Lent, Good Friday, and The Feast of the Annunciation

Hello readers if you are out there. I am sorry to have left you for such a long while.  I hope this finds you all well.

Lent is ending. I think a lot during Lent because it is a very purifying time for me.  During this time, I spend much of spiritual energy releasing the hurts that I have accumulated and over the year.  So, it is true that I am generally, a very sensitive person throughout this period of the year.

I wonder if anyone out there also tries to forgive the hurts, betrayals, pains that they have absorbed over the past year as I do.  I wonder if anyone else out there waits to forgive trespasses as long as I do.  I don't realize that I hoard my hurts, it just happens. 

It is interesting to me that no matter how thoroughly I forgive, the scars on my spirit do not disappear or blend.  They are permanent.

During Holy Week I  focus on how Jesus died for my trespasses against God.  I focus on the sacrifice he made for my spirit and that of mankind.  I focus on the pains that I may have caused the people I love and anyone else over the year.

On this especially rare Good Friday and Feast of the Annunciation, I reflect on parenthood.  There is risk that we all take as parents when we say yes to a new life and the joy children bring. When we say yes to this we also say yes to the sadness that come from watching them struggle through life's obstacle course. I am especially thoughtful of all the parents that have lost their children. These parents share this pain with Mary and somehow manage to gracefully recover.

I will never see another Feast of the Annunciation and Good Friday on the same day in my lifetime. So, I am especially grateful for the reminder of what can be if we have faith.

Have a Blessed Good Friday and Feast of the Annunciation!

Catholic Woman

Resting

Life is hard for everyone, including me.


So, I will be gone for a while, focusing on my life.  God's Blessings be in your mind, in your words, and in your heart.

Peace to you,
Catholic Woman

What I heard on Sunday...

Well it is that time again. I got an itch to write for my blog again.  I want to do another What I heard on Sunday entry.

I like these entries because they always seem to speak to the heart.  And I mean straight to the heart of what matters.  This week we covered Jesus' commandment, "Love each other as I have loved you." 

I found this homily especially good because I was struggling to love the guy behind me who insisted on tickling and agitating his toddler throughout the entire mass.  I mean yes better than the crying but, still VERY disruptive.  And I am not one that thinks kids should be removed from mass.  I just think there is time for tickling and time for worship.  And don't get me started on the woman that pulled out her phone to let her kids play while mass was going and....  you see?  Hard to be loving when I was being perfectly judgmental. So I missed some of what was said but, I did hear a good portion of the homily.

Anyway.  Our priest talked about marriage and the relationships that fail because we fail to love each other as Jesus has loved us.  He talked about the many couples he has counseled and how it boiled down to one or both spouses didn't feel loved by the other.  Some, broke marriage vows; some just never said, "I love you."  All with the same result-- they wanted to end a "loveless" relationship.  And it made me really question whether or not my own spouse knows how much I love him.

When I hang up the phone with him, I always say, "I love you."  Always.  I never miss the chance to tell him.  But, I wonder if it seems watered down because it is habit.  Well, it isn't.  I mean it with every ounce of me.  I love this man as much as anyone could ever love another person.  I love him as Jesus has loved me-endlessly. 

So, what I heard on Sunday is this:  Love your spouse.  Find out how this person perceives Love.  Is it with gifts, food, intimacy, words, actions?  Show them you love them in the way they can understand it and hear you.  Never pass up a moment to love your spouse.  Get your message across.  Do not take for granted that your spouse knows that you love them.  Make it their truth.

What I heard in Mass on Sunday

There is a radio show that I listen to which discusses what was heard in Mass the previous Sunday.  Typically, they discuss the readings how they pertain to us today. 

So, I heard the question over the air and I realized that I didn't hear much of the the Homily. What I heard at Mass was a weeping man.  I was completely distracted. The poor soul was on his knees weeping and gulping back his sobs.  He was cleanly dressed in black with a rosary around his neck (which is ever odd to me). He carried in his own age worn Sunday Missal. His Amens were louder and clearer than those around us.  He sang loudly as he patted his heart and rocked to the tempo.

But, when it came down to kneeling for prayer, he could not suppress his tears.  I didn't know how to respond, if at all.  When someone weeps, we should offer acknowledgement at the least. Right?  Tears and whimpers are born of pain.  I offered him a brown paper napkin with Mission Burritos printed on it (it was all I had in my purse).  He, gratefully, accepted it and continued his prayer (and crying).  I turned to my two boys and hugged them and kissed their hair. I prayed for relief for the crying man and for the purification of the soul of my brother.


I hope that the next time I see the man with the tender heart, he is not sad.  I hope God answered his prayer.

