First Lenten Read

The first book in my list of Lenten reading was 7 Secrets of the Eucharist by Vinny Flynn. This little, easy-to-read book was a great way to start off my Lenten experience this year! Let me say right up front, I highly recommend this book. If you haven't read it, you should.

This book is full of wonderful insights, incredible quotes from Scripture, the Saints, and the Catechism, as well as a beautifully simple way of describing deep theological issues. I found myself underlining, starring, and even circling all sorts of interesting phrases, sentences ... heck, I'll admit it, even whole paragraphs! I couldn't help but to take some extensive notes on the occasional empty page between chapters.

In this little book, Mr. Flynn aims to present the Eucharist in a very real way. He wants to share with his readers insights into the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist that may be new to you or may be presented in a way you've never thought of before. Even though he calls these "Secrets" he admits right from the start that there is nothing secret about any of this. Even so, some of these secrets may seem like new information. He also says that there are not just seven of these. He could easily continue writing more and more about the Eucharist. Maybe we'll see more books on this topic from Mr. Flynn? I for one, would be delighted to read more.

Since the secrets discussed in this book are not actually secrets, here they are as a taste of what you will find discussed in this little tome: the Eucharist is alive; Christ is not alone; there is only one Mass; not just one miracle; we don't just receive; every reception is different; and there's no limit.

Lots to think about there. The Eucharist is alive? Well, okay, that may be an easy one but the insights here are great! Christ not alone? Who is with him? Read and find out! Only one Mass? What does that mean? There are masses every day in churches all around the world, what does it mean that there is only one? Not just one miracle? Also an interesting thought to ponder. And it goes on and on. Does that peak your interest?? I hope so.

Each of the seven chapters takes each of the above listed "secrets" and explores their meaning more deeply. He pulls quotes from St. Faustina's Diary, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and others to start each chapter. The style of writing is best described as friendly, which I found wonderful for a topic that could easily get bogged down in theological discourse. Yet he still manages to delve into theological matters without you even realizing it!

I drank in the information of this book. The hardest chapter for me was the seventh secret, there's no limit. This chapter is not about being able to receive the Eucharist as many times as you want in a day. We are blessed with the ability to receive every day if we choose, and I gathered from the discussion that there is a limit of being able to receive twice a day. But what he is really describing in this chapter is the ability to receive the Eucharist spiritually. The idea of a Spiritual Communion was a new one for me. It took me until near the end of the chapter before it started to click. I think this was evident by the lack of notes I was taking for the first half of that chapter.

What I especially liked about this seventh chapter was that it held a great little treasure in it that is perfect for Lent. As we struggle with certain temptations during this Lenten season we can turn to Christ in the Eucharist to gather strength and even if you are not physically able to receive Him or even physically in front of Him (such as at an Adoration Chapel) you can still make a Spiritual Communion. Want to understand this more?? I recommend reading the book.

I think this book makes excellent Lenten reading, but I would also recommend it for any other time as well. In particular, if you know someone who will be entering the church this Easter and will receive Christ in the Eucharist for the first time during the Easter Vigil Mass, I encourage you to give him or her a copy of this book to read before they take that step. It will open their hearts and minds even more to the great mysteries and blessings of the Eucharist and will make their hunger for that union with Christ which can only be experienced in the Eucharist even more intense. I can't think of a better gift than that!

One week into Lent

We are one week into Lent. How are you doing on your Lenten promises? I'm struggling a bit with one of mine, but mostly doing okay.

My reading was going great at the beginning. I actually have finished one book already, I just haven't had a chance to write up a review/summary of it. Look for that to come soon (I hope!). I have my second book ready to go, but haven't started it yet. It's been a very busy week!!

I have successfully stayed away from all Facebook games since Lent started. Even though my husband finally managed to beat my high score in one of them, I have not played! It's hard at times, but I'm working through it.

Finally, the no snacking on Fridays was a bit difficult last week. I made it all day until later that night long after dinner. I ended up having one brownie. They had been there all week and there were only two left ... calling my name! So that was unsuccessful, but hopefully we'll do better this Friday. Maybe I'll just go to bed earlier!

A review of my first Lenten read will be coming soon! Snow today has cancelled Bible Study for tonight, so maybe I'll have a chance to write that review. Stay tuned!

Lent is here!!

Your time has run out! Lent is here! What are you doing this year for Lent?

Are you giving something up that you will spend the next 40 days craving?? Do you think depriving yourself of something you really want is going to help your relationship with Christ grow?

Are you giving something up like a bad habit (smoking) or something you know you need to do less of (playing games, watching TV)? Will doing this make you a grumpy person? Will you go back to that habit or thing when Lent is over? Will this help you grow closer to the Holy Trinity?

Are you trying to add a spiritual exercise into your day that you do not currently do? Will doing so make you more stressed out because you have to find the time or will it bring some quiet time into your daily life? Will you fret over it if you forget one day? Will doing this bring you closer to God or just become something to check off your to-do list?

Whatever any of us does for Lent, the real question is, will it lead to improving or intensifying our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ? At this point you've probably already decided what it is you're giving up or doing different. Now think about whether or not it will be an aid for improving your relationship with Jesus.

I've been struggling with this the last week or so. I've done all sorts of things in the past. Gave up TV one year (which really was great!), gave up chocolate another year (which did make me anxious about Easter, but was a worthy sacrifice), and last year I said a Divine Mercy Chaplet every day (well, most days, weekends were hardest, during the week it was on my calendar at work so it was hard to forget). But this year, I really want to do something that will help me grow spiritually.

Two things occurred to me. First, I could read a designated section or two of the Catechism. Second, I could compile a list of books to read between now and Easter and actually read them.

Both have their pluses. But also minuses!

The biggest minus: will I be simply trying to read these things just to get through them and not really benefiting from them at all? Will it become a chore?

I didn't want whatever I did to become a chore. I want to actually benefit from this. That's the whole point of Lent, right? We appreciate the celebration of the Resurrection at Easter time so much more when we learn what a sacrifice is during the penitential season of Lent. Otherwise, Easter is just another holiday. And we all know that is absolutely NOT true. Easter is the most important holiday we celebrate as Christians!!

So my decision this Lent was to do three things. First, I am giving up playing games on Facebook. That sounds kind of silly, but I do waste a lot of time doing that. I know I will benefit from not playing those games (not that they're "bad" games, just time wasters) and I will be a more productive person and will have more time for more important things. Second I am going to refrain from any snacking on Fridays. I'll eat three normal, meat-free meals, but no snacks on those days.

Third and finally, I will be reading six books, all spiritual reading in some fashion, during the six weeks of Lent. And, to be sure that I actually get something out of these books and I'm not just reading them to get through them, I will be posting on my blog about each one as I finish it. Hopefully this will help keep me somewhat accountable.

