Copying Saint Francis

 For the second time, I'm reading Fratelli Tutti.  Every Sunday night, a couple of my friends and I are zooming to discuss this encyclical.  We did the introduction tonight.  It impressed us how St. Francis went to see the Sultan Malik-el-Kamil, in Egypt. Today Pope Francis went to see the Orthodox Patriarch, Bartholomew, and the Grand Imam, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb.  And this week, Pope Francis is visiting Iraq to visit Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the leader of Iraq's Shiite Muslims in Najaf and celebrate Mass in Irbil and pray in Mosul.  Both St. Francis and Pope Francis are open to all people from all religions.  We are all children of God.

Please pray for the pope's safety.  COVID-19 is still active; ISIS is still terrorizing people, and the United States has just recently sent rockets on an Iranian facility.

Arise

 When Jesus fell under the weight of the cross, the first time, He did something very important.  Something that should be a lesson for mankind.

He didn't stay down.  He got up.  He arose from the ground, knowing what lay ahead of Him.  I might have stayed down on the ground and prayed, "Let me just die, here."

What lesson is there for us?  

When we fail, we are to get-up and keep going.  The failure is not the end.

My First Failure

The meditation for the First Friday of Lent was on Jesus' fall for the first time.  You probably never thought of this before, but Jesus was probably used to failing.  Think of His disciples never under-

standing what He was talking about.  Think of the Pharisees criticizing everything He said and did.

 

His arrest, trial, and crucifixion were not a surprise to Him.  Yes, He was God but His life experiences had hardened Him to withstand His end. 

Like us.  Our disappointments and failures prepare us for our future experiences.

My first failure happened in sixth grade.  I'm 11 years old.  In Oakland Avenue Elementary School in Methuen, MA, we had safety lines that we walked home in.  The oldest kids were "patrol leaders."  Depending on how many older kids there were, they surrounded all the other kids who walked two by two.  My line had two patrol leaders.  When I was old enough, I was in front, because I lived on a street near the end of Oakland Avenue.  There was one other patrol leader who hovered either on the outside middle or dropped back to be last in line, to keep the line orderly.  She also stood in the middle of the street with her arm raised to stop traffic while the line crossed the street.

Exactly like this picture, except our patrol belts were white and we had a badge on it.  Anyway, in the last grade of elementary school, I was eleven years old.  All the patrol leaders were called to a meeting where the teacher announced that a "captain" was chosen by the teachers and they were going to announce who it was.  The announcement was prefaced with the attributes that were considered in the choice of choosing the captain.  This person was a good student, dependable, honest, etc.

I immediately gasped, thinking that they were talking about me.  After all, I had all these qualities.  I also had mixed feelings about it.  I was shy and didn't want to be the center of attention. But I also was very proud and really deep down wanted to hear these accolades about myself.

Then the ball dropped.  The name Ellen Jane Smutlak was chosen.  I was shocked!  It wasn't me?  How could that be?  The fact that I wasn't chosen, impressed upon me how other people saw me.  I wasn't the center of their universe like I was at home.  I wasn't considered the best.

WOW.

Here I am, 74 years old and still remember the sting of that impression.

It left such a mark that some other impressions are remembered:

1.  Randy Medauer said in soto voce, "her mother makes her clothes!"  I recall wondering how could that be?  Stores make people's clothes, don't they?  BUT!  even at that young age of 11, I knew Randy was saying that because she was jealous.

2.  Ellen Jane Smutlak was a "goody two-shoes."  Ellen Jane and I didn't live near each other.  So we didn't play together.  She did live near my grandmother and we did play together, now and then.  I remember asking her if I could ride her bike and she said no.  I found that odd; I'd let her ride my bike if it were at my grandmother's, why wouldn't she let me ride hers?  I remember badgering her about it but she stuck to her guns, "NO!"  Finally, she said, "My father said not to let anyone ride my bike."  

