>Feast of St. Jerome

Posted on September 30, 2009 by coffeemom

Painting by El Greco, “St. Jerome, cardinal”, c. 1587-1597

Today is the feast of St. Jerome!

He is a the famous curmudgeon of the bible – by which I mean, he is a Doctor of the Church, and famous for his translation of the bible from the original Greek into the vernacular of the day: latin. He was a noted scholar with a keen mind and a sharp tongue as well as gifted in languages.

‘Saint Jerome and the Angel’ by Simon Vouet, 1625

If he was alive today he, who knows how he might have put all our instant mass media to use….he was well known for his scathing letters and commentary on all sorts of goings on in the culture and even the church at the time. He was not a mushy feel good sort of guy, he was grouchy and reportedly ill tempered and critical, with ascetic leanings. Sort of like an old, holy version of a modern day James Carville maybe, but OH so so much better.

Painting by Joos Van Cleve, “St. Jerome” c. early 16C

And that’s the thing that I tend to take away from St. Jerome. Not only is he the patron saint of librarians, students, school-kids, translators (and hey, I should be hitting him up for prayers daily, what have I been thinking?), archivists and so on. I think he just might be the ticket, the patron and go to prayer guy for grouchy critical folks like me! He shows us (ok, me) that even us grumps can get to heaven and God can work even through the grouchiness and beyond. It gives me hope, I tell ya!

Painting by La Tour, “St. Jerome”

Happy Feast Day!
St. Jerome, Pray for us!

>Our Lady of Sorrows

Posted on September 15, 2009 by coffeemom

Today is the day we remember Our Lady of Sorrows.

Let me say just this: As a mom, this tears me up. No matter the denomination…moms will understand this concept of the sorrowful mother. She is every mother….

Drawing by Kate Kollwitz, Woman with dead child, 1903

So, as I cannot begin to sufficiently address this day and all that could be said,
I will let this most famous hymn do it instead.

Stabat Mater:

At the cross her station keeping,
Mary stood in sorrow weeping
When her Son was crucified.

While she waited in her anguish,
Seeing Christ in torment languish,
Bitter sorrow pierced her heart.

With what pain and desolation,
With what noble resignation,
Mary watched her dying Son.

Ever-patient in her yearning
Though her tear-filled eyes were burning,
Mary gazed upon her Son.

Who, that sorrow contemplating,
On that passion meditating,
Would not share the Virgin’s grief?

Christ she saw, for our salvation,
Scourged with cruel acclamation,
Bruised and beaten by the rod.

Christ she saw with life-blood failing,
All her anguish unavailing,
Saw him breathe his very last.

Mary, fount of love’s devotion,
Let me share with true emotion
All the sorrow you endured.

Virgin, ever interceding,
Hear me in my fervent pleading:
Fire me with your love of Christ.

Mother, may this prayer be granted:
That Christ’s love may be implanted
In the depths of my poor soul.

At the cross, your sorrow sharing,
All your grief and torment bearing,
Let me stand and mourn with you.

Fairest maid of all creation,
Queen of hope and consolation,
Let me feel your grief sublime.

Virgin, in your love befriend me,
At the Judgment Day defend me.
Help me by your constant prayer.

Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother’s prayers
receive me
With the fruits of victory.

Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine

Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of your dying Son divine.

Wounded with His every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In His very Blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In His awe-full judgment day.

Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother’s prayers
receive me
With the fruits of victory.

While my body here decays
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen Alleluia

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

>Exalted

Posted on September 14, 2009 by coffeemom

Piece of the titular of the Cross, found by St. Helena,
photo by Coffeedoc, Santa Croce, Rome.

Its the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.
This seems to many like a weird feast, a remembrance of unspeakable suffering…why would anyone do that? However, it is through the Cross that we find our truest selves. Obviously, in faith we know that without the Cross all would be lost. We would be lost. Without the the Cross and Christ’s saving action, the world as we know it would not be as we know it. That’s Christianity, 101. But too often that part of it all is forgotten in the felt banner, Hallmark card version of pop culture Christianity that is so pervasive. Who wants to be a downer, anyhow? Right? But…is it, really? Not so much. I, myself, don’t think I could get out of bed most days if not for this and my faith in it. Period. So, today I celebrate the Cross, with gratitude.

Painting of St. Helena, mother of Constantine, who found pieces of the true Cross, 326.

“We adore you O Christ and we praise you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”
From the Liturgy of the Hours

>Happy Birthday to Mary

Posted on September 8, 2009 by coffeemom

>It’s the feast of the Nativity of Mary! Which means, of course, that it’s her birthday! And, as you have probably guessed by now…I love a birthday. They are full of happiness, just knowing that’s the day they were brought into the world. What’s not to celebrate about that, ever? This feast of the Nativity of Mary “is a commemoration of that happy and joyful day on which the ever-blessed virgin Mother of God first saw the light of day.”
This feast is one of the few that celebrate the birth of a holy person. Most feasts celebrate the death of the holy person…which sounds really weird, but the idea is that the day of death is the day they enter heaven, which is something worth celebrating on their behalf. But this is one of the three days on the church calendar that celebrates a birth-day; only John the Baptist and Jesus himself get this privilege. So this is an extra special honor, signifying her special role in our lives and her relation to Christ.
All of us are born and have many chances to turn to God or away, and really, you can’t ever know for sure until you get there (by which I mean, you die). So, for most of us regular Joes, we hope to keep turning toward God all along the way and we only mark and celebrate the death of the holiest, mostly saintly folks….and not their births; because they stayed the course, or turned to it for good. But for Mary, we get to celebrate her birth because God himself made her for himself, to be his entrance as a man to this world. Now that’s cool.
“We pray Thee, O Lord, grant to Thy servants the gift of heavenly grace: as the childbearing of the blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so may the devout celebration of her Nativity accord us an increase of peace.”

>A dear feast: Mother Teresa!

Posted on September 5, 2009 by coffeemom

Today is the feast of Mother Teresa!
Oh, how I love her!!!

As it is for so many around the world, her story and life is just SO compelling to me. But Mother Teresa was no fluffy saint, of course. She did the hard work, the gritty work that most could never even imagine to try.
Whod’a thunk that even Mother Teresa could be controversial? Someone who literally changed the world for good. But even so, she is. Partly because she could be a bit difficult and would stubbornly move ahead with a project, despite all practical facets not being evident. Some have called her work and faith into question after her “dark night” was revealed. This is when she spent many years without the consolations in her prayer life that we all crave. It was a time of hanging in with her faith and prayers and work, despite the lack of sure comfort that is so often found in prayer (the consolation). Rather, she had those hard dark times of prayer where its like shouting into the dark. And even so, she kept going and held on to her faith, not letting go. This, to me, is all the more reason to marvel…..those times are when it’s so hard to hang on and not go seeking something, anything, else to provide that comfort once again.
But for me, look what this woman did. She loved, in action and emotion, the poorest of the poor. That’s a pat phrase, but in reality, it is a very tough thing to do, particularly if you are coming from a life of relative comfort and ease (and she was coming from a convent that she loved). And it was hard. She didn’t have any supernatural grace to not be repulsed by the sickness and the smells and the discomforts and difficulties. But she did them anyway. Because she was able to see Christ in them. And that perhaps, IS her grace. But that is ours for the asking as well….its just an awfully tough question to ask, eh?
All that said, she is one of my very very favorite saints (or, officially right now “Blessed”s). She has one of the faces that is just radiant with beauty. One of that that makes me exclaim “Oh, such a face!” And I love her. And I ask for her prayers, every day. And I am not graced with being able to SEE as well as she does, but some days, blessed days, I might catch a faint glimmer of what she saw.

Happy Feast Day.
Blessed Mother Teresa, pray for us!

>Feast of Pope St. Gregory the Great

Posted on September 3, 2009 by coffeemom

It’s the feast day of Pope St. Gregory the Great.

This saint is my Buddybug’s confirmation patron, so we are keen on him around here; and ask him daily for prayers on behalf on my son. I don’t remember all of Buddybug’s reasons for choosing St. Gregory the Great as his patron. But I suspect that his love of music was one of the links. St. Gregory promoted sacred music, now known to us as, duh: “Gregorian Chant.” And Buddybug (and his mom and dad) love Gregorian Chant. So, no surprise there.

