Memories of the Holy Land

I've been watching The Chosen and it brings back memories of my travel to the Holy Land, already four years ago now.  I have always marveled at John's Gospel reading regarding the marriage at Cana.  As a child it was a lesson to me in obedience.  Jesus did as Mother Mary asked.  I know now and understand that is is much more than that.  It was just the beginning of the our salvation.  That journey for us begins with the Scrutinies in two weeks and the lessons they offer us on our journey with our Savior on His journey to His death and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The  Wedding Church of Cana

Small Chapel in the church

If you haven't watched The Chosen, please begin.  It's worth the journey.  And if you've not begun your Lenten journey, it's never too late to begin.  

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!

Cathy

Sorrowful Journey Haiku

Jesus meets his mother

The Way of the Cross

St Mary-of-the Woods, IN

The way of sorrow

A journey long and painful

The Savior consoles

Tenderness and love

Through all the tears and anguish

He always prevails

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

 recuerda mi corazon for Haiku My Heart. There is always more beautiful words  there to enchant and encourage!!! 

Pilgrimage to Fatima and Lourdes

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima

Nearly a year ago Ron and I made a pilgrimage to Fatima and Lourdes with some wonderful stops along the way.  We traveled from Portugal through Spain to Lourdes in France and back to Spain before we journeyed home again.  It was a treasured journey.  

Our first stop was at Fatima and though it was cold and rainy the beauty of this place is just indescribable!  There is so much to see and such a quiet place in which I could contemplate.  There was no stress of crowds as we were there two months before the beginning of the centennial. 

Another stop along the way was a stop by Avila.  It was amazing to walk the streets of this medieval fortress town that was also the home of St. Teresa of Avila and where she and St. John of the Cross collaborated. 

Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes

Our days at Lourdes were also quiet and reflective.  A quaint town where this peasant girl was blessed by a visit by the Blessed Virgin. We did a candlelight procession praying the rosary.  Unforgettable for me was praying the Way of the Cross.  

 I was and still am in awe of these Holy Places.  And my admiration for the courage of the Saints who have walked here is a wonderful reminder that I. too, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. can strive toward holiness. as well.  There is nothing I can say that can compare to the experience you will have if you are privileged to travel there.  

And now with only 4 weeks until we leave for the Holy Land I have to say I am very excited.  We arrive on Ash Wednesday and I cannot think of a better way to begin Lent and my journey to the holiest day of the year, the day of Our Lord's resurrection.

~~~^J^~~~

Thanks be to God!!

Cathy

Ash Wednesday

Be sure that you first preach by the way you live.  If you do not people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head.  ~~St. Charles Borromeo

This Lent, as all that have gone before, is a journey to prepare us for the REAL celebration.  The celebration of our Redemption.  

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Cathy

Ash Wednesday, 2012

Dear ones,

I offer this letter as an inspiration to those who are preparing for the beginning of Lent as I am.  Wishing all a journey of introspection and growth in your journey to the Cross and the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lent – 2012

A Journey to the Light of Christ

My dear Providence Associates, Candidate-Associates and Companions,

A few years ago I sat in my office having just unlocked the church and school doors.  I heard the slamming of car doors more than usual as women and men dashed out of their cars to get into the Church for the 6:30 AM Mass.  It was still very dark outside and I heard the voices say, “I am here for the Ashes – what time do they give them out?” The school parking lot was full throughout the day,  another Mass and more Ashes were given to the individuals, followed by two more prayer services where everyone received their Ashes and the phone constantly kept ringing and the voices would say, “What time will Ashes be given today?”

Yes, that is the exterior sign of Ash Wednesday!  But what about our interior, what about our heart and soul, can we calm our mind down to simply Be Still and Listen?  That is the challenge for me this Lent! It would be much easier to go to the desert filled with quiet, filled with solitude and simply wait to hear what God has to say to us.  Wouldn’t it be nice if life were that easy?

Most of us do not live in the desert; we live in the middle of the chaos of busyness, noise, running to this meeting, hurrying up to make dinner, going off to work, carrying for children, carrying for parents, carrying for a loved one and it just doesn’t stop. 

As this Ash Wednesday approaches, perhaps we can take a little time to think of ourselves, to think of the sacred vessel that Christ has made us to be.  Think of the interior gifts that lie deep within each of us.  As each day begins, take something positive from within yourself – in your running make time to see your beauty.  Name it and thank God for that wonderful gift.  As each day passes by, Lent comes to the glorious moment of the new light and new life we see within each of us.  We will truly be the sacred vessel Christ made us to BE.

I don’t sit in that office anymore – you all know where I am today!  It is not about the exterior we long to see – it is the interior, the real humanity that Christ himself took on to show us the way. Our own St. Mother Theodore did not have time to sit in the desert; she plowed through the dense forest of the unknown, just as we plow through our busy days of the unknown.  Let us open our hearts and souls to these days of Lent and honor and recognize the beautiful gifts that Christ has given us.  On Easter morning there will be a transformation within you.

Together, let us hold one another in prayer as we walk these 40 days of seeking the positive within ourselves.  Please know that Debbie Dillow, PA and I will be walking with each of you as together we seek the brightness within each of us.  What an Awesome Gift!

In God’s Providence,

Sister Diane Mason. SP

This is an opportunity for me to travel with the Savior from his temptation in the desert to  his crucifixion.  And then we can really feel the exultation of His resurrection and our salvation!  

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Cathy 

The Day Before the Lenten Journey Begins

You know the day before Lent is like getting ready for a trip.  Before I travel I organize all sorts of things.  I make sure I have the sitter for Duchess and that Sam has someone to come in and check in on him (you know how independent cats are.)  I do that last bit of laundry so there is none to come home to.  The house is made tidier than when we are home (why is that?).  I pack all the bags making sure I have clothes for all kinds of weather (even snow when we go to Colorado), my make-up, medication, books and camera.

Today is the day before my Lenten journey begins this year.  In preparation I have resolved to relax, rest, read and fast from those treats I saver the rest of the year.  May God give me the grace to do so. Another resolution is this.  I, too, will try to keep Provident God up to date.  I have become lax and so this is the real challenge for me this year.  I will make every effort to keep this Journal of my journey up-to-date.

Wishing you all a grand "day before."

