The First Station of the Cross

The First Station of the Cross: Jesus is condemned to death.

He was completely innocent, pure, and free of sin, but was sentenced to death for speaking the Truth the people found upsetting because it went against their way of seeing the world and God. 

   
No one likes to have their way of life challenged or judged.  We don’t like being criticized or forced to change.  However, when we get swept up in the ever-changing public opinions rather than seeking Truth at all costs, then we are very likely to become one of those in the crowd yelling: “Crucify him!”

What does mainstream society advocate today that condemn people to death? 

Abortion, embryonic stem cell research, the selling body parts of human fetuses for scientific experimentation, euthanasia, the death penalty, ethnic cleansing, in vitro fertilization, harvesting organs, the one-child policy in China, contraception most of which are actuallyabortificients, sterilization, test tube babies…

How do we wash our hands of the responsibility for protecting innocent life?

By not researching and learning about what the Bible says about it or what the Catholic Church teaches and why, by promoting lies about the physical, moral, emotional, and spiritual effects of abortion, ignoring clear Church teachings and advising others to do the same, donating money and/or time to organizations whose moneymaking centers on abortion, euthanasia, genocide, gendercide, taking advantage of the poor, slandering the innocent, and otherwise contributing to the culture of death.

Silence is acceptance.

We are just as guilty as those who carry out the crimes against life if we know something to be not only morally wrong, but intrinsically evil, if we do not speak out against it and take what action we can to inform others of the implications and ramifications the Lord has made clear to us. 

           

Out of sight, Out of Mind 

The decisions we make and actions we take that purposely jeopardize, damage, or destroy lives of others aren’t stains washed away from our hearts or souls by the passage of time, by the so-called justification of hateful practices, the fervor of public approval, or the legalization of such practices.  Once we have innocent blood on our hands, those stains remain on our hearts and souls until we acknowledge our sinfulness, ask for and are willing to receive God’s mercy.

Music Meditation: This song by music missionary Danielle Rose addresses a number of the evils that our society condones rather than condemns. The song's lyrics are here: "Crucify Him."  

Making it a Matter of Prayer

     
Lord, please help us use the courage and conviction You give us to teach others and show them by our lives how sacred human life is in all of its stages.  Keep us focused on You, Lord God Creator of Life, Love, and Truth, so that we may not be dissuaded or discouraged by the culture of death, but rather draw closer to You in prayer and an ever-growing hope in that which is holy, compassionate, merciful, and eternal.  Amen.

My Grandma's Hands

This morning

I held your worn red rosary

to pray the joyful mysteries

just before your funeral began.

You cared for so many

and prayed for so much.

This mourning

I must do alone.

I sift through your prayer books,

Miraculous Medals, Mass cards,

special intentions, and charitable deeds.

I’m not sure where

I fit in them now

you’ve passed from this life

into the next.

You’d cut up fresh fruit,

slice raw vegetables,

knit slippers for your grandchildren,

work in your garden,

play cards with your friends,

receive the Body and Blood

of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

You’d roll your hair in curlers,

put homemade cold cream on your face,

ponder for periods forming the longest words

when you played Scrabble.

 

You saved a pile of newspaper clippings,

stories from magazines, and articles

to pass on to a family member or friend

you thought might find them of interest.

I still have some of the garage sale

finds that you’d give us each holiday

along with a savings bond receipt,

put aside for our higher education. 

A passion for learning, current events,

international travel, new foods, and

exotic places kept you moving, tasting,

experimenting long after others

had slowed down, given up

or thrown in the towel.

You longed to be useful and needed

always wanting to know

what you could do to help.

You came to Mom’s rescue

when Dad was away

traveling for business,

or not available in some way.

Making meals, cleaning up,

decorating the church for holy days,

being one in the Legion of Mary

who interceded daily for many petitions.

Recycling pieces of foil,

scraps of paper, collecting

packages of salad dressing,

and reusing paper towels,

you didn’t waste or trash things

before their usefulness had run out.

Your eyes filled easily with tears

after all you’d been through—

the loss of your sister so young,

your mother, your daughter,

your long-suffering husband,

your health, your independence,

your memories—

quite a bit over the years. 

Ever-appreciative of a visit,

time spent outdoors,

bouquets of flowers,

spicy beef with broccoli,

chocolate candy,

a hearty laugh, a good book,

an old movie, a familiar song.

Now forever

won’t be long.