Here is my list of Lenten books to read:

1. 7 Secrets of the Eucharist by Vinny Flynn. I bought this one this summer when Chris and I were in Stockbridge, MA at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy. I started this on Monday and I'm already enjoying it!! Stay tuned for a review soon.
   
2. Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton. I've started this book a few times and for whatever reason, have never gotten very far. I always end up putting it down at some point and not picking it up again. This is a book that I know needs more focused time. Chris read it a while back and told me I had to read it. So I'm finally going to.
   
3. Saved in Hope / Spe Salvi encyclical letter of Benedict XVI. This was Benedict's second encyclical, issued, I believe, in 2007. Haven't read it at all, but I have a hard copy and I'm finally going to get to it.
   
4. Charity in Truth / Caritas in Veritate encyclical letter of Benedict XVI. This was his third encyclical letter, issued only last year. I don't think he's issued one since, so once I finish this one (and the one above) I should be caught up in reading all of his encyclicals since he became Pope.
   
5. The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri Nouwen. I first heard about this book, and this author, this past summer. So many people mentioned him and mentioned how great this book was, and others, that I finally went out and got it. Hopefully, I'll also be able to read it this Lent.
   
6. The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila. St. Teresa lived in the 16th century, was a nun, and a great mystic. She is now also a doctor of the church. This book is about prayer. Very much looking forward to delving into this.
   

So that's my list and probably the order I will read them in as well. It's a big undertaking, but I feel up to the task. And if I don't finish them all, that's okay. I am going to let God be my guide and if I need to take more time with any one particular book, so be it.

I am looking forward to this Lent. How about you?

Second Book of 2010 Complete

I just finished an excellent book called The Privilege of Being a Woman by Alice von Hildebrand. This was my first time reading something by Mrs. von Hildebrand, though I've wanted to for ages and ages. When I first heard of her I was exploring the Catholic Church, was semi-back, but still trying to figure some things out. I considered myself a feminist and started looking for Catholics who shared my views. She was one of the authors I put on a list to check out. But I never really had the time, which I now see was probably a good thing.

I think if I had read this book back then I would not have appreciated it like I did reading it now. But maybe that's not totally true, it's possible it would have opened my eyes to the beauty of real femininity much earlier than it actually took.

This book is of a more scholarly nature than many of the spiritual books I tend to read. So this was a good fit for me, since I've always enjoyed a good scholarly argument. Just a warning to anyone out there who might want to read it, this is not light reading.

It took me a while to get into the book, but I don't blame that on the author, I blame it on myself. I read most of this book during my early morning adoration hour, thus giving it only about 20-30 minutes once a week. Not a great way to approach this book, small chunks didn't cut it.

You need time with this book. Time to really let it speak to you; time to really mull over the ideas; time to read the end notes and look up the Biblical passages she references (not that I did, but I should have); and time to reflect on what being a woman really means to you (or, for any men reading this, what you learn about the women in your life).

Mrs. von Hildebrand approaches this topic by first tackling the feminist view of women throughout history. Namely, that women have been denigrated and made to be the "weak" sex. But is this really true? As she says, "To plead their cause, feminist scholars have been efficient at unearthing nasty things that men have said or written about women" (p. 3). That's how you make your case, you pull out the things that support your argument and leave out the rest. Right? No, that's poor scholarship. She goes on to say, "Yet feminists carefully refrain from mentioning the beautiful statements that men have made throughout history such as ... Theodor Haecker claims that nature made woman more perfect than man because she is more inclined to love and to give herself" (p. 5-6). She also quotes the Bible, Chesterton, Dante, Kierkegaard, and others.

From this starting point of the feminist viewpoint, she moves into the realm of the supernatural and paganism. Very slowly throughout her discussion, she starts introducing the idea of woman as the life-bearer. It wasn't very obvious to me at first, it seemed to be subtle and grew as the book moved on. Especially as she moves from the realm of paganism into the spiritual and Christian world. Another passage I especially liked was this:

One this is certain: When the time has come, nothing which is man-made will subsist. One day, all human accomplishments will be reduced to a pile of ashes. but every single child to whom a woman has given birth will live forever, for he has been given an immortal soul made to God's image and likeness. In this light, the assertion of de Beauvoir that "women produce nothing" becomes particularly ludicrous. (p. 33)

Weakness is the next topic of discussion. She makes a very clear case for the idea of women being part of the "weak" sex as completely false. Talking about women as the "privileged" sex, she delves more deeply into Christian thought. But also, the "mystery" of womanhood. By the time I got to this part of the book, I wanted my husband to read it!! I already shared this Chesterton quote with him: "'Women speak to each other; men speak to the subject they are speaking about'" (p. 47).

I found the last several chapters of the book particularly good. Completely in the Christian world at this point the link between the high regard women hold in the Catholic Church because of the very nature of our beings is made very clear. She does this with an exploration of what feminine "feelings" really are and the mystery of the female body. This second part reminded me very much of Theology of the Body discussions, but in a completely new and incredible way. Speaking about God becoming man (the Incarnation) in Mary's womb she says, "That this event was wrapped in a deafening silence ... is profoundly meaningful. The world was forever changed, and no one knew about it except a humble Virgin. Secular events take place with a bang; God's mysteries are secret and hidden. This is why it was proper that this overwhelming event was buried in holy silence" (p. 83).

I found that last concept particularly profound: "holy silence". Have you ever thought about those nine months when Jesus was in Mary's womb? How she knew that she carried a very special gift, and no one else knew it (Joseph eventually did, but at first it was just her). How incredible! I can't even imagine!

Another great, thought-provoking statement: "During pregnancy, the mother-to-be actually carries two souls within herself: her own and the one of her baby" (p. 87).

This Theology of the Body type discussion leads seamlessly right into the final chapter about Mary. Mary is powerful in our world and a model for all women. Her fiat changed the world. As a result she holds a special place with God. She's the Queen Mother, the Mother of all the people of the Earth, the Mother of God. She holds such a high place that the Church recognizes her and her special role in a prayer said every day, millions of times, throughout the world. In this prayer we say "Blessed is the fruit of thy Womb, Jesus."

Does that Roman Catholic Church look down on women as the "weak" sex. No, absolutely not. I knew that before I started reading this book. This book confirmed that for me a hundred fold. I highly recommend checking it out. It is full of so many wonderful images and words, quotes from famous people, and an overall thesis, argument, and conclusion that is hard to beat! All packed into just over a hundred pages.

Things I've heard Recently

This past week I had the pleasure of hearing two great one-liners. It never ceases to amaze me that I never hear just one cool thing, it's always more than one. Maybe it's because I hear something interesting and it makes me more aware of what others around me are saying. Suddenly I hear great lines from all over the place! Great one-liners are meant to be shared, so here they are.