~~~^j^~~~

Deridens alium, non inderisus abibit...

Sanctuary, St. John the Baptist Church
3/28/2010

In my reading I sometimes go to the bookshelf and pick up a book I haven't perused in some time. Today I chose to open Latin Sayings for Spiritual Growth by Archabbot Lambert Reilly, O.S. B. from St. Meinrad Archabbey. What happened when I opened it was not so much surprising but relevant to the season of Holy Week.

If you are reflecting this week on the Passion of Our Lord then you will put yourself in the crowd. You will witness in the Holy Countenance the pain. You will hear the jeering crowd with its condemnation. You will see the sneering faces and the hear the verbal abuse of the Anointed One. I found this offering timely for me while on this journey and so I offer it for your reflection.

Deridens alium, non inderisus abibit
("The mocker doesn't go away unmocked")
Traditional

We live in an age of irony. Nothing, it seems is to be taken seriously, and certainly nothing is beyond the reach of mockery.

Satire and poking fun have their place, but when the tone of the ridicule and contempt hijacks an entire age and literally nothing is sacred, something is very wrong.

When we nurture the virtue of justice, we're aware that everything that God created has a divinely ordained purpose. We human beings may, in some ways, be ridiculous and hapless creatures, but when the laughter fades, here we stand: beloved children of God.

How do we deal with the flaws and foibles of those around us? Are they reasons for judgement or fun? Do we make any attempt to understand why people are the way they are or do we take the easy way out, blithely criticizing?

The question is, do we treat others as human beings or as objects for our amusement or sense of superiority?

And what happens the, when we look in the mirror? What has treating others unjustly, as less than human, done to our own humanity? (pp 170-171)

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I have wondered about those who stood at the foot of the cross and mocked Jesus, sneering and challenging him to save himself if he is God...When the earth quaked and the Temple veil is torn in half did they then realize he was the Messiah?

And so before I can pass judgment on these I must ask myself. "Do I, too, mock others for their beliefs, ridicule them for their traditions, treat them as less than myself because they don't "speak the language?" Why is it I become in sensed when I'm placing a call and am asked to choose #1 if I speak English and #2 if I speak another language. What in heaven's name causes me to be unkind? And why do I make remarks like, "If they live here they should learn the language." How do I know that they are not learning it? Who am I to judge. Why should the same offer of support be offered to them so that they might feel justified? Their life is certainly no less valuable in the eyes of God than mine! Shame on ME!

Jesus Christ did not die for those who spoke Aramaic. He didn't die for the Jewish people. We all know why and how he died. What we need to CONTINUE to learn is how I am to live the message for which he DID die, that we might live the Greatest Commandment. "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all our mind, and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10: 27) And then we must understand that when we live this law we too will find ourselves ridiculed, rebuffed, shunned, the brunt of jokes. I only pray that I will have the courage, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to deny the temptation to ridicule, humiliate, or injure others with my words. No unkind words came from the mouth of our Savior. They shouldn't come from mine either!

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Thanks be to God!

Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday...

Tradition. My years are filled with earthly and spiritual traditions. They are welcome landmarks along the journey.

Here are just a few that I'd like to share.

MARDI GRAS

Mardi Gras is said to have come to the New World in 1699, with a Canadian explorer named Pierre LeMoyne d'Ibersville, who founded the colony in Louisiana.

D'Iverville's father had been an indentured servant when he arrived in Canada and grew wealthy in Montreal. His son, Pierre, distinguished himself as a soldier during efforts to keep the English our of the Hudson Bay area. Soon, the French asked him to find the mouth of the Mississippi River along the gulf and to establish a fort there.

On March 3, 1600, d'Iverville landed on the shores of the Mississippi near the Gulf. He name the spot Point de Mardi Gras, in honor of the holiday being celebrated that day in France.