      I couldn't believe it.  Why would a parent say that?  In my neighborhood, we'd rode each others' bikes.  We played a racing game of it. I don't think that as a parent, myself, I ever told my kids not to let others ride their bikes.  I never thought of it.  

3.  When my name wasn't chosen, deep inside I was glad.  I didn't want to be the center of attention and that's true today.  I hate everyone looking at me.  Surprise?  I teach.  I'm a lector.  I have acted.  I know I am the center of attention in those roles but the focus is not on me, myself.  I have a job to do--get that message across, not myself.  You understand?

4.  Upon reflection, God once again had treated me with velvet gloves.  He is so very gentle with me.  My first failure was not a naked exposure in front of my peers.  It was an interior recognition that because I was inadequate I wasn't chosen "patrol leader captain."  I didn't have the personality nor temperament.

Thanks be to God.

Personality Quirks

 

This is being shared on Facebook.  Here are my friends:

A.  Clara but uses it to play with her cat who loves wax paper.

B.  Acronyms are used by government employees.

C. I confess.  It's me.  I give it to people with bad breath.

D. That's me, too.  After I pour the milk, I heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave because cold milk gives my teeth "frozen ache."  Yes I put ice cream in the microwave, too.  And my cat has to have her milk at room temperature.  What can I say, we're sensitive.

E.  That's everybody in the Senior Center.

F.  That my oldest daughter, she's a clever decorator.

G.  That might be me too.  How do I know if people watch them or not?

H. That's Jim.  His lists are on his cell phone with a calendar.  

I.  I haven't seen that since 7th grade.

J. All my grandchildren.

K.  No one.

L.  Hubby.  Every place he goes, he loads up on the condiments.

Poet Priest of the South

 The Rosary of My Tears

Some reckon their age by years,
     Some measure their life by art;
But some tell their days by the flow of their tears,
     And their lives by the moans of their heart.

The dials of earth may show
     The length, not the depth of years.
Few or many they come, few or many they go,
     But time is best measured by tears.

For the young are oft-times old,
     Though their brows be bright and fair;
While their blood beats warm, their hearts are cold,
     O'er them the spring--but winter is there.

And the old are oft-times young,
    When their hair is thin and white;
And they sing in age, as in youth they sung,
     And they laugh for their cross was light.

But, bead by bead, I tell
     The rosary of my years,
From a cross to a cross they lead; 'tis well
     And they're blest with a blessing of tears.

Better a day of strife
     Than a century of sleep:
Give me instead of a long stream of life
     The tempest and tears of the deep.

A thousand joys may foam
     On the billow of all the years:
But never the foam brings the lone back home;
     It reaches the haven through tears.

Father Abram J. Ryan, C.M.

Father Ryan was born in the Virginia in 1838.  His father was the overseerer of a plantation. With a background and environment of a Southern plantation, at that time, one can see why Father Ryan sympathized with the Confederate States of America.  

He wrote quite a lot of poems and was a celebrity.  The poem above about "The Rosary of My Tears," is an example of his poetry.

Cooking with Grandpa Jacques

 "A Grandfather's Lessons, In the Kitchen with Shorey," is a delightful nonfiction book that has some good recipes. I know I'm late in the game, but I've just discovered Jacques Pepin. He weaves stories of his home life into the reason for his meals.

This is my wife, Gloria's favorite.
This is my granddaughter, Shorey's favorite.
This is my daughter, Claudine's favorite.
I made this for Gloria when we were dating and won her heart.

His stories and artwork are endearing. I can relate. Another thing I can do, is his recipes. He hardly uses any ingredient I don't already have in my kitchen. You don't have to go to a specialty market to buy anything. The book is enjoyable and useful. 

The Demise of Father Diotrophes

 At my last writing group meeting, one of our members related a story about a mean boss she once had.  I immediately thought of Father Diotrophes.  It's been quite a while since I wrote a prayer group tale but I used to tell stories about the relationship between my pastor and my prayer group.

