Footprints

I was walking the dogs separately,in the snow yesterday and noticed someone had treads shaped as a heart. They left little hearts behind wherever they walked. I was thinking what a creative idea this was on the part of the shoe designer. I had purchased flip flops with 'Just Married' on the treads for my son and his new wife when they traveled on their honeymoon. I thought it , too, a clever idea. This should be how we approach life; leaving little experiences of love behind. . When I turned around to come back home with dog two, I realized that the shoe treads were my own.

Mark 1:40-45 Jesus Cures a Leper

A leper came to Him and kneeling down begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter...

I always felt kind of bad for this guy, thinking he did exactly the opposite of what Jesus said. The end of the passage said there were so many people looking for Jesus that he could not travel openly because people were coming to him from everywhere. It seemed to me as if this cured man blabbed away and prevented the Lord from doing what he was called to do. Today I had another idea. What if this leper did exactly as Jesus ordered. Kept his mouth shut, went to the priest, and preached without words. This was his publication, living a new and clean life.What if the touch of the Lord changed this fellow so much that the love of God burned within him and people recognized it and came to Jesus, in droves. Isn't this what we as Catholics are called to do? Live our Catholicism publicly in our actions? I can think of two people, both in the medical field, who were doing this. They wore medals, Catholic medals, at work. One medical receptionist had on a miraculous medal , and the other person was a PA and she was wearing a small silver crucifix at the office. I must admit I see crosses as jewelry pretty often, but this may have been the first crucifix I have seen in public. I have been to this PA's home and I know she is Catholic because of a comment she made to someone about her Catholic wedding. Well, she also had an Advent wreath on her dining room table. There may be other Christian faiths that use the wreath, but I only know it because it is part of my Catholic heritage. I wear medas often. I wear the scapular all the time, but it is hidden beneath my clothes. Because of the public  display of faith these women have shown, I think I will have the courage to wear my faith more visibly.

Reconciliation

It was so nice to sit in the quiet of the sun lightened church this past Saturday. There were maybe a dozen of us patiently waiting our turn with the priest. I was told I made and 'excellent, excellent' confession. never heard that before. Well, don't think I confessed to this particular priest either, but still it was very nice to hear. Back in the early 70's I had a priest yell at me because I could not give a definition for grace or baptism or something. Took me twenty years to try it again. Gosh, what I missed over those years. How differently my life could, have been with that powerful grace at work within me. It is what it is and I am what I am because of it. So glad I am no longer afraid to spend time in the confessional. I remember being very surprised my mother had no interest in going to confession when she lived near and with us. I made sure a priest spent time with her before her death, but still, no interest in the sacrament. Didn't know her as well as I thought. I am glad prayer is timeless. I pray for her soul every day.

Words

I read in the latest issue of guideposts magazine about a habit of Debbie Macomber, popular novelist. Every year she chooses a work to be the focus of her devotions, her prayer life, her conversation with God. The word that 'came' to me was "words." There are a lot of blog opinions out there this time of year about evaluating for resolutions. One blog I follow suggested  this be the year of throwing caution to the winds and living life without the brake of fear. Do not stand in your own way, she said. She also suggested finding a word for the year. She suggested posting it where I could see it everyday. "Words" means writing to me. Writing poetry, and good letters. Writing those series of young adult books nattering in my head. Practicing the writing exercises in the writing books that load up my book shelf. Writing about Trekking Catholic. 2012 is the Year of WORDS.

Christmas Service

Our pastor was not in good form at our Christmas Mass. My husband seldom goes to church. There is this big campaign on in our diocese to welcome home those who have been away. Even I rolled my eyes at the convoluted homily. I knew my husband was twitchy, although he is ever polite. It will be awhile before I can get him back in the pew. I also know that this sermon may not have been for him; but could be exactly what others needed to hear. God knows who. it could even be what the pastor needed to hear himself. I wonder if this is a call for me to do my own evangelization through research and discussion. There is a video set called Catholicism that is supposed to be widely touted in Catholic media. Perhaps this is the reason for the  homily we heard. I certainly do not feel qualified. I know, I know, God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. I do not like the look of this is print. It is more comfortable in very illusory thoughts.

