Sanctified Times Two, version 2.0

The girls both made their First Reconciliation today with the same lovely priest as their brother. They asked if they could go again next Saturday. I told them any time their little hearts desire to go, I will take them. Any time.

We celebrated with a brunch at The Waffle House. Big brother, who is now an altar server, is off with his Pinewood Derby. Tonight, the girls have the annual Father/Daughter Dance and I get the traditional Mother/Son date.

Time flows steady and strong and these babies of mine are being carried away from their childhood. I try so hard to preserve it, even if momentarily, against the ever-moving current.

If Ever There Were a Day to Write a Post Here...

...Mother's Day would be it.

The perpetual tweet-and-flutter of Twitter keeps drawing me away from my own little blog. I love its brevity and terseness and emphemerality. Quickness and cleverness are assets there in a way they are not on a blog.

but

I feel compelled.

Last week, Zeke made his First Holy Communion. He was surrounded by family and was amid almost 100 other children dressed in suits and white dresses with veils. I even broke out the shapewear [Oh, MY! what did we ever do before Spanx?] and wore the same outfit I wore when he was baptized. It was sublime and joyful. Happy tears filled my eyes. I know his life will never be the same and that is a good thing.

Yesterday, he turned 8 [and made his 2nd Holy Communion!] and I wonder where that almost-decade has gone. In this little time, eight voyages around the sun, much has changed. My man has become a Catholic and I can hardly remember the longing I had when I journeyed toward the altar alone for Communion. Motherhood has filled the nooks-and-crannies of a life and I can hardly remember the longing I had during those years of presumed infertility.

Longings almost forgotten. Ah! That's what this blog is for.

Sanctified

Today was a big day for Zeke. He made his First Reconciliation. He's now completed two of his possible seven Sacraments. My heart is full of peaceful joy that he has come this far. There were over 100 children making confessions today and six priests administering. The leaders wanted all the children to go first and then the adults could go. This was a good consolation for us who arrived at the last moment and were seated in the back. Zeke was near the end with Father Brian, our parish's former vicar, and I was the first adult in the same line. Father told me when I went in that my child is just delightful. So good to hear. When I came out, Zeke asked me what my penance was and his eyes got pretty big. Big people, big sins, big penances.

As a kid growing up, we would compare penances. It was sort of the thing to do as a kind of barometer of how you rated. Of course, if you had a different priest, it threw off the scale. David didn't grow up with this Sacrament and so he's very tight-lipped about what happens. He sees the confessional like high rollers see Vegas. It pleases me no end that my boy is growing in the faith and in knowledge and, hopefully, wisdom. I expect we will start doing the Saturday Confession as a family on a regular basis. I cannot count how many priests I know who said this was part of their growing up: regular Saturday Confessions with the family.

Thank You, Saint Lucy

I am privileged to be teaching a class called 'Alphabet Saints' to the K-2 students in our co-op. I love knowing about them and teaching the little ones to rely on this 'cloud of witnesses' as they go through life.

Today, Annie went for a follow-up eye exam. As a preemie, she suffered from R.O.P., retinopathy of prematurity, and she had laser surgery to save her eyes. She is still cared for by this wonderful pediatric ophthalmologist. She wears corrective lenses, but the eyes have a great disparity. If a strong eye is relied upon too much, the weaker eye's messages to the brain eventually get shut off. One way to combat this is to patch the strong eye to make the weak eye become stronger. We have been patching for years now and the doctor just couldn't get Annie past a plateau. Six weeks ago, he decided to throw everything and the kitchen sink at this vision disparity and we began 'mega-patching.' Basically, Annie has her patch on during all her waking hours. In that mix, I asked St. Lucy, patron saint of eye patients, to intercede yet again for Annie's clarity of vision.

We had a good exam. Both eyes got 1.5 lines better on the eye chart. We will continue with more mega-patching. So while thanking St. Lucy, I ask her again to work her heavenly magic and intercede on behalf of Annie's eyes.

Tears Stream Down

Please read this post, from a Catholic priest, stationed in Iraq. The soldier in me and the Catholic in me could only speak through tears.

40 Days for Life

Abortion is a pernicious evil. The pro-life movement has spent many [too many?] years working and hoping for a judicial/governmental solution. None has come. A somewhat recent, grassroots plan has taken hold. It is called 40 Days for Life. For 40 days, which began on Wednesday, September 23, 2009, there will be perpetual vigils outside abortion clinics in 213 locations across the U.S. The plan is for the faithful to pray, fast, and stand vigil. This happens twice a year.

