Pray, Think, Act

 

LECTIO: 

Sir 15:15-20

If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;
if you trust in God, you too shall live;
he has set before you fire and water
to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.
Before man are life and death, good and evil,
whichever he chooses shall be given him.
Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.
The eyes of God are on those who fear him;
he understands man's every deed.
No one does he command to act unjustly,
to none does he give license to sin.

STUDIUM:

God in His Wisdom has given us free will.  Life is about the choices we've made.  Good or bad sometimes just happens but afterwards, we evaluate and make a choice.  Some say when we die some poor souls even choose hell.  We had better keep our eyes on God.  He understands why we choose and judges accordingly.

MEDITATIO:

Lord, how many times have I asked You to take away my free will.  I only want to do Your Will.  I don't even want to think of any other choices.  But I trust Your Wisdom and know best, so help me to always choose You.

ORATIO:

Lord, lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Thy Will be done.

RESOLUTIO:

Since I don't want to sin, I need to not act impulsively.  I need to remember to pray first, then think, and finally to act.

Start Novena

 Nine-month Novena starting January 30, 2023, Pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC.  September 30, 2023, Vigil of Rosary Sunday. 

God our Father, we thank you for the gift of your Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we are
adopted as your beloved sons and daughters.

At Pentecost you poured out the Holy Spirit
upon Our Lady and the Apostles
while they were at prayer.

Pour out that same Holy Spirit upon us 
as we meditate upon the mysteries of Christ
contained in the Most Holy Rosary.

wnlighten our faith, strengthen our hope, and
set us ablaze with love for you and our neighbor.

Graciously grant us St. Dominic's own zeal
for the salvation of souls.

Bless the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage.

May it lead many souls to Jesus through Mary,
so that we may know you and your saving power
now and for all eternity.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
St. Dominic, pray for us!

Tasteless Salt

In Matthew 5: 13-16 Jesus talks about salt losing its taste.  How can it do that?  It must take beyond our lifetimes.  This translation must be wrong.  I posit that instead of taste, the word should portray usefulness. 

 You see, in Jesus' time, camel dung was used for fuel.  Salt was mixed into the dung. A slab of salt was placed at the base of the an oven and on top of the slab of salt was placed the dung patty mixed with salt. Salt has catalytic properties causing the dung to burn.  Eventually, however, the salt loses its catalytic properties and becomes useless.

Perseverance Personified

 

To everyone in TOPS 9463, Betty Cirotski was an inspiration.  We all recognized and understood the power her influence had. Everyone loved to hear her story.  This lady, Betty Cirotski, was the personification of perseverance and grace, who affected everyone in our chapter.  Throughout her life since joining TOPS, bearing children, fighting cancer, four hip replacements and other illness, she always came back to TOPS to began anew. Betty made trying and failing, not something to be ashamed of, but rather just a pot hole in the climb up the TOPS mountain.

Betty first joined TOPS in 1963, in Syracuse, NY.  She reached KOPS status.  When her family moved one of the first things she looked for was a TOPS chapter.  If she couldn’t find one, she started one.  So it was in Green River, Wyoming in 1967. 

Since moving again and again, Betty joined chapters in Rock Springs, Wyoming WY0039, Lake Hopatkong, New Jersey, and Hackettstown, NY, 0073.  She started a chapter in Ridgecrest, CA in 1980, (CA 1121). 

Upon coming to Massachusetts, Betty joined a chapter in Medfield, MA.  It was very small and eventually closed. That’s when Betty began a chapter in the town she lived in, Franklin, MA 9463.  She started meeting in Franklin’s Senior Center and stayed with the Senior Center even when a new one was built.  The Senior Center considers TOPS one of their health and wellness programs. Here Betty lost 100 pounds and didn’t tell anyone. Fortunately, her husband Leo snitched on her.  We had a surprise celebration for Betty’s “Century Pounder Loss,” where TOPS’ area coordinator, Gail Lewis, honored her with a trophy.

Once again, Betty achieved KOPS status. And she kept that status to the end in December 2022.

Everyone in Franklin 9463 chapter was so awed by her perseverance that we are planning to have an annual award to a member who exemplifies Betty’s will, loyalty, and perseverance. We celebrate her strong will to succeed to this day.  We owe it to her to succeed in becoming KOPS.

