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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

The Madonna of the Dry Tree

Petrus Christus, Madonna of the Dry Tree, c. 1465
Oil on oak (5 3/4" x 4 7/8")
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid
There are so many interesting aspects to this tiny painting, symbolism abounds. The Tree of Knowledge, withered and dry after Adam and Eve ate of its fruit, comes to life through the Virgin. The Virgin, herself the miraculous product of the barren Anne, in turn gives birth via the Immaculate Conception. The dry tree presages the crown of thorns, representing Christ’s sacrifice for man’s redemption. Another fascinating element of this painting are the 15 golden ‘A’s that hang from the thorns of the tree. These represent Ave Maria, the Hail Mary prayer of the rosary. Ave is the reverse of Eva, or Eve—a reminder that Eve’s fall is redeemed through Mary, the new Eve, who is not only the mother of Christ but the intercessor for all mankind.

Mary’s cloak is wonderfully depicted in all details of folds, showing the technical skill of painting of Petrus Christus. The folds also give a lively impression to an otherwise fixed image that was also rare in pictures of the Virgin of those times. The baby Jesus enhances the liveliness further since he seems to struggle out of Mary’s arms, wanting to go into the world on his own. Jesus is oblivious of the seriousness of the theme. Here too, Petrus Christus somewhat evolved tradition since he painted the Virgin holding Jesus in her right arm, with her left hand gently playing or holding Jesus’s toes. The face of the Virgin is dignified, aware of the mystery of her conception and of the importance of her son and unafraid. This is not a subdued Mary lost in sorrows, but a triumphant and confident mother who sees the dangers and the cruel menace but who chooses to ignore the fate because of her motherly love.
link: http://venetianred.net/2010/06/28/petrus-christus-the-madonna-of-the-dry-tree/;
http://www.theartofpainting.be/AOM-Virgin_of_the_dry_Tree.htm

Monday, December 24, 2012

The Dragon Sickness


This short video is a commentary by Fr. Barron: This story describes concupiscence -- which is an errant form of desire to gather wealth. Tolkien describes in his story, "The Hobbit", how one can be consumed with gross materialism and become obsessed with wealth for its own sake; and even if we cannot use it (the stuff), we cling to it, hoarding it, gloating over it and defending it with our life.
After watching this video, I couldn't help but think it so adequately describes the society in which we live. Fr. Barron goes on to say that even though we are drawn into desiring "things" and become infected with the Dragon sickness, God gives us grace to overcome it and if we listen to His voice we will discover that by giving away the things that we so deeply covet, that in the process we are then healed.
Perhaps we are committing a sin by giving so much stuff to our children and are complicit in the sin that follows -- The Dragon Sickness that infects our children. Let us take a step back, and rethink this whole thing with Christmas presents -- what is it all for anyway???
Let us redirect our children's hearts and minds to God and help them remember that we are celebrating the birth of Christ our Savior who came to save us from sin, and from the Dragon Sickness.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Lorica of Saint Patrick


I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and near,
Alone or in a multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation

St. Patrick (ca. 377)


The Senseless violence in Newtown, Conn



Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Craftiness


Isn't this the cutest bag? It's made from a bag of chicken feed by "Real Southern Living blog": Here is the link: http://www.realsouthernliving.blogspot.com/2012/04/reusablerecycled-animal-feed-bag-tote.html

Friday, December 7, 2012

The Immaculata


The Immaculate Conception is a Holy Day of Obligation - I am a convert to the Catholic Church and did not understand this concept at all until I heard a priest talk about how the vessel that brought God into the world had to be clean and pure, without blemish - in fact, immaculate. After hearing it explained in those terms, the light went on and I finally understood.
How could one think otherwise? Of course, Jesus, the Son of the Living God, in fact, God Himself Incarnate, could only come to this world in a sinless womb. A human being immaculately conceived. His way was prepared from the dawn of time itself. Thank you, dear Jesus, for loving us so much and coming to this earth, dying for our sins, that we might live forever with you.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Rabbit and sweetpea


There's just something about this rabbit that I love.
artist: C.C.Barton

Occupy your minds with good thoughts.....


Occupy your minds with good thoughts, or the enemy will fill them with bad ones. Unoccupied, they cannot be.

