Kids, Cook-outs, and Cartwheels

     In case you were wondering, the answer is yes, I can still do a handstand and a decent cartwheel. This past weekend, I was reminded of some of the staples of my childhood: Dad cooking out on the grill, playing very intense games of tag, sneaking candy to satisfy my permanent sweet tooth, and doing handstands and cartwheels until I was either too dizzy or too tired to stand upright. 

     Kevin and I were invited to a cook-out last Sunday held by our favorite love-lines (as opposed to bloodlines) family. It was a delightfully fun blend of good food, drinks, playtime in the backyard, cute kids, and humorous adults. We enjoyed burgers hot off the grill, pulled sodas from the cooler on the deck, sat around and talked. We had an assortment of indoor and outdoor athletic pursuits and recreations to choose from: including bocce ball, soccer, tag, ping pong, foosball, and free-ranging gymnastics.

     Kids have always challenged me to grow in all possible ways. Last Sunday was no exception.

40 Days for Life Party: Subs, Stories, Stats, & Sundaes

     Amidst a sea of light pink and blue, preachers, ministers, prayer warriors, and their families came together to celebrate the success of the Spring 40 Days for Life campaign in Richmond, VA, and 246 other locations throughout the world last week. We had subs for supper, listened to some truly miraculous stories about how God worked in and through people praying at the vigil, were caught up on the most recent stats for the 40 Days for Life campaign since it began in September 2007, and then we had ice cream sundaes.

     As a gift to the two national leaders and co-founders of 40 Days for Life, David Bereit and Shawn Carney, our local campaign leader (aka my mom), put together

Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God

     I knew this book would resonate with me on a very deep level even before I’d made it through the first chapter of Lazarus Awakening by Joanna Weaver, best-selling author of Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World. The concept of having a relationship with God in which you see Him more as a harsh judge ready to condemn you at every turn rather than a loving father who wishes to shower affection upon you is one I can identify with all too well.
     The idea that God’s love for us is not based on what we do is a radical one that I’ve been hoping and praying will eventually sink in much deeper than my brain into the very core of my heart and soul. So much of this world’s affirmation comes when you perform well, do what is expected of you, and then some. The notions that God loves us just because we are made in His image and simply because we exist are

Have a Glorious Easter!

     Ever since eleven years ago, when Kevin drove over 500 miles to spend four days going to church with me, I’ve been even more aware of God’s ability to bring about lasting transformation, conversion, and new life. It’s still hard to believe how much time has passed since my then boyfriend, now husband accompanied me to the Triduum, and subsequently saw the disparate elements of the Catholic faith in which he was raised come together and move from his head into the depths of his heart.
     Two of the most fervent and frequent prayer requests in my life have been that the Lord would bring Kevin back to Him, that He would grant him the gift of faith, the desire to grow closer to the Source of All Love, and that God would help Kevin and me overcome any obstacles in the way of following His Will for our lives, which we both sincerely hoped from early on in our relationship would include marriage.
     As is so often the case with the Lord’s blessings, neither of us could ever have imagined how we’d grow closer to Our Lord, form an even stronger bond, and come to glorify him as a devout Catholic couple, devoted to serving Him through the Sacrament and covenant of our marriage.
     This is a perfect time of the year for the two of us to slow down and recall the numerous blessings we’ve received since Spring of 2000. God has indeed brought into being the deepest desires of our hearts in ways we could not have foreseen. Strolling down the lane, watching our subsequent parade of Easters together, is certainly cause to rejoice in the new life God gives us, the many reasons to hope in the promises of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which are never broken.
     Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again! Lord, thank You for the gift of Your own Beloved Son. Help us to find strength in the joy which You give as we walk in Your ways, discern and choose to do Your will, and become holier tabernacles for You. Amen.

Good Friday: Our Lord's Sorrowful Passion

The Agony in the Garden


"Stay with me. Remain here with me. Watch and pray. Watch and pray."

