Showing Reverence in a Catholic Church

How did we, as Catholics, get to this point? People coming into Mass dressed as though they just stepped off of the tennis court. People coming into the Nave as if they were entering a social hall without genuflecting or even acknowledging Jesus' presence before sitting in the pew. People walking into the Nave speaking in a loud voice, regardless of whether there is anyone else in the church. 

Jesus is Waiting

In a Catholic Church, the Sanctuary is our "most holy place". This is where Jesus is in the Tabernacle on the Altar. Even though He's not exposed, He is there. He waits for us. He waits to be revered. He waits to be worshiped. He waits to be glorified. Not just during Mass...every single moment of every single day He waits.  Tom Nash (Catholic Answers) writes: Church tabernacles located in sanctuaries, and often behind altar rails, are a New Covenant analogue to the holy of holies in the Old Covenant Temple in Jerusalem. How do we know Jesus is in the Tabernacle? Look for a red candle. Anytime Jesus is present, a red candle should be lit near the Tabernacle. The Code of Canon Law 940 cites: A special lamp which indicates and honors the presence of Christ is to shine continuously before a tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved.  

The first thing any Catholic should do upon entering a church is to look for the tabernacle. Having found it, before entering a pew or approaching the altar, one should genuflect. In my opinion, we are becoming lazy with bowing instead of genuflecting. Obviously, if the person is unable to bend the knee, then bowing should be done. St. Thomas Aquinas is attributed to saying Satan doesn't have knees because he genuflects to no one. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal No. 274 states A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil. 

When the Nave isn't Used for Mass

At my Parish, there are times when the Nave is used for things other than Mass, like retreats or the Parish Mission. I've noticed that there are people who don't seem to know (or remember) that Jesus is waiting in the Tabernacle, that this is the place where bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and that the reverence should still be there even if there isn't a Mass being celebrated. It saddens me that people aren't being educated in reverence. It may be okay in a Protestant Church, where the real presence of Jesus is, well, absent. But not in a Catholic Church. Before anyone comments or thinks about why I am looking around instead of focusing on Jesus let me say this: It's hard not to notice if it happens right in front of you. 

Then there's the "gum issue". The first time I went to a Protestant Service was in college. A roommate invited me home for the weekend and we went to this small Southern Baptist Church in Northeast Tennessee. Just for point of reference: this is the same place where an elephant was hung. But I digress...We went in and sat down, and my friend immediately asked if I wanted a piece of gum. I asked, "You can chew gum at church?" which had the family in stitches.  The difference is that Jesus isn't present in a Tabernacle in a Southern Baptist Church. Quoting Tom Nash again: God is indeed present everywhere (omnipresent), and yet he manifested his presence most intimately in Old Covenant times in the holy of holies. 

Last Thoughts

How would you dress/act if invited to a highfalutin banquet? Jesus is calling us to the most important banquet of our lives. There are days when I'm doing well to get to Mass, much less dress up. We've all heard (or even used) the argument that Jesus doesn't care how we're dressed...He's just glad we're there. I'm guilty, but show modesty. I'd much rather see someone in a t-shirt or sweatshirt and jeans than in something resembling a tennis dress or clothes that look like they just got off the beach/lake. 

Make the effort. Show Jesus the reverence He deserves. Learn how to quiet yourself when walking into the Nave. In doing so, you also respect those who arrive early to pray and prepare themselves for Mass. Let's bring back the reverence! 

Hope Never Disappoints

Over the past 3 years, I've had so much hope. I hoped for a miracle, that my husband's cancer would be erased by the chemo. I hoped for more time. I hoped that he would return to the Sacraments. Lastly, I hoped for a happy death.

The Miracle

I just knew if I prayed enough, God would hear me and answer me just as I wanted. I've never experienced such devastation in my life; how could He not take care of me with this request? I continued to hope for a miracle for 2 years. It wasn't until after then that my hope began to shift. 

More Time

Looking back over our life since his diagnosis, I realized we did get a miracle: God gave us the miracle of time. Over and over, he allowed us to have more time. We talked a lot and had some very difficult discussions. I'm not saying we didn't argue, because we did have more time for that as well! Just before my husband's passing, he had a hospital stay following an emergency colostomy. During that stay, he spent 5 days in ICU and another 5 in a regular room. Even his doctors were surprised that he improved enough to go home. During this time, he was able to tie up some loose financial ends. We also had more time for discussions and he had more time to spend individually with each of our sons.

Return to the Sacraments

After hoping and praying for years that he would return to the Sacraments, a week before his passing my husband told me he wanted to speak with a priest and go to confession. This was without my prompting or asking him. I ran into our parish priest the following morning and he came by that evening. My husband and I shared his Viaticum. I wasn't going to receive the Eucharist since I attended Mass that morning, but he asked me to share it with him. It was an absolutely beautiful gift that he gave to me, more precious than anything else he could have given.