PANCAKE DAY

For Catholics in some regions of the world, the day before Ash Wednesday is Pancake Day. Some suggest that serving pancakes on this day became a popular way to use up fat, butter and eggs before Lent got underway.

*****

In England, a Pancake Day Race has been held on this day before Lent for over 500 years--begun allegedly when a woman cooking pancakes heard the church bells summoning her to services. In her hast, she rushed out of her house still holding her frying pan.

From the Little Black Book 2009/2010

Please share your traditions. How do you prepare for Lent?

Tomorrow the Lenten Journey begins in earnest. Inviting you to be a companion on the Journey to Calvary.

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God

Beautiful picture courtesy of Holly at Banner Haus.

Quiet

Today I was off work. Usually I'm off Wednesday afternoon anyway but I was caught up at work and chose to take it off. Haven't had an Ash Wednesday off in about10 years and found it the most wonderful day I have had in some time.

It was QUIET. I said my morning prayers in QUIET. Reflected at leisure in QUIET. Did my Bible Study in QUIET. Took Duchess out side and SHE was QUIET (usually barking at someone or something). God had gifted me with a real QUIET that I had not experienced in some time. It was refreshing, inspiring, and hard to relinquish.

Then it was time to offer my Mass and receive the Ashes in the evening. It is wonderful to look back on the day and see how I had been prepared for the glory of the evening.

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Thanks be to God!

Ash Wednesday

I turned to the Lord God,
pleading in earnest prayer,
with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
~Daniel 9:3~

The use of ashes as a sign of penitence and remorse is rooted in Jewish tradition.

This Jewish penitential practice carried over into Christianity. In one early Church custom dating back to the fourth century, those who had committed serious sin would present themselves to their bishop on Ash Wednesday, and would then spend the rest of Lent wearing the hair shirt as a public display of sinfulness.

The Ash Wednesday custom of placing ashes on the forehead became universal in the 11th century. In the 12th century, the practice began of burning the palm branches of the previous year to make the ashes.

After the 16th century Reformation , most Protestant churches did away with this custom, along with many other external practices of the Catholic Church. However, in recent decades, Lutheran Presbyterian Methodist, and Episcopal churches have reinstated the use of ashes as part of their liturgical renewal.

~~The Little Black Book~~

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Thanks be to God

Reflecting on Lent

Reflecting on Lent
Originally uploaded by Chris Inside

As I begin my journey this year into the season of Lent, I would like to share with you a bit of history offered by the Little Black Book.

St Telesphorus is the pope often credited with instituting the tradition of a seven week Lent.

Whether that is true or not, Telesphorus was one of the Church's earliest popes, serving from about 128-129 A.D. until his martyrdom about 10 years later.

Little is known about this saint. It is thought he was probably Greek. Legend says that he was a hermit before he became pope during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian.

But despite the scarcity of information of his background, he is credited (rightly or wrongly) with initiating may of today's Catholic traditions.

For instance, he is said to have begun the celebration of Easter on a Sunday, the tradition of midnight Mass at Christmas, and deciding that the Gloria should be sung at Christmas midnight Mass. It is also said that he started Quinquagesima Sunday (Shrove Sunday) to encourage Christians to prepare for Lent, and he determined the length of the Lenten season.

What is documented is that Telesphorus died a martyr possible because he was a powerful preacher who led many people to convert to Christianity.

The Greek Church celebrates his feast day, February 22.

And so tomorrow the Journey again begins just as it does every year. With plans and resolutions for our journey to the Cross and ultimately to the empty Tomb. May your journey be as fruitful as I hope mine will be.

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Thanks be to God!

Ash Wednesday, 2008,

On this first day of Lent I offer you this reflection taken from John Shea's Daybreaks, Daily Reflections for Lent and Easter.

Now Is the Time

Many Ash Wednesdays ago, my mother and I received ashes in the afternoon and headed directly to the mall to shop--real American religion. as we passed the permanent convention of teenagers gathered at the center of the mall, one of them saw the smudged foreheads and announced in a megaphone voice. "Hey! The Catholics are giving our ashes. Let's go."

There is something universal about Ash Wednesday. Although it is primarily a Catholic ritual, it appeals to many people. Even the unchurched may find themselves in line waiting to have someone's thumb blacken their forehead.

There are many reasons for this attraction, but I favor the explanation that ashes are a gentle reminder of our death and we welcome that gentle reminder. Although death is a constant companion, we do not have to think about it every day--but neither can we totally deny it. In the brief ritual of Ash Wednesday, we acknowledge our mortality in a way that does not debilitate us. Harsh reminders we push aside; gentle reminders we accept.

In fact, this ritual can embolden us. We are jolted out of drift, realizing our present life does not go on forever. It will end; and so we must make the most of it now. Time is the opportunity to love and we must seize it.

And so let us begin this holy season of fasting and prayer in JOY!!! We live because we have been saved. We can walk these Forty Days with family and friends knowing that our goal is the same, the continued celebration of our Salvation!

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Thanks be to God!