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This That and the Other Thing: Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

This That and the Other Thing: Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Reading today in my June Issue of 'The Word Among Us,' I am reminded how Mary took everything quietly into her heart. Trusting that young Jesus followed them on the caravan and finding out that he didn't, caused them confusion and panic. The change in her 12 year old son had begun, part of the different phases a young boy/man goes through as he tries to figure out his true mission and destiny in life. He knew something was up at aged 12, but maybe he didn't know what it was. Mary, possibly had forgotten His purpose too, in all the days and years of being a mother to this young God/man. From the Annunciation, to the Magnificat, to the Presentation of our Lord to this moment, lots of mothering days and moments occurred. She bonded with Him as a mother should, loved him and cared for him, so much so that even these enormous moments in her history with this young lad could be buried deep in another realm not part of the real mechanics of daily life.

Fast film forward and we stand in the midst of modern day parenthood. I know these Biblical stories, I know that Our Lady is praying for me as a modern day mother of 3. She knows the struggles, bonding, love, and care that I put into being who I need to be for these 3 people. But what struck me today is that I don't take these things quietly into my heart as she did. I lecture, scream, panic, cry, mourn, and regret the ineviable, trying to change, reverse, and preserve the yesteryears of my children. Taking these changes quietly into my heart. No, I seem to continue to fight these invaders. Keep them at bay so that I and my knight can continue to enjoy the simpler days of parenthood. But now I see that I am selfish! These young people don't want to remain perpetually young and childish, they want to fly, flourish, and grow independent and free. They see what their parents have and want them too. Drive cars, have their own money (we have money??), they want their own homes, clothes, jobs and the freedom to make choices as adults do.

So, I must not fight these changes, but welcome them as doorways into a new realm of relationships. From being a 'mommy' to being 'momma', to recently being just plain 'mom'...they still call me when they need me. My job isn't going anywhere, just changing. My place in their lives is still important to them. With this, I am learning too.

Dear Mother Mary, Please keep praying for me.....I think they might finally be working. Amen

To Coexist

This is not exactly a very popular bumper sticker in my area, but I have seen it and know about it. There are many interpretations of the sign itself, but the message is that all should get along despite our differences.

Now I like that idea and it is a goal to really shoot for, but there is an element that is missing in this concept that I am not so sure everyone who displays this message realizes. It's the clear understanding of each other IN their differences without spite.

Is this possible? Can we take the time to understand why one person worships Abba, another Jesus Christ, another God only, and yet others who either do not believe in a higher being (creator) and those who do, but worship the "almighty dollar" and all that it brings to them? Can we really take the time to learn these positions and even their etiologies?

It takes quite a bit of time and resources to accomplish such an understanding. Talking, reading, visiting places of worship, being a part of the process of understanding wholeheartedly. No one has this kind of time! Is it possible to tolerate /coexist with something that is wrong? In our society now, there are no wrong answers, way of living, so does coexist mean "leave me alone on my own individual existence"? If so, I guess what this bumper sticker is really saying is, just keep your mouth shut, I'm living the way I want to live despite you, so be nice!

I don't know, just a thought.

Some good advice

Alexa, the blog doctor, has a great blog and I try to check it out on a somewhat regular basis.  Today was the day to check in on her...besides being completely successful in her self renovation, she has some good advice too.  Here is a list that makes total sense.

Thanks, Alexa....the co-designer of the Pillars and good friend.

Farewell to Fear!!

Yesterday at Mass our pastor gave a rousing homily that I really loved.  It was about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, but it was about a bit more.

The house shook and the wind blew the small crowd of first believers in that upper room on that first Holy day of the Church's birth.  The tongues of fire appeared on all in the room and the Holy Spirit made them new fishers of men.  Frightened, humbled, and possibly overwhelmed with the rather large task at hand, but they were the first pioneers to bring Christ into the many corners of the world and the Church grew!  Nearly 2000 years have come and gone, the Church is still here, still guided by the Holy Spirit, and the writings of these first believers, preachers, teachers, scholars, scribes, and leaders at Christ's command.

Except for Mary, the mother of God, none in this room were of extraordinary breed, none were geniuses, or with great leadership qualities, but behold! they did what was expected of them before they even knew that they could.  They had gifts of the Holy Spirit to take them where they needed to go and do what they needed to do. We are no different!  Fr. told us of a time when he was needing surgery, it was a pretty serious situation.  The surgeon, who was not Catholic, questioned Fr. about his fears.  "What are you afraid of?" the surgeon asked, "I guess I'm afraid that I won't get better." "What's the matter with you? What are you really afraid of, what's the worse that could happen to you?" The surgeon grilled.  "That I'll die" the priest answered.  "Is that the worse that could happened to you, Fr.?" the surgeon commented, "That's not the worse that could happen to you, what is?"  The surgeon was getting to him, now, "Well, that I'll fail, sin, and fail God somehow."

You see, not only are we not perfect, but we are not expected to be perfect.  Not only are we not confident that we can do God's will, but we are expected to trust in God and not ourselves in all that we do for Him. No it's not rocket science, but it's not easy either.  We need to keep a constant line open for God and our conversations with him throughout our lifetime.

We are not expected to be totally prepared, trained, and experienced enough to handle God's calling.  We are only human, and humanity calls us to be an ever changing, constant learning process throughout our lives so that we can be examples to others of how the Holy Spirit works in us...the common man.

Farewell to Fear!!  Farewell to Fear!! we are not alone, the Holy Spirit is with us at all times guiding us and mentoring us. Alleluia, alleluia!!