Icicles

Silver Filigree   Elinor Wylie

The icicles wreathing    On trees in festoon Swing, swayed to our breathing:    They’re made of the moon. She’s a pale, waxen taper;    And these seem to drip Transparent as paper    From the flame of her tip. Molten, smoking a little,    Into crystal they pass; Falling, freezing, to brittle    And delicate glass. Each a sharp-pointed flower,    Each a brief stalactite Which hangs for an hour    In the blue cave of night.

Today is Gonna Rock

Waking an hour earlier I had a little more time than usual.  Time to pray.  Time to enjoy a leisurely mug of coffee.  It's this cup of coffee (an early Christmas present--a mug with my name on it.) that initiated this post.  I've been using the same brand of sugar packets for years and only this morning, this relaxed morning, that I noticed that each packet has a saying on it.  What caught my eye was, "Today is gonna Rock."

Mmmm.  Why does it say that?  Does each one have a prediction?  I looked at another: "Believe in yourself."

I looked at a couple of more packets:

"Old friends are the best friends."       "Have a grateful heart."

Ha!  Can you believe this?  My sugar is speaking to me!  Today is gonna rock!

Hiking

gentle caring people

Hiking
by
Mary Connor

Walking in the woods
Means being in the moment
Surrounded by trees
The trails, mushrooms
Birds making their unique calls.


Being in the woods
With gentle caring people
Brings warmth to the soul
And a smile to the face
Our leader with the wonderful smile
Says go right or left.
As we go up hills
And down and around back to our starting point.

Intergenerational Book

The Intergenerational Book Club has called a meeting for next week.  This is a book discussion between high schoolers and senior citizens.  The book is Guitar Notes by Mary Amato.

It is a diary-type format.  But not as organized.  It started with a note from a cello player to a guitar player to pick up and dispose of his trash because he just left it on the music stand.  He responded with a snarky response of his own and the note passing took off.

He's a loner and she's stressed out.  He finds a friend and she learns to chill.  Before Lyla met Tripp her cello playing was mechanically excellent but had no soul.  Tripp helps her.  She helps him get better grades.

At first, I thought reading this "young adult" book was going to be a chore.  It was the opposite.  In fact, it was refreshing to read a book about love which had no sex.  It's a tale of true friendship.  The guitar diagrams were Greek to me but the song lyrics were good poetry.  And at the end of the book is a scan icon which I scanned and was able to hear all the songs!  Very different.  Very clever.  Very good!

At the meeting, we are going to meet the author.  I'll tell you all about it, next week!

Straggling

Lectio:

Second Sunday of Advent
Year C

Reading 1BAR 5:1-9

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.

Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company..

Studium:

The Hebrews are in exile in Babylon.  The prophet, Baruch consoles the people with encouragement and hope with news of returning to a restored Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is a sign for God's people.  Heaven on earth because the city will take off her robe of misery and put on a new identity with a diadem of diamonds.

Meditatio:

Is it proper, Lord, to compare my heart to the exiled Hebrews?  My heart is filled with worldly things and concerns: money, appearance, worry, emotional angst, etc.  But I can work on turning towards Jerusalem, the place where heavenly things are promised.  I have heard it promised by Baruch that peace is living with God and glory is given to those who seek mercy.  That's where I am headed.

Oratio:

Lord, I am beginning to see your directions more clearly.  Guide me along the way.  Take my hand when I veer off the path and even push me along the way when I wander away.  

Contemplatio: 

Stay with me, Lord.

Lonesome Dove

When I was working the book sale at the local library, a fellow worker and friend, threw me the book, Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry.  "You will love this."  I looked at it.  It was huge and had a cowboy on the cover.  I raised an eyebrow.  "Trust me," he said. 

I am so glad I did because I do love it.  I have never read a western in my life.  I don't think I will again unless it's by Larry McMurtry.  I think it will be an excellent read for a book club because it will be so different than their usual recommended titles. I bet they've never read a western.

The descriptions and characterization are drawn so exquisitely that I can picture them.  I couldn't wait to continue to get back to the story every time I had to put the book down.  I grew up watching westerns and Lonesome Dove brought back some cherished memories.  Although my childish memories of cattle drives were nothing like the one in this book, from Texas to Montana.

And the ordeal that Lorie suffered will forever haunt me. 

Leonine Prayers

The Leonine Prayers are prayers that were said after Mass from 1884-1964.  Pope Leo aak that these prayers be said, that's why they're called Leonine, after the pope's name.  Legend has it that Pope Leo had a vision where the evil one gave battle to the church.  It gave the pope quite a fright, hence he composed prayers to be said after Mass. 

And for some unknown reason, I feel moved to pray the original prayer to St. Michael the Archangel.
I'm worried because I don't know why I feel that way.  But I will pray it.  Why not?  It wouldn't harm anything. And I also feel that I have to stand up (not kneel) to pray it.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

One day, after celebrating Mass, the aged Pope Leo XIII was in conference with the Cardinals when suddenly he sank to the floor in a deep swoon. Physicians who hastened to his side could find no trace of his pulse and feared that he had expired. However, after a short interval the Holy Father regained consciousness and exclaimed with great emotion: "Oh, what a horrible picture I have been permitted to see!" He had been shown a vision of evil spirits who had been released from Hell and their efforts to destroy the Church. But in the midst of the horror the archangel St. Michael appeared and cast Satan and his legions into the abyss of hell. Soon afterward Pope Leo XIII composed the following prayer to Saint Michael, which is the original version: Original - Prayer to St. Michael “O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of Satan. “Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity. “These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered. “Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly find mercy in the sight of the Lord; and vanquishing the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen. V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers. R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered, the root of David. V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord. R. As we have hoped in Thee. V. O Lord, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come unto Thee. Let us pray. O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious St. Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.”

Bless with Holy Water.