Drawing by Matthew Alderman,
(fellow domer alum of my son), 2006

St. Gregory is one of the few who have “the Great” attached to their name, and is also a doctor of the Church (meaning a great teacher). He sent missionaries into England and Ireland, and then Germany – spreading the hope and faith throughout Europe. He was highly educated and founded seven monasteries. Eventually he even was elected Pope. As Pope, he tirelessly worked in service for the Church and indeed, promoted his favorite (and ours) title for the Pope: “Servant of the servants of God.”
I always just mostly think of my son when I think of St. Gregory the Great. And another little but extra pleasing link for me: St. Gregory’s mother was St. Silvia. My mother’s first name is Sylvia (hence, Buddybug’s grandma is Silvia). I know, teensy nothings, but yet, they make me smile. And since this saint and my boy are connected in my daily prayers, they are kind of supernaturally and eternally connected I think (and certainly are in my head).

So, I thank St. Gregory for his prayers for my boy.

And I wish him and my Buddybug:

Happy Feast Day!

Pope St. Gregory the Great, pray for us!

>Martrydom of St. John the Baptist

Posted on August 29, 2009 by coffeemom

Carvaggio, 1608

Ok, that title is a more polite way of describing this event. In my house full of rough and tumble boys, they tend to use the other, more graphic title: The Beheading of John the Baptist.

Sigh.
I guess in our modern era of shock tv and horror movies, even this grisly story seems tame.
What a shame. Maybe it should shock and make our stomach’s flop and faces wince.
It does mine.
I used to (still do, really…sometimes) wonder why we had to have these gruesome stories in the bible, and even commemorate them. I mean, really? As they say, “Why can’t we all just get along?” Why can’t it be “nice?” Let’s just look at the pretty stuff…..yes, Pollyanna….

But as we all know all too well, REAL life isn’t always pretty. Real life has real hurt, real gore, real unexplainable happenings, that can’t be explained away….except perhaps by the real existence of evil and our all too human nature to be seduced by it.
And this true story, that we remember especially today, is about evil, to be sure.
I mean, Salome asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter…because her mother told her to ask as she danced. Her mother was so torqued at John for calling out Herod on his adultery (with her), that she pressed her daughter to ask for his death, and decapitation at that.
Talk about a vengeful woman…

Anyhow, this story is not only about that evil impulse and gory act. It’s about John the Baptist being both a harbinger of Christ and His sacrifice to come, but also a man who stood up for Truth – no matter what.

Massimo Stanzione c. 1634.

Now, even in our modern days, holding onto truth can sure get hard. Especially when so much of the idea of truth has become a dull gray slide rule……there is not much black and white anymore; absolute truths or rights or wrongs. Or, so it seems in our popular modern culture. And yet, of course, there still is real truth, but it’s not always popular or ‘pc’ or whatever. And while I haven’t heard to too many folks getting beheaded for being ‘non-pc’ lately, there is still a pressure out there to just…not. Not get involved. Not care. Not worry about anyone else. Not call it like it is. Not get into anybody’s business.

But really, it IS a fine line. I myself have more opinions than most, but I find the words “Judge not” ring in my ears. So, how to jive that all up? I don’t know. I tend to do the best I can on the fly. Which is probably pretty poorly, most of the time. I’ll either get too timid to speak up, or too tired, or I will speak up and stick my foot in it. Typically I just throw my opinions out there anyhow.

So, I can let my boys play with swords and be good guys and bad guys; acting out the scary hard ideas of good and evil, right and wrong. And this story can have a place in that sort of teaching, eventually. St. John the Baptist teaches us that we should not be afraid. That speaking the Truth is hard, possibly even dangerous. There is real danger in life, and sometimes it cannot be escaped. But, it is worth it.

And the caveat is: the Truth is Love. Love is Truth. And so….if you (ok, me) can try speak of Truth/Love, with courage….then you or I will live it as well.

Icon written by Constantine Youssis

>Feast of St. Augustine!

Posted on August 28, 2009 by coffeemom

>Its the feast day of St. Augustine!
Ok, now this saint, from north Africa, is one of the biggies: a doctor of the church of course and one of the great writers throughout Church history. I like him for so many reasons, not the least of which is his connection with his mom and her devoted prayers for her son. You know, I will always have a soft spot for a mom and son….

His teachings are noted throughout Christendom for their lasting influence and, simply put, their beauty. Perhaps it was his years of living a life that was wild, utterly hedonistic, and dipped into all sorts of heresy and convoluted ideas of god…..but when he returned to the Faith, he did so in a big way, using his brilliant mind to convey the beauty of Truth to generations to come.
“Late have I loved you…“ Indeed. And perhaps, that is part of his appeal to so many, so many of us (ok, me), have really felt that, lived that. Late, have I loved You. I missed so much, for so long. The “band width” of my life was so slim, and I didn’t even know it. But I was fooled by the hedonistic life I lived into thinking it was so wide. I was arrogant enough to think I knew it all. Only, later, later when I finally “let go” of my grip on that did I finally come to realize how small it all was.
And then St. Augustine, once more, came through for me with one of his most famous prayers: “You have made us for yourself, oh God. And our hearts are restless, until they rest in you.” Ah. I know, I’m paraphrasing that quote, but that’s how it sticks in my head and heart. And that about sums it all up: St. Augustine, life in general, me in particular.

Happy feast day!
St. Augustine, pray for us!

>Feast of St. Monica

Posted on August 27, 2009 by coffeemom

Painting of St. Monica, by John Nava

Today is the feast of St. Monica!
Here is one of the premier examples of patience, especially for us moms.
Really, I should unofficially consider her a patron, because here is a mom who showed such patience and perseverance in prayer…and these are some of the traits (especially that whole patience thing) that I severely lack.

Painting of St. Monica, by Janet McKenzie

St. Monica, a saint from north Africa, prayed for the conversion (successfully) of her husband and his mother. But, most famously, she prayed and prayed faithfully for the conversion of her wild, wayward son, Augustine. Augustine was a son that would give any mom many sleepless nights and teary phone calls with girlfriends. And while Monica wasn’t of the phone call era, I suspect she had many a night awake fretting over her boy. He was wild and ignored her pleas, getting into all sorts of revelry (can read more about him tomorrow on his feast day!).

But Monica persevered, because this was her son, she knew the truth and she had the faith that her prayers would be answered according to God’s will….sooner or later. Well, it was something like 17 years later, but it happened. Not only did Augustine turn his life around and step back onto more solid ground, but he converted to the faith and was ordained by St. Ambrose himself.

I like to think it is in no small part due to the faithful lasting sure prayers of his mom, as well as her prayerful example and steadfast love, no matter what. She didn’t shun him. She might well have corrected him, being his mom and all (whether or not he listened)…..

{I know this is an old holy card image, but it makes me laugh.
It’s St. Monica praying for St. Augustine,
but that’s the same look my boys have when I’m giving them advice…
which is surely also a scene from the life of these two!}

….but she never stopped loving him. And that is what will turn even the hardest furthest of hearts back to the truth of Real Love. So I love St Monica, and she reminds me to never give up. Ever.

Happy feast day.
St. Monica, pray for us!

>The Queen

Posted on August 22, 2009 by coffeemom

Detail of painting by Van Eyck

Today we celebrate the Queenship of Mary.
This is a devotion that helps us remember Mary’s special place in our hearts and the heart of her Son. Indeed, many might object: considering a mere girl a Queen, of all things! And Queen of Heaven, even! The idea of it! Hmmmm…..

But really, it is the idea of it that is so cool, and the reality of it is mindblowing. Here is a mere girl, ok, eventually an old woman (most all of us get there, even Mary) and she lived her life so tuned into God’s call that she is an example for us all.

Even considered as Queen of Heaven, Mary still, always and eternally, points to her Son. “Do whatever He tells you.” {John 2:4-6) It’s not about her and her power trip, like a bad movie (like it would be for me, think of the control issues, ah!). It always, always, is about her son, Christ.