The Camel

In honor of the nativity characters I prayed with last year and this, I purchased a golden tree decoration of a king on a camel. I needed to be seen as beautiful this Advent. I needed to have confidence in a journey. I needed to be part of a change of heart. All of these things happened while thinking of the camel and the king this season. My golden decoration is witness to those graces.I so look forward to the gifts of the next Advent season.

Advent Penance Service

I attended our parish Advent Penance Service this year. I do not like going to these group things. The lines are very long. I do not like to watch people waiting in lines. I forced myself to go as I was on the Parish grounds for another meeting. My reluctance was so misguided. I witnessed so many joys.
I saw people I know well there and it was wonderful to accept their smiles and whispered acknowledgments.
Our parish musician played for an hour and he is very good at what he does. I do not hear live music often enough.
I saw many priests that I knew and a few that I did not. There were 17 or 18 of them there. Yes, we have a very big congregation. One of the priests within my eyesight was Fr. Joe. He was an associate at our parish the year after his ordination and then moved on to be a pastor at another parish in our city, He has a great gift for reconciliation. There were many who mourned his moving away from our community. The line for him was very long. I saw him bust out in laughter with some of his penitents. He is so real. there is no doubt that his absolution is too.
There was a priest on the other side who spoke with his hands as he talked to his penitents. Of course we could not hear him, but the body language of the people beside him was so open to his comments and questions. I saw so much peace on the faces of the people returning to the pews. This was a church filled with grace. How could any prayer not be answered.

Advent Wreath

I bought a new Advent Wreath this year. I found a ceramic design of a circle of figures from the Christmas story: shpeherds, kings, the Holy Family, and places for the colored candles. It looked better in the catalog than in real life. I was disappointed, but I set it on our kitchen table anyway. I added a plastic evergreen wreath aroudn it. It looked better. during the course of the weeks of Advent I added construction paper stars with the names of people who I needed to pray for. the first was someone who ignored me. I received a Christmas gift, a Peace Ornament, from her with a letter that could have been take for an apology. I do not know how my other prayers were answered.
the plastic evergreen Advent wreath that we had used for years was reworked to hang at our front door. I added pink and blue and white ribbons and gold flowers to compliment the giant wreath we have on our front wall. I like that it has kept its Advent Blessing in its reincarnated life. I smile when I see it at our front door. These were happy decisions.

Advent Calendars

When I was a child we had a German Advent Calendar in our home. The backing folded to make a three dimensional space for the Holy Family for December 24. It has been well used and loved. Some of the doors have fallen off, but I want to repair it and use it again sometime. Because I have not yet done this, I have other Advent Calendars. This year I put a German one on our refrigerator. The cover picture is of the angels appearing to the shepherds. The drawings under the doors look like some designed several decades ago. I bought it for my mother but she never used it. The glitter and the pictures under the little numbered doors gave me a childlike joy this Advent. One of the grandchildren was around to open a door one day. I enjoyed that as much as opening them myself. I like surprises. Where else in life do we have such safe and beautiful ones?

I am going to learn how to add pictures to my blog.The Song of the Angels is not great art; it is Romanticism. But it is kind of pretty.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

One of the Holy Days of Obligation and I am lucky enough to work on a college campus that has a Campus Ministry which organizes Mass for the students and staff during the school year. Fr.Tom was the celebrant. He is a kind man. someone brought a reproduction of a painting of Our Lady , Song of the Angels.
We often look at a wipe board and a room divider when we attend Mass in the Union. My eyes constantly strayed to the painting. We sing a capella. We are not very musical. We could use some angels among us, but no one complains.
I asked Fr. Tom about the reaction to the changes in the English Language of the Liturgy. He has not heard any negative comments at all. He smiled and suggested perhaps we should change the wording of the Liturgy every five years or so in order to keep everyone on their listening toes. This Holy Day was a holy day.

Catching Up

I am in two minds:
a. Just jump in where I am and skip the six or so essay ideas I have had in mind over the past few weeks.
b. Write them anyway and post them as if they were entered on time.
If I choose a. does that make me a failure for not writing as I hoped to do when I started this blog?
If I choose b. does that make me a perfectionist? Will those ideas and comments be lost in tracking the trek of Catholic living?
I think that I would be happier with myself if I took those ideas and ran (wrote) with them.
And being happy with myself is a valid reason to do (or not do) anything.