Artificial Intelligence

 

LECTIO:

Heavenly Father,
                We come to you today in humble prayer, seeking Your Grace and Mercy. We thank you for all that You have blessed us with and ask that You continue to guide us and protect us from harm.
                We ask that You give us strength and courage to face our daily challenges. Help us to remain strong in our faith, so that we may be a light for others.
                Give us the wisdom to make good decisions and to have faith in ourselves.  Lead us to be kind, patient, and forgiving, especially when it is hard.
                We know that You are with us at all times, and we thank You for that. We ask that You keep us safe from all harm and danger, and protect us from all evil.
In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen                                         AI

STUDIUM:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the new technology that enables computers to perform different advanced functions, including writing this prayer under LECTIO.  If you use a GPS for directions, you are using AI.  If you use Google Translate, you are using AI.  Tesla uses AI to drive their cars.  Recently AI took a bar exam and passed. Here, I imagine a programmer fed The Lord’s Prayer, and scripture verses of praise, and thanks, and intercession, and asked the computer to compose a prayer.  And voila!

MEDITATIO:

Lord Jesus, is Artificial Intelligence good or bad?  Is it like most things—a little bit of both?  It depends on how one uses it.  Consider, Lord, this prayer written by Artificial Intelligence.  It is much better than any prayer I have ever written.  The robot even capitalized “You,” when it referred to God Almighty, showing reverence, just like I would do.  The robot respects God? 

There is something vital missing in this prayer.  Me.  The robot knows the right words, but it is not a sentient being.  It is not me. This prayer does not express the love I feel for You.  The prayer does not express my need for Your Love.

ORATIO:

Lord, help me not to admire the robot’s prayer, better, help me not to laugh at it.  Help me to pray better.  Help me to listen to Your Voice.  Help me to rest comfortably in Your Love.

CONTEMPLATIO:

I will keep my eyes on Jesus and not on every new invention.

RESOLUTIO:

I resolve not to use AI for Lectio Divina. There is only One God and AI is nowhere in the same class.

Shema

 

LECTIO:

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Deuteronomy 6: 4

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. (Mark 12: 29-30)

STUDIUM:

This verse in Deuteronomy is the most important prayer that Jews say.  It is known as the Shema. Every Jew is supposed to pray the Shema at least twice a day. It is even mentioned in the ancient Qumran scrolls.

According to Jesus, it is our first commandment. Interesting, as I adore God with my eyes, God tells us to hear.  We Catholics are blessed to also taste and see the Lord in the Eucharist.

When God first gave this command to the Hebrews there were many gods.  The Lord was demanding that His people worship the One True God. Nowadays, there are more and more people who don’t even believe in God.  The noise of the world detracts the people. They are deaf to God’s voice.

MEDITATIO:

It is a struggle to hear God’s voice.  I go to Mass to taste and see.  I go to Adoration to see and listen.  It is a challenge. Lord help me listen to homilies and daily readings.  You know how to reach me. 

ORATIO:

Lord, I want to hear and listen in order to do Your Will.  I want to be a doer of Your Will, too.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

RESOLUTIO:

I need to spend more quiet time with God.  Adoration is a good start.

Sanctus

 

LECTIO:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of host.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

STUDIUM:

These verses are at the end of the Communion Preface to the Mass.  It is called the Sanctus. We see “Holy, Holy, Holy,” chanted in Revelation 4:8, 4:11 and Isaiah 6:3. The Sanctus is repeated at every Mass and by the Hebrews who use it to proclaim that Yahweh is the holiest of all.

MEDITATIO:

My Lord, whether it is Isaiah’s vision of “Holy,” or the angels’ in Revelation chanting “Holy,” we Your people at the Communion Preface praise in unison “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of host.”  Listen, My Love, we can’t hold our thanks and praise inside, and have to shout out “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of host.”  It is impossible. We must shout it out.

ORATIO:

My sweet Lord, I praise You in all places and at all times. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Hosanna!

RESOLUTIO:

May I always remember to joyfully acclaim the Sanctus.

Apple Drives Me Crazy

 Here's the story: I was trying to download a book I was purchasing from Amazon.com onto my Kindle.  My iPhone is new.  My computer is new.  That means my Kindle doesn't recognize my new modem (?) (router ?), whatever.  I was positive that the password I was putting into Amazon was correct. After more than ten tries of this and that I suddenly came to the realization of the problem.

I was putting in letters.  Amazon wanted numbers.  Instead of LOVRF, they wanted 56873.

