At long last, I have information that I am able to share regarding the Diocesean Marriage & Family Conference!!! I am so excited.
This is the conference that the Holy Spirit put on my heart last June. In August, the major pieces started falling into place. Originally I had thought it would be something done at the parish level. But as I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament, I realized it was much bigger than what I thought--it was meant to have the full support of the Bishop. In September, I spoke with Bishop D'Arcy for the first time at the Bioethics Conference and things started rolling. Then in November, we learned that we would be getting a new Bishop, and in my Nov 14th post, I asked that you all "please pray for our new Bishop, whoever he may be. That the Holy Spirit would inspire the selection and that he too would have a heart for fertility/infertility and be willing to work with me/us to make the conference and future plans a reality." God is faithful. Our new Bishop, Bishop Kevin Rhoades, is the Chair-elect of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth and as it turns out, seems to be knowledgable and supportive of NaPro Technology. The Diocesean Office of Family Life has been wonderful to work with and although they originally said that we wouldn't be able to do the conference this year due to budget concerns and the change of Bishops, I received an email on December 5 saying:
"...since we last spoke, Fred and I have decided that, despite having a new bishop and no money in the budget, we are going to plow ahead and host a diocesan marriage and family conference this Spring! It will take place at the Center for Continuing Education at Notre Dame on Saturday, March 20, and we booked Janet Smith for one of the main talks as well as the talk at the dinner banquet. In your honor, we have given Janet's main talk the title of "Life-Giving Love" which will present the Church's vision in this whole area and why NFP and NaPro is consistent with this vision and why contraception and IVF contradict it. Of course, we hope to have Bishop Rhoades give the other main talk, since he is not only our new ordinary but the chairman-elect of the USCCB Committee on Marriage and Family!"
Included in the email was the full schedule and list of workshop sessions including one workshop in each session geared for couples experiencing infertility. Dave and I were asked to conduct a morning workshop on dealing with infertility as a Catholic couple, including letting people know about concrete resources such as NaProTecnology and Hannah's Tears. There would also be an afternoon workshop on infertility featuring a basic introduction to NaProTechnology.
So in the end, things have turned out exactly as the Holy Spirit instructed me that they would. And things have far surpassed my imagination. It's amazing to see His provision through all of this. I am so excited and am very much looking forward to sharing the power, beauty and truth of Catholic teaching with those in attendance.
Please pray for us as we prepare and lead up to March 20th, that we all presenters would be able to present the teachings in such a way that, as Pope Benedict recently urged the Bishops, "they are recognized for the message of hope that they are". It is a true honor to be able to participate in this and we are looking forward to presenting with many others, among them Bishop Rhoades and Dr. Janet Smith. :)
Below is the Conference Description. I do hope you can make it!
Conference Description
It's easy to lose sight of the "big picture" in the day-to-day business of raising a family and making a marriage work. This inaugural diocesan conference aims to deepen the understanding of marriage and family life as a vocation from God and encourage an appreciation of its many dimensions. Through a combination of plenary sessions and workshops, this conference will explore the Church's rich vision of marriage and family life as it relates to topics such as the theology of the body, communication and intimacy, financial stewardship, responsible parenthood, dealing with infertility, and raising teens. A series of workshops also will be presented in Spanish. This conference is for adults of all ages and circumstances; married couples, couples preparing for marriage, single parents, college students, clergy, pastoral ministers and anyone else interested in enriching their understanding of the vocation of marriage and family life.
Schedule
9:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast
10:00 AM Welcome Fred & Lisa Everett
Plenary Session One: The Vocation of Marriage Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades
10:50 AM Break
11:15 AM Workshop Session One
* Introduction to the Theology of the Body Lisa Marino
* Dealing with Infertility in Marriage Dave & Suzy Younger
* Marriage & Finances: Setting a Solid Foundation Harry Verhiley
* Parenting Teenagers in the Virtues Cindy Black
* La Vocación al Matrimonio
12:05 PM Lunch
12:55 PM Plenary Session Two: Life-Giving Love Prof. Janet E. Smith
2:00 PM Break
2:25 PM Workshop Session Two
* Building a Culture of Life through the Theology of the Body Tom & Mary Akre
* NaProTechnology: New Hope for Couples with Infertility Brad Ferrari, MD & Mary Ramsey, PA
* Communication & Intimacy in Marriage Lisa Everett
* Challenges in the First Years of Marriage John & Monica Sikorski
* La Teología del Cuerpo Margarita Rodriguez
3:15 PM Break
3:40 PM Workshop Session Three
* Theology of the Body: What the Pope Couldn't Say Fr. Bob Lengerich
* Spiritual Parenthood Bill & Elizabeth Kirk
* Communication & Intimacy in Marriage Lisa Everett
* Pearls of Wisdom: What 46 Years of Marriage Have Taught Us Dan & Annette Stobierski
* Comunicación en el Matrimonio Fred Everett
4:30 PM Day Conference Concludes
5:00 PM Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart Bishop John M. D Arcy
6:15 PM Social with cash bar opens
7:00 PM Banquet & Talk by Prof. Smith: Seeking Holiness in Marriage & Family Life
Registration
You may register online or by mail or FAX. The registration fee of $35 per person for the day conference includes conference materials, continental breakfast, a boxed lunch and afternoon snacks. The evening banquet is an additional $25 per person. Please indicate your workshop preferences in order to assist in guaranteeing proper room space. College or graduate students are welcome to attend any of the plenary or workshop sessions at no cost.