A Happy Death

I spent the day of his passing saying a Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet. At that point, he was on comfort medications and was not able to speak or indicate that he understood what was being said to him. I asked the priest to come back by the night before and he administered the Last Rites as well as an apostolic pardon. My husband was surrounded by the boys and myself, as well as one of the girlfriends. At the moment of his passing, the boys and I were around him, with football on the TV (the sound was off) and the dogs in the room as well. He simply stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating.  Each of us gave him permission to leave this world and greet his aunt, grandparents, my parents, and the Holy Family. He passed away at home in his recliner, which is exactly how he wanted it.

A Shift In Hope

Now that he is gone, my hope is shifting. Maybe a little selfishly, my hope now is that God will show me His plan for the rest of my life and that I will be wise enough to follow it. I hope that the boys will find their way back to the Church, or at least back to God. Ultimately, I hope that I will have a happy death when the time comes, with my husband, parents, and the Holy Family waiting to welcome me home. 

My Prayer

Lord, may I never give up hoping to do Your will. May I keep hope in my heart as I look forward to the life to come. Thank you for my parents who taught me how to hope through Your love. Thank You for my husband: I saw first-hand what hope is for and what having hope does. Thank You for Your love; without it there would be no hope.

This picture was taken at Arches National Park during our last trip together in July, 2023

Is Jesus Really Present in a Wafer?

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

While looking through some Instagram posts, this comment on a priest's post caught my eye: Jesus isn't in a wafer. At first I chuckled, but then I felt sad for the person who posted the comment. I felt sad because he thought he had to post that comment. I felt sad that he doesn't know The Truth. I prayed for him that one day he will come to know Jesus in the Daily Sacrifice of the Mass.
Another reaction I had to the post was Oh! But He is!

The Long(ish) Answer

Yes, there are "wafers" (hosts) on the altar, but during the Mass, something spectacular happens: Those "wafers" turn into the Body of Christ with the priest being in persona Cristi. During the Consecration, the priest says the same words that Jesus himself said during the Last Supper (in bold):

Take this, all of you, and eat of it,

For this is My Body,

Which will be given up for you.

and:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it,

For this is the chalice of My Blood,

The Blood of the new and eternal covenant,

Which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this in memory of me.

In 4 different books of the Bible, the verse is identical: This is My Body. (Matthew 26:26, Luke 22:19, Mark 14:22, and 1 Corinthians 11:24). As the USCCB website points out:  As St. Thomas Aquinas observed, Christ is not quoted as saying "This bread is my body" but "This is my body". (Summa Theologiae, III q. 78, a. 5)  

Mary & Joseph's Adoration was hidden in Nazareth in their home. They couldn't go out and announce to their neighbors that their son was God. We adore Jesus as He is hidden in the tabernacle, in the Holy Eucharist, but we can go out and tell people we adore Christ in the Eucharist. We don't have to be quiet about it as Mary & Joseph had to.

The Apostles didn't understand when Jesus said, A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me. (John16:16) During a homily, the priest said that if we look in other people we see Jesus. In people we don't like, we should see Jesus. That makes perfect sense. They wouldn't see Jesus after his Ascension but would see Him through the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We see Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. What a privilege to be able to partake in this most Holy Sacrament! To be able to see Jesus in the "wafer".

In the book 100 Holy Hours for Women (Mother Mary Raphael Lubowidzka, TAN Books), I read at least a couple of quotes that say it much better than I am able:

• The great love of our Savior hidden in the Holy Eucharist is, indeed, above the comprehension of the world that Jesus embraces with His perfections. (page 28)
• Exalted above the Heavens, He conceals HImself under the appearance of bread and wine, for the purpose of giving Himself to souls and of strengthening them with His body and blood. (page 29)

Bottom line: We can't understand how Jesus is present in the host. It is a complete mystery that can only be explained by faith. Receiving the Eucharist and truly believing that He is present strengthens our faith.

The Short Answer

So, the short answer to the question Is Jesus in a wafer? would be "no". But the long answer: After the "wafer" has been consecrated, He certainly is. He is also present in the chalice which before consecration was wine.

What Has Happened to Respect?

Photo by Ric Rodrigues from Pexels

What has happened to respect with the Church? My parents raised all of their children to be respectful when attending Mass, and to be respectful to the clergy and religious. When did people forget how to act during Mass?

Modesty, Mouthies, and Name-Calling

At a recent Confirmation practice, one of the Sponsors (who I estimate to be in his late teens/early twenties) walked into the Sanctuary with a big cup of soda. I asked him politely if he would take the cup out of the Sanctuary. He did, but I was at the receiving end of some glares. I mean, really? You're going to disrespect Jesus by bringing that in the Sanctuary and by sipping on it? Our Eucharistic Chapel has a sign on the door:

Do people not understand that our Lord is present in the Holy Eucharist? Sure, He may be hidden away in the tabernacle, but check the red candle, people!