Anyway, the Geek Squad is coming over today.  I have other questions to ask.

What's Important

 

LECTIO:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

STUDIUM: 

This Lectio is actually the refrain of the hymn, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.”  I recommend that you listen to this hymn while you are in Adoration.  Wear headphones or earbuds, close your eyes and let your heart listen.

The background history is not necessary, but the hymn was written by Helen Lemmel, a Methodist missionary, in 1918.  The title of the hymn is “The Heavenly Vision,” but it is more commonly known by the first line of the refrain.  Here is the entire hymn:

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Saviour,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

 

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more has dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!

(Refrain)

His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

(Refrain)

 

MEDITATIO:

Lord Jesus, You know where I live and what I do.  I live in the epicenter of the clergy sex abuse scandal.  Eyes on Jesus.  I volunteer in a prison where there were so many priests convicted of sex crimes that the staff jokingly referred to their housing block as “the rectory.” Eyes on Jesus. I know that the Church is a human institution as well as divine.  Priests are human. Eyes on Jesus.

My country is led by a president who advocates killing babies.  Eyes on Jesus. The world is full of violence.  Ukraine and Russia are at war.  The countries south of the Sahara are plagued with terrorists.  The Middle East is rife with insurgents.  India and Indonesia are oppressing Catholics.  The drug problem in Colombia and Mexico is so bad, it is called the Drug War.  And there’re more.  Eyes on Jesus.

All will pass, or not.  What of it?  Eyes on Jesus.

ORATIO:

Beloved, be with me.  Nothing matters, but You.  There certainly isn’t anything else to believe in.  People?  Country?  President?  Pope? Priest?  Only You, my Love, only You.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Eyes on Jesus.

RESOLUTIO:

Remember that all is transitory. Only God abides.

Was Paul Boring?

 Did you laugh at the end of today's Second Reading?  Today is the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.  The Second Reading was 1 Corinthians 1: 10-13, 17.  The last section said:

...For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with

human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

So Paul had no human eloquence.  And listening to him was a cross!  Listeners were suffering.  Actually, this may have been true.  Remember Eutychus?   

Eutychus he was sitting in a window listening to Paul and he fell asleep AND fell out the window.  Acts 20: 9.

               

 From the Salty Scrivener https://semperreformatadotcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/acts-20-2147447.png

 Contrary to the reviews I've read on this novel, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin, I did not find the story funny.  To the contrary, I found it sad.  The two main characters, Lenni and Margot, are in the hospital, dying.  Lenni's story is heartbreaking.  Her mother leaves the family, her husband and Lenni, to go back to Sweden. The father leaves his dying daughter, in the hospital, to go find happiness in Poland, where his new girlfriend lives. 

The funny parts are Lenni's quips.  She has a quick, different take on situations.  Her descriptions are brutally honest. The title comes from an idea Lenni and Margot have in their art therapy class.  When you add Lenni's 17 years to Margot's 83, you get 100.  So the two of them plan to make 100 paintings depicting each year of their lives.  With each year or so, a story is told.  Lenni's is about her mother and her leaving the family behind.  Margot's paintings tell various lives.  She married young and her baby died.  She got divorced and fell into a bohemian type of lifestyle but found a soul mate.   She marries later in life and finally had a settled and comfortable life, until he died.  Finally, she may travel to go back to her bohemian friend, if she gets better.  That's a big "if." She's really too sick to leave the hospital, never mind to go traipsing to a foreign country.  She is 83, after all.

I almost forgot to mention Father Arthur.  He is Lenni's friend.  She wanders into the hospital chapel one day and they strike up a conversation.  He and Margot are with Lenni to the end.  They are good friends.

What is interesting is that the novel makes a life in what could have been no life.  I mean what kind of life and adventures can anyone have in a hospital?  I guess you'll have to read The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, to find out.

Blessings

 My granddaughters are twelve and eight years old.  They are being brought up in the Catholic tradition.  By that I mean they are sent to CCD, which stands for Catholic Christian Doctrine, sometimes called Religious Education, or Faith Formation, or Sunday School, even when it's not on Sunday.  Recently they came home with chalk and holy water.  Both items had been blessed by an ordained minister to use in an Epiphany blessing for their homes for the new year.