Last Monday I was at an event called Theology on Tap. It's a discussion geared toward Catholic young adults (though anyone is welcome) and held in a local bar one night a week for several weeks (about 6 usually). So the speaker last Monday was talking about conversion, specifically his story of conversion to the Catholic Church. At one point he was talking about the typical stumbling blocks for non-Catholic Christians who have an interest in learning more about the Church. He mentioned Mary, but he didn't feel that this was a stumbling block for him; he mentioned the Eucharist, but again didn't feel that this was a stumbling block for him; and he mentioned the authority of the Pope, which again he felt he came around to accepting that part of the Church fairly quickly. That's when he said this great one-liner:

"You can't have unity without authority."

I never thought about it like that before!! It was such a simple way of putting it. And it's so true. Christ left us ONE Church. He did not want 30 million churches (or however many it is) independent from each other. He did not want disagreements in beliefs to cause people to break away from a church they disagreed with in order to start a new church. Christ said to Peter: "upon this rock I will build my Church" (Mt 16:18-19). The "rock" was Peter (whose Aramaic name means rock), our first Pope, and the apostles were our first Bishops, who passed the Word of God on to those who followed them and so on down the line to today. In order for us to remain one Church we need that authority, someone in charge, someone to make the hard decisions, and that someone is the Pope and our Bishops.

We need Authority in order to be "ONE, holy, catholic, and apostolic church" (notice "catholic" is lower-case, meaning "universal" here). Such a nice succinct way of putting it: "you can't have unity without authority."

The second great one-liner of the week was something I heard on the radio. We were in the car going somewhere and listening to Catholic Answers Live, a nationally syndicated program from EWTN. Someone called in to ask a question about Eucharistic miracles. I don't remember the question so much but I remember one part of the answer:

"Eucharistic miracles are like the whipped cream on top of the faith."

Catholics should get that! Don't get it? Keep reading, I'll explain.

Catholics believe that during the consecration of the bread and wine during the Mass the substances of bread and wine do in fact become the body and blood of Christ. They are not mere symbols (as some Christians believe) nor are they still just bread and wine until you consume them (as some other Christians believe). In the Catholic Church they become the actual body and blood of Christ on the altar and remain that way. As a result, we treat it very carefully and we save any extras in a tabernacle to be used at a later time. This is the sacred body and blood of Christ himself.

Now you may ask, where does this belief some from?? That's easy! My favorite section of the Bible!! John chapter 6, the Bread of Life Discourse. In particular I point you to John 6:22-35. Here Jesus tells his followers that they must partake of the Bread of Life to have eternal life. Eternal life!! Wow, they say, how can we get some of this! And Jesus says, "I am the bread of life." Jesus explains this further in vs. 36-40. Then in vs. 41 the Jews grumble about this. If Jesus did not intend for them to actualy partake in Him as the Bread of Life, he had a chance here to explain that he was speaking symbolically. But he does not, so He explains it all again (John 6:43-51). Again the Jews quarrel about this, it is just too hard to understand! He can't possibly be talking about actually eating His body, can he? So Jesus explains once more in John 6:53-58, and He doesn't change His story. Finally, His disciples say to him, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" (John 6:60). I love how Jesus then says to them in vs. 61, "Does this shock you?" Yes, I'm sure it did, as it still shocks people today! He explains again in the following verses and He still does not change His story, He is not speaking symbolically. Finally, in John 6:66 we read, "As a result of this, many [of] his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him."

Wow!! It was such a hard concept that many disciples left him! They just couldn't follow that teaching. Now, if Jesus was actually speaking symbolically, I think he had several opportunities to explain himself, three according to my count, and he could have called those disciples that left Him back. But He did not. He intended for the bread and wine to indeed become His body and blood and for us to partake of His body and blood. How amazing that we have that in the Catholic Church!!

So there have been lots of Eucharistic miracles throughout the ages. I've heard stories of priests who started doubting that what they held in their hands was the Body of Christ only to have it turn into actual flesh. I've heard stories of consecrated hosts bleeding, several of those have been scientifically studied and proven to be human blood. The amazing thing about those miracles is that, for those that have been tested, they are always the same blood type and one that is very common among the people of the Middle East. (I forget what it is.) There are lots and lots of these miracles on record. I find it hard to not believe in the True Presence in the Eucharist when I read these stories.

Getting to the one-liner I heard: "Eucharistic miracles are like the whipped cream on top of the faith." This is such a great way of saying that belief in those miracles is fine, but the real miracle is the one Jesus gave us in the Eucharist. This is like icing on the cake, or whipped cream on a sundae. It's already good, great even, this is just a little something extra.

Two very cool one-liners about the Catholic faith this past week. I hope you enjoy them too. I'm going to keep my ears tuned for more great one-liners I can share.

Lenten experiences and more

A friend of mine is giving a talk about Lent to her church's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) group. So to prepare she decided to ask others a few questions and get their thoughts about Lent and then share them with the RCIA group. (RCIA, by the way, is the program you go through if you are becoming Catholic, or even coming back to the Church after a long hiatus and want to brush up on the Church's teachings.)

For those who don't know, Lent is a forty day penitential season in the Church year when members of Christ's Church here on earth make a sacrifice of some kind or add some sort of spiritual practice to our day that we do not normally do; in addition Catholics and Orthodox Christians also abstain from meat every Friday. During this time of year, you'll find Catholic and Orthodox churches offering more frequent times for receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, there are Lenten Missions, and often the Praying of the Stations of the Cross every Friday. The basis for this practice in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches is the Temptation in the Desert (Mt 4:1-2, Mk 1:12-13, and Lk 4:1-2). Lent starts this coming Wednesday, Feb. 17. We'll fast that day (two small meals, one regular size meal, only water, no snacks) and we'll go to Mass and receive ashes on our foreheads as a reminder that we came from ashes and will return to ashes. It's quite moving to be reminded of your mortal nature and dependence on God at this time every year! And from there, Lent starts and lasts until Holy Week (more on Holy Week at a later time!).

So now on to the discussion of my friend's questions about Lent:

1. Do you have a memorable Lenten experience?
I don't know that I could say that any Lent has ever been particularly memorable. I do remember things I've given up and how that was during that time. One that came to mind was the year I gave up TV. I allowed myself only a half hour a day that had to be news/weather and nothing else. I don't think I even watched any DVD movies either. The best part was that by not watching TV I had more time to read and I made sure to read spiritually based books (trash novels didn't seem appropriate). Once Lent was over, I continued not watching much TV for several months. It was really great!! Unfortunately, that is no longer the case!