A Catholic Priest got slammed (and his account taken down) on Twitter for requesting that women cover their shoulders when attending Mass. Granted, most of the people angrily responding to him probably weren't practicing Catholics. His reasoning could have been communicated differently: Instead of saying it was to "protect the purity of the men", he could have said, " out of respect for the Holy Eucharist". Some tweeters are calling for women to show up to Mass in his parish wearing tube tops. REALLY??? You're going to disrespect Jesus like that? Oh, how the devil is surely eating this up. It's not okay to come to Mass in ripped jeans (no matter how much they cost you), short skirts/shorts, or with half of your upper body/stomach exposed. IT'S. JUST.NOT. Show some respect!

It's also not okay to chew gum during Mass. You may not have technically had anything to eat 1 hour before Communion, but you're about to put Jesus in your mouth. Wrigleys and Jesus don't mix. I was especially appalled to see a grown woman chewing gum while in the line to receive Communion. Did she swallow it, or did she receive the Eucharist with the gum still in her mouth? I was equally appalled to see a later elementary-aged child smacking away on his gum while in line for Communion.

And what is with people calling priests & nuns/sisters by their first names, deleting "Father" or "Sister"? I read an article written by a Sister of Mercy. When the commenters mentioned her name, they left off "Sister". Out of my mother's 7 siblings, 3 were priests and 1 was a nun/sister. My grandmother called each of them "Father" and "Sister". There was no calling them by their given or chosen name. I've spoken with people who have aunts and uncles who are priests and sisters, and they all call them by their name, leaving off their title. The sister at my parish and I have become close friends. She told me I didn't have to call her "Sister" but I told her that I certainly did. Yes, I know some priests have done some horrific things, but that doesn't change the fact that each of those men and women consecrated their lives to Jesus. The Sisters have married Jesus, and the priests have married the Church. That in itself is something to be respected.

Just pure ignorance...

I just don't get it. I don't understand where this is coming from. It has to be a lack of education. People are just ignorant of what the consecrated host really is. They are ignorant about how they should conduct themselves in the house of the Lord. I've heard, "Jesus doesn't care how I come to Church; he just cares that I'm there." True to a point, but would you go to a banquet with holes in your jeans or in a tube top? There are times when I don't wear my "Sunday best" to Mass, and there are times I show up to Daily Mass in a t-shirt, but you certainly won't see me in ripped clothing or with part of my upper body showing. Even when I was a lot younger, I wouldn't have dared to show up to Mass like that. Why wouldn't you be respectful to Him who gave his life for all of us so we will have everlasting life? It's time we started educating people (in a non-judgemental way) to respect the Church.

What My Parish Priest Said That Changed My Mind About This Blog Post

I had no plans to talk about "the scandal" in another blog post. Frankly, I'm tired of hearing about it. I'm not saying it should be swept under the rug and those involved shouldn't be prosecuted because they most definitely should. My priest's Homily made me change my mind about this blog post. What he said really hit home.

Never in my life have I seen the congregation clap after a Homily. My parish priest is a kind, gentle, very holy man. When I look at him I see the epitome of holiness and humility. I've listened to Father Mike Schmitz and Father Leo Patalinghug speak on the scandal. They both said (along with Father Don Calloway in his book Under the Mantle) that someone has verbally told them that they are a child molester. One morning, my priest's Homily hit home. He said he was in a grocery store; someone walked behind him and said, "There's one of those pedophiles." My heart sank when he said that. To see him so persecuted was like seeing Jesus being persecuted. This man, this sweet, gentle, kind, holy man had to endure those words without saying anything back. My first thought was that people are just ignorant, but Father said that the person who said it wasn't ignorant. It breaks my heart to think how deflated he must have felt.

The Readings over the past couple of weeks have been amazing. The Holy Spirit (heck the whole Trinity) is telling us to have faith; to not give up on our faith but to rely on HIM. I didn't realize this, but I heard on a podcast (I don't remember which one it was) that the news broke on the Feast of the Assumption. That has satan's signature all over it. We all know that he has NO power over Mary; that Mary is the one who he leaves alone because she's awesome that way. Of course, he would get someone to do his work on such a special day.

Here's a run-down of God telling us what's up:

• Ephesians 5:15   Brothers and Sisters: Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil.
• Ezekiel 24:21   Thus says the Lord God: I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride, the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul. 
• Ezekiel 34:2    Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves!
• Ezekiel 34:10   Thus says the Lord God: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths.
• Ezekiel 36:25-26    I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts.
• Joshua 24: 15    If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve...
• John 6:66-69    As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."  