This is the third time that I know of 40 Days taking place in our community. Last night, I was privileged to stand vigil with two men from my parish. Sadly, this is the same clinic I used to pray outside of almost a decade ago, when I was struggling with infertility. I believe those regular [Saturday morning] prayer vigils were sanctifying for me. The last time I prayed outside the clinic, Zeke was about 3 months old and nestled in my Baby Bjorn. I was overcome by joyful events and neglected this very important activism/ministry. I'm so pleased for another chance to be a witness for life in my own community.

Lent List

I once had a mind like Raymond Babbett, remembered trifling details. I was trying to recall what I did for Lent last year and could not recall! [And, too slothful from Mardi Gras, didn't even want to comb my archives to find out.] I went through a mental list of Lenten rigors. Some were pretty fruitful but, for whatever reason, I didn't need to repeat them. Here are some of my Lenten hand-me-downs that might serve your spiritual needs this year. Perhaps you would leave yours in the comments for my edification.

"Give Ups"
Gave up chocolate.
Gave up yelling when angry
Gave up nagging my husband
Gave up commenting on blogs
Gave up blogging every day
Gave up saying 'no' [to God and spiritual requests]

"Take Ons"
Daily Mass
Rosary
Doing the daily Mass readings
Reading "The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ" by Sr. Catherine Anne Emerich
Stations of the Cross on Friday
Adoration whenever possible

I have a friend who always looks toward the rigors of Lent with anticipation. In her many years of holy living, she told me that a well done Lent has always taken her to the next spiritual level--a level she would not have obtained without the study in self-denial. That is the gift of Lent.

Test Anxiety

I will take Zeke to have some school testing tomorrow morning. As with many unknowns in his life, this news made him anxious. He worried himself all the way to bed. I told him some test strategies--seeing it as a game, a chance to show off, something fun--and nothing seemed to work. Then I told him to ask Jesus for help. He couldn't quite get the whole process. I told him to take his anxiousness and fear and to give it to Jesus on the cross. This made him a little mad. "How is He gonna' help me when he's nailed to the cross?!" I spent a little while explaining the Good Friday/Easter thing. He got that Jesus was invincible and triumphed over death and would help him over his troubles, too. Peaceful sleep ensued.

"[T]he loving wound of instruction is too tender for her to touch..."

The Anchoress describes today's meeting of Pope Benedict XVI with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and creatively fills in the silences. I am reminded of the Anchoress' exhortation to remember that more is unseen than seen. As a work-in-progress myself, I believe that humility is the lubricant to personal growth. I'll pray that SanFran Nan gets a boatload of that unguent.

Prayerful Uplift to the Miracle on the Hudson

I tweeted this story yesterday and realized that it needs its own blog post. The flight that landed safely in the Hudson was headed toward Charlotte. Our diocesan Catholic paper added this story to the mix. It seems that one of the passengers had recently picked up the devotion to the Divine Mercy. Hmmm.

Charge!

Tomorrow morning, I'm leaving for a quick 24-hour get-away. I'm making a women's retreat sponsored by my ladies' church group. The retreat director is a priest who was my spiritual director for many years and is the best Confessor I've known. It's gray and cold and January and I am in need of some light and warmth and eternalness. I am quite grateful for Dave taking on the whole task of kid-care as he did a couple weekends ago while I went out of town overnight for a wedding. So that means I not only owe him, but I really owe him.

So what else is new?

Comedy Gold

John S. [for 'Schecky'] McCain did a super job at the annual Al Smith Dinner in NYC. He has pretty good timing for a politician and an obvious comfort with Catholics.


Part II:



Even Hillary laughed heartily. Katie Couric not so much.

Meet Irene Sendler

She helped to save 2500 Jewish children from death in the concentration camps. I never heard her story until today, via InsideCatholic.com.



May she rest in peace.

Wrestling With God

I read this post earlier this spring wherein the author, an observant Jewish woman, was gently expressing her consternation with the Passover preparation rules. The post stayed with me for two reasons. First, she describes the unleavened bread as 'matza, the bread of both freedom and affliction,' a phrase which I don't ever recall, and yet spoke to me as a Catholic who recalls that Jesus' Last Supper was this paschal meal and one that we recall everyday throughout the world at every Mass whether it's celebrated by His Holiness at St. Peter's Basilica, or by an elderly priest, solemnly and alone in his cell in the monastery. Yes! That bread frees us! We suffer affliction for that bread. Yes!

The second reason the post stayed with me is because she was voicing the same feelings I've had when challenged by God to follow Him and be obedient even though I may not see the rationality or the sense. After law school, I joked that I had complete freedom to go wherever the Army sent me. By extension, I had complete freedom to go wherever my husband was stationed [and it's sort of funny to note that my Biblical namesake also had to go 'wither thou goest' and follow her husband's family into foreign terrain]. I recalled the story of Israel Jacob, renamed Jacob Israel, because he wrestled with God. How many wrestling matches have I had with our Lord? Millions, no doubt. But the big one that I really recall as an all-out fight was the one over contraception. This wasn't the esoteric, intellectual battle either; this was the one happening in my medicine chest. I gave it my all and then I gave in and I gave it over to God. And what has been given in return? Peace. Unity. Joy. I couldn't have gotten any of those, however, without the wrestling match. I don't think I would've gotten to that place without the struggle and the submission of my will to His.

