Holy Thursday

Do you believe in a God who would humble Himself to wash the dirt and grime off of your feet?
  
The disciples had been walking everywhere. Their feet were likely hard with calluses, bunions, caked with dirt, sand, grime, not to mention sweaty and smelly. Yet, in order to reinforce to them the meaning of being a humble servant, Jesus washed the filthy feet of His friends.
 
I have participated in Holy Thursday services for many years, and I have had the experience of washing and drying other people's feet as well as that of having my own washed. The most poignant example of servitude when this gesture really hit home for me, though, was not Holy Week.

The most moving foot washing experience I've ever had took place one morning during our Cursillo Team overnight in an upper room at Richmond Hill (a place that is most decidedly holy ground). It was Saturday morning and there were thirteen of us sitting in a circle in a room with a huge wooden cross standing by the wall. On a table in the center of the room was a pitcher of water, a large bowl, and some towels.
 
I thought that we would do what we had done at some churches on Holy Thursday and each have our feet washed, then help wash someone else's feet. That's not what happened, though. Two women who are both very loving, selfless, humble servants (and, therefore, were perfect leaders for our team) asked us to remain seated as they came around to each one of us. We sang hymns while they gently and lovingly washed each person's feet and wiped them dry. I never realized how much tenderness and affection could be conveyed in such a simple act. Many of us were brought to tears, we were so moved by the experience.

Do you believe in a God who would eat His last meal with you though He knew you were about to betray Him?

Jesus knew that those He had spent His public life with, the people He had loved as family, those with whom He entrusted the Truth about Himself were not going to be there for Him when He suffered such brutality, anguish, and humiliation. He chose to have His last meal with the very people He knew would betray Him, deny knowing Him, and disperse in a very short time.
 
I don't know about you, but I have a hard time sitting across from people and sharing a meal with them when I think they might say or do something hurtful. Christ knew for sure that they were going to betray Him, yet He still drew them close to Him, expressed His love for them, and gave them the most precious way of remembering Him once He was no longer in His familiar human form.
 
That was when He instituted the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist, as He took the bread and wine, and taught them how to remember the Passion after the Resurrection, when food and drink made by human hands would, by the power of the Holy Spirit, become His Body and Blood.

"Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."

This reflection was originally written and posted on my former blog April 9, 2009.

Spy Wednesday: What Will Jesus Do?

Those looking to trap Jesus were acting as spies, trying to spot the best time and place to arrest Him. As has been the case in many sting operations, there’s a snitch on the inside. Actually, if we really look at the Gospels, all of the apostles fled when Jesus was arrested. Not one of the men He called to follow Him and be “fishers of men” stuck around when their leader was turned in by one of their own, convicted, and brutally tortured. The miracle of it all is that Christ knew all along they’d betray Him, yet He loved them anyway.

It’s probably safe to say that each of the twelve at some point felt profound sorrow and guilt for not standing by Jesus after all He’d taught them, after all He’d shown them, after all He’d brought them through. What’s the big difference between Judas and the eleven? It’s the same difference between nonbelievers and believers.

Judas and nonbelievers don’t think that complete forgiveness could or would be extended to them. Yes, of course, Judas made a huge mistake when he betrayed Jesus with a kiss, handing him over for 30 silver pieces, which at that time was the price of a slave. The monumental mistake Judas made was thinking that such wicked deeds could not or would not be forgiven by the Son of God. This apostle who had seen Christ heal people of a number of illnesses and infirmities, multiply loaves and fishes, perform countless miracles, including bringing Lazarus back from the dead, couldn’t take the leap of faith that God’s love was greater than his weakness and the evil he allowed to seep into him.
   
It’s likely the eleven also struggled to wrap their heads around Jesus being so loving as to forgive them when they high-tailed it out of there, but they don’t write off all hope of such all-encompassing mercy. They come around eventually. Fortunately, so do we.
   
There are certainly times when I could have stood up for Christ, remained close to Him, but instead I chose an easier way out. When I see I’ve turned away from Him, I feel sorrowful and sometimes struggle before accepting His Mercy is greater than every single one of my sins.
   
Lord, as Lent comes to an end and the three holiest days of the year, the Easter Triduum, begin, help us to be aware of the ways we’ve been like Judas and turned our backs on You, but help us overcome any disbelief that the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ was offered up for our sins, and that by His wounds and profound suffering, we are cleansed of each and every one of our iniquities and every single one of our many sins.

I Am a Voice: Chaplet of Divine Mercy

I can still remember the very clearly the first time I heard this beautiful song version of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. A friend invited me to come to her Cursillo group reunion. That particular Saturday morning, this group of women joined in the chapel at our home parish and were going to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. I had never heard the sung version of this prayer before and was so moved by the CD music and the beautiful voices of the women around me that I was brought to tears.
 
 I had been praying the Rosary for years, but singing this prayer said on Rosary beads and contemplating Christ’s passion moved me very deeply. I love to sing and have often found music resonates with me. Sometimes I find myself praying the lyrics to songs that have touched me. Recently I’ve begun saying the words from the Chaplet: “Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and the Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Your dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world” each time while the priest is doing the Consecration at Mass.
   
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is such a powerful prayer, and singing it gives the meditation a whole other dimension. The second time I sang and prayed this version of the Chaplet in a group was with a first year Confirmation class. One of the catechists put together an amazing PowerPoint presentation to help us meditate on Christ’s passion while listening and singing to the CD. The reaction of a roomful of teenagers was remarkable. They were very moved and kept talking about what an impression it made on them for weeks after that session.
   
I can’t think of a more perfect gift than this CD to give someone to celebrate the little-known Divine Mercy Sunday which in 2010 falls on April 11.
You can purchase this CD here.
 
I wrote this review of I Am A Voice: Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

Fond Memories of Holy Week: Part III

     On Good Friday when our row got up to venerate the cross, he remained seated. I was disappointed. A few minutes after we returned, Kevin went up on his own and joined the line. My heart skipped a beat.
     I was very curious to see how the Easter Vigil would go. It’s a long Mass since many readings are done and songs are sung that serve as a summary of the faith. They begin in Genesis starting with God creating the world and finding it good and end up in the New Testament with Christ’s rising from the dead and appearing to the disciples. Besides the trip through the Bible, any RCIA candidates (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) are Baptized (if they haven’t been previously), given First Communion, and Confirmation. Children who have not yet been Baptized and/or whose parents are being brought into the church are also given the sacraments of initiation at this time.
     It is a very powerful, very moving service—one that includes all the major elements of the Catholic Christian faith. I was really hoping Kevin wouldn’t get bored and start pulling on my shirt like a toddler asking how much longer before we could leave.
     Kevin loved taking part in the Mass. When it came time for Communion, he received both the Body and Blood of Christ. He paid attention to all the readings, said the prayers he remembered, and held my hand. I was overjoyed!
     Afterwards Kevin said the Easter Triduum, particularly the Easter Vigil, helped him to understand the faith. What’s more, when he returned to Rochester after that weekend, he started going to Mass on his own, usually at St. Charles, a church with great significance for both of our families. Kevin’s aunt and uncle attended the parish and knew my grandmother from there which is how our family got to rent the cottage, and thereby meet Kevin and his father, the real Harry Potter. It’s also the church where my parents were married.

     On Easter Sunday, we celebrated Mass in the Atrium Chapel at Roanoke College. I enjoyed being a Confirmation sponsor. Afterwards, we had a reception with lots of wonderful food. That’s when Fr. Remi, the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the priest who ministered to our Catholic Campus Ministry, recognized Kevin’s dedication. After finding out he’d driven down from upstate New York to spend four days attending church with me, he named Kevin “the patron saint of boyfriends.” I agreed.
     All proof that countless miracles are still happening in the world. God is awesome!

Fond Memories of Holy Week: Part II

     Even knowing I’d be participating in all of these events, Kevin came. What’s even more amazing is that he went with me to each of the Masses and services and actually participated. We went to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Salem, VA for the Easter Triduum since that was the parish that sponsored our Catholic Campus Ministry. By that time, Kevin had come to church with me on other visits, but he never sang, never went up to Communion, never seemed fully present at Mass.
     Kevin was raised Catholic. He went to public school up until eighth grade when he was given the choice to go to Catholic school, so he could make his Confirmation. This is what he chose to do. When we met the summer before my junior year of high school, he’d already been Baptized, made his First Communion and done his first Confession. He’d also been Confirmed and fallen away from the Church.
     Kevin and I spent many a late night talking on the phone about faith. For a very long time, Kevin was extremely put off because I insisted on going to church, praying regularly, and emphasizing that faith was and is an integral part of who I am. He felt like he was in competition with God for my attention. I made it perfectly clear that wasn’t the case. I wanted God to be first then and always. Kevin wouldn’t and shouldn’t rise above second in my list of priorities.
     That Holy Week, I was given many signs that my prayers that Kevin would be given the gift of faith and return to the Church were heard by God. On Holy Thursday, Kevin went up and received the Eucharist for the first time since he’d first started accompanying me to Mass. He only took the Body of Christ, not the cup, but I was still doing spiritual cartwheels and back flips.

Fond Memories of Holy Week: Part I

Holy Week of the year 2000 was a very memorable one for Kevin and me! We had a lot of firsts: I was a Confirmation sponsor, I would be away from my family on Easter, and Kevin and I spent the Easter holiday together.
   
I wondered how things would go when Kevin offered to come down for Holy Week. The previous fall we’d gotten into a heated argument because I insisted on going to Mass even though Kevin had driven 500 miles to spend three days with me at Hollins. He had fallen away from the Church and couldn’t understand how I could “waste” any of the precious time we had together by going to Church. I went anyway, not knowing if he would have left early by the time I returned. He hadn’t, and that evening we came up for the menu for our relationship: LAUGHING TOGETHER.
   
I was definitely surprised that Kevin wanted to come during Holy Week because I’d told him what it would entail. I had my college courses and assignments as usual and would be going to the Foot Washing on Holy Thursday, the Veneration of the Cross on Good Friday, the Easter Vigil (which usually lasts about three hours) on Saturday, and also Mass on Easter Sunday which would run long because there would be a Baptism and at least one Confirmation.

Go Ahead, Rock the Boat

     Jesus rocked the boat quite a bit by identifying two commandments that sum up the Big Ten and supersede all the others in the Torah He knew so well. "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. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." Matthew 22: 37-40 NAB
     It was very profound that a Jewish man well-versed in the numerous laws laid out in the Torah would say that there are two that mean more than all the rest. He shocked even His closest friends by following these two commandments even when doing so meant being condemned and publicly ridiculed, humiliated and brutally beaten, wrongly accused and crucified.      Even today, God sometimes calls us to say and do things that require an unbelievable amount of faith, courage, love, trust, and strength, because we know they will bring judgment on us, that we will suffer from having to bear the disapproval of those closest to us, and that for a time, we may have to stand alone. By alone, I mean without family and friends, not without God.
     Below is a prayer I wrote as one of the Lenten reflections the Richmond Diocese Young Adult Ministry e-mailed to people around the world to accompany the Readings 2 Kings 5:1-15ab; Luke 4:24-30

     Lord, so often we seek the approval of our spouse, our family, our friends, our colleagues, and society, and are easily swayed by their opinions. Please help us have courage enough to turn to You when we need guidance, and put Your view of us, Your wishes for our future, and Your thoughts about our words and actions, above those of the people around us.
     You alone know our hearts completely. You alone know what is ultimately best for us. Inspire us to spend more time listening to You so it is easier for us to separate Your will from our own and those of the people closest to us. Protect us from despair and disillusionment by arming us with the truth, the strength to do Your will, and the wisdom to submit everything we are and have to You.

Originally written and posted on my former blog March 11, 2008.

Wisdom for Everyday Life from the Book of Revelation

As seems to be the case with many people, the rich symbolism in the Book of Revelation has sometimes confused me. I’ve probably heard more about how Hollywood or a popular series of loosely Christian fiction would portray what’s described in the Book of Revelation than what scholars familiar with the doctrine, teachings, and Catechism of the Catholic Church would venture to say about the apocalyptic book.
    
I found Wisdom for Everyday Life from the Book of Revelation easy to follow and even enjoy. Fr. Veras uses a wide variety of Scriptural support and Church teachings as well as numerous examples from modern-day literature and even popular movies in order to explicate and illustrate the unusual imagery in the final book of the Bible.
    
It seems that his roles as a priest and a teacher compliment each other nicely and contribute to a writing style that is both spiritually edifying as well as engaging. He goes through Revelation and describes the significance of the major incidents and key players involved in a way that makes it understandable for those of us who have studied the Bible, know a bit about the significance of some symbols and the meaning of certain numbers, but who haven’t necessarily taken that knowledge and attempted to apply it to the beasts, dragons, wars, horses, and celestial bodies flying about that at first glance seem to be straight out of some fantasy book.
    
Fr. Veras draws parallels and points out the foreshadowing that exists among the other books in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, and the Book of Revelation in a manner that is clear to follow, yet one which respects the mystery that still remains within the text.
    
Reading this book certainly made beginning to understand at least the main symbols and storyline in Revelation much easier than I thought it would be.
    
This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Wisdom for Everyday Life From the Book of Revelation. I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Palm Sunday for some is the day when they are handed long palms at church with which they can bop their siblings on the head and show their prowess at creating neat little green crosses. It’s a day when they can sit down and listen to the Gospel because the long account of Christ’s death includes significant suffering in mind, body, and spirit.
    
Some of the last words Jesus speaks as he suffocates and dies on the cross are not what they seem. For quite some time, I thought when Christ cried out ‘“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”’ (Matthew27:46) that He was feeling and experiencing a separation from God because He had willingly taken on all of our sins. My mom pointed out a Psalm that suggests this was not the case. It’s completely changed the way I see the moments before Christ’s death.
    
As any well-educated Jew at that time knew, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” is the beginning of Psalm 22.

Even as he gasped for his last breaths, Christ was speaking of fulfilling the prophecies of old and bringing new hope. Psalm 22 is called “The Prayer of an Innocent Person.” It includes many allusions to the specific types of suffering Christ endured during his Passion.
    
For example, it says “All who see me mock me; they curl their lips and jeer; they shake their heads at me: ‘You relied on the Lord—let him deliver you; if he loves you, let him rescue you.’” (Ps 22: 8-9) This is precisely what happened when Christ was made fun of, called the King of the Jews, beaten, spit upon, and forced to wear a crown of thorns and a royal looking cloak as his tormentors insulted Him.
    
“As dry as a potsherd is my throat; my tongue sticks to my palate; you lay me in the dust of death” (Ps 22:16) describes his incredible thirst—one so strong for righteousness that He is willing to suffer the torture of humiliation and dehydration on the road to an even more painful death.
   
“They stare at me and gloat; they divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots.” (Ps 22:18-19) and Matthew 27: 35.
    
In verses III and IV of Psalm 22 are words of hope, courage, conviction, faith, and praise. Why is this significant if Christ only uttered the first line? Well, let’s see. If you hear or read: “I pledge allegiance…” or “Our Father, who art in heaven…” does it call to mind the rest of the pledge or the prayer? It probably does.
    
In Christ’s final hour, He was calling to mind a Psalm the Jews would know in its entirety. With a single phrase, He got them thinking about 32 verses of Scripture that are so much more than a cry for help. For scholars of the holy book, this brought to mind a portion of the Torah that describes a person who is tortured in a number of ways, but who through it all trusts in God and knows that the suffering will ultimately result in God’s glory and inspire a long line of believers.
    
Think of this during Holy Week, and see how it changes your view of Christ’s Passion and Good Friday.

Note: All Scripture quotations are from the NAB translation.

Written and originally posted on my former blog: March 11, 2008

Reflect, Refract, Retreat, Repeat

     The other evening I went to visit my grandma at St. Joseph’s Little Sisters of the Poor. My mom was already there when I arrived. My grandmother, who I call Gram, was delighted to see me, as she always is. It’s so nice to walk in a room and see someone’s face light up just because you’re there. I didn’t bring her flowers, a card, or even a used book I thought she might like to read. I just showed up.

Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship

I met the author of Mother Teresa and Me at a Catholic Writer’s Conference in August 2009, and I was very interested in reading her soon-to-be-published book about her friendship and correspondence with Mother Teresa. A copy of the book was the only item on my Christmas wish list, so of course it was the only item that my husband got me which arrived about a month late.
   
It was well worth the wait. I found the insights into the life and ministry of Mother Teresa to be very inspiring. I also loved the story about how Donna-Marie and her family came to know the woman long referred to as a living saint. The pictures included in the book are very moving. The tenderness Mother Teresa had for children, the joy she exuded, and her deep love of God come across clearly through the photos and the excerpts of the letters she wrote to Donna-Marie over a number of years.
 
So many books have been written about Mother Teresa over the years, but this one has a much more intimate feel than some of the biographies about her. The letters and photos certainly contribute to this. Another element which strengthens the book’s draw and makes it easier for the reader to identify with those in the book is the bond that developed between a working wife/ mother/author/speaker and a world-renown consecrated religious woman very busy with her ministry to the poorest of the poor.
   
I believe the depth of this connection was made possible because each of these women shared common priorities: to love and serve God above all else, to live out the vocation each was called to in a spirit of humility and submission to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and to engage in active ministry to care for any and all of God’s children in need. I believe Mother Teresa saw in Donna-Marie a kindred spirit and was therefore inspired to keep in touch with her over the years.
   
It is indeed a blessing that Donna-Marie has been led to share some of the insights, love, and compassion manifested in her own life as a result of her friendship with Mother Teresa.
   
You can purchase this book here.
   
I wrote this review of Mother Teresa and Me for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

Preparation for Total Consecration

I first read and prayed through the Preparation for Total Consecration according to Saint Louis Marie de Montfort over ten years ago. I found the experience of reading the reflections and praying the included prayers over the prescribed 33 day period to be extremely powerful and spiritually enriching. I find that some of the prayers included are still among my favorites to use in my daily morning prayer time.
   
The four parts into which the book is divided form a progression from being caught up in daily happenings to moving towards oneness with Christ. The four sections are “Spirit of the World,” “Knowledge of Self,” “Knowledge of Our Lady,” and “Knowledge of Christ.”
 
This book of meditations, prayers, and reflections would be wonderful for any Catholic, from the one starting out in the faith to the one who has been an active member of the Church for many years. The practices of praying daily, becoming aware of the influence the spirit of the world has on us, coming to a deeper knowledge of self, then learning how to become united with Jesus through the Blessed Mother encourage a sort of retreat for the soul that is spread out over the course of several weeks.
   
I found it best to do the recommended prayers and reflections each day first thing in the morning. When I began my day with them, I found I’d continue meditating on what I’d read throughout the day. I’d begin to notice things in my own life I hadn’t before that related to each of the different parts of the book based on what happened during the course of the day.
   
The book suggests that when ready to make your consecration that you write out your own copy of the “Consecration to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom through the Blessed Virgin Mary,” sign, and date it. I recommend writing this long-hand. It really made me think about what I was saying and committing to when I took the time to write out a copy of the Consecration and sign it to save. I was thrilled when ten years after the fact I opened an envelope that had been in my mom’s attic and found the copy of my original handwritten signed and dated Consecration.
   
You can purchase this book here. I wrote this review of Preparation for Total Consecration for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

The Three Conversions in the Spiritual Life

This book is a good introduction to the three different stages—the Purgative Way, the Illuminative Way, and the Unitive Way—in the spiritual life as they have been experienced and defined by some of the most well-known saints. This particular book presents a summarized condensed version of two other works in particular which cover in great depth the subject of these three aspects of conversion: The Works of St. John of the Cross and The Dialogue of the Seraphic Virgin Catherine of Siena.
   
Though I haven’t read either of the above-mentioned works in their entirety, I have read The Autobiography of Teresa of Avila, in which she discusses at length these three conversions and her personal experiences with each.      I would recommend that someone who is just delving into this study of the different levels identified as being accessible to all in the spiritual life begin by reading this compact presentation of much longer and more complicated works detailing the intricacies of these three Ways and how they have played out in the lives of certain saints.
   
This is a handy Cliff Notes kind of version of the longer works cited which explore the long-accepted idea that there is a progression in the spiritual life which requires ongoing conversion and at its ultimate point leads to complete union with God.
   
I only ran into a couple problems reading this book. I am not well-versed in Latin, and some of the extensive footnotes included were in the original Latin without any translation. The second difficulty arose from the age of the particular volume of the book I read. The binding wasn’t very good, so several sections and pages kept coming loose. I imagine that a recent copy wouldn’t have such a tendency to come unglued.
   
Anyone serious about the study of the progression to the Unitive Way should definitely read this book then move onto the more in-depth studies of these conversions.
   
You can purchase this book here.  I wrote this review of The Three Conversions In The Spiritual Life for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father

I love how profoundly the author is moved by her personal encounters with John Paul the Great as well as the many little stories throughout John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father when we’re given a glimpse into the wonderful personality and sense of humor this holy man had.
    
I enjoyed that there were such fascinating details about conversations Pope John Paul II had with people closest to him alongside a rather dramatic conversion that took place in the author as she went from having the attitude of a powerful, self-important journalist to a humble woman of faith awed by the holiness and humility of such an influential man.
   
The imagery is quite vivid, which I appreciate because it gave the book a literary feel. The quotes and anecdotes blended in a journalistic flavor. The conversion story of the author brought in the emotional appeal which I believe many readers will be able to identify with on some level. There are certainly times in each of our lives when we’re going about our jobs, self-absorbed, and thinking we have our priorities straight when a person or a situation changes our outlook on everything.
    
John Paul the Great made an impact on many. Noonan couldn’t help but come to admire the holiness, love, and gentleness of a man she originally saw more as another high-profile person to interview.
    
There are no heavy theological debates or theories discussed in this work. In many ways, it reads like a good novel because of the tone, personal story, anecdotes, and Noonan’s writing style. I’ve found this to be one of the best books to get a feel of what it would have been like to hang out with John Paul the Great, take a walk with him in a garden, talk with him about poetry, or hear him joking with friends.
    
You can purchase this book here. I wrote this review of John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

The Most Valuable Works of Art

Many interesting things happened in and around me one April day. Walking down that morning to pray at the abortion clinic and meet the parishioners who came over after 11am Palm Sunday Mass for the procession led by Fr. Kauffman, the pastor of St. Benedict’s, I was thinking, praying, and it occurred to me how ironic it is that in a little house with a small separate building the most precious works of art are being destroyed purposefully and legally.

    
Across the street is the huge building with heavy gates, security guards, and cameras, that’s known as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. These works of art created by human hands are guarded, cared for, of interest to the cultured, wealthy, learned among us, yet right across the street, original one-of-a-kind works of art more precious than the most striking painting, the most unusual sculpture, the largest diamond, the rarest gem, the purest gold are being completely destroyed at the hand of someone who calls himself a medical professional. The sign on the door of the house on the corner of Grove and Boulevard is one that deceives: Richmond Medical Center for Women when it is nothing more than another abortion clinic.

     
Note to reader: I've written several blog posts over the past three years about being involved in 40 Days for Life. Since the movement has grown bigger, but the message of love and healing has remained the same, I've decided to post the articles from my previous blog site here. This post was written and originally posted on April 13, 2009.

    
A man who has been involved in 40 Days for Life brings flowers and lays the bright bouquet at the side door of the clinic every time he comes to pray there. What a powerful gesture. This man recognizes this property for what it is, a graveyard for thousands, who died a traumatic, tragic death, at the hand of a trained killer and with the consent of their mother, father, grandparents...

    
And if this isn’t horrific enough, our government is now considering removing the conscience laws protecting those doctors and medical professionals who have moral, ethical, and possibly even spiritual integrity from having to participate in atrocities against life.

    
During this 40 Days for Life campaign, many things have happened in our city and around the world that are coincidences to some, and clearly God-incidents to others. In Richmond, our governor didn’t pass legislation that would expand the death penalty, and after much hard work led by some key local pro-lifers, he also signed the bill that has brought Choose Life license plates to Virginia. Yes, politicians can be taught the importance of respecting life and the calls of their constituents to answer to that will arise even if the people remain silent and the stones cry out.

    
I saw the Family Lifeline office for the first time that day on the way to having breakfast with Mom after praying outside of the abortion clinic with Fr. Kauffman and others after Mass. On the windows, there are huge pictures of the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. I believe there are four different panels. I intend to go back and take pictures of them.

    
A small white butterfly fluttered along with me as I walked to the abortion clinic to pray this morning, and during the time I was there humming the Divine Mercy Chaplet to myself, holding my Rosary, and an “I Pray 40 Days for Life” sign with an African American mother kissing her baby, I saw three, sometimes even four, of these small white butterflies fluttering around. These were definite signs of hope for me, their significance even stronger since the book I am reading by Sue Monk Kidd While the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions revolves strongly around imagery and symbols, especially that of the cocoon and the butterfly.

So how can we, an Easter people, honor new life? In Richmond, people involved in the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil are continuing to pray at the clinic for at least two hours a week from now until the next 40 Days for Life starts in the fall. My family and I are again taking part in the Pregnancy Resource Center of Metro Richmond's annual Walk for Life. This resource for men and women, formerly known as the Crisis Pregnancy Center, provides a wide variety of services to help pregnant women in our area. Many of us are also contacting our government leaders and speaking for those whose voices are being taken away.

We can honor new life through prayer and apostolic action.

Are you protesting? No, I'm praying.

     A teenage girl walked by me with four of her friends. The five of them were talking and laughing as they drank their Slurpees and strolled down the Boulevard on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. One of them watched a squirrel scurry up a tree. The others poked fun at the friend who was worried about killer squirrels attacking. I smiled to hear them carrying on.
     It was then that one of the girls looked at the sign I was holding that reads PRAY TO END ABORTION. 40 DAYS FOR LIFE and asked, “Are you protesting?”

      “No, I’m praying,” I said.

How to Save a Life: 40 Days for Life, Pregnancy Resources, and Rachel's Vineyard

Last week I spent several hours praying with others in front of a local abortion clinic for everyone who went in for any reason. During the one hour that morning and hour and a half that evening, I prayed with nine women, three men, and ten children. We blocked no one, didn't get in anyone's face, approached no one in the parking lot, had no gruesome posters about the realities of abortion to use as scare tactics, and we didn’t shout at anyone about anything.

Note to reader: I've written several blog posts over the past three years about being involved in 40 Days for Life. Since the movement has grown bigger, but the message of love and healing has remained the same, I've decided to post the articles from my previous blog site here.  This post was written and originally posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2007.

All we brought were one 40 Days for Life sign, pregnancy resource brochures for any who asked us for them, and our prayers. The movement to protect women and their unborn babies has been in the forefront of my mind for weeks as 40 Days for Life has been going on across the country with miraculous results.

Police have been hired by St. Benedict’s parish to stay with the pro-lifers doing the 24/7 vigil through the night at the local clinic these 40 days. One night, the police officer said she was going to go back to her Baptist church Bible study and encourage them to join the vigil.

Another evening the police officer on duty informed an abortion clinic worker she had to leave the parking lot, that it was way after hours and that she could not legally remain on the clinic’s premises any longer. She said she wasn't leaving while there were people protesting on the sidewalk. He informed her the people outside weren't protesting, they were praying. There is definitely a big difference!
 
People who attack those who are pro-abortion, saying that they are evil and should be harmed, are not upholding a plea for respecting all life. What women and their partners need is to be treated with respect and given adequate information about all of their options. Too many women are trapped and pressured by their boyfriends, family, friends, or those in abortion clinics to abort the child they want to keep and would be able to keep if they knew all of the pregnancy resources available to them. The best thing to do is educate women and men about ALL of their choices.
 
A friend who had an abortion and later miscarried has never been able to have children and is very sad she has been unable to conceive the children she’s longed to have for many years. She recently experienced much-needed healing at a Rachel's Vineyard retreat. She has poured a great deal of love and compassion into young adult ministry and into her nieces and nephews, though she still mourns the loss of her children.
 
Another friend had a child in her teens who she gave up for adoption years ago. Later she married and had two children. Just recently her first child sought her out and brought his wife and kids to meet her.
 
My cousin who is Korean was adopted by my aunt and uncle when she was an infant. She was very sick, but they took her in anyway. Now she is happily married and a mother of two with another one on the way.
 
One weekend earlier this month a group of us were praying as part of a Life Chain and someone who may or may not have been pro-abortion brought a home-made poster that read: “Bigots Go Home!” I thought it would be interesting if I went over and offered to hold it for a while after praying with the others in the group. 
 
I firmly believe the bigots should go home. The people who attack and/or judge anyone who walks into that clinic can be called a bigot. I’m not sure what she meant by the sign, since I’ve heard abortion called African American genocide. Maybe she was against abortion and the killing of so many black children. I may never know.
 
The highlight of my day last Friday was having a young woman roll down her car window as they drove away from the abortion clinic and saying with a smile on her face: "Thanks for the brochure. We decided not to go through with it."

I flashed her a huge smile and said, "Congratulations!"
 
I was so blessed to have this happen. I'm not sure who gave her a brochure or when, since there weren't any left there when I arrived. Someone else had planted a seed, and I had been blessed to hear that it had born fruit in the form of a child who will live. It's true, we don't know what our words and actions have and will bring about.
 
I think the most important outcome from the 40 Days for Life will be more women knowing that God and those of us there praying love them and their unborn children. We aren't there to judge them or the workers in the abortion clinic.
 
We're there to offer help and support so women feel confident they'll have the physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial resources necessary to keep an unexpected child.
 
Another thing we hope is that those who do have an abortion will experience healing in mind, body, and spirit. We pray that this healing will be complete so they will not end up among the majority of women who have abortions and suffer from depression, become suicidal, and are at a significantly higher risk for developing breast cancer.

Mother Teresa was right. If we judge people, we have no time to love them.
 
May God bless anyone who reads this with peace, love, joy, and an unequivocal passion for Truth, mercy, and forgiveness. Amen.

Let God's Love Open the Door to Your Heart

     Nothing can separate you from the love of God, Jesus, and the Blessed Mother, not past, present, or future sins, not a breakdown or a breakthrough, not a prevailing darkness, not temporary fear or anxiety, not weak faith, not what you have done or left undone, nothing at all keeps God from loving you as His beloved child. God’s love for you never changes.

Praying with Mary by Janice T. Connell

Praying with Mary: Sacred Prayers to the Blessed Mother for All Occasions by Janice T. Connell is a book that will always be dear to my heart. In this treasure of a book that I first read in high school, I discovered prayers to Our Mother, I have never found in any other source. It is one of these rarely mentioned, little known prayers that has given me great reassurance in the power of Mary to change hearts and minds. When I first read and prayed through this book, I was in love with a man who had fallen away from the Catholic Church and couldn’t see why faith was so important to me. He didn’t understand why I went to Mass every weekend and sometimes during the week. It was beyond him why I spent so much time in prayer.
   
I began praying the little known “Prayer to Mary for the Conversion of a Loved One” by Ishbel McGilvery McGregor the minute I set eyes on it. I prayed the prayer which I found in Connell’s book for my loved one several times throughout the day in addition to praying the Rosary for his conversion. Through the grace of God, the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the intercession of the Blessed Mother, I am grateful to say that this Easter will mark the ten year anniversary of my then boyfriend, now husband’s return to full participation in the Catholic Church.
   
It’s safe to say that this prayer book is one that has significantly changed my life and enhanced my already strong devotion to the Blessed Mother. I would highly recommend this treasury of prayers to Mary.

You can purchase this book here.

I wrote this review of Praying with Mary for the Tiber River Blogger Review program. Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.

No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy by Fr. Donald Calloway

No Turning Back by Fr. Donald Calloway proves nothing is impossible with God. A rebel against religion, former pothead/Deadhead, high school drop-out, heavy drinker, drug addict, thief, womanizer, who was in and out of jail and rehab without remorse or any intention of changing his lifestyle is just about the last person you’d think would be come the poster child for anything other than the epitome of what parents most fear their children will become.
 
It’s truly astounding that Donald Calloway lived through the drugs, sex, rock’n’roll, runaway, wanted by the military in two different countries years of his life. Most of his book recounts his wild and crazy escapades.     
 
His conversion experience is miraculous and actually does happen overnight. The account of his initial and ongoing conversion I find to be very compelling and hope-filled. Because it is such a testimony to the power of God to change hearts, I felt myself wishing more of the book had been devoted to the conversion part of his life and witness. I didn’t feel that quite so many gory details about his past were necessary to get across how far gone he had been.
 
At times, I felt as if there was already more than enough evidence that he didn’t care about anyone but himself, had no respect for his body, authority, and outright rejected anything to do with love of God or neighbor. I wondered if some young people who begin reading the book and haven’t yet had their conversion experience might stop and try to get away with some of the same things he did.

 That having been said, I believe this book would be a wonderful source of hope for parents, teachers, ministers, siblings, family members, and friends of people who are praying for the conversion of someone who is looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places, thereby hurting themselves and those around them. If God has brought someone as lost as Donald Calloway once was to where he is now, then the Lord can also lead the people in our lives currently on a destructive path to a profound conversion from the inside and out.
 
I hope to get the opportunity to hear Fr. Calloway speak some day. I can imagine much of what it would be like, simply because the book’s style and tone are very conversational, but I would love to witness in person the energy and passion the Divine Mercy of God and the love of the Blessed Mother have brought into His life.
 
This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on No Turning Back (book).

Nobody wants me

     At some point or another, most of us have felt this way and probably heard someone else express the same sentiments. A sense of rejection and being unloved cuts right to the core. I know I have felt this way at times over the years and have heard others express in one way or another that they’ve experienced such hurt as well.
     The poem below I’ve written contains just some of the nobody wants me sentiments I’ve heard and/or felt over the years. I’m sure there are many more you could add.

40 Days for Life: Visible Signs of Christ

DAY 14: Visible Signs of Christ
by National Director 40 Days for Life David Bereit

I’m home in Virginia for a short time before heading back out on the road. My wife, Margaret, asked if our family could go pray at a nearby 40 Days for Life vigil — so we piled in the minivan and headed an hour south to Richmond to join other prayer warriors outside a local abortion center.

I remembered to bring my pocket video camera, and just posted a 5-minute video: Video of Richmond, Virginia vigil participants including: Trisha Potter (me), Ann Niermeyer (my mom, who's ahead of the spring campaign in Richmond), Nita Grignol, and the Bereit family
    
Trusting God can be challenging. You don’t always see instant results when you pray at an abortion center. But that’s all right. We often have to take it on faith that God is at work behind the scenes.
     
Three prayer volunteers at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Roanoke, Virginia talked to a young mom who was obviously well along in her pregnancy. She was unmarried and poor and had four small children.
    
“We prayed with her and asked her to give her baby life,” said one of the vigil participants. “Let us have the baby, we said, and we would find a home.”
    
The young mother cried and allowed the three to hug her. And then she walked into the abortion center.
   
“I can’t get her off my mind,” the volunteer said. “She held on so tightly to me. I don’t know what she will ultimately decide. Please, please keep up your prayers and sacrifices.”