I heard the Lord loud and clear the day we read Ezekiel 34. Who could have missed that message? During the Homily, the priest said he had received emails from parishioners who said they just couldn't come to Mass. These people need our prayers, for sure. In my opinion, those people either were looking for an excuse to stop attending, or they don't have a true grasp of what being a Catholic means...of why we go to Mass every Sunday. It hurts me to think of what they're doing to themselves. Are they hurting the Church? Not as much as they're hurting themselves. It's like when my boys wouldn't turn school work in or wouldn't study for a test because they didn't like their teacher. I would just look at them and say, "Well, you showed her, didn't you?" The difference is that Jesus does care. The teacher may or may not have really cared, but HE DOES.
This song is a reminder that we should continue to let others see Christ in us.

I love my faith. I love being Catholic. I love that I have the privilege of receiving His Precious Body and Blood at least every week. I have had the honor of knowing some very holy priests. It hurts that every single one of them has been affected by the terrible actions of some. It breaks my heart that my parish priest has had to endure some snide comments by someone who has no idea what a holy, gentle man he is. People can be mean. Priests have a heavy cross to bear right now. Please pray for them.

The Bread That Sustains Us Through Life's Journey

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

God gives us the bread that sustains us through life's journey. I have family members who will say that being out in nature is going to church for them. They say they speak to God when they are in the mountains/out in nature. My comeback to that is that you can't receive the Eucharist without participating in Mass. 

In 1Kings 19:4-8 Elijah had given up. He just wanted to die, but God sent an angel twice with bread and water to sustain him on his journey. God is continuously offering us the living bread and water to sustain us on our earthly journey. He offers Himself daily. Unfortunately, there are those of us who are not able to participate in Daily Mass due to work obligations. On those days, we can pray a Spiritual Communion.

What is a Spiritual Communion?

A Spiritual Communion is giving your whole self to God when you can't receive Sacramental Communion. It's having the desire to receive Christ but not being able to physically receive Christ through Holy Communion. In a Q&A from Our Sunday Visitor, Father Francis Hoffman, J.C.D. defines a Spiritual Communion as "a personal devotional that anyone can pray at any time to express their desire to receive Holy Communion at that moment, but in which circumstances impede them from actually receiving Holy Communion." He explains that the circumstance may be anything from being home-bound to being on a mountain top. He goes on to say that "your soul receives grace to the degree that you have true hunger for the Holy Eucharist".

Even though a lot of Catholics may not have heard of a Spiritual Communion, it has actually been around for centuries. In the late 16th Century, the Catechism of the Council of Trent devoted a whole section to Spiritual Communion. Pope John Paul II spoke of it in his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharitia. Many saints made Spiritual Communions numerous times during their day. Padre Pio, even though he celebrated Mass every day, made them during his day. St. Catherine of Siena, concerned that her Spiritual Communions were lacking, had a vision of Jesus with a gold and silver chalice. In the gold chalice were Sacramental Communions, in the silver were Spiritual Communions. He then told her that both forms of Communions pleased Him. Other Saints who prayed Spiritual Communions include St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Maximillian Kolbe, St. Alphonsus, St. Teresa of Jesus, and St. Josemaria Escriva.

The Spiritual Communion doesn't have to be a formal prayer. You can simply ask Jesus to come into your heart since you can't make a Sacramental Communion at that time. The RCIA attendees are encouraged to make Spiritual Communions since they are not in full communion with the Catholic Church yet, and as such are not able to receive the Sacrament.  For those who prefer a formal prayer, this is the prayer that St. Alphonsus Ligouri prayed:

"My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire you with all my heart. Since I cannot receive you now sacramentally, I ask you to come spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already in my heart and unite myself to you completely. Please do not let me be ever separated from you."

As you may know, I work for a school system. My schools have a moment of silence after the Pledge of Allegiance every day. (Yes, there are still schools out there who do this!) What a perfect time to ask my Angel to go to any Mass that may be celebrated throughout the world at any given time. 

Send Your Angel to Holy Mass

O, holy angel at my side,

go to the church for me.

Kneel in my place at Holy Mass,

where I desire to be.

At Offertory in my stead,

take all I am and own,

and place it as a sacrifice

upon the altar throne.

At holy consecration’s bell,

adore with seraph’s love,

my Jesus, hidden in the Host,

come down from heaven above.

And when the priest Communion takes,

O, bring my Lord to me,

that his sweet heart may rest on mine,

and I his temple be.

Then pray for those I dearly love,

and those who cause me grief,

Jesus’ love may cleanse all hearts

and suffering souls relieve.

Pray that this sacrifice divine,

may mankind’s sin’s efface,

then bring me Jesus’ blessing home,

the pledge of every grace. Amen.

