There is a Longing

St. Genevieve was born a simple peasant in the early fifth century in Nanterre, France. When she was seven years old, Nanterre was visited by the Bishop of Auxerre, St. Germanus. Prefiguring her sanctity, the Bishop signaled young Genevieve out of the crowd, and she asked to be taken to the church and consecrate herself to God. The following day, Germanus gave the young girl a brass medal engraved with a cross, instructing her to wear it as a symbol and reminder of her consecration. He also advised her not to wear any other item of jewelry as a means to avoid vanity. A fter her consecration, and with the help of the holy Bishop, Genevieve devoted herself to prayer and penance. By the time she was fifteen, she was blessed with the grace of continual prayer. She also abstained from meat and would, for many years, eat only twice a week.  As a result of her parents’ death, Genevieve moved to Paris to live with her grandmother. There she continued to live her life dedicat...

No post today other than to wish you all a very, Merry Christmas! We hope your day has been full of many wonderful blessings!

  "At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called together the community of disciples and said, 'It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.'  The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them." (Acts of the Apostles 6:1-6) *************** On December 26, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Stephen. As you can see above, St. Stephen lived in the first ...

"Rejoice and be glad that so great and good a Lord, on coming into the Virgin's womb, willed to appear despised, needy, and poor in this world, so that men who were in dire poverty and suffering great need of heavenly food might be made rich in him." (St. Clare of Assisi)

This is the 4th Sunday of Advent. The difference this year is that we are graced with a full week to prepare for Christmas next Sunday.  Throughout these past weeks, Advent wreaths have been lit al over the world in homes & churches. Did you know that each week of Advent has a particular focus? ~ Week One - HOPE, the anticipation of Christ's birth ~ Week Two - PEACE/FAITH, the journey to Bethlehem & preparing the way of the Lord ~ Week Three - JOY, the reminder of the joy of Jesus' nearing birth ~ Week Four - LOVE, the reminder of God's endless love & that He IS love As we light our 4th candle throughout this next week, let us turn our hearts & minds to Christ's coming birth & His great love for each of us. Think specifically of how much He loves you, personally. May we turn our focus to the words of today's Gospel -- "...and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, 'God is with is.'" God is love & God is with us! This is ...

    Jacomo (or James), was born into the noble Benedetti family around the year 1230 in Todi, Italy. He diligently studied law and became a competent lawyer. However, his success was not without pride and vanity. At this time, his wife Vanna, a pious woman, was disturbed by her husband’s worldliness and undertook atonement for Jacomo’s sins through prayer and penance.            In 1268, Jacomo convinced Vanna to accompany him to a tournament, where she took her place in one of the stands with other noble women. Unexpectedly, the stand collapsed. When Vanna’s body was found, it was discovered that she wore a penitential girdle. Realizing that it was for him that she wore it, a deep impression was made on Jacomo and he was moved to a profound conversion.            Abandoning his previous life and dividing his possessions among the poor, Jacomo embraced extreme poverty and entered the Third Order Francis...

Today is the Feast of St. John of the Cross, so we're sharing a poem of his on Christ's birth for Wisdom Wednesday. ************  Romance IX, Of the Birth of Christ When the interval of waiting For His birth its course had run, Straight from out His bridal chamber Came the Bridegroom, God the Son.   Once on earth, with arms extended He embrac’d His heavenly Bride, And the gracious Mother laid Him In the manger, at her side.   All around that helpless baby Animals were standing by; Men sang songs of glad rejoicing; Angels join’d their songs on high,   Celebrating the betrothal ‘Twixt the Bridegroom and the Bride, While the Almighty, in the manger, As an infant, wept and cried.   So the Bride those tears as jewels Brought to the betrothal-rite, And the Maid was lost in wonder As she saw so rare a sight.   Man was full of joy and gladness; God was shedding tears as man. Ne’er was such a strange mutation Since the ages first began. - St. John of the Cross ...

Gaudete!  "Rejoice in the Lord ways; again I say rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near." (Phillipians 4:4-5) We take a break in this penetential season on this 3rd Sunday of Advent to rejoice. The Latin word, "Gaudete" means rejoice.  Our preparations during Advent are aimed at our Lord Jesus' coming - both His birth & 2nd coming. Think of all the things that bring you joy. I'm talking about true joy, not just those fleeting moments that occur, like a job promotion or finding your favorite items on sale. I have personally & purposefully found joy in the midst of sorrow or life's trials. I've been able to laugh & share memories of loved ones who've passed helps ease the pain of loss. Last year, when my son was going through radiation treatments for a brain tumor, he lost most of his hair. We found joy in putting googly eyes on the back of his head, making a face with the lingering patches of hair. None of these things bring as much joy, ho...