-- St Thomas More

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Blessed Redemptus of the Cross


Tomas Rodriguez da Cunha, military officer,discalced Carmelite lay brother, in 1615, taking the name Redemptus of the Cross, with Blessed Denis of the Nativity, he travelled as a missionary to the king of Achin. He and his party were ambushed and martyred by Muslims in 1638. He was first tortured; when he refused to denounce his faith, he was shot full of arrows, and then his throat was slit.
Prayer:
O God, Who in Thy wondrous providence, led the blesseds Denis and Redemptus through the perils of the sea to the palm of martyrdom, grant, through their intercession, that in the midst of earthly vicissitudes and worldly desires we may remain steadfast even unto death in the confession of Thy name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Genocide in Rawanda


I just watched an interview of Immaculee, a Rowandan survivor of the 1994 genocide, where she tells her story of not only surviving a terrible massacre but how she turned to her Catholic faith and overcame the anger and hatred she felt for the ones responsible for the death of her people.
She spoke of praying the sorrowful mysteries and the chaplet of mercy from the time she awoke to the time she fell asleep each day -- for 91 days! She spoke of how our blessed mother healed her heart from the bitterness and anger and instead filled her with God's love and His joy.
She said we are to approach God as if we were beggars imploring Him for our needs. If we do not have the sincerity within to pray, then we are to ask Him for this as well. Please God -- help me to pray with sincerity and with great devotion.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Presentation of Mary at the Temple


The commemoration of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple is on 21st November. It has been kept at least from the 7thC. in the Orthodox tradition. Emperor Justinian built a splendid church dedicated to Mary in the Temple area in Jerusalem. It was dedicated on November 21, 543 but was destroyed by the Persians within a century. Many of the early church Fathers such as St. Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople and St. John Damascene, his contemporary, preached magnificent homilies on this feast referring to Mary as that special plant or flower which was being nurtured for better things. "She was planted in the House of God, nourished by the Holy Spirit and kept her body and soul spotless to receive God in her bosom. He Who is all-holy rests among the holy."
In the Byzantine Church this feast is considered one of the twelve great feasts of the liturgical year, called the Dodecaorton. By the 9thC. it is celebrated in the monasteries of southern Italy which had been influenced by the traditions of the Byzantine churches, and by the 14thC. it had spread to England. However it was not until 1472 that Pope Sixtus IV extended its celebration to the Western church.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

In Honor of my Dad


Isn't this a sweet picture of my Daddy? He was trying to wear his mother's shoes.
This is the day my Dad died two years ago -- it truly broke my heart when I received the phone call that he was gone. It felt like something was severed inside and I was consumed with overwhelming grief. All I could do is wail and pound the bed with my fists. The sorrow was drowning me and I couldn't even breath after a short while. I cried and cried laying on my bedroom floor until my dear husband came up and wrapped his arms around me and calmed me down.
Most people don't want to experience this kind of sorrow because it hurts so much; and they really don't want to remember it over and over again. Well, I consider it a gift -- this grief, this pain, this sorrow. I am glad I can cry and my heart feels like it's going to burst from the agony and pain. I want to remember it. I want to remember how much I loved him and how much he will be missed.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

AUDREY

I LOVE this little one - she has an amazing spirit; fortunately, I get to watch her two days a week. Getting to know Audrey and sharing in her life is one of the many blessings that the Lord has provided. Thank you dear God for this precious little girl, the wonderful time I get to spend with her, and the cherished memories that are made.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Joshua's spirit

This child of my child brings me so much joy and inexplicable happiness!! Thank you dear Lord for not forgetting me in my old age.....



Joy comes in the morning....

from: a holy experience blog
Joy, it comes in the morning…

Joy, it comes not in the gaining but in the giving, not in being someone but in being a sacrifice, not in laying up treasures, but in laying down self.

Joy, it comes in the mother who doesn’t think twice to do the unthinkable, to do the unlikely, the unlovely, the unheard of — who lives the Gospel.

It comes in the woman who loves the kid who has no one, the man who isn’t thinking about winning on earth but in heaven, the kids who cheer for the hurting.

True sacrifice isn’t the losing of anything — but the finding of joy.


Monday, October 15, 2012

The Creative Spirit



Just read this wonderful piece on repurposing our time and it is inspiring:
(and, I love her artwork)
Over the years I have spent thousands of hours drawing. God has been gracious in allowing me to use that time drawing, and I can’t call myself a genius. But the time invested is certainly a reason why drawing comes extra easy.

Ann Voscamp wrote a beautiful post, “How to Nurture Geniuses”, and I highly recommend that everyone read it!