I immediately tried to think of a situation to have Father Diotrophes and the prayer group at odds, again.  Everything seemed silly.  Could it be that I've moved on?  Well, since COVID-19, the prayer group hasn't met at all.  So the pastor isn't hovering over us and vice versa; the prayer group isn't annoying the pastor.

It's time. 

I am sorry to announce that Father Diotrophes has moved on.

However, I'm sure the prayers of the prayer group will continue to surround Father Diotrophes forever.

Stations of the Cross

 "We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world."

We say this prayer at each station of the Stations of the Cross.  We genuflect when we pray it, also.  It 

comes from St. Francis of Assisi.  He prayed a longer version of the prayer every time he came to a

church.  The Franciscans started the devotion to the Stations of the Cross.

American Vernacular

Collective behavior

can damn the innocent.

A phrase so pervasive,

so persuasive,

permeating our

colloquial speech.

First, there are the “woke people:

Virtue signaling!

Co-opting our speech,

our values, our customs.

Displaying just how

“unwoke,”  they really are.

Before we saw it

they proved it.

Who will the “cancel culture”

Attack now?

Are there any heroes left?

The statues rode off in the night,

taking their side of history with them.

Team mascots were tossed,

 along with proper nouns,

street names,

school names,

even town names.

Is being left, right now?

Is right politically correct?

Who’s left behind?

Is my face mask an affront

to your personal liberty?


Am I being sexist?

ageist?

racist?

or prejudice?

Finally, the most puzzling expression of all,

is one that I take personally.

It’s the label, “Karen.”

A Karen describes a

privileged, entitled,

demanding, obnoxious,

white, middle-aged woman.

 

Tell me how

an innocuous name

became the quintessential pejorative-

Slang label for the angry,

 repackaged “soccer mom.”

 

The current Karen meme

Is an affront to the traditional

meaning of the name

It’s accidental irony

Sanctimonious morality

Insulting all 1,111,739 American Karens.

 

It’s rude,

Offensive,

just to show how culturally elite you are.

The original meaning of the name in

Greek is purity

Japanese means water lily

Danish means wholesome.

Opposite of this current

Snarky fad.

I call on everyone

To educate yourselves

And learn to communicate better.

Explain ideas in coherent sentences

Not a label.

Not a quick tweet.

Enlighten yourself.

Learn.

Learn to be respectful.
Learn to be kind.
Learn to be knowledgeable.

Be Blessed for hungering and
thirsting for righteousness.

Learn.

Poetry Quip

 I can't resist posting this quip.  I found it looking for different definitions of poetry.

Poets' poetry privately pardons.

Sinners sauntering secretly to Hell.

Laundry Stations of the Cross

 The grandchild and I will be doing Stations of the Cross during Lent. I put them up in the laundry room.

I plan to read the stations and sing, stopping at all 14 stations.  Why the Laundry Room?  The Laundry room is the one place that they can stay up for 46 days.  
 

Justice by Mob Rule

 Yesterday's and today's Lenten meditations on Jesus' trial in front of Pilate really had me reflecting deeply.  I kept thinking of the mob that invaded the Capitol Building with the mob that kept demanding that Jesus be crucified.

What would I have done if I were Pilate?
I was sure Jesus was innocent but the mob was demanding that he be crucified.  If I didn't do what the mob wanted there would surely be repercussions.  My bosses would hear of it--I couldn't control the mob.  I'd lose my job. But if  I did what the mob wanted, that would be the end of the problem.  The easy way was to do what the mob wanted.

What else could Pilate do?

Alleluia Fell on My Head

 My grandchildren and I buried the Alleluia yesterday.  We will not use this word during Lent, so in a symbolic manner, we buried Alleluia. The grands loved this idea because in their favorite stories, which are Harry Potter stories, the character never say the name of the bad guy, Voldemort.

For some reason, the grands thought it would be a better idea, to hide Alleluia so that I wouldn't know where it was.  O.K.  I'll be a good sport.  They hid it on me.

This morning when I opened my closet door, Alleluia fell off the shelf and hit me on the head.

