Embrace the future!

From Julie Davis over at Happy Catholic:

To have a child is to embrace a future you can't control.

Tom French, RadioLab, 23 Days 6 Weeks episode

Julie keeps a quote journal and  comes up with some wonderful stuff.  I like this quote better than the similar "To have child is to give a hostage to fate."  More trusting in the future.  To trust in God's providence is to know that even the hard times lead to untold wonders.

Principle of Biblical Interpretation

I don't want to forget this:

St. Augustine is credited with this famous interpretation principle: “The New is in the Old concealed and the Old is in the New revealed.”

I couldn't have said it better myself.  Smart guy, that Augustine

Wounded by Beauty

I was reading this review of the Benedictine Sisters Of Ephesus new album, Angels and Saints, and found thiw quote:

Earlier, I mentioned a speech on beauty given by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during his time as a Cardinal. In was in that speech, “Wounded By the Arrow of Beauty,” [available in this book] that he spoke these famous words:

I have often said that I am convinced that the true apologetics for the Christian message, the most persuasive proof of its truth, offsetting everything that may appear negative, are the saints, on the one hand, and the beauty that the faith has generated, on the other. For faith to grow today, we must lead ourselves and the persons we meet to encounter the saints and to come in contact with the beautiful.

I have often thought that the beauty of the Church's music, architecture, and religious art is a sort of Trojan Horse in the modern world, because it still is appreciated, precisely for its beauty, even by those who have no use for religion or Christianity.  Yet beauty speaks to us of God, and this beauty keeps the doors open for those who in intellectual argument would never consider a Christian point of view as reasonable or appealing.

Words of Wisdom

Tom Connor shared this with me over lunch today:

"Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future." ~ ~ ~ Oscar Wilde

So I shared this with him:

"Trust the past entirely to God’s mercy,
The present to his tender love,
And the future to His providence and care over you." ~ ~ ~ St. Augustine of Hippo

Discuss amongst yourselves.

"Ten Things to Do Instead of Wallowing"

I got to this thanks to Julie from Happy Catholic:
Ten Things to Do Instead of Wallowing



by Simcha Fisher Thursday, April 25, 2013 10:53 AM Comments (40)

As Catholics and as citizens, we have a responsibility to be well-informed about the news, because we have a responsibility to do the right things: write to our congressmen, elect the right (or the least disastrous) candidates, make the right choices for our kids' education, maybe boycott or support the right corporations, and of course pray for the right things. But keeping up with the news most certainly falls under the law of diminishing returns. After a while, reading the headlines stops informing you and starts deflating you. You think you're filling your brain with information so you can be spurred to action, but you're really just filling your heart with despair until you feel like there's no point in even trying to act.

What to do?

There are lots of things you can do which are more valuable than listening to the news: you can volunteer at a soup kitchen, or organize a singalong for nursing home residents, or get qualified as a hospice volunteer, and so on. But these are projects that take time and organization. What can you do right now, when you're sitting in your kitchen and you know you're making yourself miserable by obsessively reading and forwarding every last update about Gosnell and the Boy Scouts and Bangladesh and gay marriage and the HHS mandate and Monsanto, but you don't know how to break away.

Turn it all off -- the radio, the TV, and anything with internet. A day would be nice, but try it just for an hour -- and try to choose the hour when you know you tend to get bogged down (for me, it's around 4:30 PM). Your life won't fall apart if you miss the latest dire forwards.

Clean something. On the day Obama was elected, my entire kitchen got scoured within inches of its life (and I discovered my sisters' kitchens all did, too). It was just an instinctive response, so I could feel like I was back in control of something; but I really did feel more hopeful, energized and encouraged once it was done. Just pick one spot in the house, car, or office that always drags at you when you see it, and give it twenty minutes of focussed attention.

Fix something. Same principle as cleaning: just getting control of one little thing makes the whole world seem more hopeful. Tighten up that wobbly doorknob, change that light bulb, or finally finish sanding that spackling job in the hall, and see if the world doesn't take on a more hopeful tone.

Go outside. Fresh air and sunshine are still free! Go get some.

Say "yes" to the next person who asks you for something. You can't make the world stop saying "No, no, no" to everything good. But that doesn't mean you have to be part of the chorus.

Read to someone. If you don't have little kids, older kids and other adults still enjoy being read to. Or if there's no one at all, you could even make a recording of yourself and send it to a niece or nephew or grandchild. Reading out loud to another person is a wonderful way to feel connected, especially if you're passing on a favorite book or story to someone who hasn't discovered it yet.