Meal Preference & Dietary Restrictions
For the banquet, you have a choice of oven roasted garlic herb pork loin or Greek cheese and spinach stuffed chicken breast which should be indicated at registration. Also, please indicate if you have special dietary restrictions.
Payment Options
Registration and credit card information will be transmitted through secure and encrypted channels. For more information, you may call the center at (574) 631-6691.
About the Main Speakers
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend on November 14, 2009, by Pope Benedict XVI, and installed on January 13, 2010, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne. Bishop Rhoades serves as Chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Task Force on Health Care, and is the Chair-elect of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. He is a member of the USCCB Subcommittee on the Catechism, the Board of Trustees of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Board of Trustees of Mount Saint Mary s University, and the Episcopal Advisory Board of the Theology of the Body Institute.
Prof. Janet E. Smith holds the Father Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. She is the author of Humanae Vitae: A Generation Later and editor of Why Humanae Vitae Was Right: A Reader. She has two new books; Life Issues, Medical Choices, Questions and Answers for Catholics and The Right to Privacy. She speaks internationally on the Catholic teachings on sexuality and bioethics. She is serving a second term as a consultor to the Pontifical Council on the Family. Over a million copies of her talk, Contraception: Why Not have been distributed on tape or CD.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Royal Road of the Cross
As many of you have noticed and reminded me, I haven't posted much lately--really, hardly at all since around the beginning of Advent. I guess you could say I've been "pondering all these things in my heart." God seemed to be calling me to a more contemplative life with less public announcemnts of my thoughts, experiences and spiritual musings. I'm not sure why, and to be honest, I'm still trying to make sense of it all. But in obedience I did what I felt I was called to do. But, having said that, I do feel that the time is coming when I will again be posting regularly (so get ready! :) )
Dave and I began to renew our Consecration to Mary on December 31st and thus, are closely approaching our Consecration day of February 2nd (the Feast of the Presentation). Tonight as we were praying, the reading jumped off the page at me and seemed to scream "post me! post me!". So I am. It's amazing how these words, written almost 600 years ago, are just as applicable now as they were then. God truly is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
The part included in Total Consecration to Mary is only a portion of what I have written here, but I found the entire passage so beautiful and powerful I couldn't resist. It's a fairly long read, I'll warn you, but I promise it will be worth it.
No matter what the cross is in your life, I pray that Our Lord and Lady will provide you the grace to carry it willingly, that it might lead you to the desired goal where indeed there shall be no more suffering, but only Jesus.
Bless you all!
To many the saying, "Deny thyself, take up thy cross and follow Me," [Matt. 16:24] seems hard, but it will be much harder to hear that final word: "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." [Matt. 25:41] Those who hear the word of the cross and follow it willingly now, need not fear that they will hear of eternal damnation on the day of judgment. This sign of the cross will be in the heavens when the Lord comes to judge. Then all the servants of the cross, who during life made themselves one with the Crucified, will draw near with great trust to Jesus Christ, the judge. Why, then, do you fear to take up the cross when through it you can win a kingdom? In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from enemies, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is highest virtue, in the cross is perfect holiness. There is no salvation of soul nor hope of everlasting life but in the cross. Take up your cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and you shall enter eternal life. He Himself opened the way before you in carrying His cross, and upon it He died for you, that you, too, might take up your cross and long to die upon it. If you die with Him, you shall also live with Him, and if you share His suffering, you shall also share His glory. Behold, in the cross is everything, and upon your dying on the cross everything depends. There is no other way to life and to true inward peace than the way of the holy cross and daily mortification. Go where you will, seek what you will, you will not find a higher way, nor a less exalted but safer way, than the way of the holy cross. Arrange and order everything to suit your will and judgment, and still you will find that some suffering must always be borne, willingly or unwillingly, and thus you will always find the cross. Either you will experience bodily pain or you will undergo tribulation of spirit in your soul. At times you will be forsaken by God, at times troubled by those about you and, what is worse, you will often grow weary of yourself. You cannot escape, you cannot be relieved by any remedy or comfort but must bear with it as long as God wills. For He wishes you to learn to bear trial without consolation, to submit yourself wholly to Him that you may become more humble through suffering. No one understands the passion of Jesus Christ so thoroughly or heartily as the man whose lot it is to suffer the like himself. The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself. Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown. If you carry the cross willingly, it will carry and lead you to the desired goal where indeed there shall be no more suffering, but here there shall be. If you carry it unwillingly, you create a burden for yourself and increase the load, though still you have to bear it. If you cast away one cross, you will find another and perhaps a heavier one. Do you expect to escape what no mortal man can ever avoid? Which of the saints was without a cross or trial on this earth? Not even Jesus Christ, our Lord, Whose every hour on earth knew the pain of His passion. "It behooveth Jesus Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, . . . and so enter into his glory." [Luke 24:46, 26] How is it that you look for another way than this, the royal way of the holy cross? The whole life of Jesus Christ was a cross and a martyrdom, and do you seek rest and enjoyment for yourself? You deceive yourself, you are mistaken if you seek anything but to suffer, for this mortal life is full of miseries and marked with crosses on all sides. Indeed, the more spiritual progress a person makes, so much heavier will he frequently find the cross, because as his love increases, the pain of his exile also increases. Yet such a man, though afflicted in many ways, is not without hope of consolation, because he knows that great reward is coming to him for bearing his cross. And when he carries it willingly, every pang of tribulation is changed into hope of solace from God. Besides, the more the flesh is distressed by affliction, so much the more is the spirit strengthened by inward grace. Not infrequently a man is so strengthened by his love of trials and hardship in his desire to conform to the cross of Jesus Christ, that he does not wish to be without sorrow or pain, since he believes he will be the more acceptable to God if he is able to endure more and more grievous things for His sake. It is the grace of Jesus Christ, and not the virtue of man, which can and does bring it about that through fervor of spirit frail flesh learns to love and to gain what it naturally hates and shuns. To carry the cross, to love the cross, to chastise the body and bring it to subjection, to flee honors, to endure contempt gladly, to despise self and wish to be despised, to suffer any adversity and loss, to desire no prosperous days on earth -- this is not man's way. If you rely upon yourself, you can do none of these things, but if you trust in the Lord, strength will be given you from heaven and the world and the flesh will be made subject to your word. You will not even fear your enemy, the devil, if you are armed with faith and signed with the cross of Jesus Christ. Set yourself, then, like a good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, to bear bravely the cross of your Lord, Who out of love was crucified for you. Be ready to suffer many adversities and many kinds of trouble in this miserable life, for troublesome and miserable life will always be, no matter where you are; and so you will find it wherever you may hide. Thus it must be; and there is no way to evade the trials and sorrows of life but to bear them. Drink the chalice of the Lord with affection it you wish to be His friend and to have part with Him. Leave consolation to God; let Him do as most pleases Him. On your part, be ready to bear sufferings and consider them the greatest consolation, for even though you alone were to undergo them all, the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come. When you shall have come to the point where suffering is sweet and acceptable for the sake of Jesus Christ, then consider yourself fortunate, for you have found paradise on earth. But as long as suffering irks you and you seek to escape, so long will you be unfortunate, and the tribulation you seek to evade will follow you everywhere. If you put your mind to the things you ought to consider, that is, to suffering and death, you would soon be in a better state and would find peace. Although you were taken to the third heaven with Paul, you were not thereby insured against suffering. Jesus said: "I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake." [Acts 9:16] To suffer, then, remains your lot, if you mean to love Jesus and serve Him forever. If you were but worthy to suffer something for the name of Jesus, what great glory would be in store for you, what great joy to all the saints of God, what great edification to those about you! For all men praise patience though there are few who wish to practice it. With good reason, then, ought you to be willing to suffer a little for Jesus Christ since many suffer much more for the world. Realize that you must lead a dying life; the more a man dies to himself, the more he begins to live unto God. No man is fit to enjoy heaven unless he has resigned himself to suffer hardship for Jesus Christ. Nothing is more acceptable to God, nothing more helpful for you on this earth than to suffer willingly for Jesus Christ. If you had to make a choice, you ought to wish rather to suffer for Jesus Christ than to enjoy many consolations, for thus you would be more like Jesus Christ and more like all the saints. Our merit and progress consist not in many pleasures and comforts but rather in enduring great afflictions and sufferings. If, indeed, there were anything better or more useful for man's salvation than suffering, Jesus Christ would have shown it by word and example. But He clearly exhorts the disciples who follow Him and all who wish to follow Him to carry the cross, saying: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." [Luke 9:23] When, therefore, we have read and searched all that has been written, let this be the final conclusion -- that through much suffering we must enter into the kingdom of God.
Dave and I began to renew our Consecration to Mary on December 31st and thus, are closely approaching our Consecration day of February 2nd (the Feast of the Presentation). Tonight as we were praying, the reading jumped off the page at me and seemed to scream "post me! post me!". So I am. It's amazing how these words, written almost 600 years ago, are just as applicable now as they were then. God truly is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
The part included in Total Consecration to Mary is only a portion of what I have written here, but I found the entire passage so beautiful and powerful I couldn't resist. It's a fairly long read, I'll warn you, but I promise it will be worth it.
No matter what the cross is in your life, I pray that Our Lord and Lady will provide you the grace to carry it willingly, that it might lead you to the desired goal where indeed there shall be no more suffering, but only Jesus.
Bless you all!
