Praying on pilgrimage

2691 The church, the house of God, is the proper place for the liturgical prayer of the parish community. It is also the privileged place for adoration of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. The choice of a favorable place is not a matter of indifference for true prayer. 

- For personal prayer, this can be a "prayer corner" with the Sacred Scriptures and icons, in order to be there, in secret, before our Father. In a Christian family, this kind of little oratory fosters prayer in common. 

- In regions where monasteries exist, the vocation of these communities is to further the participation of the faithful in the Liturgy of the Hours and to provide necessary solitude for more intense personal prayer.

- Pilgrimages evoke our earthly journey toward heaven and are traditionally very special occasions for renewal in prayer. For pilgrims seeking living water, shrines are special places for living the forms of Christian prayer "in Church."  Catechism of the Catholic Church

It was very easy to pray here.  

Lenten thots

Our Lenten journey 2015 began well.  This year my 12 year old and I created a water color "path" of sorts for us to follow through the 40 days.  

We are using a cut and dyed slice of Agate to mark the place where we are trotting.

Every three or four days I am changing up our chalkboard message.  We began with this one.  

I slipped away for many talks at a local monastery.  I specifically am continuing to dwell on hearing the voice of the Shepherd.  The retreat master said that Abraham was given only on word... "go".  I'm finding silence in my life to ponder what word God is giving me in this time of my life.  

The retreat master also said that Lent requires my distance from freedom and spontaneous desires (that's fasting), my making a sanctuary in my soul for God (that's prayer), and resisting the desire to possess anything (that's almsgiving).  

I adorned the front door, back door and mailbox with purple bows of the sort.  I'm hoping people know liturgical colors and my choice for these random fluffy things...And they look great covered in snow!  

It was sad to take down all the beautiful decorations we like in the house, but a simple Lenten meals for me starkness helps to clear the mind.

We pray the stations of the cross and the rosary together as a "school".  I appreciated the sorrowful mysteries this week and the reflections written by the priest, Fr. Philippe.

I'm happy to report that we are keeping a more consistent than ever evening prayer time.  It's been tricky with kids who have various schedules and daddies who work late and babies who sleep early and toddlers who create a ruckus....but finally we are praying compline with some beautiful regularity.  And reading a chapter book aloud.  AND hearing a little Catechism each night.  

{fingers crossed for habits that stick}

And our Lenten words continue...

Lent comes again...

This year will be the year in which Lent is looked square in the eye.  It's the year in which I'll be prepared by being empty.  It's the year I won't make grandiose plans to achieve my goals.  It's about time I let God do his work by getting out of the way.

In the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Levels 2 and 3 we talk about the "blank page" of today and tomorrow that God has in his Plan for us.   We are given the freedom to join Him in his plan.  We are also given the freedom to do it our own way.

So, yes, it's good to know how you might want to join God in his work this Lent, but it's also okay to just rest in his blank page.  Let's begin with a contrite heart asking for God's and those whom we have offended for forgiveness this weekend.

Forgiveness Vespers


Posts from the Past:
Prayer during Lent
Alms during Lent
Fasting during Lent

Living in Christ

There's been quite a bit of new life in Christ this week.

I went to a visitation.

I went to a birth.

I visited a friend going through chemotherapy.  

I hear news of changes in my family.

These things bring perspective to what I think is a slow life.  I'm young.

I spend my days wiping cute little rear ends, discussing chicken behaviors, watering the dry lilac in the front yard and other mundane things.  But these are so fleeting.

I'm exhausted.  I'm exhilarated.  This life is pulling on me.  Pushing me.  

How can I slow down and savor the trials that have been given to me?

How to acknowledge, to feel the pain of what others go through?  

Am I giving myself enough space to be quiet?  To hear God's voice in these sad and happy events?  

I'm praying for pause.  For silence in the chaos.  Of a space to recognize God in these moments.

  

Do you find the trials of life as a gift of the life of Christ among you?  

Passover

He was fascinated with his freedom to have a "wine cup".  

We visited a local parish again this year to celebrate the Passover meal through the eyes of a Catholic.  

The local Knights of Columbus has been putting this on for nearly 10 years.  

It's not quite the same as when we have visited the local Jewish community.  Or the Messianic Jewish Passover meal, but very nice to do. 

And very low key.  The pastor does much of the reading.  

And we do the traditional lighting of the candles by the mothers of each family.

The booklets help us all follow along.  

The kid wine makes everyone happy.

Sharing the matzo bread.  

And yes.  That wine cup was the highlight this year.  

Celebrating the Double Canonization...

and learning about Popes is our focus for Bright Week.

With two Popes being Canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday, we are doing some extra studying.
Are you doing extra learning with your kids?  Here are some simple things we will do:

What is Canonization?

Pope John XXIII (the Good)
Learn to say "Good Pope" in Italian.  il Papa buono.
Learn his given name.  Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli
Count to 14.  He was #4 out of 14 kids.
Find Lombardy province, Italy on the map.
Eat spaghetti.
Watch the movie Tree of wooden clogs to facilitate discussion about sharecroppers.
Read a book about trains and how you can buy a one way or return ticket.
Talk about the Second Vatican Council.  (1962-1965)  Add this to our Century books.
Copywork quote  'We were all made in God's image, and thus, we are all Godly alike.
Talk about World War I.
Memorize his motto: Obedientia et Pax ("Obedience and Peace")
Find the places he was Papal Nuncio on the map.  Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, France.
Talk about Jewish persecution during 1935+ compared to now.  Visit the local synagogue.  Celebrate a passover meal.
Read Gaudat Mater Ecclasia, opening statements from Vatican II.
Watch some of the videos from his pontificate and talk about the "Speech of the Moon".
Visit the altar of St. Jerome in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy.
Find your stomach.  Talk about digestive system. Learn about stomach cancer

Pope John Paul (the Great)
Look at photo albums of the personal times we saw him.
Learn his given name.  Karol Józef Wojtyła
Find Poland on the map.
Watch the movie Karol.  (sensitive for young children)
Talk about World Youth Days. Find Denver, CO on the map for his 1993 visit.
Talk about Parkinsons Disease
Memorize his motto: Totus Tuus. ("All Yours")
Find the places he visited.  (the whole world!)
Talk about papal letters and read parts of an encyclical. (He wrote fourteen.) I personally will read parts of Veritatis Splendor.
Copywork Quote: "Do not abandon yourselves to despair.  We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song."  other quotes here.

Lamb of God, 

You take away

the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

Lamb of God

You take away

the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, 

You take away 

the sins of the world, 

Grant us peace.  

Perks of living in the country...your neighbors let you know the second a lamb is born and you drop your school work and go to see the triplets that have just been "dropped".   Then you return when they are three days old to touch them.  

We adore you, eternal word,
Living word of the Father.
Radiance of his substance,
dwelling forever near him.
Timeless Creator.
Inexhaustible Bread of Angels.

We adore you, though we see you not.
We believe because of your word.
Our eyes see only bread,
But our Faith discerns your body,
your soul. and your divinity
that we shall see in Your light.

Amen.  Alleluia.

Sisters of Community of St John song

A house blessing

There's nothing magical about comitting your house for God's use.  Choosing to have a house be a blessing to others is a yearly commitment we make at Epiphany.

But then we moved!

So after we moved we asked our priest to come and help us bless this house for God's use.

Here are the photos (long overdue!) from the blessing in July.

May God take this little abode and turn it into a blessing for others.  

(and thanks to a God mother who took all these photos!)