Plant something. Even if you only have a cruddy little corner of soil in a dirty old yard, try cosmos. They thrive in even poor soil with only sporadic watering, and some varieties get to be several feet high, and the blossoms are brilliant and glossy. Or if you have no land at all, plant a sprouting potato or onion in a pot on a windowsill.

Write someone a letter with pen and ink. Email is stale. Put your words down on a page and get it in the mail next time you leave the house. Reaching out to other people is a great way to get out of the dank little prison of self-pity and despair.

Take the long view. Think the news is bad? It's been this bad before -- just pick up a history book. Or do you think the American Church is in terrible shape? Maybe, but the Church is bigger than the United States, and it's flourishing in other countries. Evil waxes and wanes, and always has done so -- but as Catholics, we already know that this story has a happy ending.

And of course pray. Just don't fall into the trap of thinking that you can singlehandedly turn around whatever catastrophic situation you see on TV by saying the right number of rosaries. It's the quality of our faith and trust in God, and not the amount of hand-wringing or fretting you do, that makes prayers worthy and effective. Remember, you're praying because you're putting the situation in God's hands, not because you're trying to strong-arm Him into changing the course of history.

Feeling miserable about bad things is not the same as being on the side of good. Take a break from the bad news. That's not escapism, that's reminding yourself of something true: life is still good.


Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/simcha-fisher/ten-things-to-do-instead-of-wallowing/#ixzz2RrNPd2v9

Reflections for Lent from Happy Catholic

Found here.  I especially like the line, 'All other loves will enslave us if they are not ordered to Him."

Memories and Dreams

I had the most unusual dream this morning. We were visiting someone, and, in the way of dreams, I have no idea whom or where. Your mom asked me to come into our room with her, and she began going through her suitcase. I don’t know if she was going to show me something she’d gotten as a surprise for one of you girls, or what. I was beginning to wonder what was going on. Then the door to our bedroom is slowly pushed open, and there stands Caroline, aged 3 or so. She came in and gave me a big smile, she may have said Hi, Dad, I’m not sure. I asked her how old she was (since I was in a dream, I didn’t know what age of Caroline was visiting me) and she said 5, proudly. (She looked more like 3 or so).  I picked her up and held her and asked her when she was going to get rid of that pacifier, gently teasing her. She smiled and made some comment like 'Never mind'. That was it. I got to see one of my little girls again, and to hold her. It was very sweet, and also made me a little sad. Those days only exist now in memories and dreams.

Last Wednesday morning was equally odd. I woke up about 1:30 a.m., thinking about the games I played in my childhood. These were the games we played in our little front yard on Humphrey Street, like Swinging Statues or Freeze Tag, or out in the alley, like Spud. My childhood days were more like those you’ll see on The Little Rascals than to that of my daughters. I lay there, contentedly enjoying the reverie. And then I wondered, bemusedly, if this flood of childhood memories meant I was dying! Apparently not… This dream, and this reverie, I consider gifts from God. Why He decided to bless me with these now, I don’t know. But thank you, Lord!

The Unworthy Servant

Luke 17: 6-10:

And the Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down at table'? Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink'? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

I'm feeling very much like the unworthy servant. And Peter's answer is resonating too. When Jesus asked the disciples if they too would leave him, Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go?" Amen!

Feast of St. Francis De Sales

In honor of today's saint, I am making an effort once again to read An Introduction to the Devout Life, his classic work. It took me several tries to get through St. Sugustine's Confessions. I think it might just be picking up the book at the right time, so maybe now's the time... I found this quote in the USCCB People of Life 9-days of Prayer series of emails:

"All that we do must be motivated by love and not force. We must love to obey rather than fear to disobey."

Good stuff!

Erstein Birth, Marriage, and Death records

can be found here. Simply check the box for "J'accepte ces conditions", then click on "Accéder à la version graphique". Click on the letter E, scroll down to Erstein, and hunt away! M is for marraige records, PM for publication of Marriage (must be like Banns of marriage in church), N for birth (naissance) and D is for death records. What could be easier?!

We have not yet reached the Lord...

From today's Office of Readings (St Augustine's tractates on St John ):

By loving your neighbour, by having care for your neighbour, you are travelling on a journey. Where are you journeying, except to the Lord God, whom we must love with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind? We have not yet reached the Lord, but our neighbour is with us already. So support your neighbour, who is travelling with you, so that you may reach him with whom you long to dwell.