Over the front door, they wrote with the chalk, 20 + C + M + B + 23. It is written in chalk because next year the blessing will be for 2024.  There are two possible meanings for this inscription.  The one the girls used was a Latin blessing of  Christus Mansionem Benedicat, which means May Christ bless this house and all who pass through this door.

This is called the Epiphany blessing because the blessing is written during Epiphany.  This feast is sometimes called Little Christmas.  It calls to mind the time when the three Magi or Wise Men came and found the baby Jesus and gave him their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  The other meaning of the blessing is using the initials that tradition says were the names of the 3 Magi: Caspar, Malchior, and Balthazar.  

But two girls very solemnly wrote 20 + C + M + B + 23 and asked Jesus to bless this house.  Then the 8-year-old walked through the house, room by room, sprinkling holy water, while her older sister read the blessing prayers.

I know a sacrament when I see one.

Let those who have eyes see, and those who have ears hear, and those who have hearts understand. 

 The catechism defines a sacrament as 

Sacraments are outward signs instituted by Christ, and entrusted to the Church, to give grace.

If an Epiphany Blessing doesn't fulfill the outward sign requirement what would?  We used chalk and water by a Church's ordained minister.  Check that requirement off.  And if you aren't graced to see these two girls solemnly and seriously pray their way through the house asking God to bless each room, then you don't have a heart to understand.

Now you know why Jesus said in Mark 10: 14: Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

I know a sacrament when I see one.

 

The Light Ever Searching

 Lectio:        Psalm 138

Studium:

Lord Jesus, You are present before me. In this monstrance before me, You are on display.   You see all things and I can see your presence in things around me, albeit in a restricted sense. The eyes of God see all, like a searchlight.  You see more than the search light on a prison tower, more than the search light on a lighthouse.  God's eyes are concentrated on me.  I can't escape over a prison wall.  "Where could I flee?'

Those who are habitual adorers contemplate the Eucharist devotedly.  They claim that looking at the Monstrance becomes self-authenticating and brings revelation and presence.  I can see where a certain certitude would come to those who know the history of Christ, the prophesies in the Old Testament, and can conclude that this Eucharistic Presence before me is the True Presence of God.

Meditatio:

Adoration is one way of giving God the reverence that He is due.  I made the effort to come here.  In other words, I willed to come worship You.  I have been to Mass and united myself with You.  Now, I yearn for more. St. Catherine of Siena tells us that it is good to serve and worship God.  The more we do this, the more we receive the certainty that God is He Who is. 

Oratio:

My Beloved, I know You are He Who is, and I am not, with certainty, I am not.  I am nothing without You.  Find me, Jesus, and hold me fast, and lead me towards that light emanating from You.

Contemplatio:

Lord Jesus, increase my faith.

Resolutio:

I desire to go deeper into the heart of God.

Let Us Pray

Let's try this diagram on my grandchildren.  You are the one praying.  Let's ask God to heal their mom's vertigo.  I will join you in this intention.  Let's ask Saint Rocco (a favorite of our parish) to also pray for mom's healing.  Plus, let's ask Mama Mary to join us in praying.  Jesus can't refuse his own mother.

Do you think the kids will understand intercessory prayer?

Who Am I?

 John the Baptist wants to know Who Jesus is.  I'd like to know who you are: who everyone is.  I don't want your relationships: son, daughter, nephew, etc.  Relationships don't tell me who you are.  I don't want to know your job, your occupation, or status.  That doesn't tell me who you are.

Think over your life and the work you have done for God.  Tell me that.  

That tells me who you are.

Sister Letizia or Sister Rita

 Watch this video and see if you understand who grabbed the arm of the man who tried to assassinate Pope John Paul II. Sister Letizia Giudici was standing next to the gun man, but she said it wasn't her.  

Then why even mention her?  The credit goes to Sister Cristina Rita Montella, who had supernatural gifts and could bilocate.  Watch and discern.

Garden for the Bereaved

 Thursday's walk around Choate Pond in Medway, MA landed me in a strange garden.

This sign was beside a couple of circles with the names of children.  Their birth and death dates lay in the bricks, forming circles.  In the center of the circle was this inscription by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore.

Dr. Cacciatore is a bereavement counselor.  Her own baby died and she grieved deeply.  Since then, she has dedicated her life to helping others grieve the death of their children.

Dismas

LECTIO:    Luke:    23:42-43

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in
Paradise."

