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-failing to visit or call your "not close by" relatives</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-soap operas</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-the beach (for those of you lucky enough to have one nearby)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-fishing, hunting, four</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-wheeling, skateboarding-some of your "alone" time doing any hobby</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-your absolute favorite, passionate hobby (aha, you just fainted!)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-nagging your husband (you know who you are)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-nagging your wife (she knows who you are)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-interrupting others</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-not smiling when you arrive at the office</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-knitting, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, sudoku</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-knitting? (you addicts understand)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-cigarettes, cigars, gum, and "phony candy" breathmints</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-cellphone calls in your car on the drive home</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-bluetooth headset (harder than you think)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-fantasy football, basketball, or baseball</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-eat your vegetables (even you adults)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-betting on March Madness</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-gossiping at work</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">--say something nice instead</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-stealing "little stuff" from your employer, including time online</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-relations with your spouse (on certain days or weeks)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-thinking about yourself when you wake up or go to sleep (pray instead)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-thinking about yourself when you drive (pray instead)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">-buying anything you don't need</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><strong>LITTLE CHILDREN</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">That, ahem, should get you started. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We are also big advocates of children giving up video games and television. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Consider encouraging your little ones to abstain from meat on Friday and even to fast (using your parental judgment, under your supervision of course). Have them give 10% of their piggy bank into the collection basket.Let's review our conceit: GO FOR IT.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><strong>YOU ARE NOT DEAD: LENT VERSUS LINT</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">May we mildly suggest that you are not dead. You are not a corpse. You are alive. You are breathing. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Put your index finger into your bellybutton. Dig. That's lint. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This is Lent. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And Lent 2009 and it shall never come again, and it shall never *start* again, so that is why it is so important to have some courage on Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Lent is about changing, for forty days, how you live so you can grow closer to Jesus.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><strong>LET US PRAY TOGETHER FOR LENT 2009</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Our prayer is simple. Let us begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..."</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Please help me do my best, and by leadership or by example, help my family and friends, do their their best, this Lent. Because I love you and I want to love you more. Amen.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><strong>"LENTEN QUOTATIONS"</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"Study the generations long past and understand;</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">has anyone hoped in the Lord and been disappointed?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Has anyone persevered in his commandments and been forsaken?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Compassionate and merciful is the Lord;</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">he forgives sins, he saves in time of troubleand he is a protector to all who seek him in truth."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Sir 2:5-11 (Reading for Tuesday, February 24, 2009)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"An honest man is the noblest work of God."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Alexander Pope</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"I have done my part. May Christ teach you to do yours."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Saint Francis of Assisi, final words on his deathbed</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"My Lord has suffered as much for me."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Savonarola, final words on his deathbed</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"I have not behaved myself that I should be ashamed to live, nor am I afraid to die, because I have so good a master."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Saint Ambrose, final words on his deathbed</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"Jesus! Jesus!