When we ask Mary to pray for us, turn to her for consolation and support, she understands and loves us enough to pray to her son on our behalf. Her love, as a perfect mom with perfect love, is unfailing for us as well. I can use a big dose of that…most every day! So, yeah, I dig this concept and I do think of her as Queen of Heaven in that her prayers are heard and we can ask for them. And what perfect Son doesn’t listen to his mother?

Another way that I think of it is this: I am “queen” of my home. I am. But that means that I am the one who cares for, tends, serves, pays attention to, and helps all the members of my family…down to the smallest details. Or, well, I try to, on a good day. Mary is that for us, for me, too. That’s the sort of “queen” that is real, instead of a mere poster queen or politically twisted definition.

And, especially now as I am learning to love and be mom to a whole new, older and different child in my home and family, I am leaning hard on my spiritual Queen, my Blessed Mother, to be an example to me on how to love better, harder, further…both in the big picture and the small details. And to pray for me and not quit, while I stumble through this awkward time. I believe she is.

Every night when I tuck Little Man into bed, we sing “Salve Regina” together (in english, not the latin). It’s a favorite hymn. And every night he says, “Our voices sound just the same. We sound good.” And I don’t know if that is actually true, but it sure sounds true enough right then. And I like to think that the sweetness of that sung prayer is heard and understood by our Blessed Mother, and her Son, with a smile.

Agnolo Gaddi, “Coronation of the Virgin,” 1380

“Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished
children of Eve, to thee do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us; and
after this our exile show unto us the
blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God

That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.

Amen

>St. Max Rocks!

Posted on August 14, 2009 by coffeemom

>
Today is the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe!
He is my son Booboo’s patron and one very awesome saint. He is a ‘modern’ saint, of the twentieth century, completely devoted to Mary and a Franciscan. But what St. Maximilan is known for is his sacrifice, his martrydom of charity. St. Maximilian was sent to Auschwitz Concentration camp, for being a Catholic and a priest. After ministering to his fellow prisoners during his time there, sick and hungry as the rest, Maximilian made the ultimate sacrifice: he stepped forward and volunteered to go to his death in order to spare a father of a family from this fate. St. Maximilian went to his death in a father’s place; dying after two weeks of forced starvation and ultimately, an injection of carbolic acid (and forgiving the one who gave him that shot as he was injected). As such, not only is he a hero, among many other things, he is the patron of families.

We are big on family here around the coffeeblog. And we have been praying a novena to St. Maximilian on behalf of one special family who had a court date today. And, let me just say that I think St. Maximilian was listening and had pity and prayed for this family to be united. Because they passed court!!! And the prayers of a righteous man, a saint and patron of families, who knows from sacrificial living, are worth much. So, thank you St. Maximilian, for your patronage of my son, and for your prayers for this family!

Happy feast day Booboo!
St. Maximilian Kolbe, thank you for your prayers!

>Feast of St. Dominic

Posted on August 8, 2009 by coffeemom

Painting by El Greco, St. Dominic in Prayer, 1596-1590

It’s the feast of St. Dominic today!
That is my favorite painting of him, above. We have a particular fondness for the Dominicans…mostly due to these wonderful sisters. They are the best things going around here and are some of the most joyful and compelling people I’ve met. Happily for us, they also teach our children (some of them) and we are lucky enough to be able to visit their motherhouse for Mass or vespers whenever we are in need of the sound of angels.
For another great link to online Dominican goodness, go here.

Now, for me, this is what St. Dominic stands for: the vocation to teach, sanctity, and the zeal for truth. And oh my, joy. Just clear joy (not simpleminded, but real, joy). And that is what I’ve seen embodied in so many Dominicans that I have met and know.

The irresistible combination of sanctity and complete dedication to Christ (Uhm, I know, DUH, they are vowed religious, but still…) somehow makes these Dominicans so compelling. You just want to be around them because they radiate. They really do.

Maybe it’s that zeal for truth, a la their founder: St. Dominic. Because that zeal for truth is the zeal for Christ, who is Love and really uniting to that, that truth, that love….it brings joy. And that is why they draw me, and others. They really do just glow, radiate joy and happiness.

And I think we are all searching for that. I am. Always. And it’s so hard to really hold onto….but St. Dominic is an example of how to find it. For real.

St. Dominic, pray for us, that we may radiate the joy of truth and Love.

>Feast of the Transfiguration

Posted on August 6, 2009 by coffeemom

Fra Angelico, fresco, Transfiguration of Christ, 1441

Today is the feast of the Transfiguration.

This feast is, once again, a timely juxtaposition with my mundane little life. I love how living the liturgical year through the Church brings us/me these connections and reminders of what’s real and important…and helps me see beyond my own little self absorbed boundaries, even if only for a millisecond or two. It’s cool. It’s almost like it’s planned to do that or something, I don’t know… Doh!

This feast is the story from the gospel (Luke 9:28-36) that we meditate upon in the fourth mystery of the luminous rosary. Its when Jesus and his apostles, Peter, James, and John go up onto Mount Tabor with Christ. Then Christ appeared to them, not only as the man they knew but in all the blinding splendor of His Divine Nature, and what’s more, with Elijah and Moses beside Him. Peter, one of my fav’s, was so excited that he burst out and said, “Lord it is good to be here! Let’s put up a tent!” (well, that’s my paraphrase, anyhow). He was so thrilled that he just wanted to stay there, it was that cool! (He reminds me of my sweet Booboo here, ok often, but that is just what my son would say and do.)

Well, I just really love the visuals and imagery of this story. But I also love the whole concept of transfiguration. Even as I cringe at change in general, I beg to be transfigured myself as I need it so. And this passage promises that, for each one of us. Now, the caveat is that it promises it through the cross. It was just following this event that Christ went to His Passion, the Cross. He went to suffer. But the transfiguration was a promise to his disciples, his most beloved, that the suffering would not be the end. That there was more and it was Glorious, breathtaking. It was also a promise to us and a path: that our suffering is not for naught, that it too transforms us.

I know, I’ve written this before. I think about this a lot. Maybe because it’s hard to wrap my puny brain and sensibilities around the whole concept. And now, especially, it’s been a struggle, because this past month I’ve been in it. And you know, suffering, um, hurts. But even so, even in the weary of it, the core of me believes it does change you. It transforms you. And you come out on the other side different. Better, stronger. No, not faster, this is not a Six Million Dollar Man cheapie tv show….. but more. Transfigured. More the You that you were made to be. Whatever that is. But MORE. And that, to me, is glorious, and hopefully, for me personally, shinier (as I am nothing but smudgy of late).

I like Raphael’s drawing, below. One, because I love drawings, but also because I love how this study is about the apostles. The actual imagery of the transfiguration of Christ is of course impossible to really know or guess; it is beyond our ken. But the apostles, this story is very much about them, and us, as well. And the wonder and the stunning awe that they must have felt, the joy, the fear, the gasp…..well, I keep finding my mind turning to that. So, today on this feast of the Transfiguration, I will try hard to remember and trust that even we regular Joes (And, erk, Janes) can be transfigured too. The promise is for us as well. And I will meditate on that in gratitude and wonder.

Raphael, study of heads of apostle’s for Transfiguration painting.

>Feast of the Holy Trinity

Posted on June 7, 2009 by coffeemom

By El Greco

Today is the feast of the Holy Trinity.
Now this is one of those Mysteries (one of the “Capital M” mysteries…by which I mean, truth that is just too big for our puny brains to fully comprehend): the Trinity.
But for a good piece on it, one that helps me just begin to grasp the concept and why today is worth a pause and thought or two, go here.

All I know is that I am grateful for the Trinity, I believe in the Trinity, because it just makes sense in a way – even though it scrambles my mind at the same time.
But.
Love needs to love Someone and their love is SO much, SO intense, that it creates a whole ‘nother being: Love. That’s just cool. Again, Fr. Ranier Cantalamessa says it best (being a preacher to the papal household and all):

“In every love there are always three realities or subjects:
one who loves, one who is loved and the love that unites them.”

Holy Trinity Icon.

Go love someone and celebrate!