— Author unknown

The Bread That Gives Us Strength

In John 6:41-51 the word "bread" is said 6 times. Do you think He's trying to tell us something? My parish priest said the partaking in the bread we are offered at Mass "gives us the strength and courage to do the will of God; to get over ourselves and to spread the Word of God." He said that, just as in the Gospel passage, we at times come into Church mumbling and murmuring, but the bread of life is HERE. Here is where we take the bread of life into our bodies and are called to take it out into the world. 

As Catholics, what a gift we have been given! To be able to receive the Precious Body & Blood of Our Lord, Jesus Christ to sustain us on our life's journey. I don't know how my Protestant friends sustain their strength. There have been periods in my life when I did not regularly attend Mass. Looking back, I felt weak at those times. There was definitely something missing. Sacramental Communion definitely gives me the strength to continue on as God wills. Not only that, but I feel that I am able to carry out His will and to accept things that may not go as I want them to. 

I love being Catholic. I love that my parents gave me this gift and I chose to accept it. It's hard to imagine what my life would be like and how difficult this journey of life would be if I wasn't able to eat the bread of life that sustains us.

For more information on Spiritual Communion:

The Efficacious Practice of Spiritual Communion

The Value of a Spiritual Communion

Follow the Saints: Make a Spiritual Communion

Those Unable to Receive Eucharist Can Have Holy Communion

Spiritual Communion

It's All About Community

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I'm so busy dealing with my own salvation that I forget about my responsibility to others. Salvation isn't just about me...it's about everyone I meet. Not just those I meet on a daily basis, but even those who may enter my life for a fleeting second.
We are called to evangelize, to spread the news of God. In today's First Reading (Ezekiel 33:7-9), I applied it in my life as meaning that if we have the opportunity to evangelize but don't say anything, we are responsible for that person not being saved. But...if we say something and that person chooses to ignore, they are accountable.

I have a co-worker whom I have seen at Mass. I mentioned to her that I didn't realize she was Catholic, and she said she wasn't; the man she is seeing is so she has been coming to Mass. (The times I have seen her, she was coming back from communion but I didn't make it a point to watch to see if she was taking the Eucharist, or if she had her arms folded.) She said she enjoys coming to Mass but doesn't understand all of it. I invited her to look into RCIA, and gave her Sister's name to call at the church office if she was interested. We were around a group of people, so I didn't want to say anything about her taking communion. I decided I would wait until I see her alone and bring it up. It also gave me time to think of how to word what I needed to say. I'm going to start by telling her that I'm not judging, just informing. That was mainly because I didn't know if she was taking communion. Last week, however, I didn't play in the choir and was sitting in the congregation when I saw her go to communion and take the Body & Blood of Christ. Now, I feel that it is imperative that I speak with her, only I haven't had time. I need to make the time to talk to her. I can't be so busy that I can't find a couple of minutes to talk to her. Am I nervous about it? Absolutely. I'm more nervous that she will say something & I won't know the right words to say back to her, but this is a discussion that needs to happen...soon.

That takes us to the Second Reading (Romans 13:8-10) and the Gospel (Matthew 18:15-20). We should love our neighbors enough to care about their salvation. Even those people we don't particularly care for deserve to be saved. I don't know about you, but being a cradle Catholic, when a Protestant friend comes up to me and spouts off Bible verses and starts talking about Jesus, I get uncomfortable. To me,  your faith is personal and is unique to each person. We don't have to say anything to evangelize...actions speak louder than words. And, as St. Francis is attributed as saying: "Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary, use words." BINGO! That is exactly what I think the Readings are saying! Always be preaching. I'm so guilty of acting one way in the work place and another way at home. At work, I try to be all sunshine & roses, and by the time I get home I'm over it. My poor husband takes the brunt of it. It's not easy to preach all the time; in fact, it's quite exhausting. Jesus didn't say it would be easy, though.

In the Gospel, we're given a plan. If someone wrongs us, we are to go directly to that person. If he can't be swayed, then we get a couple of people to go back with us and try again. If that doesn't work, we get the church involved. (That had me a little puzzled, until the Deacon mentioned in RCIA that "church" meant "community".) If that doesn't work, then we make them aware of the estrangement. To me, this means that at some point you have to let go for your own sanity. If you've gone through every step you can to reconcile, then it's time to back away and continue to pray for that person. I'm not a confrontational person; in fact, I avoid it at all costs.  In reading the meditation from Magnificat, Pope Francis says that "This approach is one of sensitivity, prudence, humility, attention towards the one who committed a fault, to avoid wounding or killing the brother with words." In his Homily, Father said that he is often the last to know that someone isn't happy with him, because that person rarely comes to him and tells him. He finds out 3rd or 4th hand. When you go to that person who wronged you, you do it out of love. When you go to someone else and that person goes to another person, and so on, you may be destroying that person. As Pope Francis said, "words can kill". I am guilt of gossiping (I don't know anyone who isn't), but I do have a responsibility to stop gossip. I heard someone say that if you tell 1 person you're venting, but if you tell more than 1 person, you're gossiping. Oh, but isn't it so easy to "vent" to a few people at a time? And, couldn't it be avoided if you just went to that person and discussed the problem? Hmmmm...seems like I read that in today's Readings!
As Father summed up the Second Reading: "There is no evil in love". I had the pleasure of listening to Father Leo Patalinghug last year at our Diocesan CCW Convention. His advice is to pray for the person we don't care for. How can you dislike someone you're praying for? Good, sound advice!