2. What does Lent mean to you?
As a kid it was kind of a drudgery, as I got a little older it was mostly just a way to remind myself of my new year's resolutions (seemed a good time for it). Now, as an adult, having come back to the faith, it means a lot more, not even sure I can put it into words. I love the idea of sacrifice, and I know that nothing I could ever sacrifice can come close to Christ's sacrifice for us, which just makes the idea of giving up chocolate or TV or whatever seem so small. I also love that during the Mass we do not sing the Gloria and then when we get to Easter we have such an incredibly joyous Mass, with the Gloria and everything!! I also have a huge appreciation for Holy Week. I try to go to everything during Holy Week (Tenebre, which is done at the Cathedral, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday), it is the church at her best!

3. Why do you Love Lent?
I think I might have answered that above. But I can add that I love how the church seems to come together more. More people are at Daily Mass, there is always a Lenten Mission, Stations of the Cross every Friday, and people always make the time to come to reconciliation during Lent. It's like a family holiday where the whole church family finally shows up. That's really awesome!

4. How does Lent prepare you for Easter?
For me the highly penitential nature of Lent makes Easter so incredibly joyous! Also, by making some sort of regular sacrifice or adding some form of regular prayer to my day that I don't normally do, I think my mind is more focused and I'm more aware of Christ's presence by the time we get to Easter.

As for this year's sacrifice, I haven't yet decided. Only a few days to go, though!! Last year I added in saying the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day. That was a challenge on weekends, but pretty easy during the week day (I scheduled it on my calendar!). I think the year before that I gave up chocolate. This year I would like to do something that adds to my spiritual growth. I'm considering reading a specified section or two (or three??) of the Catechism, or maybe reading one spiritual book a week, which would be hard since it seems to take me weeks and weeks to read just one these days! Hopefully I'll decide soon.

I wish everyone a Lent full of thoughtful growth in your spiritual lives and sacrifices that make a difference in your understanding of God's gifts to you. What a wonderful gift Lent is as a preparation for the joyfulness of Easter when we celebrate the Resurrection! May Lent be good to you this year!

KY Pro-Life Bill

For those readers who live in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, there is a very important Bill that needs our support. Senate Bill 38 has been voted on and passed in our state Senate. It is currently sitting in committee in the House. It has passed the Senate in previous years but never makes it to a vote in the House. Let's urge our representatives to bring it to a vote this year!

Senate Bill 38 is also referred to as the Ultrasound Bill. Currently in KY, abortionists do have to inform a woman about the procedure, but can get away with pre-recorded messages or a simple phone call. In many of these cases, the woman doesn't have the ability to ask questions. This Bill would require an abortion doctor to actually be face-to-face with her and to show her an ultrasound of her preborn child. She doesn't have to view it, but the option has to be there. It has been shown in many states with similar laws that when women see the ultrasound they often choose not to have the abortion because they recognize that they are carrying a human person and not just a bundle of cells (which is what they are often told). Passage of this bill could potentially save many, many lives of preborn children in Kentucky.

Even those who call themselves Pro-Choice should support Senate Bill 38. If a woman is going to make a fully formed decision, she needs all the information in front of her, and no lies. This Bill would force abortionists to do just that. If those who are Pro-Choice do indeed believe that abortion should be rare, then legislation such as this is important for us ALL to support.

Even President Obama has said he is open to seeking common ground on the abortion issue. This would be one step in that direction.

How can you support?? It's easy! You can call the KY Legislature at 800-372-7181 and leave a message for your representatives to support Senate Bill 38. You don't even need to know who your particular representative is, they will take care of that.

Or, if you prefer not to use the phone like me, you can do what I did! Go to this website: Find Your Legislator and click the link to the KY State Board of Elections Voter Information Center. Once there type in the info it asks for and it will tell you what your district number is. Once you have that you can go to the Kentucky Legislature page and click on "Members by District" under House of Representatives. You can then find your District number and see who your representative is and email him or her directly. I actually emailed both my representative and my senator. My senator emailed me back within the hour and informed me that he had voted yes on this already.

Please support Senate Bill 38!! It's time to make sure that women understand that when they choose an abortion they are choosing to end a life. Contact your KY state representative today!

Resolutions One Month Later

One month into the new year and I'm making progress on at least one of my resolutions. Here's the update:

1. More regular blog posting: I can see from my blog archive that I had 6 posts in January. That's an average of more than one a week. So that's an improvement! It's only February, so still plenty of time to work on this resolution.

2. Daily Rosary: So far so good!! This is such a great accomplishment for us. We haven't missed a day since January 1st. The best part about it, is that for at least 20 minutes or so each night, we sit on the couch together and spend some time in prayer. No more how hectic our day is, those 20+ minutes have become sacred to me. I love leaning up against my sweet hubby and praying the Rosary together. Not only that, but we accomplished a novena and I've finally learned the St. Michael the Archangel prayer!

3. Read more: This is such a challenge for me. I've been concentrating this past month on just trying to read the Sunday paper and the magazines we get. I did read a quick fiction book the first few days of January and I have started a second (non-fiction) book, but that's about it. Keeping up with the magazines that come into my house is pretty hard at times, but that stack is slowly dwindling, at least for now!!

4. Healthier Lifestyle: This is the perpetual resolution. This year I have the added pressure of a family weight loss challenge, and there is $20 at stake!! But, I still only made it to the gym twice this past month (February is getting off to a much better start, already have two sessions in at the gym!), though we did take a walk one day when the weather was nice (amazing for January). In the food department I am starting to do better. I'm watching portions better, not eating sweets as much, and getting as much water and as many vegetables and some fruits in every day. The weight loss challenge started Nov. 30, but whatever weight I lost between then and Christmas I gained back by the time 2010 started, so I was pretty much back at square one. As far as I can tell I'm down about 3.5 lbs. Not great, but it's a start. 2 more lbs. and I'll be back to where I was before my last pregnancy, ten more after that to get back to where I was before the first pregnancy, and another ten to get to my wedding weight. It is doable, probably not between now and May, but a lot can happen between now and May as well, including a pregnancy!! Any prayers for that will be greatly appreciated!!

I hope I'll have good things to report on all fronts by the start of March.

Part of my weekend

My Saturday morning was spent with a wonderful group of ladies at a SHE support group meeting. We celebrated one year of this support ministry and had a guest speaker.

The guest speaker talked about her own struggles with having children and how she finally came to be the mother of five children. One biological, three from Guatemala, and one a domestic adoption. At 49 she has five kids ages 11 to 2. What an amazing story she had!!

We then celebrated! The group has been together for one year. It was started by a wonderful friend of mine and I have met some wonderful people through it. I had won a birthday cake back in November from a bakery in Paris, KY. I hadn't had a chance to actually use the gift certificate so offered to get a birthday cake for this group's one year anniversary.

Oh, and we also have a new logo!!

Check out the new logo, a picture of the cake, and a picture of the group at the blog Percolating Petals.

What Do You Do?

I rarely use my blog to talk about my work. And I don't intend to start. However, I was reflecting on something today that did involve work so I am going to let my work seep into this post. I promise I will not start a trend.