I said the opposite of Alleluia.

What's Your Favorite Dominican Prayer?

If you respect Dominic as Master and the Authority to follow, then you are a faithful follower.  You should pray the Litany of St. Dominic.
 

If you like the way Dominic combined the intellectual with the spiritual, you should pray the Litany of Dominican Saints.

If you identify with Dominic's preaching and his love and concern for the marginalized, you will like to pray the Rosary.

If you like Dominic's contemplative and mystical side, then you should do a Lectio Divina on O Lumen.

My King Cake

 Here it is. 

A King Cake is made to celebrate holidays in many cultures.  In the USA, the city of New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras the day before Ash Wednesday.  The original idea was to party and use up all the sweets in the house because on the next day Lent begins--Ash Wednesday.

Some people put a nut in the center of the cake and bake it.  Whoever finds the nut in their piece will have luck for a year, or something else significant.  Some people have the person who found the nut become responsible for providing the King Cake the next year.

It's called "King Cake" because our king, Jesus Christ is in the center.  My little figure of Jesus is plastic so I'm not baking it in a cake.  I placed it in the middle after the cake was made.  Colored sugar was sprinkled over the cake in Mardi Gras colors.

Raw Potato Sandwich

 Jacques Pepin on one of his shows talked about James Beard’s onion sandwich.  The onion sandwich inspired Jacques to make a radish sandwich. 

These ideas inspired me to make my own.  I peeled a potato.

I put mayonnaise on the bread.

                          I sliced the raw potato into crosswise slices and arranged them on the bread.

And salted the potatoes and put the sandwich together.                                                                              

 The last step is to eat it.

Bye-Bye Alleluia

 4 more days of Alleluia and then we bury it. Starting on Ash Wednesday we will not say Alleluia.  So the grandkids and I will bury it.  I'm not sure how, since we have about four feet of snow on the ground. We'll probably just hide it away but I'll see what the girls decide.

Bingo for Lent

 

Want to play?  There are six weeks in Lent to fill up this bingo card.  That's how we're playing it.  Because I'm the Grandma; that's why!

As a prize, I can't offer candy; it's Lent, and Easter they get too much candy, anyway.  So when the card is all filled in, we will go shoe shopping.  The two girls will get new shoes.  (I bet they pick sneakers.)

Stone Disease

 The Catholic Book Club on Goodreads is reading House of Brede, by Rumer Godden.  We were discussing leadership and its burdens and one of the pitfalls is "stone disease."  No, we're not talking about kidney or gall stones.  Stone disease is an excessive fascination with building projects.  There are leaders who have to leave a legacy behind (in the shape of a building), wherever they go.

Leaders have to be very careful that this desire doesn't overshadow the governance of their other duties.

                                                            Hadrian's Wall

The Pope and the Ayatollah

Pope Francis will be taking a trip to Iraq March 5-8, 2021. He will visit the Great Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, the most eminent figure of Shia Islam. Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani is 90 years old and is known for his wisdom.

In November 2019, Iraq was dealing with violent demonstrations, which were quelled with equal violence. The UN Commission of Inquiry came in to investigate the crimes committed against the Yezidis in Sinjar, Christians in Mosul, and the Turcomans in Tal Afar.

Even before this, al Sistani was looking to fix any attempt to manipulate the ethnic and religious composition that the jihadists were trying to perpetrate. The Ayatollah wanted to preserve the presence of the indigenous communities, especially the Christians. And this is why Pope Francis is traveling to Iraq. It will be a meeting between two peacemakers.

Was Paul a People-Pleaser?

 Paul says, Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I try to please all men in everything I do not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, ...

Was Paul a people-pleaser?  No, Paul tried to please all people in everything.  What's the difference?

People-pleasers lose themselves in trying to please each person.  In trying to make everyone happy, one is not seeking common ground for the common good, and that is what Paul was trying to do.  In trying to please every single person, you may not really help. When seeking to please all people one is working for the good of all.  

Paul was looking to please all people for the common good.  That's the difference.