I don't think the Readings are telling us to have the weight of the world on our shoulders. It's not telling us to be anxious about trying to save everyone. It is telling us to act like a Christian, be humble, sensitive, prudent, and attentive. Or, as Matthew Kelly puts it: "Be the best version of ourselves". If we do that, others will take notice and will want to emulate us. It's our responsibility to show that love and to spread the Gospel. It doesn't have to be with words; actions will do.

{Third Sunday of Easter} Open My Eyes and Heart

Luke 24: 13-35

I just love this Gospel Reading. Here are 2 guys, walking back home, their heads down, trying to understand what happened. They are disciples of Jesus, the one who was to save the world. They stood by and watched him ridiculed, tortured, beaten, and crucified. They walked into the tomb after hearing the news that he was alive and saw it for themselves. Then, they meet a stranger who asks them what they were talking about. This stranger schools them on prophesies and explains them to the men. When they reach Emmaus, Jesus appears to be going farther, so the guys invite him to stay with them. He does, and, while breaking bread, the guys realize who this stranger is.  Once they realize who he is, Jesus vanishes. As they look back over the day's events, they realize that they felt something deep down while they were talking to him; they just didn't notice it at the time. 

It amazes me that Jesus was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread. Just as Jesus is revealed to us during the Eucharist. And then, just as the host dissolves in our mouths, he is gone. But, Jesus remains with us in our heart and body. We partake of his body and blood; he becomes part of us each time we receive Communion. Every day, we go through our routines, through our day. We complain (or at least I do) about something that hasn't gone the way we wanted it to, or thought it would. But then, as Catholics, we are able to walk into Mass and have Jesus come into our hearts & body through the Eucharist. It's through the partaking that our eyes & hearts are opened.

In his homily, Father said that we are like the disciples headed to Emmaus. Jesus came to them just as he comes to us. He revealed himself slowly, and waited until just the right time. That's exactly what he does for us. There have been many times, many "AHA" moments, when I wonder, "Why didn't that ever occur to me before?" This gospel answers that question for me: It wasn't my time for him to reveal those things to me. One thing that hit me during the Triduum: On Holy Thursday the priest washed the feet of several parishioners, then he kissed their feet. The next day, on Good Friday, we kiss the feet of Jesus during the veneration of the cross. That is just 1 example of a revelation that has come to me in middle age that I've never thought of/noticed before.

Father went on to say that Emmaus was just the beginning of the journey. This was the beginning of the believers. How exciting it must have been; how convicted the disciples had to be that they were following the Son of God! We can share in the excitement and be that convicted every single day of our lives. We are Cleopas & his friend on the road to Emmaus. If we are patient, Jesus will reveal himself to us in good time.

28th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Giving Thanks

I almost didn't go back and read the gospel for today since I heard it during RCIA on Wednesday and Mass last night. But, since I had my notebook open, I went ahead and read it anyway. Every reflection I read and the homily I heard last night infers that the 9 lepers left, knowing they were healed. But what if they didn't realize they had been healed until they were further down the road? What if, when they realized they were healed, they thought they were too far away? Did the Samaritan cry out that he had been healed, bringing attention to their healing and the other 9 chose to go on to the priests? The gospel only says:

 And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice     Luke 17:15

The bottom line: It doesn't matter when the others realized they were healed. If they thought they were too far away, they should have dropped to their knees, giving thanks for their healing. How many little things happen during our day that we don't give thanks for? It would just take a second to say a quick "thank you", yet, like the other 9, we often just walk away, taking  things for granted. 

In the homily, my parish priest said that the Samaritan had a double whammy against him: he was a leper and a Samaritan. He thanked Jesus for making him whole; for giving him salvation. (He mentioned that the Latin root for "salvation" is "salvus", which means "whole".) He went on to say that salvation requires an "RSVP on our part". How do we RSVP? How do we give thanks? We only have to look at the Eucharist. We partake in the Eucharist, because "eucharist" actually means "thanksgiving". But, it isn't enough to only take part in the Eucharist during Mass; we are called to continue the eucharist out into the world. We have to make it part of our daily lives.

In the reflection from Blessed is She, Laurel Muff speaks about keeping a daily gratitude journal. I've done this before, and it really does help you to be thankful for the little things. Even when you've had the worse day possible, if you just take a minute to write down 1 thing you're grateful for, you'll realize things aren't so bad after all. 