“What would happen if every Christian used the 4 hours daily spent in front of the television a day (more than 126 hours a month!) or the near hour a day the average American surfs the internet and spent two of those hours developing their skill in a particular domain . . . and one hour more on the spiritual disciplines that lead into a deeper relationship with God, (prayer, memorization, Bible meditation, fasting) – only repurposing three hours a day from the five we spend on passive entertainment — and in one decade, our entire culture – and the world at large – would be entirely revolutionized. How are we being faithful stewards of our 10,000 hours?”

What would happen? Can you imagine? Head on over there and read it and be inspired!
http://www.abowlofmossandpebbles.com/

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Book Lovers Bookshelves

My cousin, JT, built this bookshelf in his new home in Tennessee - I really want one of these! He has a little nesting spot for the cats at the top.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Cute gardener apron


I LOVE this apron! Unfortunately, I lost the link for where I found it -- but, it is so cute! I'm going to make it.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Trinitas Winery

My daughter sent me this link and I so loved what this blogger had to say about a very unique winery located in Mendocino, CA, that I copied it and posted it here.

"In a place like Trinitas, it's impossible not to think of the first part of John 15. I was disappointed in my (in)ability to recite it from memory on the spot and have since endeavored to commit it there."

The Vine and the Branches.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another. (excerpt written by: http://www.elizabethfoss.com/reallearning/2012/09/god-in-the-vineyard.html

Monday, September 17, 2012

CHILD 31 World Hunger


For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, (Mathew 25,35)
I thank you dear Lord for giving me the means to help the needy and the poor and the hungry; please grant me the graces I need to give with a loving and compassionate heart and that I may see Jesus in every face.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

CALEB

Have you ever seen a sweeter baby? This is my grand-son, Caleb; my daughter's second son and today he was baptized. He didn't even cry and smiled and crooned at everyone.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Prayer of Humility



My daughter gave me a prayer just before her marriage - Litany of Humility written by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930), Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X.
I have tried to say it every day and I think it helps me. Sometimes events occur in my life where I will think, "Why did that happen to me or why did that person insult me that way?", and then I will remember that I've been praying this litany. Praying for a change in my heart - to be more Christlike, to be more like my Savior:
Litany of Humility
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being loved....
From the desire of being extolled....
From the desire of being Honored....
From the desire of being praised...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted...
From the desire of being approved...
From the fear of being humiliated...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes...
From the fear of being calumniated...
From the fear of being forgotten...
From the fear of being ridiculed...
From the fear of being wronged...
From the fear of being suspected...

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease...
That others may be chosen and I set aside...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided
that I may become as holy as I should...

Pray this Litany every day with devotion and you will acquire the change you desire.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Prayer

Thou art all fair O Mary
- and the original stain is not in thee!
O Mary!
Make my body pure, and my spirit holy.
Draw me in the odor of thy oinments...
Encompass my heart within thine.
Show thyself my mother!

But thou O lord, have mercy on us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Cardinal Virtues



I'm reading a book written by, Bill Donohue, called, Why Catholicism Matters, How Catholic Virtues can reshape society in the 21st century. It's very good so far and written in such a way that even I can understand it. (I'm past the point in my life where I will slodge through densely written material and come out with any kind of understanding.)
While reading the above book, I came across this passage on page 19: "If men were angels," James Madison wrote, "no government would be necessary." He was right, and the government the Founders crafted was based on this understanding. Absent government, the weak would perish at the hands of the stronger.
But it is not enough to conclude that government is necessary; a government that does not institutionally block dictatorial impulses can deliver more evil than anarchy. That is why the Founders gave us a horizontal balance of powers, dividing the powers between the executive, legislative, and the judicial branches. This system of government works because it takes for granted that too much power in the hands of any single source spells the death of liberty; it also takes into consideration man's nature.

The Catholic Church offers the best hope of realizing the good society that our Founding Fathers intended for us partly because it understands that man is inherently flawed and in need of redemption. That is where the ten commandments come in. If it was in our nature to do only good, we would not need the ten commandments written down for all to see. We do have a fallen nature as St. Augustine taught, "Man entered the world in a state of sin." Thus, we need to be taught the ten commandments so that they become second nature to us. These teachings should be upheld and modeled not only by the family, but by our institutions, the schools, and by society as a whole. The ten commandments tell us what not to do (do not kill, do not covet, do not steal, etc...), but virtue tells us what to do or how to do it. This is where the cardinal virtues come into the picture.