So how often have you been socializing in a group and people ask you, "What do you do?" Probably too many times to count! It's a frequent questions. It helps break the ice, it allows people to discuss the similarities in their jobs and/or to ask questions about the differences in their jobs. It's a safe question to ask when you're at a party, on an airplane, or at some sort of social event.

Monday evening my husband and I attended a Theology on Tap session on vocations. One thing discussed was the difference between your vocation and your job. Your vocation comes first; God calls you to your vocation. For example, my vocation is as a wife and mother, my job is as a librarian. My job will always (and should always) be secondary to my vocation. There are many vocations: husband, wife, priest, nun, religious sister, religious brother. Even deacon is a vocation, but a slightly more complicated one that we won't get into here since some deacons are also married, thus living two vocations.

All of this wasn't news to me, but it was nice to hear it proclaimed. And kind of leads into my reflections later in the week.

Thursday at work, I submitted a proposal to my supervisor for a project I want to work on. No big deal, just one of those things that I do on occasion.

Thursday evening I went to Bible Study and during the social time between the small group session and the lecture someone asked me what I did. So her and I and my husband started talking about our various jobs. Mostly the two of them talked because they were both engineers at Lexmark.

But I did think some about how I sometimes answer that question. In that setting I just said I was a librarian. Short and simple, no details. I might have mentioned that I work mostly with music materials and that I wasn't at the main library. Most people assume that if you say you're a librarian at UK you work at the main library, not realizing that we have about 10-12 campus libraries.

Anyway, depending on who I am talking to depends on how much information I tend to give out. My job can be difficult to explain sometimes.

Okay, remember that proposal I submitted on Thursday? I'm getting to it! So, I get to work on Friday morning and, while I was waiting for a meeting to start, I checked my email (gotta love technology!) and my supervisor had forwarded my proposal to our Associate Dean for her approval. She was in full support of it (yay!) but did add that if the AD agreed, I should probably add some language into the proposal about providing access to hidden collections.

Okay, so this is where I started thinking about the real question: What is it that I really do?? You know, there is the question people ask in social situations and there are appropriate answers for those situations. And then there is a similar question that is asked amongst colleagues, because even people with the same job titles do different things. And there are answers (usually of a more technical nature) for that.

My reflection on this situation has more to do with the state I see of libraries right now. And I'm not talking about whether or not we are viable institutions in the age of Google, or whether e-books and the Internet are going to be the primary sources of information seeking one day and make libraries obsolete. Those conversations are for other people to bat back and forth. For me, I'm interested in perspectives of librarians from other librarians.

Slowly over the 10 years I've been in the profession I see more and more catalogers having to justify their work. I keep telling people that if all the catalogers left, the library would run perfectly fine for a while. But it won't take long to realize that new things are no longer in the catalog. I think catalogers are viewed with less and less of a professional eye, like we are just data entry people and that any sort of specialization on our part is of our own making. If you believe that, try running a library with no catalogers, or untrained catalogers, and we'll see how long you last.

In addition to my daily job, I also used to teach cataloging. I always emphasized to my students that the role of the cataloger is to provide access to collections and that as a cataloger you have to know who your patrons (or customers) are. Who are they? They are the students, faculty, community members that are using the catalog to find materials. They are also the public service librarians who are using the catalog to find materials for the patrons. They are the collection managers who need to know if we have an item already before they buy it again. In other words, our whole job revolves around knowing what our patrons want so that we can provide access to the collections.

That sounds like a public service kind of job! Guess what: cataloging is a public service!

So having my supervisor say that maybe my proposal (which is a cataloging proposal) needs some language in it about providing access seems, to me anyway, redundant. Isn't that the whole point? And don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing her, I'm criticizing the fact that it has become so ingrained in us as catalogers that we have to tell other librarians that the reason we're doing any particular project (or even just our jobs) is to provide access.

Um ... raise your hand if you think I like to catalog books, scores, and sound recordings for my own edification.

No hands better be up!!

I do it for our patrons and for the other librarians. And that should be the mantra of all cataloging librarians. That's why we do what we do! Who cares how perfect the record is and that you followed all the rules, can your patrons find it?

(Okay, some people may read this and say, "but K, you are such a stickler for the rules?" To which I say: yes, I am, but I know where to draw the line as well.)

All this being said, I will probably add in the appropriate language to my proposal if asked, because I know that the politics of the library require that this be done. The reality is that yes, we do have to explain our jobs to the people we work with every day. It's kind of sad, really, because if I asked a reference librarian what they did and why they bothered doing it, they'd probably look at me funny. We all know what they do, or we should.

In the end, it is just a job. And a job I like and get a lot of pleasure out of doing. It is good to complete a difficult original record, to finally find that perfect subject heading for that obscure dissertation, to untangle a mess of different editions of an item that all ended up on the same record, and to do research into a name heading that provides enough information to finally split two people from the same undifferentiated name authority record. And as much satisfaction as I may get out of some of these tasks, I do it all in service of the customers of my library: the professors, students, and other librarians that have to use the library and its materials for their research and education needs.

That is what I do; this is my job. But more importantly, my vocation is as a wife and mother. Above all of this, I serve my husband every day as his partner, just as he serves me. And one day we will be given the responsibility to raise children who will also go into the world to serve others in the vocation God calls them to as husbands or wives or priests (God-willing) or nuns or religious brothers or sisters.

Letter to my Son

My Dear Baby Zachary,

Today would have been your first birthday. We probably would have celebrated with a party this weekend, thankful to have you with us. But instead we remembered the loss of you at a Mass last night at the Cathedral where we had hoped to have you baptized. Today should be a happy day, but it will forever be bittersweet.

Today I have been thinking about what you would be doing as a one-year old little boy. I think about how you would be crawling around our house, how I'd have gates up on the stairs and there would be toys everywhere. Probably too many toys from grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends. By now you would probably also be starting to pull yourself up and making your first attempts at walking. We'd be watching you every second waiting for those fateful first steps. Those first steps that tell us that now you'll be harder to chase after. You would also be eating more and growing bigger every day. We'd be able to laugh with you, and make noises with you, and "converse" in your own special baby talk. I sometimes wonder what unique surprises you would have for us in your personality and all the little things you would do and discover every day.

One year ago today I sat in a hospital room and prayed that God would help you to live. I was more than happy to accept whatever difficulties might come with having a baby too soon. Whatever the consequences of coming at such an early age in your development, I was willing to be a part of those challenges. No matter what, our love for you would make it all worth it. Unfortunately none of that was to be. Instead you went to our heavenly home.

We miss you every day. Every day I think about how different life would be if you had lived instead of leaving us so soon. I'm grateful for the short time I got to hold you in my arms and see you in your daddy's arms.