>Ascension

Posted on May 24, 2009 by coffeemom

>It’s Ascension Sunday.
Well, officially the Feast of the Ascension was last Thursday….but here in the U.S., in most dioceses, the celebration of it is moved to Sunday.
Perhaps a touch confusing, yes….but really, the Ascension can be too.
How did He go? Floating serenely, in a flash of light, a crack of thunder, or just, gone? (I know, goofy, but I’m a visual gal, I think about it!)
I always wonder, how come the apostles weren’t crying, Mary weeping again?
I would be! I cry every time I have to say goodbye to most anyone, especially my son. But, apparently, they did not. Not ugly crying anyhow. I’m sure it was bittersweet though, it always is, isn’t it?

But here is the cool thing of Ascension, for me.
Ascension is all about preparation and promise.
Ascension is about home.
Yes, Christ had to go, we are left to walk this on our own in many ways.
But not really.
Because He promised to go to prepare for us to join him, to prepare us a place, a home, with Him, left us helpers and each other along the way.

And as a mom, as a mom who is awaiting her daughter to come home….soon soon please….this really resonates with me.
My Marta can’t really KNOW we are coming back to her, except we’ve told her so.
She has to be there on her own, but with our far-away-support and love and prayers and helpers…for now.
And we are prepared, have prepared, a place for her: a new room to share, fresh paint, new furniture, new clothes. We’ve carved out a spot in our home and hearts for our Marta, our new daughter.
We are all anticipating bringing her into her new place.
She is. We are.
And we wait for it.
She does. We do.

And even in this, this hard time…..if we look, once again, the family can model the most real thing in life: faith and love.
We can’t do it as well, or as graciously, or widely, as the Church.
But we can stumble along trying.
And today, I think about the idea of preparation; what it really is.

Today we are reminded that Christ prepares a place for each of us.
We prepare a place for each of our children and each other.
Doing so, even the small tiny mundane things of sippy cups and diapers, groceries and clean sheets…it’s all love in action.
Happily, we have feast days like today so we, (ok, I mean me) can see it more clearly through all the hubub of our busy days.
To remind us.
To say, “Remember.”
We each have a place.
It’s home.

>Feasts and family ties

Posted on March 19, 2009 by coffeemom

Sculpture by Dony MacManus

It’s the Solemnity of St. Joseph!
Now, this is a biggie, St. Joseph is one awesome saint. Only the best would be selected to be the earthly father of Jesus, right? Right! You all know him, I hope, a holy righteous man, given the highest honor imaginable (short of mom….): being dad to Christ.

I love him for that. And I love him for the example he gives us of steadfast love and doing the right thing with compassion and honor and love.

Now, there is one little thing though, that makes me a bit nuts regarding St. Joseph…. It’s not really about St. Joseph, him, the man. Rather, its more about the titles slapped on St. Joseph.
Yeah, you guessed it. It’s an adoption thing.

St. Joseph should be the biggest patron for adoptive families going. It brings me to this nit picky pet peeve of mine: that everyone always has to clarify when they talk about him and his relationship to Jesus.

Holy Family by Raphael

Every single time I read it or hear it: “St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus” or some variant I think, “Sheesh!” Because, really……did they really think of it like that back in the day…those days? Do you think that when the women were standing around yakking and they saw Jesus playing with his pals and heard Mary call for him or Joseph, do you think they asked Jesus “where is your foster father?” NO. They said, “Hey, where’s your dad? Your mom wants him.” Of course they did. Now, I don’t mean to be irreverent…but c’mon.

It’s like where I live now, (maybe it’s everywhere, but I only now notice, so I’m calling it regional…don’t get in a snit, no offense intended, I already said it my personal pet peeve). Here, people commonly say, “That’s my stepsister” or “That’s my stepson” or “Stepmom” or whatever. And it doesn’t matter how long they’ve lived together, it could be forty years and they still have to clarify this, even in a casual social setting (I’m not talking about complicated genealogical papers here or anything that could remotely necessitate such fine tuning). That slays me! Why can’t ya just say, “That’s my sister”? I mean, really, why?

I know. This is a weirdness on my part. But every time I hear them qualify St. Joseph’s relationship to Jesus it kind of gets my back up. It’s the same as when media always have to delineate that the celebrity’s “adopted son” did this or that. It’s his kid. Period! Don’t say my kids are each other’s adoptive sister or brother, and don’t, really don’t, tell Coffeedoc that he is Gabey’s “foster father.”

I guess it’s that same prick I feel when someone asks about their “real mom”, um, me. Or even worse, “Which ones are yours?” um, let me count…yup, all of them! I know what they are getting at and that it is a fumbly thing, especially if they are not in the adoption world, but still. Me. No qualifiers required. This is not to diminish the kids’ first mom, or birth mom, or first family…but really, no qualifiers are necessary once they are in mine. No adoptive, foster, step, ya da yada whatever label is needed. They are our kids. Done deal.

Back in the day, St. Joseph’s day, to be exact… family was often built by promise. A special kind of promise, a “covenant” promise. A covenant cannot be broken. It is bigger and stronger than a meager promise or intention, it is stronger than a paper legal contract, it is a covenant, a vow before God. It is eternal. And it was a common manner of forming family. Sure some kids and folks might have just kind of been taken in and eventually been considered a part of the big extended clan. But there were also covenants that built families. And just as God made a covenant with his people, St. Joseph made a covnenant to this baby and to his wife. So he was not just a foster father…..he was his dad, here on earth.

Icon by Brother Claude Lane, O.S.B

Maybe this sets me off because it’s hard to shake off the flimsy postmodern standards and loose contracts that define family nowadays. And so too, too many tv shows of divorce court and meaningless family ties have disintegrated the meaning of the term ‘foster father’…..I can nod to that. And so too, our family ties in our modern era tend to be much more formalized on long legal papers and the term “foster” parent means something different in this usage. And I am no theologian so perhaps the finest points of this description of dear St. Joseph elude me. But, it still bugs me. So, yeah, this is an adoption rant.

Poor St. Joseph, I feel like he doesn’t get a fair shake. He cared for, loved, guarded, protected this little baby, had to flee into Egypt for pete’s sake. He lived a quiet unnoticed life. He didn’t get the kudos for raising this special child, nor was he supposed to, then. But, now, we know him for what he was: a strong, humble, holy man, who obeyed God’s call and made a covenant to be the father to this baby here on earth….a giant step out in faith. St. Joseph was Jesus’ earthly father – his dad. And he is an excellent example and intercessor for adoptive parents and families everywhere.

Happy Feast Day!
Go eat some pasta!
And for some beautiful thoughts on St. Joseph and hope,
go here, to Deacon.

St. Joseph, pray for us!

God our Father,
Creator and Ruler of the universe,
in every age you call man
to develop and use his gifts for the good of others.
With St. Joseph as our example and guide,
help us to do the work you have asked
and come to the rewards you have promised.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
New St. Joseph Weekday Missal

>Kiss me, I’m Irish!

Posted on March 17, 2009 by coffeemom

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Yup, it’s the feast of St. Patrick: St. Paddy’s Day.
Which means many things, and here in the U.S. typically means loads of green beer (ok, gross), green shakes, corned beef, soda bread, and general indulgence despite the lenten season. A plethora of shamrocks and leprechauns can be seen and smooching abounds (not that that is so bad!). And suddenly, everyone is just a little bit Irish! Me too! Actually, I can claim it remotely (really remotely) though for many years I thought my maiden name had Scottish origins…but nope, Irish. And I root for my son’s school always: GO IRiSH! So, it’s fun day all around!

As a homeschool mom, if I’m feeling energetic and creative there are loads of history and fun things for St. Patrick’s Day: coloring pages, books, activities, games, and of course, food. There is an abundance of these, plus great books and movies and celtic music to listen to if you’re feeling thematic for the day.

Illlustration by Mary Kurnick Maass

But I like the saint’s lives, you know that. And St. Patrick had an amazing life and was a strong and courageous man, who grew in holiness enough to return to the land that originally enslaved him…because he loved the people there. So St. Patrick is not only about eating and drinking oddly colored beverages and snacks, not about wishing for lucky leprechauns. St. Patrick shows us we can beat the odds. St. Patrick is a great example of perseverance and courage and faith, for going where God leads you despite the hardships. To bloom where you are planted even, to carry this out…..maybe you’ll find some shamrocks, after all!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

St. Patrick, pray for us!