From The Imitation of Christ
by Thomas à Kempis (ca. 1418)
by Thomas à Kempis (ca. 1418)
To many the saying, "Deny thyself, take up thy cross and follow Me," [Matt. 16:24] seems hard, but it will be much harder to hear that final word: "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." [Matt. 25:41] Those who hear the word of the cross and follow it willingly now, need not fear that they will hear of eternal damnation on the day of judgment. This sign of the cross will be in the heavens when the Lord comes to judge. Then all the servants of the cross, who during life made themselves one with the Crucified, will draw near with great trust to Jesus Christ, the judge. Why, then, do you fear to take up the cross when through it you can win a kingdom? In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from enemies, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is highest virtue, in the cross is perfect holiness. There is no salvation of soul nor hope of everlasting life but in the cross. Take up your cross, therefore, and follow Jesus, and you shall enter eternal life. He Himself opened the way before you in carrying His cross, and upon it He died for you, that you, too, might take up your cross and long to die upon it. If you die with Him, you shall also live with Him, and if you share His suffering, you shall also share His glory. Behold, in the cross is everything, and upon your dying on the cross everything depends. There is no other way to life and to true inward peace than the way of the holy cross and daily mortification. Go where you will, seek what you will, you will not find a higher way, nor a less exalted but safer way, than the way of the holy cross. Arrange and order everything to suit your will and judgment, and still you will find that some suffering must always be borne, willingly or unwillingly, and thus you will always find the cross. Either you will experience bodily pain or you will undergo tribulation of spirit in your soul. At times you will be forsaken by God, at times troubled by those about you and, what is worse, you will often grow weary of yourself. You cannot escape, you cannot be relieved by any remedy or comfort but must bear with it as long as God wills. For He wishes you to learn to bear trial without consolation, to submit yourself wholly to Him that you may become more humble through suffering. No one understands the passion of Jesus Christ so thoroughly or heartily as the man whose lot it is to suffer the like himself. The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself. Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown. If you carry the cross willingly, it will carry and lead you to the desired goal where indeed there shall be no more suffering, but here there shall be. If you carry it unwillingly, you create a burden for yourself and increase the load, though still you have to bear it. If you cast away one cross, you will find another and perhaps a heavier one. Do you expect to escape what no mortal man can ever avoid? Which of the saints was without a cross or trial on this earth? Not even Jesus Christ, our Lord, Whose every hour on earth knew the pain of His passion. "It behooveth Jesus Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, . . . and so enter into his glory." [Luke 24:46, 26] How is it that you look for another way than this, the royal way of the holy cross? The whole life of Jesus Christ was a cross and a martyrdom, and do you seek rest and enjoyment for yourself? You deceive yourself, you are mistaken if you seek anything but to suffer, for this mortal life is full of miseries and marked with crosses on all sides. Indeed, the more spiritual progress a person makes, so much heavier will he frequently find the cross, because as his love increases, the pain of his exile also increases. Yet such a man, though afflicted in many ways, is not without hope of consolation, because he knows that great reward is coming to him for bearing his cross. And when he carries it willingly, every pang of tribulation is changed into hope of solace from God. Besides, the more the flesh is distressed by affliction, so much the more is the spirit strengthened by inward grace. Not infrequently a man is so strengthened by his love of trials and hardship in his desire to conform to the cross of Jesus Christ, that he does not wish to be without sorrow or pain, since he believes he will be the more acceptable to God if he is able to endure more and more grievous things for His sake. It is the grace of Jesus Christ, and not the virtue of man, which can and does bring it about that through fervor of spirit frail flesh learns to love and to gain what it naturally hates and shuns. To carry the cross, to love the cross, to chastise the body and bring it to subjection, to flee honors, to endure contempt gladly, to despise self and wish to be despised, to suffer any adversity and loss, to desire no prosperous days on earth -- this is not man's way. If you rely upon yourself, you can do none of these things, but if you trust in the Lord, strength will be given you from heaven and the world and the flesh will be made subject to your word. You will not even fear your enemy, the devil, if you are armed with faith and signed with the cross of Jesus Christ. Set yourself, then, like a good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, to bear bravely the cross of your Lord, Who out of love was crucified for you. Be ready to suffer many adversities and many kinds of trouble in this miserable life, for troublesome and miserable life will always be, no matter where you are; and so you will find it wherever you may hide. Thus it must be; and there is no way to evade the trials and sorrows of life but to bear them. Drink the chalice of the Lord with affection it you wish to be His friend and to have part with Him. Leave consolation to God; let Him do as most pleases Him. On your part, be ready to bear sufferings and consider them the greatest consolation, for even though you alone were to undergo them all, the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come. When you shall have come to the point where suffering is sweet and acceptable for the sake of Jesus Christ, then consider yourself fortunate, for you have found paradise on earth. But as long as suffering irks you and you seek to escape, so long will you be unfortunate, and the tribulation you seek to evade will follow you everywhere. If you put your mind to the things you ought to consider, that is, to suffering and death, you would soon be in a better state and would find peace. Although you were taken to the third heaven with Paul, you were not thereby insured against suffering. Jesus said: "I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake." [Acts 9:16] To suffer, then, remains your lot, if you mean to love Jesus and serve Him forever. If you were but worthy to suffer something for the name of Jesus, what great glory would be in store for you, what great joy to all the saints of God, what great edification to those about you! For all men praise patience though there are few who wish to practice it. With good reason, then, ought you to be willing to suffer a little for Jesus Christ since many suffer much more for the world. Realize that you must lead a dying life; the more a man dies to himself, the more he begins to live unto God. No man is fit to enjoy heaven unless he has resigned himself to suffer hardship for Jesus Christ. Nothing is more acceptable to God, nothing more helpful for you on this earth than to suffer willingly for Jesus Christ. If you had to make a choice, you ought to wish rather to suffer for Jesus Christ than to enjoy many consolations, for thus you would be more like Jesus Christ and more like all the saints. Our merit and progress consist not in many pleasures and comforts but rather in enduring great afflictions and sufferings. If, indeed, there were anything better or more useful for man's salvation than suffering, Jesus Christ would have shown it by word and example. But He clearly exhorts the disciples who follow Him and all who wish to follow Him to carry the cross, saying: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." [Luke 9:23] When, therefore, we have read and searched all that has been written, let this be the final conclusion -- that through much suffering we must enter into the kingdom of God.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Become Humble in Order to Recognise the Greatness of God
Become Humble in Order to Recognise the Greatness of God
VATICAN CITY, 6 JAN 2010 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m. today, the Pope presided at Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.
In his homily Benedict XVI commented on the readings from the Book of Isaiah and from the Gospel of St. Matthew, explaining that the Magi "were not the last but the first of the great procession of people who, through all ages of history, were able to recognise the message of the star, to follow the paths indicated by Sacred Scripture, and thus to find Him Who is apparently weak and fragile but Who, in fact, has the power to bring the greatest and most profound joy to the human heart".