But I am also happy to know that you are already home. I know that you are held in Our Mother Mary's arms, that you are with Jesus, and you and Casey are praying for us. As a mother I am so happy to know that both my children are in heaven and are already saints, able to hear our prayers and intercede with God for us. You are a special saint and I pray that one day I will be reunited with you.

But until that day, I will continue to think of you. And especially every year on this date, I will remember those precious few moments I had with you.

Today, when I leave work, I will stop at a store and pick up a few flowers and instead of driving past the cemetery I will turn in and come visit you. I'm sure your marker is covered with snow and it may take a moment to locate it. But once I do I will brush it off, say a prayer, and leave both the flowers and a small stone to let others know I was there.

Zachary, you are missed by so many people. We all keep your memory in our hearts and will never forget you. Even one year later it brings tears to my eyes when I think about you. Pray for us, little Zachary, and know that you are remembered here as well.

With love, little one,
Your Mother

First Book of the New Year

I have already finished reading one book this year, and I didn't start it in 2009 either. I only started it a few days ago and I'm already done. Don't be too impressed though, it really was an easy read.

You know how you flip through channels on the TV when you're bored and you come across a Lifetime or Hallmark Channel movie already in progress and you stop. Next thing you know ... you have to see the end. You missed the beginning, it's sappy, and not the kind of movie you would intentionally pick out to watch, but you stick with it anyway. And once it gets to the end, you still have no desire to watch it again ... ever ... even though you never saw the beginning and some of the plot (if there was much of a plot) still didn't make any sense. This is kind of how I felt about this book. Also the reason I read it so fast.

The book is Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. I've never read anything by her before, mostly because I don't read a lot of fiction and when I do I tend not to read chick-lit, which is what this was.

It's a pretty light, easy read. Probably the kind of book that someone would read on vacation at the beach or something. So not the environment I was reading it in! It's the story of two women who were best friends as kids, something happened in high school that caused a falling out, and how they are brought back together in the midst of situation that arises at their high school class reunion. It was one of those stories lines that has two or three different things going on in the present as well as many, many flashbacks. Some chapters are in the first person of the main character (one of the women) and some are in third person where you learn about other characters in the book, and some chapters are in third person and entirely in italics, I guess to set those characters off from the rest of the story. There's a lot of back and forth, but the author handled that well, I was never really confused.

However, I did kind of guess what the plot had in store as it went along. A new character was introduced and I thought, "ah, he's going to be the love interest!" And then another situation is referred to and I thought, "I bet such and such will happen." And every time I was right, no real surprises. But that's typical chick-lit for you. It's supposed to not make you think too hard and just provide an interesting story.

The other thing I didn't like was the treatment of the main character. Her friend was shown as somewhat shallow, out-going, and kind of needy. There always has to be a character that needs "fixing." As the story moved along I wanted the main character to evolve from the mousy, low self-esteem person she was into a more strong, confident person. And she did some, but she still seemed kind of stupid. The big surprise at the end, was not a surprise at all, at least not to me. But it was certainly a surprise to the characters in the book, and I think it was meant to be a surprise to the reader, just not this reader.

One thing I did like about this book was the depiction of my generation. The class reunion that was central to the story line was a Class of '92 reunion. So they are essentially the same age as me (Pope HS class of '93). So the flashbacks to their childhood all sounded familiar, the flashbacks to high school were dead on for those years of the early 90s (clothing, hair styles, etc.), and the present day stuff was very accurate: Internet dating, Google, smartphones, etc. It is rare that I read something and feel like the characters led similar lives to my own and could be living their lives just down the street. It was pretty realistic in that sense.

Like those movies on Hallmark or Lifetime, it was one of those stories that makes you want to keep reading, even though you kind of know how things are going and how it will all turn out. Thus I read it in about three days. And that will probably be it, even if we do end up on a beach somewhere this coming May, I'll probably not be bringing this book along for a re-read.

Next on my list is Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila. Quite a change, for sure.

The Epiphany

Did you know that gifts were often exchanged on January 6 and not on Christmas Day? Why? Because that is the date when the Epiphany is celebrated! It is basically the feast day when we celebrate the manifestation of the Lord to the Gentiles, represented by the magi (or kings, wise men) who came to venerate the Christ child.

January 6 is still the Epiphany today, but in many places in the world (the United States included) it is moved to the closest Sunday, which is today!! January 6 is also the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. So Merry Christmas!! This is when many families will start taking Christmas decorations down.

In our house, we don't put the three kings we have into our nativity scene until January 6. We start taking some decorations down, but usually leave the nativity scene up a little longer since it's not even completed until this point. This year we didn't put much up since we were in the middle of a kitchen renovation and were going to be out of town for Christmas. But I had fun last year moving the wise men and the camels around the house, closer and closer to the nativity as we approached the Feast of the Epiphany. I look forward to doing it again next year, and especially when we have kids.

Want to more more about the Epiphany and why we celebrate it, how it came to be a feast day, and more? Check out this page I found with all sorts of interesting facts and history: All About Epiphany.

Happy Epiphany and Merry Christmas!!

To Resolve or Not to Resolve

Most years I do not make new year's resolutions; some years I think about it but don't actually make any real "resolutions." This year, I'm going to do it!! Resolutions are being made and hopefully kept! Accountability is important, so here's what my resolutions are for 2010.

First of all, I want to post more on this blog. I enjoy posting reflections and insights into the things happening around me. Even if no one is reading, at least I can look back and see what events have been meaningful in my life. And for those who do read this blog, hopefully I'll be more active this year so you won't forget about me.

Second, my husband and I have resolved to say a daily Rosary together. We've tried this in the past and never gotten past a week; hope we will do better this time! I'd love to get into a better habit of this so that when we do have kids we'll be able to do it with them eventually too.

Third, I want to read more. I have tons of books that I want to read and just never have the time to actually do any reading. When I think about it, I know there is time in the day, I just tend to turn on the TV or read posts on Facebook. As I read I'll post to the blog what I'm reading, favorite passages, interesting things I've learned, etc.

So far the above three resolutions all have to do with my intellectual or spiritual well-being. All good things. What's left? Physical well-being!!

My fourth resolution is NOT going to be the "lose weight" resolution that so many people make (and which is the ONE resolution I often contemplate making). Instead, I am resolving to work on a healthier lifestyle. It would be great if I did lose some weight, but my main goal is to get into a better exercise routine and eat healthier more often. Hopefully, this will lead to a somewhat healthier weight that will also result in a pregnancy this year as well.

2009 taught me that God is control. It's a lesson we all know, but sometimes life's events have a way of proving it very clearly. In 2010 I hope these resolutions will help me to focus on my spiritual, intellectual, and physical well-being. All of these things will hopefully bring me closer to God and help me to allow Him to be in control, as He should be.

What are your New Year's Resolutions for 2010??