>Feast Day: the Presentation in the Temple

Posted on February 2, 2009 by coffeemom

Today is the Feast of The Presentation.

It is the solemnity, the remembrance of when Mary and Joseph took the infant Jesus to the Temple, and presented him there as offering and thanksgiving to God. It is the mystery we meditate upon for the fourth decade of the rosary.

This is an interesting feast to me, there is so much here. It is also known as Candlemas, as traditionally candles are blessed at the Mass of this day. I think that connection is due to Christ being the light of the world and thus candles are a literal reminder and link for us of that (but that’s just me). But this is the day when Mary bundled up her sweet baby, her miracle, and took him to the Temple, alongside Joseph. It was a duty and possibly a hassle, but she did it and I can only wonder if she did it with that sense of pride and joy in this perfect little baby boy, or with a pause in her step, not sure what this would mean?

The Presentation in the Temply, by Fra Angelico

February is the month of the Holy Family. And in fact, we are taught that this feast is a bridge, from the feast of Christmas to the penance of Lent. From the birth to the death of Christ. It is a foreshadowing. His baby swaddling is often depicted very much like the wrapping found in the tomb (which really gets to the mom in me, it’s jarring, every time I see it..as it should be, sigh). It is forty days after his birth (no insignificant number that). It leads us into the beginning of lent, later this month. And just so we all can understand the symbolism, we are given Anna and Simeon speaking to Mary: prophecy.

Simeon praises that “my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”

And Anna tells Mary that “a sword shall too pierce your heart.”

So, my goodness, what a day. I am pretty sure that Mary held that sweet swaddled baby boy very tight and kissed him on his head. But even so, she said “fiat” and knew, that she would love and follow this boy, no matter where it led. This was her son.

The Presentation, by Bellini 1460-1464

So, enjoy this feast today. Much to think about. Go read Margaret, she, as usual says it much better than I can! As a mother of dear boys especially, it feels close sometimes. So, I will light a candle, say a prayer of thanksgiving and the strength to also say ‘fiat.’ I think I will also kiss the heads on each son that I can find today.

Icon of the Presentation by St. Andrei Rublev

Collect:

All-powerful Father,
Christ Your Son became man for us
and was presented in the temple.
May he free our hearts from sin
and bring us into your presence.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen

>Feast Day: St. Francis de Sales

Posted on January 24, 2009 by coffeemom

>It is the feast of St. Francis de Sales!

This saint, this man has been deemed one of the Doctors of the Church, meaning one who’s writings and ideas are formational; the depth and understanding of their faith and the orthodoxy of their theology is held in highest esteem.

His book, “Introduction to the Devout Life” is a classic and a challenge – to my way of life and thinking and being. It humbles me: when I read (or reread) it, I tend to hang my head and think, “dang, right, gee whiz….oh, very good, man!” (It is initially difficult to get past his literary device of addessing his writing to “Philothea” {student} but once you do, you’re good to go/read/soak it in.) I recommend it to anyone, it’s very well worth the effort.

This saint is one of my favorite writers and a gentle soul. He was known for his gentle kind ways
and his simple clear explanations. He was great friends with another saint I love, St. Jane de Chantal. He taught her to be a saint ‘where she was’, in her station in life….she didn’t have to go be a desert hermit or do heroic acts, but rather quietly live a holy life, where she was (which is of course, SO much easier said than done!).

Although he earned degrees in both law and theology, he realized he had a vocation to the priesthood and ultmately even became Bishop of Geneva. He is the patron of writers and journalists, so he is also a timely saint, in this era of crazy media and bloggers all taking up their own little mini journals…like me. This prayer below, from his Treatise on the Love of God, shows why he is so good, and why I hang my head and see, once again, just how far I have to go. sigh.

Prayer of Dedication by St. Francis de Sales

Lord, I am yours, and I must belong to no one but you. My soul is yours, and must live only by you. My will is yours, and must love only for you. I must love you as my first cause, since I am from you. I must love you as my end and rest, since I am for you. I must love you more than my own being, since my being subsists by you. I must love you more than myself, since I am all yours and all in you. Amen.

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us!

>Blinking in the light: Epiphany

Posted on January 6, 2009 by coffeemom

It’s really real: It’s the Feast of Epiphany today!

Also known as Three Kings Day, and Dia de los Tres Reyes, and Feast of the Magi…it can go on and on. This is a feast that is celebrated in cultures around the world (well, the whole Catholic thing – universal church and all – of course makes that redundant….but still, it’s worth noting the different cultural takes on it).

It makes the old folklore student in me giddy. Sadly, Becca, it does mark the end of the Christmas season. But really, let’s face it, most of you have hauled the tree to the curb (not us, nosiree) and are already checking the boxes on your new snazzy organizer and trying valiantly to ignore the sweet crooning of the cookie jar.
Anyhow, this feast, this year, this week, makes me blink. I have a swirl of thoughts in my recovering brain and I can’t order them well or coherently, but need to process them….so you know what that means: I will blog them and in no logical order. So, lucky you, here goes:

As I mentioned, I am blinking. Blinking back tears, and I’ve been biting back my self-absorbed black foul mood and pity party. It’s not something I asked for, but it was almost more than I could shake and it got hard to even try {maybe due to being sick, but even so…not good, thwacked, knocked down}. It’s been a tough few days, through mostly fault of my own…

And as the star revealed and pointed and lead to Jesus the baby at Epiphany so many years ago, once again, God descends, or condescends, to take pity on me of all people and shine a little light into my foul black selfish world.

And I blink from the glare of His mercy and love.

The klieg lights of this are no mistake. They practically burn, the glare on my wallowing inwardness. But I flutter and squint to look closer and I see: the beauty and glory of the gifts before me.

And I am humbled.

And I bow and bend my prideful selfish neck.
And I cry, again, but this time in sorrow for not seeing well,
but also thanksgiving too at being given those moments to gaze at for a bit,
before I forget again.

And then, because it’s a feast, and God loves abundance and heaping on the good, just so you know He is amazing…..I get an email with good news: they have petitioned for a court date. NO, we do not have one yet, and don’t know when we will know. But it’s forward movement when it had been static. And that is a great bit of news that brings us great happiness. Yes, some might say its a small thing, but to me, it’s more.

And then, because it is a feast and it’s the end of Christmas and God loves abundantly, we get a letter from our girl. It is in rough English, translated. But it is hers and it is to us and it is a priceless. “Please finished my process be fast. I love you. I need you.” It is treasure.

And then, because it is a feast and it is the feast of the Three Kings, we have a third gift too (because God also knows that as a former folklore student I love the classic motif of three gifts, He’s that good…): a picture of our daughter in Addis, with her sweet smile in the jacket we sent. It swamps her and she grins. And so do we.

So, a jumbly day and week. But a clear feast. An epiphany. I see more clearly tonight. Thanks be to God. Happy Feast Day!

>Feast of Mary Mother of God! The Perfect "Happy New Year!"

Posted on January 1, 2009 by coffeemom

Happy New Year!

Today is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Yeah, of course, she’s his mom. But it is a huge deal – was a huge deal historically to define the this dogma: Mary as Theotokos. Mother of God. Its’ a Christological issue. Can God Himself have a mother? Well, yup.

The doctrine of Mary as the mother of God finds its roots in the New Testament when the archangel Gabriel says to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God” (Lk 1:35). The Gospel of Matthew also affirms the doctrine in 1:23, “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel (which means, God with us)”. This dogma was formally defined at the council of Ephesus in 431 when the Church gave Mary the official title Theotokos which literally means Christ-bearer. Full article here.

Now this dogma can get all sticky and divisive and I’m not going there today.
Because it’s the New Year and it’s a Feast day! {And it’s my only sister’s birthday and I miss her and love her more than I can say. Happy Bday Nancy Pants! }

Frankly, I love Mary, Our Blessed Mother, Mother of God, and so I just want to revel in the idea that this is the perfect start to a new year, in my book. This is the perfect launch point of a new year. We talk about new year’s resolutions and reordering our lives, every year. Well, this is the fulcrum, the starting point.