On Wednesday, December 14, we celebrate the feast day of St. John of the Cross. John was born June 24, 1552 into a poor family. His father had been born in wealth, but was disowned when he married John's mother, a poor woman of lower class. John's father & older brother both died when John was just a young boy. His mother supported the family through work as a weaver. He attended a boarding school specifically for poor & orphaned children. Thanks to his religious education, he decided early on that he would choose a religious path.   He joined the Carmelite order in 1563, choosing the name John of St. Matthias. He was ordained as a Carmelite priest in 1567. A rift began in the Carmelite order. The Discalced Carmelites wanted to restore the original, strict Rule of the Carmelites while the ordinary Carmelites preferred the newer, less strict ways. John had developed a friendship with St. Theresa of Avila & they worked together for the restoration.  John faced much o...

Tomorrow, December 8, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Contrary to some beliefs, this is NOT the celebration of Jesus being born of a virgin. Mary IS the Immaculate Conception & She Herself, revealed this to St. Bernadette during one of Her apparitions in Lourdes, France on March 25, 1858.  Immaculate Conception refers to the Catholic dogma, defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854, that Mary was preserved from Original Sin from the moment of Her conception, all in preparation for Her becoming the Mother of Jesus.  (Dogma is a belief defined as true, handed down by God through the authority of The Church.) "Mary was immaculate, and remote from all stain of sin."  (St. Ephraim the Syrian Doctor of the Church) "The Virgin is therefore called immaculate, for in nothing was she corrupt." (St. Sophronious) "That our Sovereign Lady was full of preventing grace for her sanctification; that is, preservative grace against the corruption of original sin....

Matthew 3:1-12 "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" "Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees."   Repentance is more than just being sorry for what you've done wrong. It's about being sorry AND wanting to make a change for the better, to not sin again and to make reparation. Given our fallen nature, due to the effects of Original Sin, this is no easy task & definitely not something we can do all on our own. That is why we have the great Sacrament of Reconciliation. We confess our sins to the priest, who is "in persona Christi" (in the person of Christ). In an Act of Contrition, we pray, "I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy Grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin."  Our roots of sin will continue to grow deeper into our souls if we don't do something to stop them. We need more than just pruning. Only God can reach the depths to strike with His Grace & Forgiveness. And with the Holy Spirit ...

St. Sabas was born in Cappadocia, the son of an army officer. Left to the care of his uncles, he was often mistreated and ran away several times before taking refuge in a monastery. Although his family was against it, the monastic life had an attraction for Sabas and so he chose to remain, where he advanced in virtue. At the age of seventeen, he received the tonsure and lived a life of work and prayer. When he was thirty, Sabas sought a more secluded life and was given permission to remain in a hermitage for five days of the week. After a few years, his strict life began to draw men to him, seeking to join him. Although reluctant at first, he finally gave into the increasing number of his followers. Sabas founded more monasteries afterward, and despite his duties as abbot, he always felt drawn to the life of a hermit. Later on in his life, Sabas traveled and preached, convincing many of the truth and converting hearts. In 532, Sabas fell ill and received his eternal reward. We c...

This past weekend, we celebrated the First Sunday of Advent...a time of waiting with expectant hope for both Jesus' birth at Christmas & His Second Coming. It should begin a time of reflection & peace as we prepare our hearts for Jesus.  Unfortunately, our secularized world tends to skip right over Advent & jump right into the hustle & bustle of Christmas. For many, this can be a stressful time of planning, shopping, decorating, etc. And Christmas music has been played on the radio since Halloween. The two quotes below should help slow us down taking a step or two back to focus on the true meaning of the Advent season. *****   "Advent: the time to listen for footsteps - you can't hear footsteps when you're running yourself." (Bill McKibben) ***** "Let's approach Advent with an expectant hush, rather than a last-minute rush." (Anonymous)

  As we begin a new liturgical year and enter into the expectant season of Advent, we are urged to “stay awake!” These weeks preceding the joyous celebration of our Savior’s birth provide a chance for us to make the necessary preparations for such a mystery. Not, however, a preparation consisting of gift shopping, decorating, and making delectable treats in the kitchen.  In a way, we have to avoid jumping right into all of the “Christmas cheer.” Right after Thanksgiving (or sometimes even before), it seems that Christmas is being celebrated wherever you turn. But we can’t get caught up with the festivities. We need to first remind ourselves what it is we are celebrating, why we even have a cause to celebrate in the first place. This is what we do in Advent!  A dvent is a time of quiet and interior preparation for that moment when we commemorate the coming of God made man, when the Son of God took on our lowly human nature. How humble and how remarkably glorious is our lit...