{SQT} Adoration

Adoration. It's just an hour out of your life each week; an hour to really unwind and just be.

My old parish in SC started Perpetual Adoration just after we moved there. The idea is that you sign up for 1 hour/week, and (hopefully) there will be someone spending an hour with Jesus 24/7 until the 2nd coming. There were times when there would be 5 or more people in the chapel with me, and other times when I would be completely alone. If someone can't make it for their hour, there was an extensive sub list. Adoration was taken very seriously...they were all in. Jesus couldn't be left alone, so you stayed until the next person showed up. Before we moved away from SC, they made the concession to drape a cloth (I have no idea what it's called) over the tabernacle if you had to leave and the next person didn't show up. 

My current parish has Perpetual Adoration, but they don't seem to be "all in", which is really very sad. As disappointing as it is to walk into the chapel and see the doors of the tabernacle closed, it's very disheartening to have to close the doors because the person behind you doesn't show up and didn't get a sub. 

In SC, my Adoration time was right after work. There was one cold, damp day I went in, knelt down, and immediately could feel a sensation like a warm blanket being put over my shoulders. It was incredible.

Then there was the time when I went in and fell asleep. Okay, that happened more than once! The first time it happened I felt soooo bad. I mentioned it to my mom and told her I just kept thinking "Can you not even watch 1 hour with me", and she said that God knew I needed that time to rest, so not to feel bad. (My 3 boys were very young at that point and I worked full time, which means that, yes, I was very tired!) Another time when I feel asleep, I had my head on the back of my hand and ended up with a big red spot on my forehead. I can't imagine what the man who came in after me thought when he saw it!

There have been times when I could feel angels kneeling with me in prayer. Seriously. If you've ever had that feeling, you know what I'm talking about. What a comfort!

There's a book on Adoration (I wish I could remember the name of it because it is an amazing book!); it mentions that there have been no recorded instances of anything bad happening to anyone on the way to or from Adoration. That, to me, is just incredible. Out of all the people who take part in Adoration, there hasn't been 1 wreck, 1 mugging, NOTHING BAD has happened.

I was in Adoration last night, and, big surprise, I started to nod off. I swear someone nudged me to keep me awake. It felt like someone nudged my elbow and moved my hand so I wouldn't fall asleep. I have no doubt it was my Guardian Angel. 

Does your Parish have Adoration? If so, do you participate? If not, what's keeping you from committing? 

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time: No One Knows the Hour

Every now and then, I can hear things that my mom said to me. After reading today's readings & gospel, I heard her loud and clear. I think it was after I read the book "3 Days of Darkness". Seriously...don't even look at this site unless you want to get scared out of your wits; which goes right along with today's readings. I'll get to that in a minute. Back to my mom: I talked to my mom about this prophecy, and she said, "No one knows the hour when Jesus is going to come." She was definitely next to me this morning as I read and reflected. 

We should be faithful, vigilant, ready, but not to the point of being scared. We aren't called to live our life in fear, but live our life as if each day is our last, each moment is our last. I remember in college, the fraternity where I was a little sister had an "end of the world" party. And yet we're still here. I guess that pastor that claimed to know the hour was a little bit off.

As I reflected on the first reading (from the Book of Wisdom), the Jewish people knew to get ready---they had signs and heard the words of the prophets. We also know to get ready, we only have to heed the warnings. This is setting up the biggie...the Gospel. God has given us everything we need to be ready for the 2nd coming. He has given us priests who are in charge of the Church...the building and the parishioners. The greatest gift we have been given is communion. If we tire of waiting for Him to return, we may become complacent and start being lax in our faith. (As I write this, I realize it's kind of like what's happening with me right now; since vacation I'm having a hard time getting back in the routine and "feeling it".) We may fall away from our faith. God entrusts us with faith. If we choose to go against Him, we will eternally pay for it.

I like to read a few different reflections on the readings, just to see if we get the same thing out of it. When I read the Blessed is She reflection, it was totally different. Gina Fensterer discussed private vs. public faith, and it made sense. She quoted a high school teacher as saying, "Faith is personal, but never private." Gina zoomed in on the lines

For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice

and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution. (Wisdom 18:9)

I've often said that my faith is very personal; that's why I feel very uncomfortable when someone begins talking to me about "being saved" and pushing their religion/faith on me. We have an obligation to not keep our faith private. We are called to share that faith with everyone we meet...not necessarily through words, but through our actions. It goes back to the question: Do people you meet know that you're a Christian without you telling them?

During the homily, the priest's first words were "Be ready". It's necessary to set yourself aside and build treasure for eternal life. However, we should do so not in fear. We should recognize the gift of life. HOW??? By living out our faith that has to be deep in our souls. It's not just going to Mass every Sunday, it's taking the Eucharist out into the world. this shouldn't be done out of guilt, but out of joy. The treasure isn't to be kept to yourself, it's to share with others. As he always does, he left us with a couple of questions to think about: What are you doing with the treasure of faith? How can you live out that treasure?

