Sts. Perpetua & Felicity inspire us to greater sacrifice. Jesus, I pray for the strength to give even a fraction of what the saints gave.
Today, we remember Richard Murphy, who passed from this life to the next in 1995. May he rest in peace.
Scripture Reading for Day 7 of The Way of the Cross Matthew 16:24 q Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,* take up his cross, and follow me.
Meditations for Every Day, pg.89, St Thomas Aquinas
Way too much to do today, and little initiative to begin it. Had a wonderful day shopping, talking, and laughing with my friend Alma. She brought 3 of her teenage girls along; they had never been to Walmart, Hobby Lobby, or a thrift store. It was fun to watch them.
As you all know by now, I despise DST. It starts at 2am, tomorrow, ugh.
This man has awesome podcasts with good advice. JayJayDouglas, I cannot believe how much I enjoy what he has to say. I wish I had known some of these things at an earlier age.
Village shrouded in fog, peaceful, reminds me of an old mystery movie
Coffee strong
St Chrodegang helped bring us the movingly beautiful Gregorian Chant; we celebrate our faith and love for God. I pray to appreciate the many forms of worship enhanced by music, art, and writing with which God has gifted us.
From the Margins: Wisdom, Justice, Power, Mercy, constant guardians of the law.
Scripture Reading for Day 6 of The Way of the Cross Matthew 10:38-39 and whoever does not take up his cross* and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39*v Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Meditations for Each Day, pg. 88, Holy Contentment: …the knowledge that everything we suffer for the love of God helps us to merit (the quality of being particularly good or worthy)heaven.
Back in the 90’s, when we began foster care work with Core 3 children. We were nervous about expenses but felt called to care for these troubled children. I remember standing in the kitchen of our home on Manchester Ave in Earlville, IA, and hearing God tell me, “I take care of the Sparrows, I’ll take care of you too.) So, I quit my job, gave up my retirement plan, health care benefits, etc., and became a full-time mom. There was not one time God did not provide in some way, shape, or form exactly what our family needed. He continues to provide this today. There is nothing fancy about the way we live. Our lives are modest and simple. We do what we can, for whom we can, with what God provides for us daily. At one time or another, I have upset each of our children with my blundtness by stating in verbal or written words that the choices they are making are placing them in the near occasion of sin. That if they continue the path they are on, they will sin. Some have chosen to stop having a relationship with me. I’m okay with that because I find comfort in knowing I did what a parent is to do: counsel a child when they are headed in the wrong direction. I know I have done what God instructed me to do. The estrangement doesn’t mean I don’t love them. It means I have stopped enabling them to believe there is nothing wrong with their actions. We all struggle. We all fall short. But the learning begins when we stand firm in beginning the change in our lives that will lead us onto the pathway to a strong, intimate relationship with Jesus. Picking ourselves up, acknowledging in all honesty that we stepped off the path and need to begin again, praying that Jesus will keep us moving forward toward him. We all doubt, we all hate to be told what to do, we all want to be in control, we all go through dryness, we all wonder if there is a heaven at one time or another in our lives. These things are normal phases everyone goes through while cultivating a relationship with Christ.
Our deepest sympathies to the family of Mitchell Simonson. May he rest in peace.
From the Margins: The salvation of the state is the watchfulness of the citizen. (from the wall at the Nebraska State Capitol)
St Virgil teaches us to support our churches through prayer, work, and money. Jesus help me to be creative and generous in sharing my time and talent with my local church.
Meditations for Each Day pg. 87 Our Martyrdom: John 12:24-25 * Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat;r but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25Whoever loves his life* loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.s
Scripture Reading for Day 5 Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.s
Good morning… My heart goes out to the family of Mitchell Simonson, age 17, who passed away suddenly. There are no words to express how shocking it is for one so young to pass without warning.
My day will be easier today just earlier and later than normal.
Hit deer #5 of the year last evening on my way home. The Lord was good to me, a few scratches and deer hair, not much else. For this, I am grateful. So that makes it: left front bumper, left front quarter panel, left front door, left rear door, and front bumper of a different car. No insurance claims as damage is minimal.
Birthday greetings to Chris P Anniversary greetings to John & Dora We remember Valerie K today may she rest in peace
Blessed Placida Viel demonstrated affection and cheerfulness as she educated poor girls in Fance. Father, help me to embody a good cheer and kindness as I teach others about You.
Scripture Reading for Day 4 Galatians 6:14 But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which* the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.k
Meditations for Each Day pg.86 The Imitation of Saints We are taught by words and attracted by examples. Acts 1:1 In the first book,a Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
Morning Early start for me today
Off to Loganville on a drop-off turnaround, then my usual workshop run, a midwife clinic run, then a run to Sparta to pick up “the Die Bote”, back to take workshop home, back to Loganville to pick up what I dropped off, and finally home.
Had I known ahead, I would have attended the Mass & Lunch in Hillsboro for Val. I miss her but remember her in her art. My all-time favorite is “Jesus in the Boat.” She didn’t title it that, but that’s what I see every time I look at it. Which led me to Padre Pio “…stay in the boat in which our Lord has placed you, and let the storm come. You will not perish. It appears to you that Jesus is sleeping, but let it be so. Don’t you know that if he sleeps, his heart vigilantly watches over you? Let him sleep, but at the right time, he will awaken to restore your calm.” (Her title was “Fallen”)
How’s Lent going for you? I found a small pamphlet with powerful information. “The Real Presence” by Fr. James B. Buckley FSSP is full of what Catholics teach about the Eucharist. I wish I could remember where I picked it up. Fraternity Publications should have it.