Deja Vu

 A friend and I exchange magazines.  She knows I like "The Bible Today."  While cleaning her bookcase, she found a year of "The Bible Today."  The year is 2001.  I started reading the January/February 2001 issue.  In the article, "Prophet or Magician?", by Michael S. Moore, a sentence hit me right between the eyes.

... Why do we sometimes have to deal with unexpected crises when it looks like we've finally made it out of "the wilderness?"  Why do our marriages sometimes hit bottom just when we thought that everything was working out? Why do our parishes sometimes get hit with every conceivable problem (natural disaster, war, moral rebellion, sexual scandal, economic downturns, immigration problems, etc.) just when things are starting to turn around?  Why do we have to go through an embarrassing presidential impeachment just when the economy is doing so well and prosperity is abundant?

2001, the president was Bill Clinton.  Today the president being impeached is Donald Trump.

While the sentence is noteworthy, I hope we don't lose the lesson the article is teaching.  The article is about the soothsayer King Balak hired.  His name is Balaam.  Balaam was hired to put a curse on the Israelites traveling across the desert.  Moses and the Israelites had fled the Egyptians and in making their way across the desert were mowing down all that was in their way. King Balak was nervous that his kingdom would be next.  Hence, he hired Balaam to put a curse on the Israelites.

It wasn't easy.  In fact, Balaam failed.  He tried twice.  But Balaam is a believer.  He realizes that Israel's God is the true God.

Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times. (Num 24:1)  Sometimes we have to fail a few times before we realize that what we are doing isn't God's Will.  Then we have to have a "tete a tete" with God.  We have to discern and see what is going on, not with our own eyes but with others.  Perhaps, now, as then, it's best to just move on.

Where Are All the Men?

 Image from the Facbook page Ocean View Evangelical Community Church

A while ago, I wrote a post called The Final Letter, about writing to the pope urging him to canonize Father Jean-Joseph Lataste, and saying that I was mailing finally mailing the letter.  I mailed it alright but not to the pope.  I mailed it to the postulator of the cause.  He recommended changes.  He also advised that I get signatures.  

Herein lies the topic of this post.  Look at this picture of Jesus' Crucifixion.  Where are all the men?  Only the beloved John was present.  The other apostles were afraid to stand by Jesus.  They were afraid to witness.  

Providentially, I copied this picture from a Facebook Address of the Ocean View Evangelical Community Church in Hawaii, which was commenting on witnessing.  Yes, where are all the men?

Thank God for women.  Look at them.  

This picture will help get across what happened regarding my letter.  All the women signed.  No problem.  Only one man signed: 

My provincial  --  ignored me

My bishop  --  ignored me

My cardinal archbishop --  ignored me

two Dominican chaplains -- ignored me

A prison priests chaplain  --  ignored me

One Dominican friar didn't ignore me but he said he didn't feel comfortable signing.  My current fraternity's Dominican director said he was too busy.

Men are afraid to witness.  The result looks like Cavalry--one man, many women.

"Just say'n."

The Hand of Miriam and Fatima

 

I am surprised that everyone is not wearing this pretty pendant.  It is a symbol in the three major Abrahamic religions.  To Christians, it represents the hand and eye of God.  To Jews, it is called a Hamsa or the hand of Miriam.  To Muslims, it is called Hamsa or the hand of Fatima.

Hindus and Buddhists see the Hamsa spiritually.  It offers good karma. The following is an explanation.

• Thumb: This holds the fire element and the solar plexus chakra. It supports creativity and imagination. Those who tap into this wheel of energy can experience higher levels of inspiration in their creative endeavors. Whether you are a painter, a sculptor, a writer, or any other type of artist, you have free will to get in touch with this creative chakra. 

• Forefinger:The air element and the heart chakra. This helps withconfidence, love, and security. This is one of the most important since love is not just about loving others but also loving yourself. That is where confidence comes. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. You have to show the world your confidence and let it shine into success. 