A couple of thoughts. Growing up, my family was only 1 of 3 Catholic families in our school (and 1 of the families wasn't  practicing). I heard my protestant friends talking about Revelations and the 2nd coming. I like the Catholic belief on that a lot better. It's not one of fear; it's one of joy. It's one of being elated when Jesus comes again, because we have lived our lives to get ready for that time. We have taken that special treasure out to share it with the world. If we've lived our life as we should, we should look forward to when Jesus comes again, not be afraid of it.

Hearing the message about taking the Eucharist out into the world and doing so out of joy is something I need to be reminded of right now. I'm having a very difficult time having a good attitude about going to work. I've been doing this for 34 years; I have no doubt this is what God has called me to do, and I do love my job. I just can't figure out why I'm having this attitude right now. I'll take this message with me out in the world this week and will hopefully get back on the right track!

{SQT} Pedis, Adoration, Confession: Not at the Same Time

I had an awesome time getting a pedi the other day. I walked in, and there was a woman who recognized me from church. She knows my dad & told me some wonderful stories about my mom. Then, my sweet pedi girl grabbed one of the beautician's customers; she's a new faculty member at one of my schools, but I hadn't met her yet. She knows 1 of my sisters-in-law, so we all chatted for a while. Then, the talk turned to Catholicism. I just may have put the RCIA seed into her mind, so we'll see what happens!

I had a busy Sunday church morning. I played for mass, then spoke with a lady about hosting our CCW wine & cheese night. After being at home for a little while, I went back over to the church for Virtus training. My opinion: the Catholic Church is doing a good job of making sure people are trained to know the warning signs of abuse. 

Now that he's home, I can tell you that 1 of my sons just returned from studying abroad in France. He texted me when he first got to Paris & told me he went to confession at Notre Dame. NOTRE DAME, y'all!  And not the one in Indiana! First off, it's quite the miracle that he went to confession in the first place, but to go at Notre Dame! I told him to go before he got on the plane, but I'm glad he went post-flight.

When we lived in SC, Perpetual Adoration was a very big thing in our parish. My current parish has it, but it's almost an after-though. It's such a beautiful thing, to spend an hour alone with Jesus. I signed back up for an hour after being on a few years' hiatus. I just can't put into words what that hour is like.

The St. John Vianney Novena to pray for priests started yesterday. I get novenas delivered to my email daily through www.praymorenovenas.com . 

The other night, I looked outside and saw just a hint of a rainbow. I grabbed my camera and took a couple of shots. I was afraid to try to change the setting...I thought if I started messing around with it, the rainbow would be gone.

This youtube clip is making the rounds again on Facebook. It just makes me laugh:

3rd Sunday of Easter

As I listened to the Gospel last night, I panicked just a little bit. I kept thinking, "Oh no! He's reading the wrong day!" After speaking with the Deacon after Mass, I still couldn't shake the feeling that I had recently heard the same Gospel. I guess that means that it's good that I'm retaining what I'm reading during the week! After some brief searching, I finally found it on 1 April: Jn 21:1-14. Today's reading: Jn 21:1-19. WHEW! I knew I had already heard it!
Peter decided to go back and do what he was doing when he started following Jesus: fish. He did what was comfortable for him. When fishing, most fishermen (being right-handed) cast their nets to the left of the boat. When the disciples did this, they caught nothing. Jesus appears to them and tells them to do something different: cast the nets to the right of the boat. SUCCESS! After that, they realized the person who told them to cast their nets was Jesus. Jesus asks Peter 3 times if he loves Him, to which Peter tells him "yes". This mimics the 3 times Peter denied Jesus. Did Jesus know what he was doing, or what?
I have to admit, it wasn't until I read the Blessed is She devotion and re-read the Gospel that it hit me:
I thought Peter jumped in the water to get away from Jesus because of his shame or embarrassment for denying Jesus. After I re-read, I realized he jumped in because he couldn't wait to get to Jesus. I've had different times in my life when  I couldn't wait to get to Jesus; I couldn't wait to go to Communion on Sunday. In fact, there have been at least 3 times when this happened: First Communion, Confirmation, and after I went on a Search retreat my junior year in high school. Wow. Has it really been that long that I felt that desire to receive the Eucharist? Don't get me wrong; the times I didn't go to Communion during Mass for various reasons killed me. But, am I just going through the motions at Mass? Do I really see Jesus in the host? Do I long for Jesus as I should?

Second chance. Jesus gave Peter a second chance by asking him if he loved Him. And Peter said "yes". How many times does Jesus give us chances? Even when we turn away from Him, He is always there with outstretched arms, giving us yet another chance. He is always there in the Eucharist, waiting for us to come to Him.