STUDIUM:    

It has always fascinated me that a convicted criminal is the only person who has ever been promised heaven.  Furthermore, Dismas didn't say he was sorry!  Obviously, it was his faith that saved him; he recognized Jesus as the Messiah.
    There is an unsubstantiated legend that circulated in Medieval times, known as "Arabic Gospel of the Infancy." This narrative tells the story of a band of robbers holding up the Holy Family on their flight into Egypt.  The Holy Family didn't look like they would be rich pickings, especially since they traveled quick and light.  But upon finding the gifts of the Magi, the robbers were given pause.  One of this brigand, was Dismas.  He knew what these gifts signified and talked his partners in crime, into letting the Holy Family go on without harassment.  Dismas recognized the Messiah, just as he would hanging on the cross.  Dismas, the legend tells us, said:

O most blessed of children, if ever a time should come when I 

should crave Thy mercy, remember me and forget not what

has passed this day.

MEDITATIO:

Lord, I know there are many non-canonical gospels and that they are rejected by Your Holy Church.  But the story of Dismas robbing Your family, is a good one.  That You, Jesus, brought him into heaven with You, well that's true Gospel. That's the best story.
    This gives me hope. My sins may not be Dismas' but I am an unworthy sinner.  I pray my faith, like Dismas', will save me.

ORATIO:

Lord Jesus, I love You, help me to love You more and love others as You love them.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Agape love is not based on emotions but on the Will.  I will to love You more and more.

RESOLUTIO:

I resolve to treasure Jesus above all things and people.

World's Hot Spots

An Attitude of Hopefulness

 Hope in an Age of Despair by Albert Nolan, O.P., not only offers us hope but also his social theories.  Nolan sees our society as the rich getting richer as oppressive.  Only when there is a limit on how much one can have, can there be enough for everyone.  This is called a "preferential option" for the poor. 

Nolan is writing from South Africa, but his conjectures apply to everywhere. Countries that are rich should share their resources. And this book is a collection of of Nolan's articles, but the editor, Stan Muyebe chose the articles with cohesion in mind.  They express consistency. Nolan calls for societal rearrangement.  We should govern for the common good, not only nationally but internationally, as well.

Nolan thinks mankind can make a better world.  Hence the title, Hope in an Age of Despair. God is the basis of hope and the common good is the object of our hope.

Who Did This to You?

 The Potter's Field by Ellis Peters is another Brother Cadfael mystery.  A body has been found buried in a field.  Who was she, takes up about half of the story.  The reader figures out that she can only be one of two people and gradually, the name is known.

She had been murdered and buried with care.  Her arms were crossed over a wooden cross.  Her buriel place was safely away from anyone finding her.  But her grave was found when a plow unearthed some remains.  Her husband seemed the obvious suspect, but he was a monk, now.  He played innocent; he was kind of oblivious being very wrapped up in his religiosity.  A young monk professed that he loved the deceased, and she rejected him.  That's why he entered the monastery.  So, he was suspect.

Then there was a traveling peddler.  There was even another woman who could have killed her, but she moved on and was a help to Brother Cadfael.  But still.

The mystery is eventually solved by someone coming forward with a confession, but I won't spoil the story by telling you "Who done it."  

I found this book to be one of the best in the Brother Cadfael series.  It is a true medieval mystery. 

Epiphany Proclamation

 

The "Emeritus" is Gone

To be correct, the use of the title, "Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI" is useless.  Now you say Pope Benedict XVI.  He is not Emeritus anymore, he's dead along with the title.

Turn for the Worst

 This New Year is off to a bad start.  Father Time has taken a wrong turn.  I first noticed a change as I waited in line to pick up my grandchildren from school.  I was freezing.  The heat in the car wasn't working.  As I was driving home, the windows fogged up.  The defrost wasn't working.  But these excursions were brief.  I could live with it.  

Later on, at night, I was driving to Book Club and my car was beeping.  WHAT!  My seat belt was on.  What's going on?  I looked at the dashboard and saw that my engine was overheating.  Oh no!

I was almost where I wanted to be, so I turned off the heat, which wasn't working anyway, and since my windows were all fogged up, I opened all my windows.  I slowly prayed to the place where Book Club was being held.  I left the car there overnight to have it towed tomorrow.

This morning was worse.  I accidentally dropped my phone in the toilet.

It was in my back pocket and dropped out.  Now I could AAA for help for my car with my house phone, but I couldn't stay in contact with AAA with my cell phone.  I could've tracked the tow truck's progress to reach me.  