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Saint Joan of Arc, final words on her deathbed</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Thank you for being an august citizen of CatholiCity, and for reading to the sweet end. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Next time we write, it shall be in the middle of Lent, in the fray, so to speak, of Lent 2009. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Meet us there, going for it.With Immaculate Mary,Your Friends at CatholiCity____________________________________________________</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">REQUEST CATHOLIC CDs AND NOVELS:</span><a href="http://www.catholicity.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.catholicity.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">DID A FRIEND SEND THIS TO YOU? SIGN UP:</span><a href="http://www.catholicity.com/message/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.catholicity.com/message/</span></a>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-9688328722457956382009-02-14T13:55:00.003-05:002009-02-14T22:10:37.759-05:00The Day has come<span style="font-family:arial;">The D-Day has been determined .... March 12th.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Yes, in one month I will be officially entering the Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And guess what - it's the feast day of St. Maximilian, no not St. Maximillian Kolbe, but St. Maximilian son of Fabius. He was beheaded because he refused to join the Roman army.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Also the feast day of St. Seraphina.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;"> </p><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-71639588192882551072009-02-12T18:25:00.003-05:002009-02-12T18:32:17.493-05:00Action Needed ...<a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Frestoretherepublic.com%2F&h=e890453af8e8fd761423837de7403fef" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" __untrusted="true"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://RestoreTheRepublic.com</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> - STOP HR 645 - A rather scary piece of legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives entitled HR 645. Also known as the National Emergency Centers Establishment Act. ...<br /><br />A friend of mine, who is in the military, alerted me to this. Your action is urgently needed regarding H.R. Bill 645<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVA1bKPA500"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVA1bKPA500</span></a>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-38669757784977850012009-02-12T08:35:00.003-05:002009-02-12T08:38:49.081-05:00New Blog in Town<div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#6633ff;">Check out the new Blog -</span> </span></div><p align="center"> </p><div align="center"><a href="http://opendoor-euclid.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;">Open Door Pro-Life Family Apostolate</span></a></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301904394010480962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 317px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWwujNl1Q2tzdriHggHEZQ59DLOeZnl3zuaD17QINq-if7WKkAjqrXLPMqUGGKdLSnY5PmrZ6LLmNQCKz46jqtdFZ-Kaww08x54g-hArxm_dYxrqtfgJPrOGXeLME0qwZFF2mfdFLXHk/s320/theopendoor-sign2.jpg" border="0" /></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-49060835371779544802009-02-11T08:01:00.006-05:002009-02-11T11:58:10.788-05:00Feast of the Immaculate Conception<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301524240296655666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 329px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 469px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirk100EWWEKL_clDnZnPYiGmDDgKBw3irCEssYZzJIan3TzOmv9xmqEgm5-wwAp-K1gNpPUaadQuXgs7Yew3CW14VAMLcD0N_AeBPQRkxJowqNwePS9UcVxpeAoWj5_q57IrtbBjlNXNg/s320/lourdes1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;color:#3366ff;">Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:180%;color:#3366ff;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:180%;color:#3366ff;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.catholictradition.org/Children/immaculate-conception.htm"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Prayers</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;">Anyone in & around Cleveland</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;">This evening at <span style="color:#3366ff;"><a href="http://www.srstrinity.com/index_009.htm">Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine </a>(Euclid, OH)</span></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;color:#6633ff;">Rosary & Mass</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc33cc;">7:00pm</span></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;">Mass celebrated by Bishop Pevec</span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;">Update:</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.lourdes-radio.com/player_live/player_live_fr/player-token_fr.php">Lourdes Web Cam</a></span></div>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-75916621448667650792009-02-10T05:51:00.004-05:002009-02-10T13:29:25.547-05:00To All Parents of Religious<span style="font-family:arial;">I found this article, 'To All Parents of Religious', on Catholic Exchange. I also shared it with my parents...who 'can now start their life of crime.' Okay, maybe not. :-)<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><a href="http://catholicexchange.com/2009/02/09/115309/"><span style="font-family:arial;">To All Parents of Religious</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Posted using </span><a href="http://sharethis.