"In Him", the Pope continued, "is the expression of the stupendous truth that God knows us and is close to us, that His greatness and power are not expressed in the logic of the world, but in the logic of a defenceless child Whose strength is only that of the love He gives us. In the course of history there are always people who are illuminated by the light of the star, who find the path and manage to encounter Him. All of them live, each in their own way, the same experience as the Magi".
"If, then, we read the promise of the prophet Isaiah and its fulfilment in the Gospel of Matthew within the great context of all history, it is evident that what we are told - and what we seek to reproduce in the nativity scene - is not a dream or a vain interplay of feelings and emotions devoid of strength or authenticity; rather, it is the Truth that irradiates around the world".
"Only in that Child is the power of God made manifest, the power which brings together men of all centuries so that, under His lordship, they may follow the path of love which transfigures the world. And yet, although the few of Bethlehem have become many, believers in Jesus Christ always seem to be few. Many have seen the star but only a few have understood its message".
"We can, then, ask ourselves", said the Holy Father, "why is it that some seek and find, while others do not? What is it that opens their eyes and hearts? What is lacking in those who remain indifferent, in those who show the way but do not move themselves? And we may answer that too much self- confidence, the belief they possess a perfect knowledge of reality, and the presumption of having already formulated a definitive judgement about things makes their hearts closed and insensitive to the novelty of God. They are sure of the idea they have of the world and do not allow themselves to be intimately moved by the adventure of a God Who wants to meet them. They place their trust more in themselves than in Him, and do not believe it possible that God is so great that He can become small, that he can truly draw close to us.
"In the end", he added, "what they lack is the authentic humility capable of submitting itself to that which is greater, but also the authentic courage which brings us to believe in that which is truly great, even if it shows itself in a defenceless Child. What they lack is the evangelical capacity to become children at heart, to be amazed and to abandon the self so as to start down the path indicated by the star, the path of God. Yet the Lord", the Pope concluded, "has the power to make us see and to save ourselves".
VATICAN CITY, 6 JAN 2010 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m. today, the Pope presided at Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.
In his homily Benedict XVI commented on the readings from the Book of Isaiah and from the Gospel of St. Matthew, explaining that the Magi "were not the last but the first of the great procession of people who, through all ages of history, were able to recognise the message of the star, to follow the paths indicated by Sacred Scripture, and thus to find Him Who is apparently weak and fragile but Who, in fact, has the power to bring the greatest and most profound joy to the human heart".
"In Him", the Pope continued, "is the expression of the stupendous truth that God knows us and is close to us, that His greatness and power are not expressed in the logic of the world, but in the logic of a defenceless child Whose strength is only that of the love He gives us. In the course of history there are always people who are illuminated by the light of the star, who find the path and manage to encounter Him. All of them live, each in their own way, the same experience as the Magi".
"If, then, we read the promise of the prophet Isaiah and its fulfilment in the Gospel of Matthew within the great context of all history, it is evident that what we are told - and what we seek to reproduce in the nativity scene - is not a dream or a vain interplay of feelings and emotions devoid of strength or authenticity; rather, it is the Truth that irradiates around the world".
"Only in that Child is the power of God made manifest, the power which brings together men of all centuries so that, under His lordship, they may follow the path of love which transfigures the world. And yet, although the few of Bethlehem have become many, believers in Jesus Christ always seem to be few. Many have seen the star but only a few have understood its message".
"We can, then, ask ourselves", said the Holy Father, "why is it that some seek and find, while others do not? What is it that opens their eyes and hearts? What is lacking in those who remain indifferent, in those who show the way but do not move themselves? And we may answer that too much self- confidence, the belief they possess a perfect knowledge of reality, and the presumption of having already formulated a definitive judgement about things makes their hearts closed and insensitive to the novelty of God. They are sure of the idea they have of the world and do not allow themselves to be intimately moved by the adventure of a God Who wants to meet them. They place their trust more in themselves than in Him, and do not believe it possible that God is so great that He can become small, that he can truly draw close to us.
"In the end", he added, "what they lack is the authentic humility capable of submitting itself to that which is greater, but also the authentic courage which brings us to believe in that which is truly great, even if it shows itself in a defenceless Child. What they lack is the evangelical capacity to become children at heart, to be amazed and to abandon the self so as to start down the path indicated by the star, the path of God. Yet the Lord", the Pope concluded, "has the power to make us see and to save ourselves".
Friday, December 11, 2009
Desiring a baby...at what cost?
As we continue to long for a child in our family be he or she biological, adopted, foster or whatever be God's most holy will, I am still astounded at times by those that will stop at nothing to fulfill their desires. May we always submit our desires, even noble desires like that of motherhood to Our Father, and trust that He will answer them in peace and love according to our deepest need. Please pray for all involved in this horrible situation. Please also pray for a young man and woman who have scheduled their abortion for tomorrow. Please pray that we would be able to reach out to them with love.