Only Six Months 'Til Christmas...

...and why would I be reminded of that? Because today is the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptizer. As Luke tells us, John's mother Elizabeth is in her sixth month at the Annunciation. So let's make haste to the hill country and leap for joy at the sound of her greeting. [And thank goodness his father Zechariah's mutness was lifted at precisely the right time. Somehow, 'Zechariah the Baptizer' doesn't have the same ring to it.] We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Overcoming Blechhhh

I haven't posted in a little while for no real reason except that I really didn't have much to report and I liked the graphic of the flag waving atop my blog. I almost posted something on Friday about birds. Zeke had a small injury on his middle finger and he kept trying to show me his band-aid. I had to carefully explain that his gesture was impolite. The kids know the 'we-don't-say-shut-up-in-this-family' rule [we say 'be quiet' or 'hush up'] and I made an analogy to that. We sat at the table and I went to a good first place: wikipedia, where we learned that the gesture originated in ancient Rome and the middle finger is called the digitus impudicus. The article referred to a Warner Brothers' cartoon, so we hopped onto YouTube and checked out "A Tale of Two Kitties," which is the first ever appearance of Tweetie Bird and it had two cats in the likeness of Abbott and Costello. It was made in 1942 and is chock-full of World War II references. Well, see for yourself. The 'bird' reference is at the 2:05 mark.



I got engrossed in a couple comment threads elsewhere and I realized I probably needed to go on a blog diet. When one has a challenge with overeating, there's no long-term abstinence solution; one must learn moderation. I think my blogging [or more especially, my commenting elsewhere] needed a little moderation or else I'd be overtaken with apathy or antipathy.

Dave and I had a date night on Saturday and the kids did well with a new sitter. Dave's taken to being Catholic like a duck to water. He's already a Third Degree Knight of Columbus and was just selected to serve as a member of the Parish Pastoral Council. He's been so supportive of me and all my churchy things for so many years that I am just trying to reciprocate in any way he wishes. I marvel often at the work of the Holy Spirit in my man's life. He really is a great and good man and he's destined for sainthood.

Which brings me to today and the ongoing case of the blechhs. I made a decision today to get up and walk while Dave was doing his workout at the YMCA. The whole day started earlier and went much better. We even accomplished a couple math lessons and had a really good day. There's an adage 'action cures fear' but it also helps in cases of blechhh.

Developing a Conscience

One of my favorite bloggers, The Anchoress, is unveiled as Elizabeth Scalia over at Inside Catholic. She writes a thoughtful essay on the most recent 'confession' of her eldest son. My children are still too young to have ever made a confession and I hope that this story of searching, learning and grace remains with me through their adolescent years.

[By the way, I asked her and she is no relation to the good Justice.]

Signed and Sealed

I stood with my right hand on her right shoulder as the Bishop anointed her forehead. He prayed, "Veronica, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." And she did. Her soul is now marked for all eternity. That little moment, surrounded with parents, friends, family, flowers and gifts, is an eternal moment.

Our Bishop is young and slightly built with a small voice and a weak chin. He wears the mitre like a little boy dressing up in his Dad's oversized hat. It almost wears him. The crosier, his shepherd's staff, seems heavy and clumsy to wield, and he hands it off to his assistant at the earliest possible moment. And while he appears somewhat weak, his words have the strength of truth. His demeanor is prayerful and still. He would probably be more at ease in a monastery. And yet the Holy Father chose him.

I sat in the second row and beamed with the great joy of being part of the very Breath of Life. When your church has a couple millennia under its belt, the eternal truths are ever-ancient, ever-new. The solemnity and joy, the sincerity and the pomp all commingle in one great "Amen!" to the One Eternal God.

Come Holy Ghost, Creator blest, and in our hearts take up Thy rest.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Senators John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and Christopher Dodd all attended the recent papal Mass at National's Stadium in Washington, D.C. All three are consistently pro-abortion in their voting and public statements. This is specifically contrary to the Church's teachings on the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. As public officials, they have a public stance that might bring discredit upon themselves and the Church. They ought not to receive Holy Communion until they repent. Just for the record, Teddy Kennedy did the right thing and it ought to be noted.

Happy Easter!

We spent Saturday evening at church. David was among many welcomed into the Church. He made his profession of faith, was anointed [confirmed] and made his First Holy Communion. He's asleep now and the holy smell of the crism on his forehead wafts my way and fills me with immense joy.