Really, I think we are all searching for some sense of order that can bring more happiness to us, make us feel better somehow. But the order that brings truest happiness, as we all know, is the one ordered toward Christ – pointing our hearts and lives toward Christ. That’s it. Or, erk, supposed to be, usually it’s oriented toward ME, sigh.

And that is what Mary is about, especially considered as Mother of God. Its about her heart of love, for her Son, for Love itself. She told the guys at the wedding, “do whatever He tells you.” That’s what she tells us too. Everything about her points to Christ, her actions, her words, her heart.
Mary listened. Listening is not only one of the hardest things for me to do in prayer…its roots are in the latin and means “obedience.” It’s no coincidence I think that this is the hardest thing for me to do in general. They go hand in hand; listening and obedience.

But Mary did it. And thus she was given the greatest honor and shows me how I should be living out my life. Connected to her, and through her, her Son. Talk about reordering for New Years Resolutions!
So, I’m not gonna make a huge list of resolutions. Except try to pray better and listen better (and yeah, obey, sigh). I have some of the usual things I’d like to do better, or do less, as well. {And, yup, I could list a few, but then of course I’d not only bore you all to tears – if not already – but well, some things are better left unsaid, um, literally…}

But I really think that the best thing and the best start for me for this new year is to be thankful and recognize that we have this amazing gift of this woman. Through her listening and willingness to be a mother, she discovered and grew into and through amazing depth and experiences. It was her openness to that unknown, in faith. That’s the heart and life of a mother; complete with joy and sorrow both. Go to Deacon Greg for another great homily on this.
So that’s what I want this New Year. To honor Mary, Mother of God. To grow a little bit like her in hope and steady deep faith and strength. (Yeah, it’s a tall order, I know.) To walk the footsteps of a mom, but much better than I have. To love better, because that’s ultimately what she shows us best. And that is the best reason to honor her today on her feast as Mother of God.

Pray for us,
Oh Holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Amen.

>The Feast of the Holy Family

Posted on December 28, 2008 by coffeemom

Michelangelo, The Holy Family

Today is the Feast of the Holy Family!

Now this is a feast that makes me happy (ok, hence the discombobulated mood today).
As you might gather, family is a big deal to me. Literally and figuratively!
And to have a day that puts special emphasis on the beauty and importance of family is just a gift. And what better role models to have than the Holy Family, of course! And all too often St. Joseph, the head of the Holy Family is kind of lost in the Christmas shuffle. Go read Elizabeth Foss for a good article on St. Joseph.

“For the past few weeks, we have been so intensely focused on the coming of Jesus Christ, that today the Church invites us to take a step back and look at a larger picture: The Holy Family. The Son of God, in His Divinity, could have come to us full grown and alone. Or he could have come as a child under the protection of some royal court. Instead, he chose to come to us in the midst of the most fundamental dynamic in human life: the family. The first thing Jesus sanctified by his presence was a family home”
from Phat Catholic, go read

Anyhow, this topic is an important one for me. I look to the Holy Family for inspiration, prayers, and as a role model (that I will never achieve, of course). But really, we are called to be the domestic church, to model that giving service, that love in our own families and homes. And God was so good to provide us with a family that we can look to. They had to go through all sorts of difficulties, stress, fears as well as happiness, companionship, joy and everyday life. Maybe, just maybe, Mary questioned Joseph’s ideas once or twice (“really, get up, leave, go to Egypt?, really, now??? Ack, ok!”) and surely they worried about work and we know they did chores and got tired and lived quiet mundane regular life for many (well, 30) years.

And that gives me comfort. When I am in the midst of another messy kitchen or loads of laundry, with dinner needing to me cooked and Coffeedoc calling, well, it is nice to know that it is ok, this is how it’s supposed to be. It gets messy and tired and worried and quiet and regular too. And I can know that, stone cold, because the Holy Family did it. Period.

There is holiness in the everyday quiet life of the family, big or small. There can certainly be growth in holiness as well (and a big upcurve ahead there, in this house) but this is some of the most fertile ground for it. The family. The linchpin. The foundation. So today, we celebrate, with great thanksgiving the feast of the Holy Family.

Here too are a few more links: to good reads, to good holy families:
The Deacons Bench has a good homily on the Holy Family, worth a look.
Juli at Happy Catholic, always great.
Jennifer, at Conversion Diary, she heads up a holy family!
As does Michele at Family-Centered Life, and Margaret at Minnesota Mom, and Danielle Bean and so many others, but if I start to list them all then I’ll get someone mad at me or their feelings hurt. So to make it simpler, go to the sidebar and check out most of the adoptive blogs (because right there, ya got the whole St. Joseph connection in particular) and the Catholic moms links too. That’s the other cool thing about this feast: if you look, you’ll see examples all around you! How glorious, how cool is that! Thanks be to God!

Holy Family, pray for us!

>The Holy Innocents

Posted on December 28, 2008 by coffeemom

>There are some feast days in the Church that are hard.
I suppose they all should be in a way…in that the term “feast day” when applied to a Catholic memorial, often and traditionally (but not exclusively, see Feast of the Holy Family, above) means the day of passing from this material world into everlasting life. It means death. But it also means a step into the most real life and the one that is eternal, with no suffering and glorious true union with Christ; therefore for that person – unspeakable joy.

And that is the prelude to today. Today is a double whammy, so to speak.

First, this post, we have to talk about today’s feast day, this fourth day of Christmas: the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Or, I have to talk about it because I am out of sorts over it, in a blue funk.

I hate this feast day. It is so hard to wrap my mind around this one and it leaves me out of sorts, every year. My poor skills in communicating, much less writing coherently here, combined with the whole mystery surrounding this feast leaves me stuttering over words.

And yet, this is an important day to remember.

And as mom, it touches a very deep part of me in hurt and anger and sorrow. This part of the Mass reading for this day, it makes me cry:

Matthew 2:18
“Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation:
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled because they were no more.”

Therefore, instead of stumbling along with my utterly inadequate words, I leave you with what I turn to: art and the writings of holier, more learned people. The art is posted, a few pieces. The words are below:

Matthew 2:16
“Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men.“

“There is no easy explanation for suffering, least of all for the suffering of the innocent. St. Matthew’s narrative, which we read in today’s Mass, shows us the suffering, apparently useless and unjust, of some children who gave their lives for a Person and for a Truth whom they didn’t even know.”
In Conversation with God 1, Advent and Christmastide

“There is anguish for us, twenty centuries later, in thinking of the slain babies and their parents. For the babies the agony was soon over; in the next world they would come to know whom they had died to save and for all eternity would have that glory. For the parents, the pain would have lasted longer; but at death they too must have found that there was a special sense in which God was in their debt, as he had never been indebted to any. They and their children were the only ones who ever agonized in order to save God’s life”
F. J. Sheed, To Know Christ Jesus

Painting by William Holman Hunt

This feast day, I halfway want to ignore it…certainly not talk about it, explain it. Is recognizing it condoning it? That’s a nonsensical question but it springs into my head. It’s that torn jumbley feeling.

But it’s not that the Church made this stuff up, it’s not a novel or a screenplay. It’s real. It happened. It’s not the Church doing revisionist history or some horror writer hoping to make a buck. It’s biblical. It’s horror. It’s an historical event that makes us weep and cringe even today – because it is evil. It is face to face with unspeakable evil. And it is just too close for comfort. But, then again, evil usually is. That’s part of it’s whole package. It should make us shrink from it, and shake our heads without comprehending, asking “why, how” as we weep. But even the glory of Christmas, the birth of this baby, cannot be fully comprehended without the cross, and it was found and pointed to, from the very beginning. Go here, to an article by the excellent Amy Welborn for a worthwhile read on that.

“…these innocent lives bear witness to Christ who was persecuted from the time of His birth by a world which would not receive Him. It is Christ Himself who is at stake in this mass-murder of the children; already the choice, for or against Him, is put clearly before men.”
Catholic Culture.org

“Oh God, on this day, the Holy Innocents gave witness to you, not by words but by a martyr’s death. We profess our faith in words: grant that the holiness of our lives may confirm the witness of our tongues.”
Collect of the Mass

>Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe!

Posted on December 12, 2008 by coffeemom

>Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe!
She is Patroness of the Americas and protector of the unborn.
She is Mary, our Blessed Mother.