Happy New Year

As the hours of 2009 wane and 2010 approaches, just wanted to say: Happy New Year to one and all. This year has certainly had its challenges. I don't know what 2010 will bring, but I certainly hope that it'll be better than 2009 in many respects.

Our New Years Eve was spent with friends we've known for a long time. With everyone married and so many children we don't get together very often. It was wonderful to do that and awesome that we all were able to be there. And our hostess announced another pregnancy as well! So we know there will be at least one more child added to our gang in 2010. I'm praying there will more! It was a wonderful night with a wonderful group of people. And because everyone has small children the party wrapped up around 8:30pm. Even though we don't have kids, that worked out well for us too!

Our 2010 will begin with Mass early in the morning. January 1 is a Holy Day of Obligation to celebrate Mary's title of Mother of God. For me this year, at this Mass in particular, I will definitely be thinking about that title a lot. And praying too that I may be able to gain the title of mother sometime between now and the end of this new year. I am mother to two saints in heaven, but I hope to be able to have that title here on Earth too. Lots to pray for!!

Happy New Year to all! I hope everyone has a great 2010 and, if you make any resolutions, that you are successful in those. I'm making a few myself, but I'll save those for a future post! Happy 2010!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to one and all. After a very good Advent it was wonderful to celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas Eve Mass. Christmas Eve was spent with my sister's family where we enjoyed dinner together, opened up our annual ornament gifts, and had a wonderful dessert.

Christmas morning we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast made by my brother the chef, who had the day off from his restaurant. My sister showed up later in the morning and we got to open gifts and watch my 4-year-old niece get sooooo excited about all the princess stuff she got. She showed us the Snow White dress Santa brought her and was very excited to get a series of Disney princess dolls (about 7 or 8 of them!). It's so much fun to do Christmas with little ones, they are so fun to watch!!

We have had a wonderful Christmas visiting with my family down south. And this year I'm trying to remember that Christmas is just beginning. The twelve days of Christmas started on Saturday and I love that we will continue singing Christmas hymns at church for the next two weeks and the church will remain decorated for Christmas all the way to January 10. I love the Catholic church! We try to celebrate the big events in seasons, not days. How fun! I'm looking forward to seeing our church decorated for Christmas after we get back home.

Merry Christmas and Happy Third Day of Christmas to everyone!

Advent 2009

Don't you just love Advent?? It's a time of preparation and waiting, lots of anticipation, and a time to be filled with hope. Hope for the coming birth of our Savior and all the hope He brings into our lives. These four weeks of preparation are a great time to reflect.

What do you do for Advent? Anything special to prepare for the coming Christmas joy? Do you anticipate celebrating Christ's birthday in a special way during these four weeks??

The radio station I listen to has been discussing Advent quite a bit recently. No surprise, right? They had a guest on recently who was talking about ideas for Advent. Some of her suggestions were to pray for someone who needed prayers every time you light a candle on the Advent wreath; of course, having an Advent wreath is an important part of celebrating this Advent season; and when wrapping gifts, say a pray for the person to whom you are giving the gift you are wrapping. If you have children and do this with your children, it shows them the real reason for the season. I'm sure she had other suggestions, but those are the ones I heard that stuck with me.

In my house we have an Advent wreath that we light each night before dinner. What I like about this year is that because of the kitchen renovation we've been doing, we haven't had a chance to pull out any Christmas decorations. Instead, we just have the Advent wreath and for me, it keeps my focus on what Advent really is and where Christmas belongs. Christmas BEGINS on Dec. 25 and lasts for a couple weeks after that. It doesn't end on the 25th!! So this year, I am more focused on Advent because we only have the Advent wreath out and nothing else.

Also, I picked up one of the Blue Books at Church. These little books (blue for Advent and Christmas, black for Lent, and there's a third, probably Easter, but I can't remember the color) are great for quick daily reflections. They are published by a diocese in Michigan (I think). Each night we light the Advent wreath, have dinner, and then after dinner read the day's reflection in the Blue Book.

Another thing to remember is that Advent is a penitential season, just like Lent. So, this coming Wednesday Chris and I are attending a Reconciliation service at church. As we prepare for our Lord's birthday, we should reconcile our sins with God and be cleansed through this beautiful sacrament. It's part of our preparations for celebrating Christmas.

I also like how the Church reminds us about the penitential nature of this season. Mass begins with several of the lights out, the Advent wreath is lit, and the lights come on as the Liturgy of the Word begins. Also, in the Introductory Rite, the Gloria is not sung, just like during Lent. Come Christmas, the Gloria will be back! Also, we sing Advent songs ("O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" at every Mass this year!). Christmas songs will come out on Christmas and we'll sing them through Epiphany in January. But before then, we are focused on the preparation for the joyous celebration to come.

How do you and your family celebrate Advent? What special things do you do in preparation to celebrate our Lord's birth?

Saints and Sacrifice

It's no secret that I am not that great at keeping up with my blog. I had hoped that by making a commitment to at least post my church's "Following the Message" question once a week I would get into a habit. But so far, no dice!! Are we surprised? No, not really.

So, I really, really wanted to post last week's question but just didn't have the time. But I don't want to let it go, so this post will be slightly different from my past "Following the Message" posts. I will attempt to discuss both questions from All Saint's Day and the Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Two Sundays ago we had All Saints Day, a Holy Day of Obligation that fell on a Sunday this year. The readings from that Sunday are here on the USCCB page. These are great readings for All Saints Day. A passage from Revelation 7 that describes the saints in heaven praising God along with the angels; a Psalm with the response "Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face"; a very relevant passage from the first letter of John; and for the Gospel reading we get the Beatitudes from Matthew.

Question: How does the example of the saints help me to live the Christian life?

Alternate Question for Kids: Which saint inspires me the most?

Usually I would post the paragraph in the bulletin that expounds on Catholic teaching regarding the question, but given that I'm trying to cover two questions I'm going to skip it this time. However, if you're curious about the Catholic teaching on saints and what we believe about saints you can do a web search for the Catechism of the Catholic Church and look for paragraph numbers 828 and 2683. I've had good success with a search string like: Catechism Catholic Church 828.

We are all called to holiness. We are also all called to be saints. The Church canonizes some people as official saints to be examples for us on how to live a Christian life. For me I am impressed with any saint I read about. Anytime I read even the smallest thing about a saint I feel that I am reading the life of someone who I should be trying to be more like, because they lived their life as Jesus asks all of us to. I am impressed with their prayer life, with how they lived their lives in service to others, how they taught others, and, for some of them, the amazing writings they left behind. I find it hard to read about any saint and not see an example of how to live a Christian life.