Birthday Greetings to John H and Lois B. Hoping both have a blest day!
St Katharine Drexel encourages us to stand against bigotry in all forms wherever we encounter it, whether in our communities or churches. Jesus, cleanse me of prejudice and let me be a friend to those who are persecuted and discriminated against.
Scripture Reading for Day 3 Galatians 2:20 yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me.p
Meditations for Each Day, pg.85, The Shortness of Time How often we complain of the swiftness of time… Weigh it all up… How many hours do I spend… in useless pursuits of idle conversation or excessive entertainment or serious sin? How many hours do I spend… in prayer…mortification… apostolic work… helping my neighbor? Really heavy on one end, isn’t it? Let us determine to make good the deficit, resolve to use God’s precious gift of time in a manner befitting a reasonable human being and Christian.
I am guilty of wasting time… every day I get lost in the sloth of one kind or another. My days look scheduled, but mixed in there, I could be doing so much more with my faith life. Some days I even find myself making myself busy to avoid doing something I don’t really want to do, but that really needs doing. Make some time today to look at yourself, how you conduct your time, and why you plan it that way.
Belated birthday greetings to Adrian D Ulrich, age 25, and Jayden Jenkins, age 21 Belated anniversary greetings to Rod & Sandy D. 41 yrs
Blessed Charles the Good, patron saint of the clergy, proves that we can do God’s work by promoting honesty and charity in ourselves and others. Lord, lead me to grasp the opportunities you provide for me to model fairness and generosity both within and outside of the Church.
Meditations for Each Day, pg 84 Spiritual Languor Sometimes we become tired and sleepy. The love of God no longer warms our hearts nor prompts us to perform good works. We experience a kind of disgust for spiritual things and prayer becomes a burden. We no longer feel any pleasure in speaking with God, for our souls have grown arid and cold. We neglect our spiritual exercises and are careless about meditation and the Sacraments. We go on living on the edge of the abyss and never consider the fact that it is a very short step from spiritual inactivity to actual sin.
Good Morning! The man returned last evening at a reasonable time. His CEW weekend was a success. Today, we are back to the everyday run-of-the-mill week that hopefully isn’t jam-packed.
Copy work to finish up today. I’m hopeful the new labels will arrive so that it can happen.
Village bracing for next winter storm should be here around 830 AM
Coffee, POD
St. Romanus, advises and demonstrates how we should take time to pray, meditate, read spiritual works and appreciate God’s natural world. Father, help me to practice the simple disciplines of my faith, especially when the world becomes too overwhelming or demanding.
Meditations for Each Day, pg. 80, The Examination of Conscience: Know Yourself. If we are to know ourselves well we must examine ourselves thoroughly. We must place ourselves before ourselves without any concealment or deception and judge ourselves fairly and severely. Anger will disappear or subside when you know that you have to present yourself for judgment every day. Is there any finer custom than this examination of conscience? Hide nothing from yourself, omit nothing.
The man is once again gone for the weekend. He shall return sometime on Sunday. I’m thinking 4pm Mass across the street is the way to go since we’re to be having a snowstorm today. Adoration is from 5-6AM in the morning at Union Center…hopefully I will have no difficulty making that.
Dennis texted last evening. He bought property and wants the man to come down and help for a couple of weeks. More on that later.
Let’s get to the biggy Daylight Saving Time… what a joke! Once again, I will lose 1 hr of sleep daily due to this insane power grab.
St. Anne Line teaches us that providing hospitality and service within our Church communities is a fulfilling way to demonstrate our love of God. Holy Spirit, I pray to be renewed daily in my faith and commitment to God and to those who serve the Church.
Meditations for Each Day pg. 78, Evening Prayer: Kneel by your bedside…Thank God for His graces during the day; Ask forgiveness for your lack of cooperation with the gifts He has given you; ask God to grant you new favours. Include: a sincere act of contrition, an act of love, and a complete resignation to His will. Repeat the words of Jesus on the cross, “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
I wish I had taught my children this posture for prayer before bed. But a mother can’t teach what she didn’t know. I grew up in a household that prayed at the table before meals and said a quick prayer before bed. Of course, we went to church each week, but there wasn’t much emphasis on prayer except when there was a time of trouble, and those prayers we hastily said.
How’s your Lenten season going? Are you reading scripture, attending confession, and abstaining from meat on Fridays? Are you trying to spend more time with Jesus? Perhaps you’ve chosen to begin a new practice that will lead you closer to God.
St Porphyrius, keeper of the Holy Cross, reminds us of how essential the cross is in our faith. Jesus, let me never lose sight of what You sacrificed for me, and let that constant knowledge inform my life.
Meditations for Each Day, pg. 77, Visits to the Blessed Sacrament Matthew 11:28 * “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,* and I will give you rest. Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth* with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.m Psalm 33:9 (34:8) Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the stalwart one who takes refuge in him.c
Good Morning! Another good night’s sleep, loving it. Easy day ahead, hoping to keep it that way. The man returned late last evening and will leave again shortly. Pondering the different Psalm numbering in the Protestant and Catholic Bibles. Sometimes, finding the verses is confusing. Not to mention the different wording in the recent update of the Catholic Bible, which seems to more closely resemble the Protestant one. Which then brings me to the recent changes in the church during this synodal thing. Reminds me of being Lutheran. I’m not the only one who questions this, but everyone is so gaga over Pope Leo I fear they do not see he is not different than Pope Francis, only perhaps more polished in approach. sigh…
In the "Wilds of Wisconsin & Cornfields of Iowa" 