Saints and Scripture Sunday

You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and the first commandment.  The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  - Matthew 22:37-39

Good words for World Mission Sunday.  The perfect summary of the Law and prophets is the perfect message for a day like today, when we are reminded of the outward works of the Church.  And a perfect reminder that "missions" aren't just the efforts of braver folks than me who go off to far away places in Asia and Africa. 

While we were traveling earlier this month we visited the St. Katharine Drexel Mission Center and National Shrine.  We do that a lot, plan trips to shrines into our trips.  Or plan trips around shrines to visit.  Have I mentioned we're nerds like that?  :)  Last time we were down we went to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, PA.  Twice.  It really is gorgeous.  But we didn't get to see St. Katharine's shrine.  So we fixed that. 

And what a lady!  Katharine Drexel was born into wealth and gave it all up for the religious life.  Serious wealth.  When he father died she and her two sisters inherited the interest on his estate - estimated at $1,000 a day.  In 1885.  Really serious wealth.  She felt called to religious life and wanted to join a contemplative order but instead was asked to found a congregation to minister to Native and African Americans - the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.  They established many ministries for the poor, most notably building schools and teaching. 

We certainly aren't all blessed with the resources of Mother Katharine.  We aren't all called to be missionaries in Africa or work in Cambodia with the Peace Corp; those are amazing people with amazing gifts and are few and far between.  But we do all have the ability to treat others the way we wish to be treated.  Our missions can be as close as our homes, bringing the love of God to our families and friends and remembering that all we have is a gift. 

The active life to be productive must have contemplation.  When it (contemplation) gets to a certain height it overflows to active life and gets help and strength from the heart of God.  This is the way the saints produced so much fruit, and we're all called to be saints."   -St. Katharine Drexel

Saints and Scripture

He who confers benefits will be amply enriched,
and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
     -Proverbs 11:25

It's interesting what things will jump out at us when we come across them.  Personally, this is one tired Mama so it's probably no wonder that finding a promise to be refreshed caught my attention.  I could use some refreshing.  But there's the other side of it too and I need to be sure of keeping up my end of the deal.  Am I refreshing others?  What a weird thing to ask. 

But the longer I sit here thinking about it the more sense it makes.  How can I be that moment of peace for those around me?  Can I make the day more restful for others?  What would it take to refresh my family?  Oy, most days that seems like a tall order.  Everything around me seems to take off and just run on its own momentum and it's hard to step out of it all for a moment. 

Take Mass yesterday - the boys were in hyper active hyper drive and literally climbing the pews.  At the Kiss of Peace I bent down to give Bigger a smooch and he clocked me in the jaw with his head.  Sorry, there was no peace being wished from me, I was too busying keeping from crying.  There are few things more painful than a head to the jaw... head to the ear is about the only thing I can think of that tops it.  Sadly I can speak from experience.  Then as I pulled the second boy back over the pew in front of us, after he had slithered under and popped up following the example of his big brother, and was again fighting tears of frustration I was stopped so short it was amazing.  What song began being played on the organ, meaningful enough to instantly calm a tired, frustrated, irritated Mama?  Oh yes, thank you, Holy Spirit it was "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace."  I should tatttoo it on my arm or something. 

My point seems to be that I am pretty lousy at making myself step back.  I really do not want life to pass me by while I'm busying making other plans but isn't that what happens?  A chorus of "if only"s or  "once"s - "once the baby is sleeping better..."  "if only we had a yard..."  "someday when they're bigger..." 

But maybe in finding ways to be that oasis for those around me I will discover my own peace, since I can't be peaceful for them when I'm freaking out.  Maybe it's one of those "which came first" questions.  Maybe St. Francis is trying to teach me to stop and smell the roses.  Maybe I should listen. 

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 darkness, light. 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.
   -Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi

Saints and Scripture Sunday

Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another. 
      -Romans 15:19

I started this blog with the intention of finding peace.  A little spot to remember the good, to focus on the joyful, to hold onto the important.  So many days that gets away from me.  I want to live a peaceful, intentional life where what I do matters and so many days it seems all I can do to keep my head above the water.  I suppose that's just part of the package deal of being Mama to little ones. 

Little ones who do things like stick utensils in fans.  Give their Mama a heart attack, these little ones do. 

But my bellowing about utensils in fans (because you bet I bellowed, scared the bejezzus out of me that did) doesn't bring any peace to my life.  Before you ask, yes I took the fan away so there will be nothing else stuck into it.   And to set your minds at ease it was one of those tall tower fans not a typical spinning blades fan.  But still scary as all get out.  So what am I to do to increase the peace?