At different times in my life I have had special relationships with different saints. First for me was the Blessed Mother, Mary. I think she has guided me in a variety of ways before I even knew it. And I chose Mary as my confirmation name. St. Clare of Assisi was next and was the first saint I think I really started reading about. I saw her body when I went to Assisi and got to see part of the Church where her convent is. I think of her whenever I need to de-clutter my house (or my life). I think she guides me to make things simpler around me at times when I really need it. Last year I learned about St. Philomena and St. Gerard, I asked them pray for healing for me and another pregnancy. I got pregnant shortly after finishing the nine day St. Philomena Novena. Other saints have become of interest to me and I am always impressed with their lives. I like reading about the saints, they give us something to work toward.

This past Sunday was the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings all have to do with trust and sacrifice, two things that go hand-in-hand, for to make a sacrifice you have to trust in God; and because we already trust in God we make sacrifices. This is illustrated well in the readings, found on the USCCB site here.

Question: When have I made a financial sacrifice out of love for God?

Alternate Question for Kids: When have I had to give up something that I wanted

I pondered this question a bit before mass and then I heard the readings. The Gospel passage from Mark where the poor widow gives her last coins made me wonder if I really do give as a sacrifice. I asked my husband the question on our ride home and he said yes, we do, we budget for it. That led us into a discussion on whether or not budgeting for our charity counts as a sacrifice.

I've had a few more days to think this over and looking at the question again I can say with confidence that yes, we give financially out of love for God. Our love of God leads us to give to the Diocesan Seminarian Fund every year, it leads us to give to Catholic Relief Services to help them do the work they do in poor countries around the world, and it leads us to give to priestly orders, our church, Relevant Radio, and a variety of other causes.

Is this financial giving a sacrifice for us? I think it is. Yes, we budget for it, but if we didn't I can guarantee that money would end up getting spent somewhere else. If we didn't give we'd probably be more selfish with our money and use it for things that aren't really necessary, in the grand scheme of things. As it is, I know we have set aside a certain amount for charitable causes and my husband tracks it in our budget. We give a certain amount each year to designated charities and the rest we give to other needs and charitable causes as they come up. Just the other day I asked how much we would have that we could give as the year nears it's end. I'm already thinking about which causes I'd like that overage to go to.

It's very important to both of us that out of love for God and as faithful Catholic Christians we give financially to those in need around us, both locally and in the wider world whenever possible.

There is definitely a correlation between the saints discussion and the sacrifice discussion. All of the saints made great sacrifices in their lives to follow God's word to the fullest. Sacrifices of health, material wealth, sacrificing their own will to follow the will of God, and even sacrificing their lives for God. In some cases this can lead to great suffering, but if it is for the greater glory of God we should remember that it is all for good. I heard someone say recently that in the Christian life "suffering is mandatory, anxiety is optional." Now there's something to think about!

When we are faced with a decision regarding making a sacrifice for the betterment of others versus taking the easy road, we should be reminded of the lives of the saints. We are all called to be saints, that's the road to heaven.

All Souls Day, Join Us

Dear all Family and Friends,

This coming Monday is All Souls Day, a day when we remember all departed souls. On that day, many of our churches will be having special masses to remember all those who have passed away during the last year as well as others who we continue to pray for. I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what will be happening at our parish this coming All Souls Day and how you can also participate either with us or at your own parish.

On Monday November 2 at 5:30pm, an All Souls Day Mass at Christ the King will include a candle lighting ceremony for all parishioners who died over the last year. Chris and I will be there to light a candle in rememberance of our little boy, Zachary Thomas, who died on January 11, 2009, and was buried from the Catherdal on January 17, 2009. Also, at Christ the King there will be a Book of Remembrance in which we can enter the names of anyone who has passed away during the last year. The Book will be present in the Church throughout the month of November.

For those who live in Lexington, you are more than welcome to join us for the Mass on Monday. We'd love to see you and have you there with us if you are able.

If you live elsewhere or if you can't make the mass at Christ the King, I encourage you to attend an All Souls Day Mass at your home parish or other nearby church. We appreciate knowing that others are taking part in remembering our son and all our loved ones. If your church has a Book of Remembrance for the month of November we would also appreciate you including Zachary's name there. I have already been told by one friend that she will be doing this.

In addition, I just wanted to add how appreciative we have been over the last 10 months of all that everyone has done for us. We received so many flowers, cards from all over, and many, many other expressions of sympathy since Zachary's death. Thanks to everyone for all your caring expressions of sympathies. I have saved every card we received from family, friends, colleagues, and others. Every one is special to me as a remembrance of our son's much too short life. Thank you all.

I hope everyone will have an opportunity to attend an All Souls Day Mass this coming Monday to remember all of our dearly departed loved ones.

Much love to everyone!
K & C

Weekly Reflection on Serving Others

The homily I heard this Sunday at Church has had me thinking the past few days about God's plan for my life versus what I might plan for my life. Are the two the same? Are they not? If not, what needs to change on my part? How do I discern God's plan for my life? The Reflection Question brings a whole different set of thoughts.

Here's a link to Readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Question: How do I answer Jesus' call to serve others?

The Christian imperative to serve others is expressed beautifully in one of the great documents of Vatican II, Apostolicam Actuositatem (Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity), which urges laypeople to "take up the renewal" of the world "as their own special obligation" (section 7, paragraph 5). In the modern era, "charitable activities and works have become more urgent and universal. These charitable enterprises can and should reach out to all persons and all needs. Wherever there are people in need of food and drink, clothing, housing, medicine, employment, education; wherever men lack the facilities necessary for living a truly human life or are afflicted with serious distress or illness or suffer exile or imprisonment, here Christian charity should seek them out and find them, console them with great solicitude and help them with appropriate relief. This obligation is imposed above all upon every prosperous nation and person" (section 8, paragraph 4).

The question this week is a good one. One thing I have learned over the last few years, and especially over the last few months, is that our prayer life and study of the Word and the faith should lead us toward service, or as it says in James 2:26 "faith without works is dead."

So to answer the question, how do I serve others?? I make an effort to support certain charities financially which I believe have similar values as I do. We give to Catholic Relief Services, the Seminarian fund, and various other Catholic-based charities. Beyond financial giving, I try to be of service to my Church through various ministries or to other groups. One of the most important is volunteering as a regular adorer for the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel.

Lately I have been feeling that I am not doing enough service. This goes back a bit to my pondering on what God's plan for my life is. This has been on my mind a lot this entire year, but it reallly came to the forefront the last two weeks. So what am I doing about it??

I prayed about it. I don't know if I really got a clear "answer" from God, but I am feeling a tug toward a particular ministry. So I turned in my "Time and Talent" survey this Sunday and I checked a new ministry. This is one that I've never done before and never thought I would volunteer for. But I did. Now I am just waiting until the person in charge of that ministry contacts me. In the meantime, I'm going to continue praying and waiting.

And now it's your turn!! How do you answer Jesus' call to serve others? I look forward to everyone's answers!

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