The author goes on to say that there is nothing inherently religious about the cardinal virtues, and were taught by Plato and Cicero as contributing to the heart and soul of the good society. By cultivating and practicing these virtues we are able to keep God's commandments. William C. Mattison, III, a Catholic theologian, state that "a virtue is a good habit."

"But, virtue does not come easy", states the author; "the apprenticeship is demanding. It is up to the family, more than any other source, to inculcate virtuous behavior in children." This line truly struck a chord with me and I believe it with all my heart. "Virtuous behavior cannot be ordered into being; it must be carefully and consistently crafted, making use of positive as well as punitive sanctions to get the job done."

As I have time, I will come back here and share more about these cardinal virtues so important for us to learn and emulate so that by them we will have a "happy life" and so please our creator at the same time.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

We were once a family.....





I wish someone would have told me - warned me - that things would change and not for the better. Perhaps I could have coped with the change or the loss of a place I had in life, if only I had just known what lay ahead. People define themselves by their connections to others; where they are born and when; are they first, second, third, etc. in the birth order. Who is talented in music, who can sing, who can draw or paint, or who is very very smart in science. Which one has a sweetness to them, which one is kind and friendly, which one is sharp, which one is mean, who has a short temper, which one doesn't care. You get the picture. It takes a long time to get to know your siblings, your parents, and everyone else in one's world. It takes a long time to figure out who you are, what you like, or don't like; and just when you think you have a handle on it (I'm skipping decades of experience here), something terrible happens -- your father dies and you have a great big hole inside that never goes away. That is what happened to me on November 17, 2010.


The story of my family begins in 1956 when my mother ran away for parts unknown. I was 5 years old, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Anyway, I never saw her again. My dad left soon after to work in southern California and I was left in the care of my grand-parents along with my sister and baby brother. About a year later, he came back to get us and took us to southern California to live with him and his new wife, Jan. It was a complete surprise to me - I had no warning - but, it was a wonderful surprise. I knew Jan and her three children when we lived in Texas, and liked her very much. We remained a family for a long time and I didn't realize that it had all fallen apart until it was really too late to do anything about it. That realization came after my dad died.


I call my mom, Jan, at least once a week to visit and catch up on what we've been doing all week. At first I still felt the connection with her after dad passed away; a bonding of the heart you might say. Then, she progressively sounded more and more distracted on the phone to the point that there was really no deep personal bond going on between us. She became more and more forgetful and not wanting to talk about the past at all. She couldn't remember past shared experiences and would say "I don't know or I don't remember" a great deal.


Today was another one of those "forgetful days" that ended in tears and frustration for me. Then, I suddenly realized that I don't have a childhood family anymore. It all ended with the death of my father. My brothers and sisters don't write or call or stay connected with me even though I send them birthday cards and Christmas cards each year and make a point to see them when I visit down there.
It's heartbreaking, gut wrenching, sad.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Hannah graduated - 6th grade

Today I attended my very first sixth grade graduation ceremony where my grand-daughter was the recipient of a document that confirmed that she had indeed graduated. On to bigger and better things for her. I could not believe how crowded it was in the auditorium. Every single person associated with a graduate was there. The girls looked beautiful in their brand new dresses - most at appropriate lengths, hair done up, make-up, and manicures. Yes, they sparkled. The boys didn't seem to have the same enthusiasm for the event. Most of them dressed like it was a normal school day but some of them wore ties. People held gifts, flowers, and balloons and clapped energetically for every single child that received their "diploma". I was impressed with the community spirit, and a little jealous that I had never been honored in that way when I was a sixth grader. Well, maybe it is all for the good. Perhaps these young people who will soon be adults feel that they should pursue higher education and become something wonderful in this world.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Joshua

I had the great privilege to watch my grandson, Joshua, this week while my beautiful daughter had her second child. What an experience it was to see him explore and figure things out - he is only 18 months old but a quick learner. My heart melted each time he gave me an unexpected and spontaneous hug or snuggle. This is a child who lives each moment, each second, to the fullest until he crashes with exhaustion. We had to take him back home yesterday, and the house seemed so empty without him -- it broke my heart to let him go.