Emphasis mine.

The Landfill Harmonic

You would think that a movie about children of families who scavenge in landfills who play instruments made from trash would be depressing, but if this trailer is any indication, this won't be depressing at all!

the true comfort that remained for men

Thanks to Mr. Timothy Kieras, S.J. of the Magis Institute's Daily Ignatian Reflection for this quote:

"...the true comfort that remained for men [after the fall], and that embodied and gave reality to their conquering struggle against every despair, was surely Song."  ---Hilaire Belloc

So, Sing!

A Prayer in Time of Need, (and two helpful quotes)

I came across this prayer at Happy Catholic (of course) and I think it is worth captruing and sharing:

IN TIME OF NEED

Heavenly Father,
in my present need,
help me to believe that you are aware of my anxiety
and will do what is best for me.
Give me the strength to trust you
and put the present and future in your hands.
Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

There is also a quote, not really a prayer, that  I have on my cubby wall, from St. Augustine:

Trust the past entirely to the mercy of God,
The present to His tender love,
And the future to His providence and care over you.

These are reminders that we are not in this alone, that God is with us at all times.  And how about a closing quote from Paul Claudel:

Jesus did not come to do away with suffering or to remove it.  He came to fill it with His presence.

Peace!

Have you asked God what it is He wants?

Here’s a short little essay entitled “Have you asked God what it is He wants?” It’s a nice little meditation on Divine Providence, and quotes one of my favorites, Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de
Cassaude. I especially like the part about the Sacrament of the Present Moment!

Here's a good quote from de Caussade:

Everything has a supernatural quality, something divine about it that can lead us onward to holiness. Everything is part of that completeness which is Jesus Christ

Yes, Caroline, it is indeed a slow day here at work today!

Natural law

Here is as good a nutshell explanation of natural law as you are likely to find:

Once again, let me emphasize that the natural law is not a specifically Catholic thing. Astonishingly, each time I have mentioned the natural law, some have insisted that it is unfair to expect others to conform to Catholic doctrine! Truly, the mind boggles, for the whole point of the natural law is that it is universal and, well, natural. The critic’s very appeal to lack of fairness is in fact an appeal to the natural law. All rational moral argument appeals to the natural law, even when it erroneously uses one part of the natural law against another. Confusion, passion and self-interest may at times cause us to make mistakes in interpreting and applying the natural law, but the inescapable fact remains that the natural law is the only way we have of knowing when the positive law is immoral. Without it, there can be no concept of “right” apart from the concept of “power”.

Thanks to Dr. Jeff Mirus from CatholicCulture.org

Lord, Thou knowest better than I myself that I am growing older

Today is the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila, the first woman named Doctor of the Church, a mystic, and one who was not afraid to speak bluntly. Once, when she had fallen off her horse on a journey, she is said to have scolded God with, “it is no wonder you have so few friends, considering how you treat the ones you have!” (I’ve always loved that quote!)

Anyway, this morning on the radio I heard this prayer attributed to her. I had seen the prayer before, but never heard that it was hers. Be that as it may, it’s a great prayer:

Lord, Thou knowest better than I myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.
Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all; but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains; they are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet**, for a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people; and give, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Amen.

** in some versions, I have seen this phrase added: “I do not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with” . I’ve never agreed with that, because I don’t think most saints are unpleasant. Truly holy people I’ve met are gracious and charming!

Cards 2011 Game 6 video

This video still gives me chills!

From Therese of Lisieux..

...whose feast day is Monday.  This is from Kathryn Jean Lopez over at Patheos portal:

Is This Ironic or All too Appropriate for the Internets?
From St. Therese of Lisieux:

We have only short moments of this life to work for God’s glory. The devil knows this and this is why he tries to make us waste time in useless things. O, let us not waste our time! Let us save souls!

Now, get back to work!

A meditation on youth

... and Strat-O-Matic baseball.  Here's an excerpt:

And somewhere along the line, what seems to slip away is time—the time to have time for losing yourself in such things as baseball seasons played out with dice rolls. The world intrudes, the boy grows, and the games prove less enthralling. Still, the lessons of Strat-O-Matic were real and vital, in their day. A realization of the interplay of order and randomness, for instance. A grasp of the sheer reality of the past, the truth that others lived before us. The civilizing of boys by appealing to their impulses to forget themselves in the mathematics of the world and the inner secrets of a game like baseball.

Read it all if you know anyone who was once an adolescent boy.  Even if he didn't get his Strat-O-Matic game until 1985.