Today at Mass we sang one of my absolute all time favorite hymns.  "Make Me A Channel of Your Peace."  How did they know I would need that one today?  :)  I'd like to give a big shout-out to the Holy Spirit for looking out for me. 

So I suppose my little piece of peace is something that I need to chase down.  I suppose I have to just keep relearning that.  It isn't a passive gift that will just land in my lap and I'll be a calmer, more joyful Mama.  I need to perservere in my patience and persue my peace. 

I did a quick seach on YouTube to find a good video because maybe you could use some peace too.  And because it has been running through my head all day.  And because the Spirit is making sure I have learned this lesson, I came across this quote from Mother Teresa tonight while reading.  Her feast day is tomorrow (September 5.) 

Peace begins with a smile.
     -Blessed Mother Teresa

Saint and Scripture Sunday

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 
    -Philippians 4:13

I haven't had much chance to write lately thanks to vacation and now a project I have been contemplating.  And true to the way my world works this week I have found myself tripping over what I can only think are reassurances. 

Last week I was presented with a possibility.  No, I'm not gonna tell what it is but I will say that I am totally excited by the prospect.  I am also so anxious about it that my stomach is in knots.  I vacillate between thinking up ideas and thinking there is no possible way I could actually pull this off.  Thankfully I don't have to worry about pulling anything off yet and have come to the (logical) conclusion that for now all I can do is this mostly small project and pray.  Which brings me to those reassurances.

Every time I turn around it seems I am getting answers to those prayers.  Not about if this project is going anywhere or if it is wasting time, that would be too easy.  But simply that I should be doing it.  Joel Osteen's program last Sunday night was (surprise, surprise) about God wanting to bless us and all we need to do is ask.  (Yes, we watch Joel every Sunday night, there isn't much else on at that hour and its an amusing and uplifting program.  We actually look forward to it each week.)  In his homily this morning, Father commented on the sacrifice involved in being active in our lives as Christians rather than sitting on the sidelines.  I'm sure there was much more to it but with squirmy ones in the pew I'm feeling lucky I got anything out of the homily - usually I'm reading to one or the other of the boys ;-)  This weekend is also the feasts of St. Monica and St. Augustine  - the poster pair for persistent and answered prayer. 

This whole post might seems like a meandering bunch of nothing after those random thoughts.  But if you've made i this far and you're not one of the three people who know my top secret project congratulations for making it through this and there is a point.  The answers to my prayers are a combination of "let go and let God" and the old joke that you have to buy a ticket to win the lotto.  And that if this mystery project does come through that it isn't about me but about the Spirit moving and all that jazziness.  So I am attempting to worry about tomorrow tomorrow and just enjoy the challenge of this project.  And I'm trying to remember that while success would mean an even bigger challenge, like the ginormous gargantuan kind, that there is plenty of help available both in people and in intercession. 

I have the strength for everything through Him who empowers me.
   -Philippians 4:13

Saints and Scripture Sunday

Let the little children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.
  -Matthew 19:14

Taking the boys to Mass is one heck of an endeavor.  It involves snacks, crayons, books, toys, milk, lollipops, and a boat load of humor and patience.  And the patience we need is both the "wait and it will come" and the "keep on slogging along" kinds.  An hour is a really, really long time for two active boys to be cooped up in a pew.  Even with all the earlier mentioned goodies. 

We are very lucky in our parish.  Most of the people we sit near take great delight in watching the antics taking place in our pew.  Father knew our Bigger as "the runner" for a while because he loved nothing more than to take off running down the center aisle.  He never made it to the altar but I doubt anyone would have minded much if he did.  My philosophy was to let him go, I wasn't going to create more of a scene by chasing after him.  And when he always stopped and waited for me to catch up I would squat down next to him and quietly have a little chat about something that was going on before walking back up the aisle.  I can count on one hand the number of times we've been given the stink eye for the boys' behavior. 

Only once has it been pointed out to me that there is a cry room at the back of the church. 

For a while we made use of it.  But it has gotten to the point where being back there is just giving them licence  to run wild.  It's worse if there are other children there too - then they all just feed into each other's craziness.  So we made the decision to rejoin the general population.  We do our best to keep them quiet and entertained during Mass, hence the arsenal of goodies - crayons and paper during the readings, snack during the homily, a cup of milk after that, and lollipops after Communion if they've been relitively well behaved.  And of course the old stand by of taking them out if they get too rowdy.  It's a fact that the boys have spent many a consecration in the bathroom. 