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">ShareThis</span></a>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-5080114492263661412009-02-06T21:32:00.002-05:002009-02-06T21:49:30.826-05:00Challenges & Thanksgiving<span style="font-family:arial;">My parents and I were supposed to attend the retreat at Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministries in Vandalia, IL this weekend. However, other plans were made. Someone stole my check card number and started purchasing things off of the internet - over $700! Tack on the insufficient funds charges and it's over $1000! So all Thursday afternoon, I was at the Bank, closing my account, canceling my check card, opening other accounts and check card, counting up charges and fees, and plotting next steps. It has been a true nightmare! I do have to say that the Bank has been very gracious and helpful - so much so that the Personal Banker that I was working with, worked through her lunch to help me. I am indebted to her gift of mercy!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Late afternoon Thursday, I visited the local Police Department and submitted a report. During my discussion with the Officer, I discovered that this is considered a felony since it is over $500 worth of charges...thus a higher concern issued over this case.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Needless to say, I was quite bummed when I could not attend the retreat. However, God always opens a window/door/porthole when one closes. My parents and I visited Our Lady of Sorrows in Bellevue, OH (just south of Sandusky - Cedar Point area). I had never been to this Shrine, nor had my Father. It was amazing! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">and...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">My parents prayed over me in front of the statue of the Pieta in the Chapel. Then, they 'gave' me to the Blessed Mother. It was an awesome experience! Knowing that my earthly Mother and Father have asked our Blessed Mother and God to take over the role of parenting. Wow! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I can only imagine this is what Priests must feel when they are consecrated. To know that their Mother and Father is now Mary, the Blessed Virgin, our Heavenly Mother, and God, the Father. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Update...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I talked with the Vocation Director at the Shrine this evening. C.T. and I have rescheduled our meeting with her to Saturday, February 14th. If I need to drive to get C.T. and bring her to this meeting, I will. *grin* One way or another, we are going to have this meeting on February 14th!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-34231461057267104392009-02-04T08:19:00.004-05:002009-02-04T08:33:04.493-05:00Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes<div align="center"> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;"><strong>Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes - February 3 - 11</strong></span></div><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes began yesterday, Tuesday, February 3rd. </span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298933478702873570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqp-Mb_RstovWbAagOuHxaHXFI28HXyC7YwtUSVGRv3bd2_o7e8i4jrWBaETc_qJ8pj6Qu-ug6Z38aN_-DcPmyieJgxDoWHmUSY1ToXwYnTJBH7yarwMq9ifRnxuaBNUxa5t212BWbTA/s320/MaryLourdes.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/lourdes.htm"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Novena<br /></p></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For those of you in/near Cleveland, the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes has Rosary and Mass every evening, starting at 7:00pm. The Shrine is located at 21281 Chardon Road, Euclid, OH. Everyone is welcome!</span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298933477870165602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 195px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16TqWX8qnIgYpKMSReMBxdIRyMGS347mLvR2_BUCKlxbeuXvDPhX1zkYAG0_BEMuousF_LURB7odlsBMixDTPV7HTSb0FEd5hvEu5HEmKTsF8oKREOS05Lxl3wUZk3Y_voywwy4wRC1g/s320/Lourdes-shrine-euclid.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.srstrinity.com/index_009.htm">Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine - Euclid</a></span><br /></p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><p align="center"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, you are the refuge of sinners, the health of the sick, and the comfort of the afflicted. You know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. By your appearance at the Grotto of Lourdes you made it a privileged sanctuary where your favors are given to people streaming to it from the whole world. Over the years countless sufferers have obtained the cure for their infirmities -- whether of soul, mind, or body. Therefore I come to you with limitless confidence to implore your motherly intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the grant of my requests. Through gratitude for Your favors, I will endeavor to imitate Your virtues, that I may one day share in Your glory. Amen.<br /></p></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-70484744611469398952009-02-02T10:29:00.003-05:002009-02-02T10:35:09.560-05:00Christmas Scene<div><span style="font-family:arial;">Every Christmas we have a gift exchange with the extended family on my mom's side. The theme this year was to bring something handmade. My Dad originally made a Christmas Scene out of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1psVpzCYMU-YFAmbxQHhM6guswiUmFdickN8JPmJR_F9gfRNC3PaPz5ZnI5fur92CIvb01lrJObML2HdNU6WFD_WeuWtKQBKAoLASgw2Us-RAAQN1gNoz-GjBj8cuGsNKhhyphenhyphenoVHHOOBk/s1600-h/Christmas-wood2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298223253677516098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 157px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 139px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1psVpzCYMU-YFAmbxQHhM6guswiUmFdickN8JPmJR_F9gfRNC3PaPz5ZnI5fur92CIvb01lrJObML2HdNU6WFD_WeuWtKQBKAoLASgw2Us-RAAQN1gNoz-GjBj8cuGsNKhhyphenhyphenoVHHOOBk/s320/Christmas-wood2.JPG" border="0" /></a>wood - however, when he was finished, he liked it so well, he decided to keep it and make something else out of wood. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">My sister received the Christmas Scene.</span></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholZL6tXGBDAqBE6oBHgmhJ81-XCj4a7djzaczOpf_Fl4mw3L9bSSIj3BNuVS29rNf4q9HaEx5rS3X8IeTh-b-1gCrbmngDKqj2VY4iCzbbCFVO84PQ28NNc4-A91qkpzvBT0aJUTUbmY/s1600-h/Christmas-wood1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298223253980188546" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 158px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholZL6tXGBDAqBE6oBHgmhJ81-XCj4a7djzaczOpf_Fl4mw3L9bSSIj3BNuVS29rNf4q9HaEx5rS3X8IeTh-b-1gCrbmngDKqj2VY4iCzbbCFVO84PQ28NNc4-A91qkpzvBT0aJUTUbmY/s320/Christmas-wood1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"> The picture on the right shows the detail of the wood, whereas the picture on the left shows how it looks with the light from behind.</span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">He has been doing some amazing things!</p><br /><br /><br /></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-60715561394512465152009-02-01T09:55:00.004-05:002009-02-01T10:30:39.373-05:00Called to be Saints<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7E4NSIXDnsEk28VZNk8oDhd1rBlL5tEmTvNAKgp22XefQY-PLIHU78Kdoj1_tXrVKIdjKBULldEuYha7mUU2WSGKU9-W9pdGkiqa7bej7hHL0KbzqB4VwuKeSVDmUyqrmgZed9M0oREo/s1600-h/NewOrleans-Saints.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297844949710955266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 205px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 203px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7E4NSIXDnsEk28VZNk8oDhd1rBlL5tEmTvNAKgp22XefQY-PLIHU78Kdoj1_tXrVKIdjKBULldEuYha7mUU2WSGKU9-W9pdGkiqa7bej7hHL0KbzqB4VwuKeSVDmUyqrmgZed9M0oREo/s320/NewOrleans-Saints.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I woke up early this morning and could not get back to sleep. As I was trying to relax, a thought kept entering my mind - saints.</span></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">We are all called to become saints. But what does this mean exactly? Should we give up everything, like the Apostles, and follow Jesus? Should we sell everything and give to the poor? Should we seek out those who are persecuted and give our lives for them?</span></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidt9V8ClF9p-oNaIB3RCGemokdwg5wFeO9vK4bF30TlUpy39JzoOwS340Q9tzJDJc2XZOlO-J8DLnPe_J7U-MfBDLpZpPBqdh5hhmlzvwqmNxWvDaxxWhnrx3FhCd8IB0B4ldZblMqkc/s1600-h/StMax.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297844950696280386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 191px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidt9V8ClF9p-oNaIB3RCGemokdwg5wFeO9vK4bF30TlUpy39JzoOwS340Q9tzJDJc2XZOlO-J8DLnPe_J7U-MfBDLpZpPBqdh5hhmlzvwqmNxWvDaxxWhnrx3FhCd8IB0B4ldZblMqkc/s320/StMax.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> I seriously doubt this is what God had in mind when He calls us to become saints. For 'seeking' to become a saint when we are not following the path God leads for us, we fail in our efforts. </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">So what does it mean to be a saint? St. Maximillian, my patron, received a message from Mary - to take a white crown or red. He chose both. What about St. Therese, St. Faustina, or St. Gemma? All virgins and all received messages from God. Does the message make them a saint? Does the fact that St. Max chose both crowns? <br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Do you have to be a Priest or Religious to be a saint? What about St. Jane de Chantel or St. Theophano? Both were married yet became saints - and there are many others.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">It's not in the extraordinary things that they became saints...it's in the ordinary. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">They all chose to follow God's will wherever it led them. They chose to put God in front of everything else that happened. <br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6DeiXaom6Me1Qkobgxg-_mHFzE_bdK8my5gjcefMiAV8f-CmM60J8EEXCTOwW2UsOLEIO8nX1be-M13k6777PAXsK36b6o0ci398AdHExR5_LB538HtEIv9TMz78_6JQsrXg0QXElv4/s1600-h/all_saints_day.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297844945957911778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 194px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 258px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6DeiXaom6Me1Qkobgxg-_mHFzE_bdK8my5gjcefMiAV8f-CmM60J8EEXCTOwW2UsOLEIO8nX1be-M13k6777PAXsK36b6o0ci398AdHExR5_LB538HtEIv9TMz78_6JQsrXg0QXElv4/s320/all_saints_day.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /><div align="center"><strong>They chose.</strong></span></div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />To be a saint is to choose to keep God in the foremost part of your life. To put Him first and to be thankful for everything that you have and do not have. It means to choose God's way, not your way.<br /><br />It was not that these men and women were prophetic or virgins or married or had visions. It was that they cared more about God's will than their own. They cared more about the well-being of others and giving everything they had to help others.<br /><br />We are called to be saints - not in the extraordinary, but in the ordinary.</span><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6DeiXaom6Me1Qkobgxg-_mHFzE_bdK8my5gjcefMiAV8f-CmM60J8EEXCTOwW2UsOLEIO8nX1be-M13k6777PAXsK36b6o0ci398AdHExR5_LB538HtEIv9TMz78_6JQsrXg0QXElv4/s1600-h/all_saints_day.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></a>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-16071639027727111002009-01-31T15:30:00.003-05:002009-01-31T15:34:50.733-05:00Picture of Mary<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIPDLf9l4n4tyek_D0GPoIc3e1xpQIYol4_8LtYujuqIHB-j7maAe8NsmFSMG5jXIcUR4dkKwb9Z-FISyI09GoO-spYHJ1AXOFaw23f_gYdUBAPNBamcwM56dVSK_JmBgFwQpidi7hwI/s1600-h/Mary5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297558594129913858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 294px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 332px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIPDLf9l4n4tyek_D0GPoIc3e1xpQIYol4_8LtYujuqIHB-j7maAe8NsmFSMG5jXIcUR4dkKwb9Z-FISyI09GoO-spYHJ1AXOFaw23f_gYdUBAPNBamcwM56dVSK_JmBgFwQpidi7hwI/s320/Mary5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">My Dad made this picture of Madonna & Child out of wood! It is truly remarkable - this picture does not do the craftsmanship justice.</span><br /><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">The Madonna & Child are in the middle of the Jesse Tree. Below is a view of Jerusalem.</span></p><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I thought you'd enjoy viewing.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-56102611108418593662009-01-31T14:52:00.002-05:002009-01-31T15:01:47.563-05:00Sister ... In Waiting...<span style="font-family:arial;">They say patience is a virtue ... well, God is REALLY testing me on this virtue!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The meeting this morning did not happen. Not because of lack of planning - car trouble.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">C.T. was having car problems - she could not get into her car because her locks were frozen. She called her parents who live nearby - and even the de-icer would not work. They called AAA, however, someone would not be able to get there until 2-3 hours.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">So...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Vocation Director and I talked a bit while I was there. We are going to try to reschedule yet again so the 3 of us can meet. In the mean-time, it is looking like late February, early March when I will be entering. You got it ... in A MONTH! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">This is going to be very difficult for me because this will be the first time I will be away from my family for Easter....I will be with my new family.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I know it's all in God's time - and so far, He's been doing the planning. We're just trying to keep up with Him.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Update on P.H.'s brother - he was in ICU - he stablized and the doctors sent him home. Without getting into any details, he needs many, many prayers. He's angry, confused, and needs God's guidance. Child Welfare is going to be called to assist the daughter who witnessed the event. She is currently in good hands and safe. Please continue to pray for the entire family.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-78914458145799034212009-01-30T07:37:00.003-05:002009-01-30T07:47:47.204-05:00Thanksgiving & Prayers<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#3333ff;"><strong><em>Thanksgiving</em></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Wanted to give an update on C.T. - SHE PASSED HER SOCIAL WORK BOARDS!!!!!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Thank you all for your prayers!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#993399;"><strong><em>Prayers</em></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">A good friend of mine, 'T.H.', needs your prayers - actually her entire family needs your prayers.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Her brother and his wife were having marital problems...there are many issues involved and several children, one of whom is still living at home and in high school. The wife stabbed the husband with a knife yesterday morning....collapsing one lung and nicking the aorta. He is in the hospital and alive.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Please keep not only their family, but the entire H. clan in your prayers. This has hit the family really hard. The youngest is currently staying with relatives but in emotional turmoil. Apparently, just before this happened, she was yelling at her father and told him that she hates him. We know this was an emotional outburst and that she really did not mean it - but then the incident occurred and she's really torn inside.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Please say an extra Hail Mary for this family.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-67377895184985294282009-01-28T14:41:00.002-05:002009-01-28T14:44:50.646-05:00The Hour Approaches...<span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Our meeting with the Vocation Director at the Trinitarians is quickly approaching. C.T. and I will be meeting with her, discussing the 'date' (the date that we will enter as Postulents) as well as other pertinent information.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Please pray for C.T. - she is taking her boards for Social Work this Friday. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I'll keep everyone updated on our next steps.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Thank you for all of your prayers!!!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733385194525282139.post-88728827034304671172009-01-27T12:29:00.001-05:002009-01-27T12:31:16.972-05:00Just a bit o'humor<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;">What happens to a dyslexic agnostic who has insomia?<br /> </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;">She lays awake all night wondering if there really is a doG.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;color:#000099;"></span>Lillian Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11649542879780055108noreply@blogger.com1