I grew up in the southwest, in Arizona and then California. The influence and devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe was all around me. It was pervasive in the Catholic culture of the southwest but even in the broader culture of the region. Images of her abounded and her story was one told to even small children, perhaps because of the proximity to Mexico and the overlapping of the cultural influences. But it seems like I have always known her, to some degree.

However, only in later years as I became an adult, indeed almost middle aged, did I start paying attention. Maybe it was because I was having babies, or wanting to have babies, or wanting to adopt babies….and her prayers and protections suddenly seemed more needed, more urgent. Maybe it was because we had transplanted our family to the south and we felt like foreigners. We needed now to reclaim what was “ours” in a way. Both Coffeedoc and I grew up around Our Lady of Guadalupe and she was a comforting old friend. Her image and the southwestern, Mexican influence was part of the fabric that was woven into us.

At any rate, for Coffeedoc’s 40th birthday we took a trip, to see her image at her church. We went to Mexico City, to Tepayac Hill, to the Basilica. It was a humbling trip. Mexico City is beautiful but harsh. Going to the Basilica, passing the pilgrims who walked – some on their knees – to see her miraculous image made us fall silent. Seeing the families camped there, kids running around, but camped on the plaza surrounding the Basilica, made us wonder. The circus that surrounds this site, any major pilgrimage site (no matter the faith), made my head hurt and my eyes blur a bit; so much to take in, to see, hear, smell. The vendors selling everything from kitschy baubles to tiny tin milagros; it was overwhelming. The lines of people, just to squeeze in the door of the new basilica or through narrow doors of the old basilica, were daunting.

But, once we got inside the church we saw it. We saw the tilma. The tilma is a piece of cloth, made of plant fiber, that was worn as a sort of cape. It was a common article of clothing way back then. But the tilma of St. Juan Diego is a miracle we can still see now. This tilma carries the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and scientists haven’t been able to explain it yet. It is over 400 years old and should have simply crumbled with age, on the most basic level. It has survived to this day, despite all odds. Some might say it’s a legend, some might poo-poo this. But I was there, I saw it and I can’t figure it out. So, I choose to believe it.

I believe it was given to us as a sign of contradiction in this hard cold world. I believe that we still crave the mystery and the imagining of the impossible – that the impossible IS possible in this material world. I think that is one of the greatest things about faith: it is literally a belief in the impossible.

Because with God, all things are possible: even roses in the dead of winter and a tilma that carries an image that is somehow not made by man and survives for many hundreds of years; that prayers can be answered and that we have a Blessed Mother, to watch over us as a mother does, one who we can turn to for comfort and find the transforming grace found in prayer. So, I do love Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is a strong woman, not some fair wilting lily who leans against a window pining away. She is a strong, in the most enduring way there is: she is a mother.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

>Feast of St. Juan Diego

Posted on December 9, 2008 by coffeemom

It’s the feast day of Saint Juan Diego!

St. Juan Diego is the simple farmer that saw Our Lady of Guadalupe and followed her requests in simple faith. He walked fifteen miles to get to Mass, because of his love for the Eucharist and his faith. He was not a powerful man or an educated person. He was a peasant of the times, of no standing in his community. But his humble faith was true and sure and his love for the Blessed Mother helped him carry out her requests, with led to thousands of conversions of faith. He didn’t thoroughly understand the task that was being asked of him, but he was ready to do his best to try, out of faith, hope, and love.

I could learn something from him.
St. Juan Diego, pray for us!

>Feast of St. Nicholas

Posted on December 6, 2008 by coffeemom

Painting by Paolo Veronese

Today is the feast of St. Nicholas!
You know, Santa Claus. St. Nick.

It’s Advent! What better feast can you find in this season of preparation?

The timing here is always perfect, more so for us this year.
Miss M has been asking the classic kid question of the season: “Is Santa Clause real?”
Sigh.
“Yes. Santa Clause is St. Nicholas and he is real.”
That usually suffices for now, but as my eldest said “Ah, it’s over Mom. She knows.”
Maybe. But not enough to run with it and declare it out loud, it’s one more year of the shiver of wonder, the fading “maybe.”
So we’ll take it and run with it too.

But even so, today is the feast of the real St. Nicholas and it’s a fun thing to remember and celebrate. The most common thing to do is to set out shoes and fill them with a few gifts, sort of an early stocking but with a shoe. I always intend to do this. I have never managed it. But it sounds like fun! This site has a lot more ideas too on how to mark this day.

Painting by Otto Van Veen

So my girl might be figuring out the logistics of the secular Santa fun. But the real St. Nicholas is still worth knowing and remembering today. His greatest gift was not the legendary gifts he left in the night but his staunch defense of the Church and her teachings and his faith. And that is all the more reason to celebrate this saint, especially at this time of year.

The legend of Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, Jolly Old St Nick, is great fun and we play along too. But of course it is advent and we prepare for the coming of Jesus, the incarnation and it is in this that we meet with the message of St. Nicholas and the import this season. Buddybug’s professor made a great point about this in a lecture this week, go see, a little gift of something to ponder during these cold nights leading up to Christmas.

The St. Nicholas Society has a good set of prayers for this day, here. But I’ll leave this one below, a good one to try, maybe that plus setting out some shoes and sweets….

Good St Nicholas,

Help us prepare for the miracle of the coming of Jesus.
Help us not to be blind to the gifts of getting ready.
Help us be sincere in the greetings we send and receive, with love and prayer.

Kind St. Nicholas, protect us from fatigue, stress, overspending,
yet help us to be kind and generous of heart to all,
especially those who are alone, financially poor and fearful.

May our celebration of your feast lead others to see the true meaning of giving and receiving
and guide all people to the greatest of all gifts, Jesus Christ, prince of peace and child of Mary,
Our Lord and only Savior.

Amen.

>All Souls Day

Posted on November 2, 2008 by coffeemom

Today is All Soul’s Day.

This is the day we remember the other souls who have gone before us.
Yesterday we remembered the saints, those who have lived lives of holiness (sanctus) and give us examples of the many ways to grow into the people, the saints, we are made to be.

Today we remember all those who have died and need our prayers. Yes, this is where the Catholic doctrine makes many nuts again, where the rubber meets the road. Yes, we are talking about purgatory. First let me say that there are many who explain this and speak about it so eloquently and clearly, like Deacon Greg. I am not one of those people, so please go read some of them for a clearer understanding. {Catholic Catechism: 1030-1032}

However, I find this idea of purgatory so comforting; not weird or wacky, but a great sensible, sigh of relief.

I think it might have been Rosalind Moss or Father Groeschel who put it best, in my mind. They likened purgatory to a foyer, or (as in my house) a mud room. You can’t enter heaven, the Beatific Vision, without being utterly pure and holy.

Only the pure can enter heaven. And at the moment of death, we leave this world, simply human, often unprepared. Being human, even those of us with the best of hearts and intentions are always prone to concupiscence. We are inclined toward sin, by our nature. So we might have a few unkind thoughts or actions or hurtful acts still marking us, so to speak. You simply can’t be in the presence of the utter holiness of God himself without being utterly pure, as He is.

Thus: purgatory. A sort of ‘mud room’ where those last bits can be purified in order to stand before God Himself and bask and praise in that Beatific Vision. There is talk of the suffering in purgatory. The pain is from this separation; from being admitted to heaven, the foyer, and knowing that Christ, God Himself, awaits with unspeakable love and joy unlike any of our ability to know or understand, here.

There are three states after death: heaven, purgatory, hell. Purgatory is not a “maybe” or “could go either way.” You’re in. You’re just taking off your muddy boots and straightening your tie, to look and be your best – the most YOU, that you have been made to be – in order to go and join the saints with Christ forever. To be in His Father’s house, for eternity.

So yeah, for me, I know I need a mudroom. I am so grateful for a mudroom! I am nowhere near pure or holy enough to be able to just go hang with God. Even Moses hid behind a bush, trembling in fear and awe at the visible glory of God. And I pray I can exchange my muddy boots there, and I will ask all I know to pray for me so I can do it quickly once I’ve passed from this earth.

And so, we pray for all the souls in the mudroom, in purgatory. They can’t pray for themselves, though they can pray for us too. And ever so, the system still works best when we watch out for each other.

