Glory to God

 LECTIO:                          1 Cor 10:31—11:1

Brothers and sisters,
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do everything for the glory of God.
Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or 
the church of God,
just as I try to please everyone in every way,
not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,
that they may be saved.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

STUDIUM:

Paul is asking everyone to do everything for the glory of God. Notice that the first thing he mentions is eating and drinking.  At this time, the Corinthians, whom this epistle is addressed to, were struggling with the fact that they were purchasing their food from that which was intended for idol worshippers to buy and offer to their idols.  

That's why it's good to pray a blessing over your food, before eating.  

MEDITATIO: 

One way not to give offense to anyone, is to accept what they offer you.  Thank them.  I don't have to eat or use it immediately.  I can say, "I'm saving this for later."  Just think WWJD.

ORATIO:

Lord, I want to be perfect like You.  I need to pray all the time.  I need to give You glory.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Glory to You, O God.

RESOLUTIO:

I need to remember to say grace before meals.

Mothers and Daughters

 Summer Island by Kristin Hannah is a book club recommendation.  It's not my style, but it was a nice story.  I would call it "chick lit."  Females love this type of story.  It ends happily, which you know from the beginning, but how it comes about is interesting.  

Nora is the main character--the mother.  She had a show like Delilah.  Delilah's show was an advice show regarding love and faith relationships.  But Nora had a past that destroyed her, her reputation, and almost her life.  Nora got drunk and broke her leg.  Her estranged daughter came to help her because she thought she could make money by writing an expose on Nora, her mother.  

While taking care of Nora, Ruby, the daughter runs into her teenage love.  

Yeah, I know.  Smartzy stuff.  Everyone ends happy ever after.  

So?  It's nice to read.  I'm glad I read Summer Island.

Spots

 LECTIO:   Leviticus 13: 1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
"If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,
or to one of the priests among his descendants.
If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean
by reason of the sore on his head.

"The one who bears the sore of leprosy
shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,
and shall muffle his beard;
he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'
As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean.
He shall dwell apart, making his abode out side the camp."

STUDIUM:

Leprosy was an ostracizing disease.  In my life time I remember when my friend's mother had tuberculosis.  She had to go away and no one could visit her, except relatives.  My friend tested positive for tuberculosis but she didn't have it.
     Imagine in Jesus' time! One with a skin problem had to show a priest.  If the disease was temporary, the person was declared clean.  What did teenagers with acne, do?  
    If someone was unclean, they had to leave the community.  They lived an isolated life.

MEDITATIO:

I remember the AIDS epidemic.  People at first, thought everyone could catch it.  Once it was learned that it was only passed on through body fluid, then people weren't so  freaked out about it.  Still.  People with AIDS were treated like lepers in Jesus' time.
   Sin is like leprosy.  It separates us from Jesus.  We need to seek reconciliation to join Jesus' society, again.

ORATIO:

Lord, don't let me ever become separated from You. My parish community helps me be reintegrated into your family whenever I sin. Keep me close, Lord.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Increase my love for your people Lord.

RESOLUTIO:

I need to go to Confession.

Fear Mongering

 Are you as afraid as I am?  Nuclear War?  Being drawn into a war?  Becoming a dictatorship?  The end of the world? Climate change?

I need to take a deep breath.  Music soothes the savage beast.  

Rosary Ring

 

My Rosary Ring finally arrived today. You wear it on your index finger and use your thumb to touch and spin the raised bumps, to mark one Hail Mary.  You can use it to just count prayers.  

Today, I used it to pray with my prayer partner and realized that I lost track of what decade  of the Rosary, I was on.  Oh well, I could pray all day.

Never-Ending Quest

 In my never-ending quest to learn to pray better, I've re-read, David Torkington's How to Pray .  I still stay the best way is to keep trying--fake it until you make it.  Try everything.  When you do something that brings you focused, sooner or later, you'll get bored or distracted.  What can I say?  You're human.  That's why I say it's a "never-ending quest."  