Tomorrow, we in the United States of America will celebrate Thanksgiving. We thought it would be fitting to share quotes from saints on giving thanks to God, our Father. "In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God, and in all things give Him thanks." (St. Teresa of Avila) "No duty is more urgent than that of giving thanks." (St. Ambrose) "Thank God ahead of time." (Bl. Solanus Casey) "A single 'Blessed be God' in adversity is worth more than a thousand acts of thanksgiving in prosperity." (St. John of Avila) "The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day." (St. Gianna Beretta Molla)  

And so, we’ve come to the end of another Liturgical year.  Next week, we begin the season of Advent – a time of waiting and preparing our hearts for the coming Messiah, the King of Heaven.  Today, we celebrate His Kingship! The Solemnity of Christ the King was established in 1925 by Pope Pius XI to combat the growth secularism and atheistic views as governments threatened to push Jesus and Christianity out of the public life.  Governments will come and go, but this Feast reminds us that Christ and His Kingdom will live forever.  Pope Pius XI proclaimed, “Pax in Christi regno Christi,” (the peace of Christ in the reign of Christ), encouraging us to live in Christ’s peace when we do three things.  Daily, we must live and surrender our lives for Christ, acknowledge Him as our God, Savior, and King, and allow Him to rule our lives.  How peaceful and beautiful our world would be if everyone put these into practice! Sadly, though, we live in a fallen world. ...

As musicians, we would be remiss if we failed to recognize St. Cecilia in today's Saintly Saturday! St. Cecilia was believed to have been born sometime in the late 2nd century into a wealthy family. At a young age, she took a vow of virginity, yet her parents still gave her in marriage to a young man named Valerian. Prior to consummating their marriage, Cecilia informed Valerian of her vow & told him an angel was protecting her. He asked for proof, wanting to see the angel, & she replied that he must travel to be baptized by Pope Urbanus. Upon his return to his wife, he saw the angel & came to believe.  His brother, Tibertius, also came to believe. The two spent the rest of their lives burying those murdered during persecutions by the city's prefect, Turcius Almachius. They were eventually arrested & executed for their denial to offer sacrifice to the gods.  During their burying of the dead, Cecilia preached & brought over 400 to conversion. She, too, was a...

My apologies, dear readers...my days have been off a bit this week, so I forgot yesterday was Wisdom Wednesday. Since today is the feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, I'm sharing a quote of hers.  *************** "How could I bear a crown of gold when the Lord bears a crown of thorns? And bears it for me?" (St. Elizabeth of Hungary)

Luke 21:5-19     In the themes and predictions of today’s Gospel, Jesus alludes to the destruction of the Temple, which would occur in the year 70 AD. He foretells of the persecutions, imprisonments, and calamities that would befall Jerusalem. “I myself will give you wisdom in speaking,” “not a hair on your head will be destroyed,” He consoles them. For “by your perseverance you will secure your lives.”     While the destruction of the Temple occurred two thousand years ago, we are still subject to persecution, imprisonment, and calamity in our modern day. War and hatred seem to have become our language, our means to resolve conflict and disagreement. While the evils that threaten us now have changed more or less from the evils that threatened Jerusalem, Christ’s offer of hope has still remained.      For the Jews, the Temple in Jerusalem was where God dwelt. When they prayed, they prayed facing east, towards Jerusalem. So we can imagine...

St. Elizabeth of Hungary was born in 1207, the daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary & Gertrude of Merania. Her mother was murdered by a Hungarian nobleman when Elizabeth was just six years old.   In 1221, at the age of 14, she was married to a German nobleman, Ludwig IV (or Louis IV, depending on which source you look to) of Thuringia. This marriage had been arranged by her parents when she was only four years old. They had three children, one of whom became an abbess in Germany. Elizabeth used her royal position to help others in need, often in secret. Two miracles are said to have occurred years before her death. Upon delivering bread to the poor, her husband stopped her in an effort to ease suspicions she was stealing from the castle. He asked her to reveal the contents under her cloak & when she did, there appeared roses instead of bread. The other miracle occurred when she had placed a leper in the bed she shared with her husband. Her mother in law informed Ludwi...

  Today we celebrate The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. Did you know that St. Peter's at the Vatican is not our pope's main church? Many people believe it is, but in actuality, his main church is the Basilica of St. John Lateran. This is where Pope Francis (& former pope's) presides over the Diocese of Rome.  There are four major basilicas in Rome with St. John Lateran being the oldest & highest ranking. It was first built in the 4th century on land donated by Emperor Constantine. It was consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324. Over the centuries, the structure suffered much (earthquakes, fire, war, invasion), yet it has remained a place of consecration for the popes.  In the 14th century, thanks to the efforts of St. Catherine of Siena, the papacy returned to Rome. The church was found in ruins. The current structure was comissioned in 1646 by Pope Innocent X.  Highlights of the Basilica include 15 statues representing Christ, St. John the Baptist, St. Joh...