So today, pray for your loved ones who’ve passed. Pray for those who have died who have no one to pray for them. All the souls in heaven, pray for us too. It’s a comfort we can give each other.

Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

>Feast Day: All Saints Day!

Posted on November 1, 2008 by coffeemom

>http://godtube.com/flvplayer.swf

It’s All Saints Day today!

And while I might be calling on all the saints to intercede for me to save my computer…then again, I might not because I’m not sure that would be right. Tempting, yes. But I really don’t want to be a pest.

However, this is a fun happy feast day, a solemnity and one of the biggies historically in the Church. We just got back from Mass as it’s officially a Holy Day of Obligation (though Mass hardly feels like an obligation, but rather a gift).

Today is the day the Church celebrates and honors all the saints in heaven: the big hitters like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Jude, and St. John of the Cross, but also the smaller saints that are less well known like St. Charles Lwanga and the Ugandan Martyrs, or St. Felicity, and the saints in heaven that are not officially recognized or known here on earth. So I’m thinking that is some big party up there and it’s a happy day. Everybody gets a ribbon!

So I do love this day, it’s a cool weekend trio really. You’ve got your Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead of course) on All Hallows Eve (Halloween, of course) and then All Saints Day and tomorrow, All Souls Day. Because we Catholics, we still feel connected to our loved ones once they are gone. Often more so because the physical restraints of our bodies are removed in heaven and thus they can be closer to you in prayer now, than when these loved ones might have been states apart on earth. That gives me great comfort. These are the days to be reminded that the veil between this life here on earth and the next can be awfully thin at times – and we can only marvel and wonder.

So today say thanks for the saints, the holy ones, {“sanctus“}. Because they show us the way, in all their own individual unique lives, how to strive for holiness in our own. So have a chat with your favorite saint or go meet a new one; they are great pals, supports and even cheerleaders for us on our way.

All the saints, pray for us!

>Feast Day: Our Lady of the Rosary

Posted on October 7, 2008 by coffeemom

Madonna of the Rosary, by Lorenzo Lotto 1539

Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Yup, another Catholic feast day. But this one devoted to our Blessed Mother and a particular and wonderful Catholic devotion and prayer: the rosary.

{I know, more Catholic stuff, I warned you: ’tis the season! And if you are thinking “hey I thought this was an Ethiopian adoption blog! What gives?” Well, it is, but read the header, it’s also about life in this family as a mom of a pile of kids, which means, Catholic, food, family, adoption, travel, Ethiopia, kids, whining, venting, opinions, links, drivel, and cool stuff…..the whole package.}

Now, the rosary can be a really confusing devotion and set of prayers, especially if you’re not Catholic or if you’ve not practiced it. It takes time to learn. It seems all complicated but it’s not.

Basically, it is a serious of meditations on the life of Christ. Yes, you’re saying “Ave Maria’s” (or the “Hail Mary” prayer) for much of it, but at the same time you are saying those words of the prayer you are invited into meditation on a ‘mystery’ of the rosary, or a particular scene or even in Christ’s life. If you make through an entire full rosary, all twenty decades, you have pretty much just walked through the gospel in your mind. How cool is that?

Now, I have to admit, my praying of the rosary is erratic. I get busy, I get tired, I get lazy. Too much so to make myself stop and take the 20 minutes it takes to pray the rosary. Sheesh. But, I love the rosary. I love the prayers, the calm that comes with praying it, the storytelling aspect of it, the results, the feel, the sound – all of it. But, as with anything regular, there is a discipline to doing it daily or regularly. And I’m not always so great at steady discipline (check out my utter lack of running of late: talk about NO discipline!). But all I can say is that when I do pray the rosary regularly and often, I see benefits. I see our family doing better, I feel myself calmer and more capable of coping with the harried life we live, the mundane irritations and feel my teeny weeny well of patience be a slight bit fuller.

The rosary is not mindless babble; it is often accused of this. Now, to someone who doesn’t understand the fullness of the rosary or what it really is or how it’s done, it could seem so. At it’s worst, it is a distracted attempt at turning our mind to Christ, through His mother and her pointing out scenes from His life. And heck, that’s not so bad: A- for even trying, right? At it’s best, it can be a transcendent prayer. It can not only change our hearts, I really believe it can change others and the world, just a bit. But every bit counts.

So, don’t short change this prayer. And of course, NEVER short change or underestimate our Blessed Mother. If she gave this prayer to the world and hears it, and I believe she does…well, great things can happen. I’ve seen them and so have many others. It’s an oldie but one of the very best prayers and devotions. It’s not a requirement as a Catholic, you don’t have to do this. But, oh, always, I am glad I did!

Happy Feast Day!
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

>Feast Day: St. Francis of Assisi

Posted on October 4, 2008 by coffeemom

St. Francis, by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

Today is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

St. Francis is arguably one of the most popular saints, regardless of your precise religious affiliation. He is the saint depicted with the birds and flowers, too often dumbed down to the birdbath saint with the dripping seventies hymn. For a quick decent bit on him, (disregarding the standard flowery image) go here. For more thorough info, go here. For one of the more worthwhile (and readable) reads on him, read this book.

I confess, for a long time I had a hard time thinking closely about St. Francis. Too much of the blessing birds, embroidered prayer samplers sort of thing, I guess. Nice, yeah, but not my thing. Then I read Kazantzakis and I realized that there is much more to this saint than I was giving him credit for. So, my view of this saint changed.

St. Francis was a radical. No wonder he has captured the imagination of so many for so long! He was raised in a family of wealth and after being quite the typical pampered party-hardy rich boy, he had a conversion experience and then found the courage to reject that life, entirely. He called for a radical conversion of heart and therefore of living. He did rejoice in the nature and wildlife, yes, but as a way of praising God’s creations rather than a sentimental sweet pause. He was called a fool after all this. But Francis called the comfortably entrenched on their hollow lives and challenged them, sometimes castigated them, to do better.

I think the reason he still captures our imagination, and that the Fransiscan Order is still so strong is that he was really a radical. (And some of our favorite priests and brothers are Franciscans!) And it is only the truly radical that can really capture our imagination and seize our stony hearts.

That’s what St. Francis does for us (ok, me), he offers us an example of radical courage. That often comes with hardship but the joy that he showed us can come alongside that very hardship is so, well, exciting that it pulls us all out of our complacent ease and whispers to our truest selves.

That is the continued allure and appeal of St. Francis. It’s not the sentimental conversations with the birds – those are great stories and my kids love them too – but it’s the challenge. Really, our hearts are always wanting a challenge I think. It’s programmed into our nature. St. Francis calls to that. He celebrated and was enthralled with the nature that God made, it overwhelmed him (“brother sun, sister moon”). But it is his ongoing call and challenge to our nature that makes him still such a compelling saint and such an ongoing fascination. It’s what makes those cool Franciscan Friars of the Renewal so compelling: the joy and the radical lives.

So let loose your inner radical today and celebrate the feast of St. Francis!
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!

Another Espresso, Please

Why, yes, I did just have one, thanks…

Category Archives: feast day

>Feast of St. Jerome

>Our Lady of Sorrows

>Exalted

>Happy Birthday to Mary

>A dear feast: Mother Teresa!

>Feast of Pope St. Gregory the Great

>Martrydom of St. John the Baptist

>Feast of St. Augustine!

>Feast of St. Monica

>The Queen

>St. Max Rocks!

>Feast of St. Dominic

>Feast of the Transfiguration

>Feast of the Holy Trinity

>Ascension

>Feasts and family ties

>Kiss me, I’m Irish!

>Feast Day: the Presentation in the Temple

>Feast Day: St. Francis de Sales

Prayer of Dedication by St. Francis de Sales

>Blinking in the light: Epiphany

>Feast of Mary Mother of God! The Perfect "Happy New Year!"

>The Feast of the Holy Family

>The Holy Innocents

>Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe!

>Feast of St. Juan Diego

>Feast of St. Nicholas

>All Souls Day

>Feast Day: All Saints Day!

>Feast Day: Our Lady of the Rosary

>Feast Day: St. Francis of Assisi

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Prayer of Dedication by St. Francis de Sales

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