"Oh Father, I know You can hear me. Is there any other way? Another prayer to pray? Father, if Your love permits, let this cup pass me by. Still let it be as You would have it, not as I." -Danielle Rose

Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane. He has said, "My soul is sorrowful even to death." Mt 26:38 When reflecting on this portion of the Gospel and this first Sorrowful mysteries, I imagine Christ in such anguish because as He prays, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will" Mt 26: 39 that He is being shown the most horrifying sins committed past, present, and future, and knows what incredible suffering He must endure to bring about our salvation. It is because of His fervent love for us that God has limited Himself by entering human form. He feels loneliness, sorrow, distress, and pain just as we do. Seeing the torture He was about to undergo physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually, He feels overwhelmed, yet even then He is completely obedient to His Father's will and plan for the salvation of the world.

I am always humbled and amazed by His willingness to undergo so much suffering for us. One morning while I was still in my freshmen or sophomore year of college, I had a very vivid dream. The minute details I wrote down in a prayer journal I haven't located, yet, but they aren't as important as the effect the dream had on me. I woke up feeling completely unworthy of God's love and at the same time acutely aware of His incredible mercy washing over me. At that moment I had an epiphany that I wasn't anywhere near strong enough in my faith that I would willingly agree to suffer physical pain in order to atone for the sins of others. As this realization came over me, I thought of the torture Christ said yes to for us, and I felt so humbled that I got down on the floor and laid flat on my stomach with my face touching the hardwood and praised God. This position was the only physical way I could express the way my soul was bowing down to God for such deep love and unparalleled sacrifice.

The Scourging at the Pillar

Christ is brutally whipped by men who are trained in torture. He knows He is innocent, yet He accepts each blow because of our sinfulness.

Crowning with Thorns

He is given a reed as a scepter and royal looking cloak to wear over His bleeding body. They force a crown of thorns upon His head, piercing His scalp as our iniquities pierce His mind and soul. He endures their mocking, spitting, and humiliation for our sakes.

Carrying of the Cross

After He has been brutally beaten, viciously mocked, then He is forced to carry the Cross He will be nailed to in between two criminals. He falls three times carrying such a heavy burden. He is stripped of His clothes.

The Crucifixion

"Crucify Him...every child torn from the womb...Crucify Him...every judgment I presume...Crucify Him...every prisoner on death row...Crucify Him...Will you cast the first stone?...Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord, have mercy on us." -Danielle Rose

"Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?"

It was actually the bones of Christ's wrists and ankles (not His hands and feet) that were pierced with nails to hold Him on the Cross. In the end, He became too weak to pull Himself up enough to take a breath, so He suffocated and died.

I invite you to reflect on all Christ suffered for your sins and mine, allow the sacrifice to sink in and become a growing awareness of what it means about God's mercy and unconditional love for each and every one of us. This posture of prayer and of the heart prepares us for the joy of Christ's Resurrection come Easter.

Note: This was originally written and appeared on my former blog April 10, 2009.

Fond Memories of Holy Week

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.

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 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!
Note: These reflections were first written April 19, 2008.

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.

Then and Now: Faith, Love, and Our Vocations

     Going to the Chrism Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral this evening was an interesting blend of the past and the present coming together. As those who know about my husband’s reversion/conversion story likely recall that it was during Holy Week our second year as a couple that he was named “the patron saint of boyfriends” by the priest for Hollins Catholic Campus Ministry at the time, Fr. Remi Sojka. Ever since Kevin came with me in the spring 2000 for the Easter Triduum plus, as he referred to it, the Catholic faith in which he was raised began to make more sense in his head and in his heart. It was after that amazing weekend that

Praying to End Abortion

     Today was a gorgeous day to pray at the 40 Days for Life vigil, on this, the last day of the Spring campaign. I got to spend over an hour in prayer with two of the people who have most often been the prayer warriors to come with me to the abortion clinic during these past 40 days.
     As usual on the busy street corner, there were lots of people walking by on such a beautiful day; some out for a stroll or a jog, some were walking their dogs, and others were on the way to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
     Since the start of 40 Days for Life began in September of 2007, over 4,000 babies have been saved from abortion, and those are just the ones we know of that have been confirmed by vigil participants. It’s amazing what happens when people all over the world gather in 247 different locations to unite their hearts and minds to the Lord in an effort to protect His most sacred gift of life.

