Wear Red

The idea is suggested all over blogs and Catholic News via the internet. I'm giving credit to Rocco Palmo. Wear red this Sunday. It's Pentecost and so it's fitting. Didn't you wear a Red Sox shirt for opening day of the Red Sox? Don't you wear red, white, and blue for July 4th? What about Christmasy clothes for Christmas? Well?

Think of red as being celebratory. It's a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Father will wear red.

Interfaith Dialogue

My Chapter is hosting an Interfaith Dialogue, next week. I'm reading the Letter to Presidents of Bishops' Conferences on the Spirituality of Dialogue, to prepare. It was written by Cardinal Francis Arinze in 1999. So it's ten years old. I still think it's apropos.

The Cardinal tells us that meetings with others of different faiths is demanded by our own faith. We should be engaged in interreligious dialogue. The Trinity is an example of this. The relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one of love and communion and is the "eminent model for human relations and the foundation of dialogue."

The Cardinal's words remind me of Sunday's Gospel: John 17:20-26. We should all be One in Christ. We are a community of believers. The main theme of that Gospel is that those who follow Jesus should be one, one with him and the Father and one with each other.

May God be with us.

Poem by Dana Gioia

Dana Gioia is this year's recipient of the Laetare Medal from Notre Dame.

Unsaid

So much of what we live goes on inside–
The diaries of grief, the tongue-tied aches
Of unacknowledged love are no less real
For having passed unsaid. What we conceal
Is always more than what we dare confide.
Think of the letters that we write our dead.

from Interrogations at Noon
© 2001 Dana Gioia

Conversion

Fr. Jeffrey Steel's blob, de cura animarum, quotes G.K. Chesterton talking about his conversion: "The Church is a house with a hundred gates; and no two men enter at exactly the same angle." Fr. Steel's own conversion is interesting, in itself, especially as a married Roman Catholic priest. Well, poke around on his blog and you'll find how and why.

Anyway, conversion is my topic. In Chapter today, we had a professor from Boston College scheduled to come give a Talk. But that didn't happen. So just to take up time, Sister Ruth went around the circle and asked us how our Spiritual Journeys were going. You know, "How's your prayer life?"

Some of their stories are miracles. One of my cloistered brothers was a gang leader. He actually had the power to order people killed. Now if that's not a miracle conversion what is?

Many came through the Cursillo gate. The Holy Spirit can slip in any gate. Another of my brothers spoke about working in the infirmary and seeing the witness of others. How faith helped people! How could that be wrong?

Another said he never felt like he belonged anywhere until he heard and experienced God's love. Tricia spoke of love, too. Of course, she's a cradle Catholic but was drawn to God personally through the Holy Spirit, during the Charismatic movement.

I was hoping we would run out of time before my turn came, but no such luck. I didn't know what to say. I don't have a conversion story. In fact, I still struggle with faith. I have problems with trusting in prayer. They seem like empty platitudes. But I persevere because that would be my advice to others. Some days are better than others. Maybe I should pray for the gate to be closed. Too many weird thoughts enter.

"Lord, close the gate on my faith. I keep wandering in and out. What if one time the gate closes and I'm left outside?"

Time for a visit to my Spiritual Director, Father Aquinas.

Surprise!

Yes! It was a surprise. Here's the expectant parents walking into the restaurant where the baby shower was held.

It was a Jack and Jill Shower. That means that both men and women were invited. It was like a wedding reception, except that the presents were for the baby. And the presents were everything you could wish for. They have everything they need, now: crib, car seat, high chair, pack n' play, toys, diapers, clothes. So many clothes the baby will have to be changed every hour, in order to wear them all.

We had fun, too. We play pass the pacifier. That consisted of passing a pacifier around the table via a straw in one's mouth. Then there was a drinking contest. Each grandfather picked two drinking buddies. The drinking buddies sucked water out of a baby bottle. Mark Schmidt won that one because he really sucks. ;-)

There was another one called Grandmas' choice. I chose two nieces. The other grandma chose a couple. The participants were blind folded. Then one had to feed the other. What a mess!

The last contest was the funniest. The expectant father and a friend sat in chairs. A balloon was placed under their shirts. They're simulating being pregnant. Then they stood up. A baby doll was placed between their thighs. Now they had to waddle across the room. The expectant dad won, only because he hip checked his opponent, who went careening into the tables.

And that's a Jack and Jill Shower.

Note to Self

Help me. I'm dragging. I've been up since 5:30 AM and I still have to bake for a surprise ____________. God help me.

Besides working my regular job. Then going to T.O.P.S. where I "was glad I was there," I then went to work at the Friends of Franklin Library Book Sale.

Once I got home, my cell rang and I had to turn around, drag my a## back over to Rosemary's house to pick up the doll she's making for tomorrow's surprise ________. God, I need a lot of help.

So it's almost 10:00 PM. I have to bake for tomorrow's surprise ___________ (actually it's in the oven). I'm too tired for Evening Prayer (but not to blog.)

Hubby made a few snarky remarks about me buying more books. (And he only saw a couple of bags of them. The rest are in my trunk.)

Tomorrow is another big day. I have a Regional Lay Dominican meeting in Boston and then at night is the surprise _______________.

I'll bog with pix tomorrow--if I'm not passed out.

Note to Self:
*** Don't volunteer to help out at anymore Book sales.
*** Don't volunteer to bake anything but boiled water.
*** Don't skip your prayers. You need all the help you can get.
*** Don't buy anymore books. (like that's going to happen).

A Glorious Day!

Today's Ascension Thursday! But that's not why I'm drunk with happiness. I'm delirious with joy. Know why?

Guess.

C'mon. Whatever you think, you're wrong.

I'm am ecstatic because I'm cured. Praise be to God. I never have to have another endoscopy, or colonoscopy. Well, maybe I will, but they'll be part of normal routine physicals, not because I have Cronkhite Canada Syndrome. That's a purgatorial illness.

I had an endoscopy today and my gastroenterologist said "Good-bye, and don't let the door knob hit you where the good Lord split you."

It's been a little over three years and I've been finally given a clean bill of health. Phew! Think of it. From wasting away, and planning my funeral, to TODAY!

God is good. All the time!!!! I also thank Fr. M. Jean Joseph Lataste, OP, for his intercession, Fr. Aquinas Keane, ocso, for his spiritual direction, for my friends, and my cloistered brothers, for all their prayers and support. Mostly, I thank my husband Dick who refused to allow me to waste away. He fed, cleaned, bathed, carried and cried with me. I thank God every day for the gift of this man. Deo Gratias.