Liberation of St. Peter

 

Raphael's Liberation of St. Peter from prison touches me personally.  I always think of my "cloistered brothers", who are Lay Dominicans, living in prison.  

Acts 12:5-11

King James Version

5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews

Never Swim Alone

 Mariamma is the main character in The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese. Mariamma is also the name of the granddaughter, who finishes the story.  It begins with a twelve year old Mariamma's marriage to a 40 year old man.  His wife has died and he has a toddler son.  At first, he doesn't want a twelve year old bride, but his sister talks him into marrying her.  

So the story begins.  Mariamma eventually becomes the matriarch of the family.  This family has a thing with water, hence the title, The Covenant of Water.  For some unknown reason, the family is cursed with not knowing how to swim and too many members of the family drown.

Two of Mariamma's children drown.  Another son, Philipose actually love the water, but for some reason, can't seem to float and swim.  Philipose grows to adulthood and goes off to college.  It is there, that he finds out that he's deaf.  He has been lip reading all his life.  He is sent home from college and that would be a devastating failure, except that he meets his future wife, on the train home.

Another story is in the novel.  Digby is a Scottish doctor who comes to India to learn and perfect his skill.  Unfortunately, he's involved in a star-crossed romance.  His beloved is burned to death and his hands are badly burned so much that his dreams of becoming a surgeon are thwarted.  He ends up on a leper colony.

Philipose and is wife, Elsie, have a happy household until their son Nivan dies, impaled on a tree branch.  She blames her husband, Philipose for not completely cutting down the tree that he promised he would.  He blames her for not leaving the tree alone and causing sharp branches that remained in the half sawed off tree. He becomes an opium addict; she goes into depression.  Eventually, Elsie goes back to her childhood homestead.

The story goes on with Elsie giving birth to the granddaughter, Mariamma.  This Mariamma goes on to become a doctor.  She and Digby meet when she interns in the leper colony.  The story concludes by tying up all the characters, that have floated, more or less, in the water.  

I would have loved the story, were it not for Digby and little Mariamma saying that they didn't believe in God.  My jaw hit the floor when I read that.  What!!! don't they have eyes that see???  Everything that happened to the people in this family are tied together in overlapping waves.  They reinforce and build upon one another.  The end of Chapter one finishes with the mother of twelve year old Mariamma giving her advice:

The same God who watched over you here will be with you there, molay.  He promises us this in the Gospels. I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Praying in His Presence

 As a teen, I passed my parish church, as I walked to school.  Sometimes, I stopped in the church, to spend time before the Tabernacle.  I would talk to God.  The church was always opened.  So sometimes, I'd pray on my way to school, sometimes, after.

Why don't priest encourage this practice?  Nowadays, Adoration is encouraged.  Back in my day, we had Adoration, too.  I specifically remember Mass with benediction and Adoration offered.  

For some reason, Adoration never caught on, in my parish.  Years back, we tried Adoration of Fridays, after the 9 o'clock Mass, until 5.  It was torturous trying to get people to come.  Finally, one pastor ended it and the lady who scheduled the hours for Adoration was relieved.  It was such a burden because if she had no one to come for an hour, she filled in.  

Anyway, the pastor said that the reason Adoration never took hold was because all we parishes in the area were trying the same devotion.  We were competing with each other.  

We do have a spiritual center in the area.  We leave Adoration to that place, Betania II.  They have 24 hour Adoration.

However, why the push for Adoration when we can stop in any Catholic Church, anytime the spirit moves us, to spend time before the Tabernacle?  That seems so much easier.  Perpetual Adoration at Betania II Catholic Evangelization Center. Published Jan. 19 2024. Specials. (thebostonpilot.com)

History is Never Finished

 I just finished Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny.  As usual with Louise Penny's mysteries, I couldn't put it down.  There are at least two mysteries to solve.

One happened in the previous mystery, The Brutal Telling.  In that one, Olivier, who committed the crime, was sent to prison.  His husband sends Gamache letters, every day, with questions.  Eventually, Gamache sends his deputy, Jean-Guy to reinvestigate.  

Gamache is in Quebec reading up on Samuel Champlain.  Gamache is a history buff, especially French Canadian history.  The little library that Gamache is doing reasearch in, has a murder committed in it.  Gamache become involved.  

While investigating, the horrific events that have plagued Gamache are revealed.  We readers finally understand the anquish the Chief Inspector is going through.  It all makes sense.  Poor Gamache.  It's a wonder he's sane.

I learned about Samuel Champlain and how Quebec considers him their founder.  

People are complicated creations.  N'est pas?

Sacrilize Your Day

 How do you pray all day?  Make sure you pray a Morning Offering to God.  Offer Him all your work and business of the day.  That's your prayer.  

Remember the phrase, "Offer it up."  I always thought the phrase meant to stop complaining and give it to God.  Well, it does but it will be of more use if you pray, offering your complaint to God.  If anyone understands suffering, it would be Him.

Also, during the day, pray, "Oh God, come to my aid to help me."  Pray it often.

The aim is to think of God, throughout the day.  He is your friend.  He's like velcro.  Talking to Him is praying.  For more hints, watch this video by David Torkington.

 

No Euphemisms Please

 This picture reminded me of the time I went to use the restroom, in a restaurant.  I looked for the Ladies Room and saw a door with a picture of a naked lady on it.  I hesitated.  Why do I want to see a naked lady?  I looked at the adjacent door and it had a picture of a naked man. On the other hand, why do I want to see a naked man?  Just then, a man came out of the naked man door and that ended all my confusion.

What's with the fancy, analogous, related, rest room signs?

One time, down the Cape, I saw my husband enter a Ladies Room with the sign "Gulls."  He looked at it quick and thought it said "Guys."  The restrooms were Gulls and Buoys.

In California, I took a picture of a Ladies Room that had "Betty," on the door, and sent it to my sister, Bette.  She thought I was crazy but it really, really said "Betty."

C'mon!  Call a spade, a spade!

Psalm 40

 LECTIO:        Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.

Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."

"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

STUDIUM:

The psalm begins waiting.  Either the people are captives in Babylon or they have just been released from exile. It was the practice to pierce ears as a sign of servitude to a master. But as followers of the true Lord, "ears are open" to You, O Lord.  This psalm is both one of thanksgiving and also of supplication, which is unusual, we now have a new work, stressing loyalty, and service.

MEDITATIO:

As I think over the times, I've cried out to You, my Lord, I can only see the times You came to help me.  Surely there were times, You didn't come.  Weren't there?  I don't remember any.  I'm sure there are many times You answered in mysterious ways, that later resulted for the best.  Maybe, it's good that I can only remember Your help, because You promised to always answer prayers and I believe You do.

ORATIO:

It is in my heart to do Your Will.  That's why I am a Lay Dominican.  

CONTEMPLATIO:

Here I am, Lord.

Sexual Purity

 LECTIO:    1 Cor. 6:13c-15a, 17

Brothers and sisters:

The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord,
and the Lord is for the body;
God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?
But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.
Avoid immorality.
Every other sin a person commits is outside the body,
but the immoral person sins against his own body.
Do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
For you have been purchased at a price.
Therefore, glorify God in your body.

STUDIUM:

Paul is explaining the theology of the body. Note that telling us that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit follows "Avoid immorality."  Prostitution has been called the oldest profession. Pagan temples used prostitution as part of their worship.  But our baptism unites us with Jesus Christ.  This is the sacrament which is strengthen every time we receive the Eucharist. Jesus paid our dowry, so to speak, for our union with Him through grace. It's a spousal relationship.

MEDITATIO:

WOWZA!  A spousal relationship with Jesus when I receive Him in the Eucharist.  Imagine.

ORATIO:

Help me Jesus, to stay chaste for You.  Imagine, we are One when I receive You in the Eucharist.  Thank you Jesus, for loving me.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Lord, help me be mindful of whom my body belongs.  Only You, my Lord.

RESOLUTIO:

I must make a deliberate, conscious, effort to unite myself with You, My Jesus, when I take Communion.

Hearing Things

 Lectionary: 310

LECTIO:    1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19

Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD
where the ark of God was.
The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am."
Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me."
"I did not call you, " Eli said. "Go back to sleep."
So he went back to sleep.
Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.
"Here I am, " he said. "You called me."
But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."

At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,
because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.
The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.
Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me."
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening."
When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the LORD came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!"
Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.

STUDIUM:

Samuel's mother prayed for a long time for a child.  She prayed and promised that her child would be dedicated to God's service and true to her word, she gave him to temple service.  Here we see him sleeping in the temple.  God calls him.  We note how readily he jumps to do God's Will.  Samuel is called to be a prophet.

MEDITATIO:

Like Samuel, we don't always recognize God's voice.  God didn't give up calling Samuel.  Let's hope He doesn't give up on us!  Let us also jump up and say "Speak Lord, I am listening."

ORATIO:

Lord, I pray to always hear Your voice and the grace to do Your Will.

CONTEMPLATIO: Your Will be done.

Valentine Rosary

 Valentine's Day is coming.  I'd like this rosary ring, please.  Size 8.  My first rosary will be for you.

The Hermit in the Woods

 Louise Penny's fifth novel, The Brutal Telling is another page turner.  Although I loved it, I don't love it as much as the others, that I've read.  Maybe because I don't want the Olivier to be guilty.  I liked the character.

What am I talking about?

The village of Three Pines has another murder.  This time no one knows the victim.  He was a hermit who lived in the woods.  Only Olivier knew him.  Olivier did take advantage of him by paying for the hermit's work, not what they were really worth.  And Olivier lied and lied.  And Olivier moved the body and tried to blame his business rival. Hey, nobody's perfect.

There also were many new characters that were added, that I think may be in future stories.  Olivier's rivals, the Gilberts and their parents, also the Czech workers, and a new detective added to the team, Paul Morin, are new characters in Three Pines.

I can't forget that Ruth's duck, Rosa, flew away.  Now what!!!

Even though all the evidence pointed to Olivier, I, like his partner, Gabi, don't believe it.  I'm hoping future novels prove Olivier's innocence.

Besides, we never do learn the hermit's name, nor his story.

Regardless, the story keeps you involved, if not satisfied.

Holding Hands

 

Remember the Beatles' song "I want to hold your hand"?  Hand posture is another debated topic among Catholics.  I understand that most priest don't like it, or want it, but don't say anything, probably they don't want to offend the people who like to hold hands.

I think the hand posturing comes from the charismatics.  They like to raise their arms and hands in the air, "Alleluia," and put their hands on people, praying for healing.  Charismatics are very friendly--overly friendly, whether you want their hands praying over you, blessing you, or holding hands, or not.  Others have continued the hand holding during the praying of the Lord's Prayer.  But you don't have to do it.  I always think that if there's any place one should hold their neighbor's hand is during the Eucharistic Prayer, but most people are in solemn praying within themselves to notice their neighbor wanting to hold their hand.

Then COVID 19 came along and no one wanted to hold hands.  I think everyone is still germ conscious and not so ready to hold hands.

This position is called orans.

Again, priests prefer people not to adopt this posture, but they don't correct the people, not wanting to offend.  Actually, the directions don't say the people are forbidden to use orans.  The directions don't say anything about the people's position, only the priest's.  Quite a few people copy the priest's orans during the Lord's Prayer.  Maybe they feel, it's as close to holding hands as they can come in this germ phobic time.

Just pray.  Don't worry about posture, pray and pray.  

Celebrating

 

This is the Epiphany Party I went to, today.  It was a good time and plenty

of food.  It ended with us going to Mass.  How's that for a celebration!

See the Magi or Wise Men made it.  King Herod gave them directions, but they didn't go back that way.  Herod was a jealous king.  If Jesus was the King of the Jews, then what was Herod?  Herod ordered all the boys under two to be killed; he thought that would make his throne safe from other kings.  

The Proclamation of Easter

 In 325 BCE, the Council of Nicaea set the date for the Easter for the Sunday following the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox — the start of spring.

Theoretically, the Paschal full moon is the first full moon occurring on or after the spring equinox. However, this day can be figured in different ways. One way is by looking at the sky, which yields the astronomical spring equinox. But since this shifts from year to year, most people follow the calendrical spring equinox, which is calculated as March 21.

On the Gregorian calendar (the one that we use), Easter is the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon on or after March 21. Easter thus always falls between March 22 and April 25.

Now, to find Palm Sunday (the sixth Sunday of Lent) you start with the date of Easter and back up one week: It is the Sunday before Easter Sunday.

To find Ash Wednesday, you start with the date of Easter Sunday, back up six weeks (that gives you the first Sunday of Lent), and then back up four more days: Ash Wednesday is the Wednesday before the first Sunday of Lent.

You will hear these dates announced this Sunday on the feast of Epiphany.  

On the Epiphany of the Lord, after the singing of the Gospel, a Deacon or cantor, in keeping with an ancient practice of Holy Church, announces from the ambo the moveable feasts of the current year according to this formula:

"Know, dear brethren, (brothers and sisters,) W - - - that, as we have rejoiced at the Nativity of our  Lord Jesus Chri - so by leave of God's mercy we announce to you al- so- the joy of his Resurrection, who is our Savior.  On the fourteenth day of February will fall Ash Wednesday,- and the beginning of the fast & of the most sacred Lenten sea son. - - On the thirty first day of March, you will celebrate with joy Easter Day - the Paschal feast of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Posture is Important

 At one of the last holiday's ecumenical services, I was sitting in a pew where the kneelers weren't fixed.  When I went to cross my legs, (sorry to my physical therapist daughter), I accidentally kicked the kneeler up a couple of pews.

I got up and brought the kneeler back.  As I did, the lady behind me rolled her eyes and made some derogatory comment about the kneelers (not me).  I didn't say anything but I've been thinking about it.

Bishop Coyne explains that posture is important and he's not talking about sitting straight, of walking balancing a book on your head.  Posture is especially important when attending a sacred service.  Your posture should be appropriate, why else be there?

When we stand, think of the saints standing around the throne of God. We are joining the saints in offering our worship to God.  Think of all the times we stand at the words, "Let us pray."

In the United States we kneel twice:
       *at the Eucharistic Prayers
       *and reception of the Eucharist.

This is not a universal posture.  For some reason, our American bishops have asked our dioceses to kneel.  Mmmm, maybe that's why the lady behind me thought kneelers were ridiculous. I think kneeling is the most respectful posture.  Don't we kneel to respect popes, royalty, and to beg?

I will always kneel to my God.

A Chalice Chipper

 Get ready to learn.  Do you know what a "chalice chipper" is?

It is someone (Nowadays, someone) who deters a man from becoming a priest. 

Yes, it's meant to be a derogatory term.  

Perspective in the Other's Eyes

 This picture of the snake being crushed by Mary, the Mother of Jesus is fearsome, isn't it?  We have a statue of this in my parish church.  When one of my granddaughters was about three years old, I brought her to church, during the day, when no one was there.  Bishop Robert Barron teaches us that people are attracted to the Catholic Church because of its beauty. So here I am showing her how beautiful everything is.  But when I bring her to the statue of Mary and say "Look, at the beautiful lady...".  She starts walking away with a look of horror on her face!  I follow the gaze of her horror-strucken eyes.  At her eye-level is this snake!

This is a lesson on perspective.  Think of the other's perspective when you explain.