For me this is where the keep on chugging and keep on bringing them part of patience comes in.  How else will they get used to it?  As they get older they'll be up to more and more and in the meantime we try to be realistic about to expect.  And yes, sometimes they do "play" with their rosaries in church.  And no, they are not blessed.  But they love them and it keeps them from breaking Mama's.  Well, that's the theory anyway, Mama's still got broken this spring and needs someone with better tools than we have to repair it. 

What else can we do?  Anyone know a patron saint of keeping kids quiet at church?  ;-) 

And saint-related, I came across this site this weekend - Saints.SQPN.com.  Their tag line is "notes about your extended family in heaven" which I just love.  It seems to be a great collection of info, indexes (indices?) and picture galleries.  I think I will be having some fun playing around there this week :) 
(It didn't have anything listed for quiet in church, I did check for that.  I suppose I should start with St. Nicholas, patron of children and boys among other things.)

Saints and Scripture Sunday

By your patience you will win your souls.
   -Luke 21:19

Tonight I opened up our copy of the good old Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis DeSales.  Straight to the section on patience.  Ok, ok, I'm listening.  I'm a mama of two small, active, curious monkeys  boys.  We live in a small apartment.  Currently we have no A/C and it is 84* in the living room and 91* on the porch.  I am covered in mosquito bites from an attempt at camping.  I haven't slept through the night in months.  The touchpad mouse keeps messing with the sizing of the screen while I'm typing.  Patience is something that I will admit I struggle with. 

Francis is most definitely of the "offer it up" philosophy.  Me, not so much.  But it would appear that the Spirit is trying to tell me something.  There are things in life that there really isn't much we can do about.  Two and three year old boys will jump on the couch any chance they get, not to mention anything else they can climb on.  The job market is slow and some job fields are just small.  Some children do not understand the value of sleep. 

I found it really, really interesting in looking at other translations of Luke 21:19 that patience is also translated as "perseverance."  I don't know, I just don't really put the two as having that much in common.  But I suppose they are.  Think of those things that there's nothing to do for but offer it up.  Muddle through.  Just keep swimming.  That, as Dorie teaches Marlin, is persevering. 

So I guess what I'm figuring out is that patience is active.  It isn't a passive sitting back and just letting it be.  It's going to take some effort to develop the calm that I associate with patience.  And it's going to take some work to just keep swimming through my days and offer it up as a "service to our Lord."

"But be of good heart for these sorrows will pass and everlasting joy will remain with you."  -Francis DeSales

Saints and Scripture Sunday

In my random blog hopping I came across The Kennedy Adventures where Dianna posts on Sundays about Scripture and saints.  It's really nice food for thought.  And this week I came across a quote that I really liked and wanted to remember so it's a perfect match for me today :)

Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.
     1 Cor 1:11

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
     Gal 2:20

Scott Hahn uses these two and many other great quotes both from Scripture and the early saints in explaining the biblical history of asking for the saints' intercession in his book Signs of Life.  These two really stuck me because man are they something I need to work on and also because our "worship" of saints is a major sticking point for many.  It's understandable - altars? medals? prayers? feasts?  It does look wonky from the outside. 

But taken with these two Scriptures it makes a little more sense.  The saints are people who we can look to as examples; they are holy ones whose lives should lead us to Christ.  And in doing that make us holy by our imitating Christ.  That's where I fall down.  How often do I forget to be Christ for others?  Way more often than I care to admit.  At least I'm in good company.

Both Paul and Augustine (whose quotes I'm getting to, hang with me) are self-described big time sinners.  But they are also now two of the most admired early Christians, both for their conversions and changed lives and for their contributions to theology.  As bishop, Augustine often had to deal with heresies that cropped up and defended the devotion to the saints. 

 "It is true that Christians pay religious honor to the memory of the martyrs, both to excite us to imitate
   them and to gain a share in their merits and the assistance of their prayers.  Yet we do not build altars
   to any martyr, but to the God of martyrs, although it is to the memory of the martyrs.  No one presiding
   at the altar in the saints' burial place ever say, "We bring an offering to you, O Peter!" or "O Paul!" or
   "O Cyprian!"  the offering is made to God, who gave the crown of martyrdom, while it is in memory of
   those thus crowned." 

Personally, I read that with a "well, duh" tone to it.  But I grew up with the saints.  I'm real tight with a few and am developing relationships with others.  I will always remember my mom explaining prayers to saints as being the exact same as calling a friend to ask them to pray for us, just that these friends are a different kind of call away.  I suppose as Catholics we need to find ways in our admiration of the saints to be more clear in that distinction - admiration, not worship.  Because, after all, it's just us here who have trouble with the distinction.  The saints aren't foolish enough to take what isn't theirs: "For holy beings themselves, whether saints or angels, refuse to accept what they know to be due to God alone."  -Augustine of Hippo