• Middle finger: These are the ethereal elements and the throat chakra, which is for collectivity and diplomacy. You may need this if you are going into a new business deal or have an important deal to make that day. Remember your hamsa pendant for good luck in this endeavor. 

• Ring finger: This finger is for the earth element and the root chakra. The root chakra is for innocence. There are a lot of evil things in the world, and it is important to maintain your innocence even in the midst of it. Tap into the root chakra to keep looking for the good in people and to give them the benefit of the doubt. Keep seeing what is beautiful in the world instead of focus on its difficulties. 

• Pinky finger: Here lies the water element and the sacral chakra. The sacral chakra is for forgiveness and peace. If you hold onto past wrongs and hurts, you will never free yourself to the higher levels of peace. We are living creatures who must let go of wrong in order to feel fully free.

Even atheists and agnostics sometimes wear it for good luck.  We all need that.

Moses, Are You Done Yet?

 The quarantine has made me think of the Israelites' journey through the desert.  Leaving their usual life in Egypt and trekking through the desert was an uncomfortable unknown.

What would become of them?  What if they didn't make it?  What if their loved ones didn't make it?  Would life ever go back to normal?  What lies ahead.  How long, O Lord? 

Even though the people of Israel's journey was physical, they must have had the same thoughts we have going through COVID-19 restrictions.  Besides the mental anxiety, they obviously were affected spiritually.  Hence the golden idol.

About that idol: I cut them a lot of slack in making that idol.  When Moses went up that mountain, he was gone for a long time.  Too long a time for tired, worried, frightened, and bored people.  When Moses was there, his presence reminded them of God.  But Moses was gone.  Also, the Israelites had just come from Egypt where they saw the Egyptians worshipping idols. So when Moses went, so did God, and they remembered the Egyptian's god.  I think they made the idol and called it Yahweh and really were thinking in their minds and hearts--Yahweh, not the Egyptian god.  Scriptures don't say what they called the idol.  

All the people wanted was something tangible.  Something to touch, to feel, to kiss, to see--not an abstract idea.  

Thank God I'm Catholic and can see, touch, and feel pictures and statues.  I certainly am not worshipping paper, plaster, marble, paint, etc..  I am worshipping depictions of divinity.  I don't love the family picture above the fireplace; I love the people depicted in the painting.

And that's what I miss in this quarantine.  I miss kissing and hugging.

Moses is taking too long.  Time to end this physical desert.

Broken Hopes

 As the tree is fertilized by its own broken branches and fallen leaves, and grows out of its own decay,

so men and nations are bettered and improved by trial, and refined out of broken hopes and blighted expectations.                             F. W. Robertson

Dreaming of a Better Future

 "Let Us Dream" is a book written by Austin Ivereigh with the cooperation of Pope Francis.  Ivereigh gathered information from interviews with Pope Francis, his letters, his articles, etc.  It is very current because it is dealing with Covid-19 and its effects.   

At first, the prologue frightened me because of its apocalyptic warnings, but then I became enmeshed in the book itself.  I learned much: i.e., a synod, the purpose of the synod, how the media shapes information, etc.  

     The book is divided into three parts: the problem, exploring ideas, and actions.  In this method, the pope offers suggestions and methods for people to take.  But it takes all people, no one can do it alone.  People are made to help each other and that's how to solve the problems, especially conscious of the marginalized people.  They have to be included. Every person must have a dignified existence, especially the people who are considered poor.  

      It is a very easy read and offers many good discussion points.  And the book ends with Alexis Valdes poem on Hope.

                                     We'll value more what belongs to all

                                      than what was earned.

                                      We'll be more generous

                                      and much more committed.

Synodality

 Synodality is an old method used by Church to bring differing points of view together.  Remember the argument: "to circumcise or not?"  That was settled in a synod. 

Agreements are always the result.  The aim of a synod is to recognize and express differences so that harmony is reached.  The violin, the drum, etc. are different, but together they make music.

The next synod is scheduled for October 2022 and its theme is "For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission."