A Video About Medjugorje

A fascinating video about a claimed miracle at Medjugorje. Also, the video skims the surface of how the Church recognizes such happenings. VIDEO IS IN ITALIAN. YOU CAN SEE ENGLISH SUBTITLES BY PRESSING THE CC KEY ON THE YOUTUBE PLAYER. WHO KNEW?

Hope all is well with everyone. I am back at Cheryl's in Navarre. I have some sort of autoimmune disease it appears. I'm having a bunch of tests done.

Peace!

Advent Pic - The Visitation

From Photobucket...

The Visitation is the visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary with Saint Elizabeth as recorded in the Gospel of Luke 1:39-56. It is also the term for a Christian feast day commemorating this visit, celebrated on 31 May in the West (2 July in calendars of the 1263-1969 period) and 30 March in the East. (Wikipedia)

I like the thought of Our Lady with Saint Elizabeth. Both were with child (Mary with Jesus and Elizabeth with John the Baptist). Because I am so close with my own family, I can relate to the bond between the two of them. I don't know if The Visitation is normally associated with Advent, but as a similar picture was on the cover of The Magnificat this month, I figure it's ok to use. Imagine the significance of that meeting. So much of their religious lives were concerned with the coming of the Messiah, and these two humble women were to play major roles in an epic turning point of all time! The sharing, waiting, and responsibility of the very moment in time that is The Visitation is remarkable...Advent. Praise the Triune God in his power and majesty regarding his work in these two astounding women - the work of his hands.

Peace

Advent 101

Why is Advent Important

Preparation for Christmas is an important theme for Advent, but more is involved. Advent gives us a vision of our lives as Christians and shows us the possibilities of life.

The vision of life that Advent gives us is twofold; it looks back to the first coming of Christ at Bethlehem, and it looks to the future when Christ will come again. In the interval between these two events we find meaning for our life as a Christian.

First we celebrate Christ-become-human. We view his life and experience his presence as a human being in our history. Christ came to show us what life can and should be. He gave us true and valid principles by which we can live true and valid lives. But Jesus knew that the human heart could not live in isolation. He formed the Church around the concept of a people held together by love. In that community we discover unlimited possibilities and meaning. Alone we can do nothing. Together we find real meaning.

When Christ left this earth, he did not abandon us. He remains with us in his Spirit, the Church, the sacraments, the Scriptures and each other. He lives in community with us and keeps his vision of life before us.

When Christ comes again, his presence will no longer be hidden behind the signs and symbols of the liturgy or the words of the Scriptures. His presence among us will be revealed in all its fullness, a presence that will never end, a presence that will perfect and complete our community.

This is the "greater significance" of Advent. In these few short weeks we take in the sweeping panorama of time - from Christ's birth to his Second Coming. The season of Advent brings us the magnificent vision of life and hope for the future given to us by Christ.

Advent is our time to become more involved, more caught up in the meaning and the possibilities of life as a Christian community. Thus we are preparing not only for Christmas but also for Christ's Second Coming. This means that when he comes again, we will be awake and watchful. He will not find us asleep.


© Liguori Publications Excerpt from Advent - A Quality Storecupboard The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer

Advent is upon us!

Hey my good peeps! I've been away for a couple, three months because dial up was so slow. I have since learned to reduce the size of photos, making them load faster (They don't need to be ENORMOUS like I usually use). I have so much catching up to do.

Here's a pic taken by my cousin Philip's wife Mandy. It's my Christmas card photo!

Noodle Fishing

Hey, here's a grand video I took of my Dad and me noodle fishing for catfish at Lake Eufaula last Thursday.

Quick update: I started my new job and it went very well. I'm working three 12 hour shifts. I met some very dedicated folks and some beautiful old folks. It is physically demanding and, of course, the learning process is a bit trying. Otherwise, all is going as planned. I'm set up to start volunteering at Habitat for Humanity in a few weeks, and I went to church this a.m. (Tuesday). At St. Joseph the Worker in Chipley, Mass is every Tuesday a.m. with a Bible study to follow, which I plan to start soon. Today was a Communion service only, as Father Sean is on vacation and the gentleman who led was very learned re. Old Testament history and the like. There were 1/2 a dozen or so of us there.

Anyhoo, I'm at the library in Chipley and my battery is running low, so Peace Out!

Holy Week

Well, Holy Week is upon us.

My Saturday cleaning job at Navarre Beach kicks my butt so much that I wasn't able to make it to St Sylvester's at 11 am as I usually do. Happily, I've found a 5:30 pm mass at the cathedral in Pensacola that I can make it to. Also, as I said previously on my blog, I've been remiss in my practice of lent and hope to salvage what time I have left. The following link I found helpful to see what's happening in the Western FL panhandle as far as Lent requirements and Holy Week are concerned - hope others find this of use as well: http://www.pnj.com/article/20090404/LIFE/904040304/1004.


Also, I want to post a bit from that link re. the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola, especially because of my own need for sort of an 11th hour confession service:

"- Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1212 E. Moreno St. Holy Week: Mass with palms, 4 p.m. today (Saturday, April 4) ; 8, 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Formal blessing of the palms by The Rev. John H. Ricard, 11 a.m. Sunday. Communal Penance, 3 and 7 p.m. Monday. Chrism Mass, blessing of the oils to be used in Baptism, Confirmation and Anointing of the Sick with lunch to follow, 10 a.m. Tuesday. Parish and RCIA Seder supper, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Mass of the Lord's Supper with The Rev. Ricard, 7 p.m.; 8 to 11 p.m. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Thursday. Good Friday, reading of the Passion and Eucharistic, 3 p.m.; Stations of the Cross and Veneration, 7 p.m. Friday. 438-3131."

It seems that God always provides, even in my disorganized ways. I just came into the church last year, and sometimes I don't get everything done. I'm not making an excuse here, just stating reality. The changes in my life, even in my sloth and disorganization, are undeniable, and a testament to God's amazing provision and Love through his son, Jesus Christ.

Our Father...

Photo by Phyzome from Wikimedia Commons of a Red Bellied Woodpecker.

Note about bird photos: I will often post photos of birds common to NW FL because of my love of birds and because of one of my favorite passages from Matthew 6: 25-34. Basically, God's provision is illustrated in this passage (Matt 6:26) from the NAB:

Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?

BTW, I gave up worrying for Lent :).

Transition, Lent, and Work at Home

Wow, there is a lot to learn on this here internet. I just spent probably half an hour trying to figure out how to affiliate with amazon.com. Anyhoo, I'm learning my way around the blogger site and enjoying it immensely. Soon, though, my time will be limited, as I've taken a job with Cloud10. Apparently, I will be a tech support person for a large cable company. The best part is I will be working from my home! It's been 4 months since I've had regular work, and I can't wait to get started. How incredible that I can go to work in my PJ's and step into the kitchen for lunch - lovely. Well, I just thank God that life is so good and so hopeful.

On the God front, a beloved priest once told me that sometimes our spritual life is sort of like an amphibian's. We travel up and down, coming up for air when we need it. I guess his hand gestures don't really translate. My bad. Basically I was going through one of these times where I just feel like I'm going through the motions, my prayer is off, and I'm just sort of "not into it". I figure it's sort of like when you married folks sort of settle down into life and some of the spark is gone. I know it always comes back, and it makes me trust Jesus the same, but I just feel like I'm not a very attentive follower. Does that make sense?

So, I've been in such transition for the last four months, that I feel like lent came and went before I really participated in it. If anyone is reading, give me your comments, perhaps what you gave up for lent (if you're comfortable doing so) and how lent has been for you this year and years past. God bless and to all a pleasant sleep...