Holding on to Hope

     Usually, I read a book once, then move on to the next one, but Holding on to Hope by Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP, definitely warrants more than one read-through. There are a number of guided meditations on various Scripture passages that the reader is invited to consider, put him/herself into, and listen to what Jesus has to say to you in that particular situation.
     In addition to expounding upon the struggles she has faced dealing with mental illness, the author makes practical suggestions for how to structure life in order so healing is most likely to occur. She makes recommendations for different types of imagery and meditations as ways of envisioning ourselves in a Scripture reading, close to Jesus, open to what He would like to tell and show us at this point in our journey with and towards the Lord.
     One thing I love about this book

God is Near

     "Nothing we do to defend the human person, no matter how small, is ever unfruitful or forgotten. Our actions touch other lives and move other hearts in ways we can never fully understand in this world," said Archbishop Chaput. "Don't ever underestimate the beauty and power of the witness you give in your pro-life work." I was wondering how to tie together the many blessings that God has brought into my life through being involved in the pro-life movement, and I found the above quote in the 40 Days for Life blog post for today, Day 39 of the campaign. http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=2085
     Knowing the hard work that others have put in to make this prayer vigil a success, the number of people who have been at our local vigil every single day to pray for an hour, and the lives that have been transformed through peaceful prayer—those of the volunteers and those to whom they minister—I am acutely aware that God is near.
     Yesterday, while praying at the vigil, two women driving out of the clinic had their car windows down. I asked if I could give the woman a card. She said yes, then watched as I dug through my overstuffed little pouch

Who Ya Gonna Call?

     The other day, I had a friend get in touch with me when he found out a friend of a friend is pregnant, and her boyfriend is pushing her to get an abortion she doesn’t want. He contacted me figuring I’d know where she could get help and support because he knows I’m involved in 40 Days for Life. He found this out the night our brother in Christ and I went to speak to the Rosary and Charismatic Prayer groups at our parish about the campaign.  I hadn't planned to go and talk to the two groups at our church about the prayer vigil and invite them in person to get involved, but when he said he was going, I said I'd come, too. 
     The friend who got in touch with me the other day has come and prayed at the prayer vigil with my mom and I only once before.  However, this isn't the first time he's guided a friend to choose life for her child, despite the pressure from her boyfriend and others to have an abortion.

My Mom: A Woman with a Mission

     I love my mom and really admire her moral courage. I’ve learned a great deal from my grandmother and her about what it means to be a woman of faith, a true prayer warrior. If it weren’t for my mom, it’s possible that there wouldn’t be a Spring 40 Days for Life vigil happening in Richmond right now. Her consistent prayer coverage, unbridled enthusiasm, and a strong conviction that has come from a great deal of prayer and discernment have inspired many to be involved in this 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to end abortion.

Please Don't Drink the Holy Water

     If you like to laugh, have children, or have been around kids, you’re likely to enjoy Please Don’t Drink the Holy Water: Homeschool Days, Rosary Nights, and Other Near Occasions of Sin by Susie Lloyd. I’ve read most of this book aloud; as I did the first one of hers I bought called Bless Me, Father, for I Have Kids after meeting her a couple summers ago at a Catholic Writers Conference. My husband and I have had as much fun laughing out loud at these true stories about family dynamics as we did when reading her more recent book on the train, at home, in the car, in waiting rooms, and restaurants.
    Susie’s matter-of-fact observations about marriage, pop culture, family life, faith, chores, kids, pets, and other household phenomenon combined with her fine-tuned sense of humor make for anecdotes as amusing as the following chapter titles suggest: “Chivalry Is Dead: It Collided with My Stroller,” “Fighting the Pack-Rat Gene—One Mound at a Time,” “Family Prayer: An Occasion of Sin”,” “Never Let ‘Em See You Rest,” and “Family Vacations (and Other Ways to Punish Your Kids).” To read a few excerpts from the book, click here.

I've Still Got Your Back

     My best friend from high school and I have been through quite a lot together. Holly and I met in gym class our sophomore year of high school and have been close friends ever since.
     Over the past fourteen plus years of friendship, we’ve seen each other at our worst and at our best. We’ve spent hours conversing about faith—Roman Catholic versus Jewish— family, relationships, volunteering, health issues, little decisions (such as whether to order a gold or silver class ring), big dreams, long-term goals, great triumphs, and trivial tribulations.
     We’ve gotten lost countless times. One of the things we have in common is being directionally challenged. We have accidentally ended up in random ghettos in the middle of the day and in the middle of the night on two continents and in a number of different cities. As an absolute last resort, we