My new grandson, Caleb

Monday, May 28, 2012

A Dream of my Dad

Early this morning I had a lucid dream -- lucid dreams seem real at the time, as though you are really living in that particular space and time and nothing else exists. I had a dream about my father. He died in November of 2010 and not a day goes by that I don't grieve for him. I wonder when it will stop. But, God sent me a happy dream about him today and it filled me with so much joy I wanted to cry -- and I did weep in my dream (which woke me up). In the dream I was with my Mom in her bedroom that she and Dad shared for over 50 years. We were laying on the bed and talking like we so often do or at least we did before Dad died. Suddenly I was aware that my Dad was also laying on the bed and I reached over and took his hand and stroked his hand lovingly. I looked at Mom and said to her that Dad was right here and I was holding his hand -- and asked her to hold his hand too. She looked at my hand as if she were blind and I could tell that she couldn't see Dad's hand holding mine. As I stated earlier, I was so happy I was crying and woke up pretty quickly. I laid in bed thinking about why Mom could not see Dad and I suddenly thought "she doesn't have faith". I thought about that for a while and realized that Mom has struggled with the concept of faith for as long as I can remember. She asked me years ago if I thought heaven was real -- she genuinely wanted to know. I don't think I convinced her. I view my dream as a confirmation from God - a gift that my Dad's soul is eternal and that I will see him again. I miss him more than one can express.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Wow, kindness abounds…

Wow, kindness abounds…
(click on the link above) I try to visit The Crescat weekly and read her blog of May 24th where she bares her soul and confesses to having two abortions. I am deeply impressed with her courage and humility when she wrote this piece on abortion - it is worth reading. One of the responses to her blog was gut wrenching -- here it is: She received a response from a reader telling her that he wished he could have helped a young man who was trying to talk his girlfriend out of having an abortion. They gave him a little plastic fetus so she could see the infant inside, but she still had the abortion anyway. The young man came out of the clinic heart-broken and asked if he could keep the little plastic fetus - it was all that he had left. Doesn't this story break your heart?
Our babies souls fly to heaven when their bodies are destroyed.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Ryan

Today is my first sons 33rd birthday - how the time rushes by. I can remember so clearly holding him in my arms, kissing him, and snuggling. He grew faster than I could ever imagine into a beautiful and loving man. He's a strong man - not just physically; and he is able to shelter so many within his protective embrace, and take on so many burdens. I worry about him...his health, his happiness, his soul. But, whenever I think upon him, there is so much joy that fills my soul that I am sure everything will be just fine with him in this life.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The culture of Materialism

“Since the remotest times, attention to others has moved the Church to show concrete signs of solidarity with those in need, sharing resources, promoting simpler lifestyles, going against an ephemeral culture which has disappointed many and determined a profound spiritual crisis,” Pope Benedict
. - VIS

Friday, May 11, 2012

To love means.....

“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” G.K.Chesterton

Monday, May 7, 2012

St Louis de Montfort said to sinners: If you say faithfully the Rosary until death, I assure you, despite the gravity of your sins you will receive a “never fading crown of glory” [1 Pet 5:4]. Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted. You will amend your life and save your soul if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly, every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth; and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins. - St Louis de Montfort, “The Secret of the Rosary” source from Abbey-Roads blog

Way Chapel in Alaska

Way Chapel in Alaska

Way Chapel in Alaska. I cannot remember the name of it. They made it out of a quansit hut. It was tiny, but I really felt God's spirit there.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

May Crowning of Our Lady

MARY Ark of the covenant Cause of our joy Comforter of the afflicted Co-Redemptrix (not a defined doctrine of the Catholic Church) Mary, Favoured Daughter of the Father Gate of Heaven Health of the sick Help of Christians Holy Mary Holy Mother of God Holy Virgin of virgins House of gold The Immaculate Heart Mirror of justice Morning Star Mother inviolate Mother most admirable Mother most amiable Mother most chaste Mother most pure Mother of Christ Mother of divine grace Mother of good counsel Mother of our Creator Mother of our Redeemer Mother of Sorrows Mother of the Son Mother undefiled Mystical rose Queen of Angels Queen of Heaven Queen of Patriarchs Queen of Prophets Queen of Apostles Queen of Martyrs Queen of Confessors Queen of Virgins Mary, Queen of all Saints Queen conceived without original sin Queen of the most holy Rosary Queen of peace Refuge of sinners Seat of wisdom Singular vessel of devotion Spiritual vessel Mary,Spouse of the Holy Spirit Tower of David Tower of ivory Vessel of honor Virgin most prudent Virgin most venerabl Virgin most renowned Virgin most powerful Virgin most merciful Virgin most faithful