I felt very undignified riding in the tow truck between Raphael and Jose, to my mechanic's garage.  I also learned how bad my Spanish is.  But I survived the trip.

I wanted to call a friend to ask her to pick me up.  No cell.
I wanted to show someone the video of my grandchildren's pet.  No cell.
I wanted to call my daughter to make arrangements for her to come to help me with my new computer work station, which I got for Christmas.  Oh!  That's another headache!!!!!  The audio is terrible on meetings (zoom and google meet).  I tried to fix it and now the video AND the audio is terrible.

I want to restart the New Year!  

Living Words

 

LECTIO:                 Isaiah 50: 4-7

The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.  Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back.
                I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.
                The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

STUDIUM:

Israel was moving away from God and relying on other countries for help.  The people of Israel in Isaiah’s time had forgot about God. In fact, Isaiah thinks the people have rejected God.  In verse 4, Isaiah thanks God for giving him the ability to speak.  Every preacher should begin their prayers with thanksgiving for the means to talk, to think, and spread the Good News.  Isaiah asks God for strength, so he won’t turn away from hardships but rather persevere. 
                Trust in God, coupled with the charism of preaching is invaluable.  Isaiah had to also have an ear to hear God.  He listened.  He received instructions from God.  Prophets deliver what they are taught whether it is by word of mouth, in writing, or in art.  Jesus Himself says that He received that He might give. 
                Dependence on God is where Isaiah got his strength.  “The Lord God is my help.” It must be.  Where else could Isaiah, and us for that matter, continue, in the face of hardships? Even shame did not deter Isaiah because he was working for God and that is work no one should be ashamed of.

MEDITATIO:

My Lord God, You have given me a well-trained tongue, much like Isaiah.  I am a lector in my parish.  Let me follow Isaiah’s model of prayer and thank you for the charism of speaking, first, before I continue my prayer. I am not nervous speaking in public, either.  I used to be, but the work of the Holy Spirit has enabled me to focus on getting Your Word across, before I am aware of any personal physical nervousness. Thank You.  I know “that I shall not be put to shame.”

ORATIO:

My Lord God, help me always to proclaim Your Good News, not only as a lector, but also in every conversation I will have.

CONTEMPLATIO:

I trust You will give me what I need.

RESOLUTIO:

I’m copying Isaiah 50: 4-7 and pasting it in my Lector’s Workbook.  Before I proclaim the Readings at Mass, I resolve to spend time preparing and praying with these verses, first.

Senility

     And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer And Longer And Longer by Fredrik Backman

 Actually the "Way Home" is very short. This novella is a sweet story of a Grandpa who is going senile.  In his mind he is talking to his grandson, sometimes it is his son.  It begins with Grandpa and grandson talking about Grandma.  There's quite a bit about Grandma.  The nicest images are with Grandma.  She usually calls Grandpa to his senses.

       The location images are all in Grandpa's mind: a boat, a tent, a town square.  It can be confusing.  The characterization of course is delightful, as the reader would expect from Fredrik Backman.  But it is so different from his other novels, that I recommend people to read it.  It can be read in one sitting.  So why not?

Knots in My Rosary

 My friend, Mary took a quick look at this holy card and said, "Oh, I love Our Lady of Knots."  I must have been asleep because I didn't correct her.  Later, at home, I thought of her exclamation.  Looking at this holy card, I burst out laughing.  This is Our Lady of the Rosary giving St. Dominic a rosary.  This rosary does look like it has knots though.  I called her and told her to look at the holy card, again.

Sometimes my rosary does get knotted.  There's that.

Maybe Our Lady of Knots is making a Rosary.  

Start the New Year with An Indulgence

 Gain a Plenary Indulgence on New Year's Day - January 1st with this Powerful Prayer to the Holy Spirit! Plenary Indulgences for 1st of January

The Enchiridion Indulgentiarum indicates that we can gain plenary indulgences on the 1st January. (WATCH the Video Below for the Full Prayer) A plenary indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who, recite or sing the Veni Creator Spiritus.

Under the usual conditions, a plenary indulgence can be gained:

1. Sacramental confession within eight days

2. A prescribed good work (for Jan. 1 the recital of the Veni Creator)

3. Sacramental Holy Communion within eight days.

4. Prayers for the intentions of the Roman Pope (usually 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and 1 Glory Be)

5. Detestation of venial sin