Blessings to all of you who weep silently or out loud. ♥

M

Casual Cancer Connections

Cancer.  The word itself makes my heart pump.  I don't like the reality of the disease.  I don't like it at all.  But, I accept that it is here and it takes and it kills without prejudice.

I came across a woman (employee) at the neighborhood bulk store (which is decorated in RED and the employees wear red (and khaki) and I avoid wearing red when I go there) and she tried to steady herself on my cart.  When this happens one quickly checks on the person to see if they need help. So, I followed suit.  Then she leans over and tells me, "I am fighting cancer and I feel sick and nauseated too.  I had my chemo this morning and it is really taking it out of me."

I didn't know what to say.  People just say things to me, I don't always say something back.  Most of the time I just listen and let them talk.   I asked her if she needed to sit down or for me to call someone to come help her get to a resting place.  She declined, said she needed to work and that she was fine just tired and woozy.  She chatted with me about her four year old daughter and how she loves certain bubble bath and body washes.  And how she loves to play dress up.  We talked about skin care and eczema and motherhood.

She eventually said, "I am not worried. I have a good outlook on this thing.  I will go in for my numbers next week and they will go down." I told her that I am sorry she has this battle to deal with and that she is not alone. She smiled.  We exchanged pleasantries. I wished her well and walked away.

I haven't stopped thinking about her.  She made an impression on me.  Despite what she said, I know she is concerned about her well being.  But more so, I know she is concerned about her daughter.  So, I pray for the woman in red (and khaki).  May her spirit be held up and her courage maintained as she battles this horrible cancer.  May her worry for her daughter be soothed.  May she regain her healed body. Amen.

Beginning Catholic Spirituality

Catholic Spirituality seems like a mystery to many. I have had conversations with people of other faiths (christian and non christian) in which my religion is seen as lacking in spirituality.  Generally, I don't argue with people who don't know Catholicism.  I probe to find out what they know.  Even those that were once Catholic or even raised Catholic, have very little knowledge about our religion and spiritual practices. I am no different.  I learn much by listening, studying, and asking questions.

So, I decided to share some Catholic spirituality in several posts.  My fear is that this could drive away my [very few] readers.

The first act of spirituality I would like to discuss is the Catholic Crossing of one self.  This is not only the first act of spirituality taught to children and initiates but, it is the most recognized act or gesture across the globe.  When anyone crosses themselves, just about anyone knows that the person is of the Catholic faith.

Now, to many this just seems rote or reflex gesture.  And for many it is.  But it still means something huge.  It is our way of connecting hear and there.  Our link between seen and unseen, this realm and the next realm, what is know and what is unknown, it connects us to the trinity.  It is automatic, it is fast, it is special, it is a life line for Catholics. We do this when we can't even think of prayers.  Catholics do this at just about anything that touches their spirit.  We do it at church, we do it driving on the highway as we pass accidents or graveyards, we do it in the middle of the night when we wake up frightened,  we do it when we are happy or relieved, we do it to end and start our prayers, it is something that is appropriate at any time for us.

Some might say, well you don't have to do gestures to connect with God.  True, but we are not just our minds and spirits, we are also our bodies too.  We feel in more than just tactile or just heart.  We are with God more than just in mind and spirit.

Doing "The Sign of the Cross"  is the simplest and most powerful blessing that can be taught to anyone in the Catholic faith.  It automatically consecrates our beings to God and holiness in less than a minute.  It is the beginning of Catholic Spirituality for me.

Christmas Season

In the US, most of our world is run via the secular retail establishments.  And this year it seemed to affect me more than past years.

Most of my readers may already know this but, I am not a person that opens gifts and forgets about the rest of the Season.  Yesterday was Twelfth Night--(that's right the 12th Day of Christmas that people sing about but, don't seem to recognize anymore).  Today, is the Epiphany--(the day that Jesus was revealed to found by the Magis).  And we close the Christmas Season next week on the Baptism of Jesus.

So, this year it was just such a clinical run through on so many fronts.  I mean it seemed like culture was doing what it could to push past the season, to get it done and out of the way.  Gifts seemed so impersonal. And then Christmas Day came and the season shut down.  The stores were cleared out, the singing stopped.  And people stopped lighting their homes and Christmas Trees. There was a race to post on social media sites to report how quickly Christmas was removed from home decor.  People keep talking about how quickly Christmas is over.

For me, Christmas Season is still here. And I don't relish in removing the lights. I enjoy looking at my lights and my ornaments and all the little bits of Christmas around.  I am still going to light up my fireplace mantel and Christmas Tree.  My husband asked for a new batch of Christmas cookies.  I plan to make them today.  I am so happy that Christmas is not removed from my house just yet.  You are welcomed to visit us too if you need a dose of Christmas in January.

Merry Christmas!