Click here to see a photo of the 40 Days for Life vigil in Roanoke:  http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=676
   
 Please remember that this is spiritual warfare. And sometimes when you watch carefully, you start to observe subtle changes.
   
“When there are large groups of people in prayer being led by members of the clergy, it really seems to affect the Planned Parenthood escorts and workers,” said one of the 40 Days for Life leadership team members in Houston, Texas.
    
She said the Planned Parenthood staff can become very agitated and appear nervous. A few even back off from escorting their clients and allow sidewalk counselors to hand out literature without interference.
    
“Oh, if we could see the spiritual warfare that must be going on!” she said.
    
Nikki in Pittsburgh sees a similar impact. “What a difference prayer makes,” she said.
    
She said that during the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil, what is normally a very busy, noisy sidewalk was covered in the peaceful presence of God.
    
“It even seemed that the noise of the buses were muffled, drowned out by the prayers of the people. It was so powerful,” she said.
    
For some reason, more young women were willing to take her informational brochures. More people were willing to talk to her. More girls were willing to take brochures into the clinic than usual. More people were receptive to talking to her, including one teenage couple.
    
This couple, however, continued on their way into the clinic. “But I believe came back out after only a few minutes. I didn’t get to talk to them,” Nikki said, “but I hope and pray that they changed their minds.”
    
“Please know that we are planting seeds,” said Linda, one of the local 40 Days for Life coordinators in Canton, Ohio. “We are visible signs of Christ; and with God guiding us we are making a difference.”

Today’s devotional is from Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life.
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DAY 14 INTENTION
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Pray that we will have faith to realize that even now our Lord can bring an end to abortion.
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SCRIPTURE
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     On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
     When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”  – John 11:17-22
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REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
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Martha was right. Jesus is Lord of life and death.

She knew that, which is why she was able to make this statement, yet at the same time she had to wrestle with the fact that Lazarus died anyway.

Jesus indeed is Lord over life and death, but here the power of death was still displayed right in front of her.

Yet in this clash between the conviction of faith and the evidence of human experience, Martha allowed hope to shine through. “Even now, God will give you whatever you ask.”

Even now. Those words show the power of hope, born of faith. Even now, when death has already done its work, life can be victorious.

Even now, when the last word seems to have been spoken, we can hope that a word will be spoken again to restore life.

Even now, when Lazarus has already been laid in the tomb and it seems impossible to do anything about it, things can change. And things did change. The Lord raised Lazarus from the dead.

We live in a society where many believe the abortion issue has been settled, and its practice so deeply ingrained in our policies and attitudes that it is unrealistic to think we can stop it.

Yet we are the people who say to Jesus, “Even now…”
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PRAYER
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Lord Jesus, even now, you are master of life and death. I come before you as Martha did after Lazarus has died. I come before you after countless brothers and sisters of mine have died from abortion.

And I pray to you: even now, you can stop the forces of death. Even now, you can bring us into a culture of life. Come, Lord Jesus. Speak your word yet again, and free our nation from the shackles of death. Amen.
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PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL

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To download today’s devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

http://40daysforlife.com/docs/spring2010day14print.pdf
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Yours for Life,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life
PS: How is God providing blessings for the 40 Days for Life campaign in your community?

Mother Teresa's Secret Fire

Though I’ve read quite a few things about Mother Teresa over the years, two words which she heard from Jesus have stuck with me and continue to deepen my understanding of God’s love for us, especially as it was expressed through Christ’s Passion. “I THIRST” was written next to the Crucifix in every Missionaries of Charity chapel around the world at Mother Teresa’s instruction.
   
The thirst which Mother Teresa so often spoke of is in it’s simplest form: God’s thirst for our love and our thirst for His. Fr. Joseph Langford talks about how he was drawn to Mother Teresa years before she became a world famous Nobel Prize winner. He takes the reader through an in-depth look at the “call within a call” that transformed the school teacher Sister Teresa into Mother Teresa, the selfless servant to the poorest of the poor.
    
The relationship that developed between Fr. Langford and Mother Teresa serves as a fitting frame for the story of such a remarkable woman’s quest to quench Christ’s thirst by loving those who were poor, hungry, lonely, orphaned, sick, and dying. I appreciated that he included the details of their friendship, but that it isn’t by any means the focus of the book. The message of God’s thirst for us and the one we have for Him is what has lingered in my mind long after the breathtaking stories of Mother Teresa’s compassion, especially in the midst of a period of spiritual darkness, have faded a bit. This phenomenon of reciprocal yearning is explained and examined through Scripture as well as Mother Teresa’s attempt to live it out in the innumerable ways God called her to live it out.
    
The impact of Mother Teresa's Secret Fire on my life is still unfolding, but I can already sense it will be profound. Simply reading the meditation included at the end has struck a chord and deepened the prayerful meditation of one of my friends who is a fairly well-read Catholic. The idea of God thirsting for our love is not one that I’ve seen explored in-depth in other books I’ve read, so I’m looking forward to see where the “I THIRST” springboard for meditation and prayer will lead.
   
You can purchase this book here. I wrote this review of Mother Teresa's Secret Fire for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.