Without Bond
By Dave Andrusko
Capt. Misty Mints, a Prince George's County, Maryland police spokeswoman, told the Washington Post, "It's 100 percent the most bizarre thing I've ever seen in 15 1/2 years on the department," adding, "I can't even imagine what this victim must have gone through, the complete horror."Mints was talking incredulously about the attack on Teka Adams by Veronica Deramous in which Deramous is alleged to have tried to cut open the pregnant homeless woman with box cutters and a razor to steal her baby.Although critically wounded, Adams is expected to make a full recovery. She named her baby, who was delivered by emergency Cesarean section, Miracle Sky.Held without bond, Deramous is accused of attempted first-degree murder, false imprisonment, and other counts in the attack, the Post reported. A preliminary hearing will be held January 5.Details continued to come out but the basic outlines are clear, according to the Post's accounts. Deramous repotedly met the eight-month-pregnant Adams at a homeless shelter and convinced her to go with Deramous on the pretext that she was going to buy her baby clothes, the Post reported. "For nearly five days, police said, Veronica D. Deramous kept the pregnant woman, bound with duct tape, inside her Suitland [Maryland] apartment, giving her food and drink to keep her alive," according to the Post. "Deramous wanted the woman's unborn baby girl, police said, and was willing to get it by any means."Over the weekend, police said, she stuffed a rag in Adams mouth, placed tape over it, and told Adams "You're strong...You can handle what I'm going to do to you," the Post reported. "Using a few box cutters and a razor blade, Deramous cut into the woman's abdomen," according to the Post. Following the unsuccessful attempt, Deramous went to sleep. Adams wiggled free of her bonds and when she "escaped sometime in the next 24 hours, her placenta, stomach and intestines were still exposed," the Post reported.Adams was arrested a few hours later in Virginia.
Without Bond
By Dave Andrusko
Capt. Misty Mints, a Prince George's County, Maryland police spokeswoman, told the Washington Post, "It's 100 percent the most bizarre thing I've ever seen in 15 1/2 years on the department," adding, "I can't even imagine what this victim must have gone through, the complete horror."Mints was talking incredulously about the attack on Teka Adams by Veronica Deramous in which Deramous is alleged to have tried to cut open the pregnant homeless woman with box cutters and a razor to steal her baby.Although critically wounded, Adams is expected to make a full recovery. She named her baby, who was delivered by emergency Cesarean section, Miracle Sky.Held without bond, Deramous is accused of attempted first-degree murder, false imprisonment, and other counts in the attack, the Post reported. A preliminary hearing will be held January 5.Details continued to come out but the basic outlines are clear, according to the Post's accounts. Deramous repotedly met the eight-month-pregnant Adams at a homeless shelter and convinced her to go with Deramous on the pretext that she was going to buy her baby clothes, the Post reported. "For nearly five days, police said, Veronica D. Deramous kept the pregnant woman, bound with duct tape, inside her Suitland [Maryland] apartment, giving her food and drink to keep her alive," according to the Post. "Deramous wanted the woman's unborn baby girl, police said, and was willing to get it by any means."Over the weekend, police said, she stuffed a rag in Adams mouth, placed tape over it, and told Adams "You're strong...You can handle what I'm going to do to you," the Post reported. "Using a few box cutters and a razor blade, Deramous cut into the woman's abdomen," according to the Post. Following the unsuccessful attempt, Deramous went to sleep. Adams wiggled free of her bonds and when she "escaped sometime in the next 24 hours, her placenta, stomach and intestines were still exposed," the Post reported.Adams was arrested a few hours later in Virginia.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Teach Me to Love While Suffering...
“+ Mother of God, Your soul was plunged into a sea of bitterness; look upon Your child and teach her to suffer and to love while suffering. Fortify my soul that pain will not break it. Mother of grace, teach me to live by [the power of] God….O my God, my only hope, I have placed all my trust in You, and I know I shall not be disappointed.”
~ From the Diary of St. Faustina
Jesus, I trust in you.
~ From the Diary of St. Faustina
Jesus, I trust in you.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
On Doubting God’s Goodness
It seems I’m at a new stage of this journey. My body is healing from the surgery and I am seeing signs in my Creighton charts that I’ve never experienced before. All seem to be good signs, but with these new observations comes a new sense of hope that I’m trying not to let get to high. As I found out last Easter, the higher you get your hopes, the harder you fall. I fell very hard at Easter when we I had convinced myself we were pregnant and then found out we weren’t...I don’t want to do that again. So while the new observations are exciting and do encourage hope that we are indeed making progress towards my healing (and conception), I’m trying to temper my “excitement” if you will. It still could be a long long path yet before us.
I wanted to reflect today on a passage from a book I’m reading “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.” It’s a bit lengthy, but worth sharing and reflecting upon I think:
I wanted to reflect today on a passage from a book I’m reading “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.” It’s a bit lengthy, but worth sharing and reflecting upon I think:
__________________________________________
Doubting God’s Goodness
(from Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver)
Doubting God’s Goodness
(from Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver)
I wonder how the Father feels when we assume the worst about him rather than the best. Does his heart hurt like mine when we question his love?
“You don’t love me,” my thirteen-year-old son said with the same pout he’d used that pizza-deprived afternoon many years ago. He was teasing (more or less) and he said it with the hint of a grin, but he still wanted the remark to sting. And it did.
“What do you mean?” I wanted to scream. “I clothe you. I feed you. I make sure you have cleats for football. I have a forever-ugly zipper on my lower belly where the doctor ripped me open so you could live, ungrateful child—and now I don’t love you?
But none of that counted at the moment. I had told him he couldn’t stay up and watch the NFL playoffs on a school night, and suddenly all my love had been erased.
Doubting God’s love doesn’t require tragedy. It can creep into the everyday just as insidiously, just as dangerously. It happens when our will is crossed, when our needs are ignored, or when we, like Martha [in the New Testament], are stuck doing the dirty work while everyone else is having fun.
