Right to Life

(Niagara River, 2003)

The Knights of Columbus at our parish have generously supplied all members of St. John the Baptist the Novena for Life. January 21, 2008 is the Right to Life March in DC. I'm a couple of days late in starting, but beginning none-the-less and would ask you to pray it with me.

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Day One
Created to Live with You

Prayer
Father of life, help us to long for the fullness of life and to know the wonder of what awaits us beyond the dimensions of this earthly existence.

A reading from the Book of Job 19:1, 23-27a
The Job answered and said: Oh, would that my words were written down! Would that they were inscribed in a record: That with an iron chisel and with lead they were cut in the rock forever! But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; Whom I myself shall see; my own eyes, not another's, shall behold him; And from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing.

(Silent reflection)

Prayer
God of all creation grant us the wisdom to understand fully the mystery that life has no meaning apart from you.

A Reflection by Pope John Paul II*
The Eucharist is a straining towards the goal, a foretaste of the fullness of joy promised by Christ (cf. Jn 15:11); it is in some way the anticipation of heaven, the "pledge of future glory". . . Those who feed on Christ in the Eucharist need not wait until the hereafter to receive eternal life; they already possess it on earth, as the first-fruits of a future fullness which will embrace man in his totality. For in the Eucharist we also received the pledge of our bodily resurrection at the end of the world; "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (Jn 6:54)

Our Father. . .
Hail Mary. . .
Glory Be. . .

*Ecclesia de Eucharistia, no. 18.

Thank you for this time of prayer with me. Tomorrow then.

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Thanks be to God!!

Spreading the Love...

Much to my surprise I have been given the "Spread the Love Award" by Maria at Mommy of Four. To her I say thank you. It is a delight to be honored. But it is to all of you who have given me such encouragement that I feel obliged to say thank you as well. I do so enjoy this means of communication and education, because there is not one of you who has not taught me something, lifted my spirits and made me laugh, sometimes out loud with your contributions.

*!^!^!^!^!*

And so it is that I choose someone for this award. It is so difficult not feel as if you have left someone out! But here are a few of the ones who brighten my day. I have been blessed by so many that this is just the icing on a really wonderful cake. So to these who share their love I give you, Musings, Sailing by Starlight, Are We There Yet, What I Choose Today, View From the Pews, A Trucker's Wife, and Contemplative Haven, asylum for your refugee soul. And so it is for them to pass the baton!

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~Thanks be to God~

The End of the Trip.

You know, seldom can one say that the end of ones trip is as eventful as the beginning. But today I am here to tell you about the END of my trip. Perhaps tomorrow I will tell you about how IT started. This is much better and I have to tell very fulfilling.

As I arrived home here, we waited for my 1 bag to arrive. Well, it didn't make the transfer from Frontier Airlines to American Airlines in Denver (Frontier located somewhere near Aurora; American Airlines somewhere near Downtown...[exaggeration]. As everyone knows the airport is in the middle of nowhere). I wasn't concerned because I suspected as much since I had to change airlines and there was nothing of any value that cannot be replaced except 3 skeins of yarn I shopped for with my mother, and those can be replaced at Hobby Lobby. (It's just that they are part of the precious memories of my time with Mom, Phil, Deb and Megan). Doesn't everyone knit or find something to remind them of a treasured experience?

Well, any way, the bag was not here. But, there was someone very special at the airport that Ron and I were supposed to meet. He is a student from Lithuania. He had traveled for two days from his home to Dublin ( where he slept in the airport), to Chicago, and finally Evansville. God love him, only one of his bags arrived the other is still in transit and he STILL wasn't at his final destination. He still had to travel to Owensboro, KY some 26 form miles down the road to get to Brescia University where he was to start his 1st semester as a freshman. He told us after he made arrangements for his luggage he was going to get a cab to Owensboro. NOT! We would take him there if he didn't mind. He didn't.

Well, as luck would have it, Ron had ordered pizza ( that's what I said I was hungry for) and it was already at home. So before he traveled down the road again he had "American Pizza" and they were off.

When they got to campus it was after 9:00 p.m. and even though they found his dorm the doors were locked. They finally found two students who showed them where a security guard could be found. The guard told them that he thought that he had seen the president of the university in his office and perhaps he would be of assistance...Sure enough Rev Larry Hostetter was indeed in his office and he would be happy to get this young man settled in.

Edvin seemed like a delightful young man, who in spite of his denial, had a rather good grasp of the English language. Ron and I wish him luck and pray for his success.

Isn't GRAND when HIS plan comes together? And isn't it altogether Grand to be USED by HIM!

*******

And for the privilege to aid in the work of our Lord, I say,
"Thanks be to God!"

I'm Off

In a few hours I leave for the land of Lewis and Clark. Like a child in anticipation of a grand adventure, I cannot sleep. The suit case was packed long ago...I've always been like that I get so excited that I pack days in advance thinking that will make time fly and it NEVER does! So before I begin my daily rosary, I thought I'd share with you all today's prayer for peace in my very small prayer card called, let Peace Fill My Heart, Prayers for a Peaceful World.

The world before me
is restored in beauty.
The world behind me
is restored in beauty.
The world below me
is restored in beauty.
All things around me
are restored in beauty
*
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.

Native American Prayer

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Peace be with you all,
and
Thanks Be to God!

Rediscovering Catholicism

I must get this in before I fly to visit my mother in MT for a few days. I will be back on Saturday. Will try to visit when I can. Yes, my mother at 82 is pretty computer literate. I am really proud of her.

At any rate, this book is one of the nicest Christmas gifts I think I have gotten in some time, just because it was a real surprise. It has taken me so long to get to it because of all the other post I wanted to make. That was why the initial introduction to Matthew earlier.

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First, I mentioned that we went to St. Brigid's Church Christmas Eve for Mass. The gift to the congregation, to all present, was this book by Matthew Kelly. The pastor got up at the end of Mass and said this book was a gift to all attending whether parishioner or guest. I was really dumbfounded. This parish takes formation seriously and has taken it to a higher level.

I started reading the book today. Yes, I forgot to list it as one of the books I wanted to read. It's interesting reading and not only that...when I turned the bookmark over that was inside the book I found that Matthew Kelly will be speaking at St. Brigid's April 20, 21, and 22. And if you are in the vicinity of Alpharetta, GA on those dates you would not be wasting your time if you went to hear him speak. He is in love with his God and the Church and it emanates in his enthusiasm.

No, this is not a paid announcement, but I believe that this young man is a missionary. And his mission is to bring us all into the loving arms of our Lord. Like Paul and Barnabas, Matthew goes to the people, encouraging them to share that goodness they have with others.

~*~*~*~*~
For Matthew and others like him,
I say, " Thanks be to God."