Vengeance is Safe in God's Hands

 The Pilgrim of Hate by Ellis Peters is another Brother Cadfael mystery.  This series takes place in a twelfth century monastery.  It's time for the festival of Saint Winifred.  Many pilgrims come to the monastery at this time for pilgrimage, and physical and spiritual healing.  We do witness a physical healing of a lame boy, who discerns a calling to become a monk.

The boy's sister finds love with a dangerous knight.  What happened is that the one she loves is seeking vengeance and is following another man on a pilgrimage of penance.  

Brother Cadfael becomes involved because the lame boy was attended by Cadfael as was the man on the penance pilgrimage.  The penance involves walking barefoot to Dublin with a neck-chafing, heavy cross.  

I love the historical medieval setting.  The characterization is real, and the plot tense.  This is the tenth mystery in the Brother Cadfael series.  

Just Between You, Me, and the Sanctuary Light

 Unplanned and surprised, I received Communion three times, today.  I forgot that my Lay Dominican Fraternity was having a Mass today, so I went to 10:00 Mass.  As the priest was descending the altar steps, he stumbled a bit and two Eucharists jumped out.  I happened to be first in line and the priest asked me to pick them up, since his bad knee wouldn't allow him to bend.  I did.  Then I asked him if I should eat them and he said, "Please do."

No one saw this happen.  What everyone saw was me reverently bowing before receiving Communion.

So this blessing was just between Jesus and me.

Later in the day, I attended my fraternity's Mass and received again.  

Blessed!

 Explaining to my grandchildren that the consecrated Eucharist is held in a ciborium and displayed in a monstrance is a foreign language.  

Yes, the priest consecrates the hosts to become the Eucharist but there are times when the Eucharist is needed outside of Mass.  People who are sick and can't come to Mass need the Eucharist too.  That's why some of the Eucharist is put in a ciborium and placed in the Tabernacle.

Also, the Eucharist is sometimes venerated in a monstrance.

Ciborium:  the vessel used to distribute the Eucharist

Monstrance: a decorated frame containing a Eucharistic Host

Consecrated Host: The Eucharist.

Atonement and Example

 Jesus' crucifixion encapsulates many opinions.  The common one is that Jesus died to atone for man's sins.  It was a sacrifice to God to make up for Adam and Eve's sin.  Jesus' death also offers us an example to follow in obeying God, like Jesus did.  He had a job to do and He did it.  

One could also look at it as His death released mankind from bondage of sin.  Once Jesus died He  descended to release others from bondage. 

How about Jesus' crucifixion is about love?  Catholics hang crucifixes on their walls as a reminder of how much Jesus loved us.

There are other theories.  What's yours? 

Blueberry Picking

 

My granddaughter and I went blueberry picking this morning.  I lasted about 15 minutes before I kept asking the seven-year-old, "Aren't you tired?", "Do you want to go?"  "Are you finished, yet?"  

We stayed for about 40 minutes and picked just over two pounds.  

Listening to Pick Apart

 Lately, I've noticed that we people are listening to each other.  We think we are listening but we're not hearing what the other person thinks and feels.  We are listening to prepare a counter argument.  

People discussing the Supreme Court decision in overturning Roe: one side is talking about women's rights; the other side is talking about the baby's.

People discussing the homosexual issues: one side is talking about gay people; the other side is thinking sodomy.

Yesterday, my writers' group discussed accepting someone who doesn't write: some people said he can tell his stories; others questioned how can we help him write.  IOW, one side was focused on stories; the other side was thinking of the art of writing.  Is the point, stories or writing?

My Granddaughter's Tabernacle

Oh, to have the faith of a First Communicant!  My granddaughter decorated this box and told me it was her Tabernacle.

She made her First Communion in May and the Tabernacle in the church must have made quite the impression on her.

I asked her what was inside and she said my precious things.  

She gets it!