Now, such doubt in itself is not a sin. It’s simply a thought or feeling that springs up almost involuntarily. But when we let it lodge in our heart long enough, wedged tightly like a poppy seed between our teeth, that little doubt can become a big problem. For doubt, left unchecked, can fester into unbelief. And unbelief, my fried, is not only sin—it’s deep trouble. When we no longer believe in God’s goodness, when we no longer trust in his care, we end up running away from the very Love we need to live.
Unbelief brought down Judas—he refused to trust God’s timing. Unbelief hardened Saul’s heart—he closed his eyes to the rightness of God’s ways. Unbelief kept the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years because they questioned God’s ability to lead them. And it was unbelief way back at the beginning of time that opened a doorway of darkness in a world designed for pure light.
The Garden of Eden must have been wonderful. Just think: no house to clean, no meals to cook, no clothes to iron! Eve had it made.
A gorgeous hunk of a husband. Paradise for a living room. God for a playmate. But somehow, in the midst of all these blessings, the marvelous grew mundane, the remarkable ho-hum. And a nagging sense of discontentment sent Eve wandering toward the only thing God had withheld: the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
What is it about us women that creates such a desperate need in us to always “know,” to always “understand”? We want an itinerary for our life, and when God doesn’t immediately produce one, we set out to write our own.
“I need to know,” we tell ourselves.
“No,” God answers softly, “you need to trust.”
But like the original first lady, we push aside his tender voice and head straight for the tree. Not the sacrificial tree of the cross, but the proud, towering beauty called Knowledge. Because, after all, knowledge is power. And power is what we secretly crave.
I believe Eve’s eventual sin began with a tiny thought—a small, itching fear that she was somehow missing something and that God didn’t have her best interest at heart. What could be wrong with something so lovely, so desirable as the forbidden fruit? Perhaps a hidden resentment had worked down into her spirit. Adam got name the animals while she got to pick papayas. Whatever the identity of the tiny irritation, it sent her looking for more.
And Satan was ready and waiting, willing to give her more than she’d ever bargained for. He filled her mind with questions. “Did God really say…?” Satan encouraged Eve to doubt God’s word and God’s goodness until the continual question marks finally obliterated her trust in God’s love.
Humanity has questioned God’s love ever since.
“You don’t love me,” my thirteen-year-old son said with the same pout he’d used that pizza-deprived afternoon many years ago. He was teasing (more or less) and he said it with the hint of a grin, but he still wanted the remark to sting. And it did.
“What do you mean?” I wanted to scream. “I clothe you. I feed you. I make sure you have cleats for football. I have a forever-ugly zipper on my lower belly where the doctor ripped me open so you could live, ungrateful child—and now I don’t love you?
But none of that counted at the moment. I had told him he couldn’t stay up and watch the NFL playoffs on a school night, and suddenly all my love had been erased.
Doubting God’s love doesn’t require tragedy. It can creep into the everyday just as insidiously, just as dangerously. It happens when our will is crossed, when our needs are ignored, or when we, like Martha [in the New Testament], are stuck doing the dirty work while everyone else is having fun.
Now, such doubt in itself is not a sin. It’s simply a thought or feeling that springs up almost involuntarily. But when we let it lodge in our heart long enough, wedged tightly like a poppy seed between our teeth, that little doubt can become a big problem. For doubt, left unchecked, can fester into unbelief. And unbelief, my fried, is not only sin—it’s deep trouble. When we no longer believe in God’s goodness, when we no longer trust in his care, we end up running away from the very Love we need to live.
Unbelief brought down Judas—he refused to trust God’s timing. Unbelief hardened Saul’s heart—he closed his eyes to the rightness of God’s ways. Unbelief kept the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years because they questioned God’s ability to lead them. And it was unbelief way back at the beginning of time that opened a doorway of darkness in a world designed for pure light.
The Garden of Eden must have been wonderful. Just think: no house to clean, no meals to cook, no clothes to iron! Eve had it made.
A gorgeous hunk of a husband. Paradise for a living room. God for a playmate. But somehow, in the midst of all these blessings, the marvelous grew mundane, the remarkable ho-hum. And a nagging sense of discontentment sent Eve wandering toward the only thing God had withheld: the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
What is it about us women that creates such a desperate need in us to always “know,” to always “understand”? We want an itinerary for our life, and when God doesn’t immediately produce one, we set out to write our own.
“I need to know,” we tell ourselves.
“No,” God answers softly, “you need to trust.”
But like the original first lady, we push aside his tender voice and head straight for the tree. Not the sacrificial tree of the cross, but the proud, towering beauty called Knowledge. Because, after all, knowledge is power. And power is what we secretly crave.
I believe Eve’s eventual sin began with a tiny thought—a small, itching fear that she was somehow missing something and that God didn’t have her best interest at heart. What could be wrong with something so lovely, so desirable as the forbidden fruit? Perhaps a hidden resentment had worked down into her spirit. Adam got name the animals while she got to pick papayas. Whatever the identity of the tiny irritation, it sent her looking for more.
And Satan was ready and waiting, willing to give her more than she’d ever bargained for. He filled her mind with questions. “Did God really say…?” Satan encouraged Eve to doubt God’s word and God’s goodness until the continual question marks finally obliterated her trust in God’s love.
Humanity has questioned God’s love ever since.