                                                               11/06/2022     W.H.R.,     (Whoever Happens to be Reading)     Praised be Jesus Christ! Due to unrelated circumstances, I went to Mass last night rather than this morning. I sat a few rows back from a beautiful family (whom I’ve met before, though I’m ashamed to admit I don’t remember their names). All of the children were well behaved, and a few were even enthusiastic! One of their little boys was sitting at the very end of the pew, closest to the center aisle. Every time one of the songs to the Mass setting (the Gloria , Holy , etc.) started, he’d start pretending to play the piano on the rail. He was careful not to actually touch or pound on the rail, but if he was at a real piano, he could have played quite the tune!...

Luke 20:27-38      Ne aring the close of the liturgical year, the readings tend once more towards the “end.”  But indeed, the end is only the beginning. The beginning of Eternity.  Thanks to the unbelief of the Sadducces, who rejected the teaching of the resurrection, our Lord gives us a glimpse of what life after death will be like for those who remained faithful throughout their pilgrimage on earth. In addressing the Sadducces’ question, Jesus reveals of the blessed in Heaven that they “neither marry nor are given in marriage.”  W hy? Does that mean we lose our spouses? Couldn’t we preserve our marriages from this life and carry them to the next? I think Jesus gives us a good answer when He tells us that His Father “is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive .” In Heaven, we will be wholly united to God, our One and All, in Whom we will find the fullness of joy, the Treasure of our soul. In Him, we will be more ...

Today is the we commemorate All Souls' Day, a day when we remember those who've already gone before us, but still haven't attained the Beautific Vision of Heaven due to remaining venial sins that need washed away in Purgatory.  Our quote for the day comes from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. I think this explains well why we need Purgatory before meeting our Lord in Heaven. "I would go so far as to say that if there was not purgatory, then we would have to invent it, for who would dare say of himself that he was able to stand directly before God. And  yet we don't want to be, to use an image from scripture, 'a pot that turned out wrong', that has to be thrown away; we want to be able to be put right. Purgatory basically means that God can put the pieces back together again. That He can cleanse us in such a way that we are able to be with Him and can stand there in the fullness of life. Purgatory strips off from one person what is unbearable and from another the...

Luke 19:1-10 My first thought whenever I hear the story of Zacchaeus is the children's song I first heard on my kids' Veggie Tales CD many years ago.  Check out Pa Grape singing Zacchaeus was a Wee Little Man. It's often tempting to rush through a familiar Gospel story. We think we know it & don't need to spend a good amount of time rereading it. In doing so, though, we end up missing out on deeper messages God may be trying to share with us. I often find that each rereading draws my attention to another aspect of the story. Today's Gospel is the familiar story of Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector not well liked by those in his community. He was a short man who heard that Jesus was passing through his town of Jericho & climbed a sycamore tree to get a better look.  What stood out to me in reading the Gospel this time around was the very first sentence... "At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town." It doesn't so...

This week we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. Thus, rather than focusing on a particular saint this week’s Saintly Saturday, we’ll take a look at All Saints’ and All Souls’ instead. ~Solemnity of All Saints~     November 1st is celebrated as the solemn holy day of all the saints. These are particularly the known saints, those recognized by the Church. Pope Boniface IV initially established All Saints’ in 609 AD. The pope had consecrated the Pantheon, a Roman temple, to the Blessed Virgin and to Martyrs. It is said that he intended the place, formerly dedicated to the worship of demons, to from thence forward be a place where the memory of saints could be honored. The day was originally celebrated on May 13th, until it was later moved to November 1st by Pope Gregory III in the eighth century.  ~Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed~     Following All Saints’ is the Commemoration of All the...

Instead of quoting a saint this week, we'd like to share a quote from Fr. Mitch Pacwa on praising God for our problems. This came from an article he wrote, titled How to Listen When God is Speaking. The article appeared online at The Word Among Us website a few weeks ago. "When a car is parked, one can turn the steering wheel, but it takes a bit of effort. In contrast, when a car is in motion, the wheel turns with a flick of the wrist. Similarly, when we are upset, anxious, and complaining about our problems, we are like a parked car. Our Lord can redirect us, but we resist His efforts. However, when we begin praising the Lord for our difficulties, then we are like that car in motion." (Fr. Mitch Pacwa)