A Shower of Roses

I am a long time member of The Light Weigh, a spiritual weight loss and spiritual growth program. During part of our 12 week sessions we pray a novena to St. Therese of Liseaux. The copy of the novena that is provided to us includes a request for Therese to show us roses each day as a sign she is listening to us. I have seen roses in gardens, in bouquets, and on glassware, but the best was yesterday's manifestation. Late in the evening my husband was decorating a tree and I was wrapping up St. Nicholas gifts to send  to the post office. We had an Elvis Christmas CD on the player and I heard him singing a song about Roses. The chorus repeated that word over and over and that was how it got my attention. St. Therese and Elvis! What a duet!

Offering Up Joys

If our sacrifices captivate Jesus, so do our joys; but our happiness must not be self-centered. We must offer to our Spouse the little joys that He sows along the way of life in order to take our hearts and lift them up to Himself--St. Therese of the Child Jesus.
This was the devotional reading for December 2. As a cradle Catholic I have long memories of 'offering it up' reinforced by grade and high school nuns and members of my family. But I only remember offerings of sacrifice usually wrapped in begrudging reluctance. This concept of offering joy is a gift to me. Yesterday I was walking the dog and heard a flock of birds in the sky. They were flying high and I did not recognize the call. They were white and could have been snow geese or even swans flying fast with the rays of dawn reflected on their breasts. I have never seen this in real-life before. I am sure I was standing with my mouth open gazing at the heavens. This is a gift of Great Joy I offer to my God.

'At least listen to my words...'

My job title is Information Specialist. People call and I answer their questions or direct them to others . My coworker received a call yesterday. I could tell from his side of the conversation that he was trying to answer the person on the other end of the line but was repeatedly interrupted. He kept trying to answer, but from experience we knew that the answer wasn't the one wanted and therefore it wasn't being heard. I need to pay attention to how I approach the answers I receive from my prayers and conversation with God .

A New Liturgical Year

St. Faustina encouraged the companionship of the saints. For the past several years I have offered the choice from a sack full of saints names to my Carmelite friends and Mass companions. This year St. Frances Cabrini will walk the Liturgical year with me. I spent a little time reading about her life. I found pictures of her in-corrupt body on some web sites. She was a Sister of the Sacred Heart. Perhaps her intercession will bring me closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus this year. Or she may have other plans. I purchased a little medal of her at my Catholic book store and attached it to my scapular. It was difficult for me to 'retire' the Padre Pio medal I wore for the past year. There is much to read and study about that saint. A 365 type book of his writings kept him close to me everyday. I will have to work a little harder to keep St. Frances Cabrini in mind. This will not hurt me.
This year's Bible Verse is from Job 21:2-3. At least listen to my words, and let that be the consolation you offer. Bear with me while I speak.
I hung my Advent Wreath on my front house wall. Last year a priest suggested we bring Advent to our exterior home decorating. I decorated a large wreath in blue and pink and white flowers and ribbons, and added plastic Christmas bulbs that looked like candle flames.No one commented; but I knew what the decoration meant.
I have changed indoor Advent wreaths this year. I bought a wreath base that included statues of the nativity characters. And I added a larger greenery wreath to circle it. The figures looked better in the catalog than in real life, but they look more Catholic on my table than just greenery and candles. They are growing on me. I add paper stars each evening on which I have written the names of someone I wish to remember and pray for this season.
I have challenged my prayer group to consider themselves a nativity character for the Advent season. Last year I chose 'king.' I read a wonderful book called The Revelation of the Magi. The writer suggested there were really twelve kings and he named them. My nativity characters walked with me all year long! This year I chose 'camel.' I was not happy. About all I know of camels is that they spit. Again, I researched more about them and found the root word of camel is 'beauty'. Ah, now that is something to consider for the month of December: How I can be beauty for the Christ Child. Or how He can see beauty in me.

Lectio Third Sunday of Easter

During Lectio on Sunday my verse of choice/work was ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over. ‘—Luke 24

I could not help thinking about Evening Prayer and reading this verse as a call to make time for it. I have a hard time after work trying to leave the office and dynamics behind. I am hungry and I have a rush hour kind of drive ahead of me (how tough is that in FW?) and I have a dog that is inconsistent in housebreaking and I never know what will be there when I come home. I have my book of Christian Prayer in the car. There have been peaceful times when I can use the bridge I walk to my car as a passage from work to the time before I am home. I look over the river where I park and say my evening psalms sometimes well and sometimes in rote and sometimes in the middle of rush hour as I stop and start my way home.  This verse, ‘it is nearly evening’, can be literal, it can be for my age in years, it can be for my working life or for about anything. But today it is a comfort that it is a Scripture I can pray and they are words that Jesus heard and answered in the affirmative. He did stay with the disciples, even if only through a meal.

Rosary of the Week

When I attend the Holy
Family Retreat at Notre Dame in August, the Holy Cross organizers always give the participants a rosary.  This is one I received at my second retreat. It has the Holy Cross symbol in the center piece. On the reverse is printed,"the family that prays together, stays together." The crucifix is modeled after the one used by Blessed Pope John Paul II. As he will be beatified this next Sunday it will be a good reminder to pray for him and the people attending the ceremony .

Dancing like the Daffodils

As a member of the Third Order of Carmel I have had certain responsibilities. The latest was to get to our regional Catholic newspaper information about our group in anticipation of expanding our holy numbers. I just received a call from a guy who read about our article in the paper and wants to meet with us! I am dancing! I have prayed about evangelization as one of my Resolutions for the year. I pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life, especially for Carmel, when I pray each third mystery of the rosary. ( Mother Teresa taught me this rosary prayer idea) And today I received a call and, Oh, I have dragged my feet about the article and have felt so uninspired in putting it together and agitated about my responsibility. But I did it anyway.and today a response! I realize that this is just the beginning, that we have to shoulder the responsibility for being the face and hands of Christ in Carmel, but still, I feel my prayers have been acknowledged. And I am most grateful.