__________________________________________
This passage has really spoken to me and given me much food for thought over the last several days. As the author says, it was unbelief that brought down Judas. Why? Because he refused to trust God’s timing. Hm...that sounds familiar. Seems like I am constantly fighting the temptation to question God’s timing of us becoming pregnant. I echo the thoughts the author gives Eve, “What could be wrong with something so lovely, so desirable as the forbidden fruit?”...in our case a baby. A baby...something that is so lovely and desirable, and yet still, withheld from us by God for reasons known only to Him, even if just for this period of time. Yes, I get it. I can see exactly how Eve’s distrust may have started. Perhaps it was hidden resentment...I have seen that too. For Eve, it might have been that Adam got the better tasks in Eden, who knows...for me, my temptation to resentment comes in the strollers at the mall, the numerous friends (many much much younger than I and perhaps just married) who announce their pregnancies, the Christmas cards with pictures of growing families (please do keep sending them!), the women who feel that their only/best option is to abort their baby...when I would gladly accept their child and welcome it into our family...these are just a few of the ways that I am tempted to resent my state in life. Again, I am never upset at these women (I love them) or the families with children (I am overjoyed for them)...it just causes me to be resentful of my own state in life at times.
And the thought that Eve’s eventual sin began with a tiny thought—a small, itching fear that she was somehow missing something and that God didn’t have her best interest at heart? Uh yeah...been there too. I hate to admit it, I really do...but I have at times questioned if God has my best interest at heart...if He did, why wouldn’t He give us this gift of a child? This really is sinful thinking. How could we, how could I, ever question the love of someone who gave His own life for us. What more could He have done to prove His love? As my spiritual director often says to me when I’m struggling with whether God loves me (usually brought upon by a pity party about not having a baby)…”Suzy, look to the crucifix. Look at Jesus upon the cross. What more could He do to show you His love?” Exactly, Father. Thank you. Perhaps a hidden resentment and doubt had worked down into Eve’s spirit. I know they can easily work into mine. I have to watch and guard that they don’t take root. Confession is an excellent way to prevent resentment and doubt from gaining a foothold. Frequent confession (at least once monthly) helps renew our heart and restore that intimate relationship with God that we have damaged by questioning His love.
It was interesting to me that the author asks, “What is it about us women that creates such a desperate need in us to always “know,” to always “understand”? We want an itinerary for our life, and when God doesn’t immediately produce one, we set out to write our own.” Wow! If that doesn’t sound like me, I don’t know what does. I can analyze my Creighton charts for hours looking for hopeful signs...trying to “know” and “understand” and even, if I’m honest, “predict” and “forecast”. Why is it that I seem to trust myself more than my creator at times? Why can’t I just be content to live in the Sacrament of the Present Moment, accepting each moment as it comes? The author is so right on….I so often say, “I need to know,” and God softly answers me, “No, Suzy, you need to trust.” Perhaps this week each of us can make an effort to go to Confession (or perhaps make an Examination of Conscience if we’re not Catholic), and honestly confess before God our lack of trust in the various situations of our lives...the times when we worry...we doubt...we look to ourselves for answers….and then, when we are done, perhaps we can spend a half an hour or so before His presence in Eucharistic Adoration, and allow Him to embrace us, hold us, and whisper in our hearts, “I love you. Be still. Trust.”
It was interesting to me that the author asks, “What is it about us women that creates such a desperate need in us to always “know,” to always “understand”? We want an itinerary for our life, and when God doesn’t immediately produce one, we set out to write our own.” Wow! If that doesn’t sound like me, I don’t know what does. I can analyze my Creighton charts for hours looking for hopeful signs...trying to “know” and “understand” and even, if I’m honest, “predict” and “forecast”. Why is it that I seem to trust myself more than my creator at times? Why can’t I just be content to live in the Sacrament of the Present Moment, accepting each moment as it comes? The author is so right on….I so often say, “I need to know,” and God softly answers me, “No, Suzy, you need to trust.” Perhaps this week each of us can make an effort to go to Confession (or perhaps make an Examination of Conscience if we’re not Catholic), and honestly confess before God our lack of trust in the various situations of our lives...the times when we worry...we doubt...we look to ourselves for answers….and then, when we are done, perhaps we can spend a half an hour or so before His presence in Eucharistic Adoration, and allow Him to embrace us, hold us, and whisper in our hearts, “I love you. Be still. Trust.”
God bless you all this Advent season as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Lord.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Jesus, I trust in you.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
My Path to Sanctity
My Path to Sanctity
By: Kimberly Hahn
Where I am, I am to be.
This is my path to sanctity,
Though toil and strife—the affairs of life —
Draw my attention away from Thee.
I begin again, afresh, anew.
Today I choose to follow you.
Though others’ demands require my hands
Clasped in prayer to open and do.
I want to make each task a prayer,
Each word—each thought—your love to share.
Though sins abound
Forgiveness I’ve found,
As the cross you’ve made for me I bear.
I ponder, at the close of day
On the manifold graces that came my way.
Through trials and pain and joy, I exclaim,
Where I am, I am to be.
This is my path to sanctity!
By: Kimberly Hahn
Where I am, I am to be.
This is my path to sanctity,
Though toil and strife—the affairs of life —
Draw my attention away from Thee.
I begin again, afresh, anew.
Today I choose to follow you.
Though others’ demands require my hands
Clasped in prayer to open and do.
I want to make each task a prayer,
Each word—each thought—your love to share.
Though sins abound
Forgiveness I’ve found,
As the cross you’ve made for me I bear.
I ponder, at the close of day
On the manifold graces that came my way.
Through trials and pain and joy, I exclaim,
Where I am, I am to be.
This is my path to sanctity!
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