I wrote the above poem in honor of my maternal grandmother Marilyn Lohwater, on the day of her funeral & burial, February 9, 2013.

Déjà-Vu All Over Again

There We Go, Again

We received a notification from the airline we’re taking to get to my grandmother’s funeral that there's a winter storm advisory for Boston, MA (where we were originally scheduled to get our connecting flight) that might make it a good idea for us to change flights.  Kevin said in response to this: "If I have to, I'll just take a whole day. It's bereavement; they'll get over it!" That is my dearly beloved husband and one of the reasons I find him so hilarious and endearing.

     
Thankfully, after speaking to a number of not-so-helpful customer service people, Kevin was able to get our flights changed so that we are less likely to get stuck in Boston, MA on Friday.

Flashback ‘92

There are some things that I don't think need to be repeated, but they are anyway. Nana (my dad's mom) passed away when I was 11 years old.  She lived in Florida, but she was visiting us for the holidays.  My nana, dad, and I stayed up late on Christmas Eve watching the movie Home Alone and laughing hysterically.  My nana had the sort of laugh that was like a cartoon character, and her laugh made my dad crack up even harder.  The next morning Nana went into the hospital near us, where my youngest sister had been born less than three months before, and that is where my paternal grandmother passed away.  Her funeral had been planned for quite some time, so, of course, we all made the trek to upstate New York in the middle of a blizzard at the beginning of February to go to the Mass. 

Back to 2006

Seven years ago in January, Kevin had just had foot surgery and we got a call that his mother’s health was failing.  She’d been in a nursing home for years with Alzheimer’s, so getting worse for her meant she wouldn’t likely live very long.  Kevin was able to speak to her on the phone to tell her he loved her and that it was okay to let go.  As soon as the 48 hours was up that he had to be off of his foot, we were able to fly to upstate New York (thanks to the help of one of the families for whom I nannied at the time letting us use their frequent flyer miles) for the burial of Kevin’s mother (Joyce) and father (Harry Potter).  His father had passed away the year before and per his request had been cremated and was to be placed in his wife’s coffin.   

Then and Now

My maternal grandmother miraculously lived through a number of brushes with death.  Doctors told us numerous times she only had a matter of months, if not days, to live.  They were wrong for sixteen years about that.  Despite having an advanced stage of cancer and having a pacemaker put in, she returned home and was able to live on her own for several more years. 

     
In 2009 when my dad was also in hospice care, we admitted my grandma as well.  My grandma, however, had the blessed experience of getting well enough that she got kicked out of hospice.  The nurse figured she probably didn’t need their care anymore when they kept trying to come see her, and she wasn’t in her room.  She was off playing bridge or at Mass (in the building), but she was clearly doing significantly better. 

     
The prayer that if this was my grandmother’s time to go to the Lord that it would be quick and painless for her was granted.  Kevin and I went and visited her last Wednesday evening and saw that she was on oxygen and exhibiting many of the symptoms that Kevin and I have come to recognize in those whose death was going to happen very soon.  I thought she would at least make it until the weekend, but that wasn’t to be. 

     
I was at the family’s house where I nanny when I received the call from my mom about how Grandma had passed away during the night.  My mom and some of the nuns had been with her praying at the time.  Because I’d had my initial cry and mourning period a couple weeks earlier, I was able to take the news in stride.  (I was cheerleading at a St. Mary’s basketball game held at Benedictine High School when my dad and uncles came in to tell us that Nana had passed away.)

     
Interestingly enough, a couple weeks before my grandmother’s sharp decline, I walked into Mass at Little Sisters of the Poor, saw her asleep in her wheelchair and having difficulty breathing, and I just knew she wouldn’t be with us in body as well as spirit for much longer.  I cried throughout the Mass, much the same as I did the evening a couple weeks before my nana’s death when it sank it that she wouldn’t be getting better this time like she had the other times doctors told us she wouldn’t make it. 

  

Funeral Arrangements & Prayers Requests  

This Saturday, February 9, 2013, my grandmother, Marilyn Lohwater’s funeral will be held at 10:30am at St. Charles Borromeo Church.  May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

     
Please also pray that all of us will make it safely to and from yet another female family member’s funeral in upstate NY at the beginning of February during a snowstorm.  They’re saying that the storm could end up dumping 2 feet of snow in the Northeast.

Note to reader: we weren't able to make it up for the funeral, but at least my mom got there before the worst of the weather descended.

True Equality: Dr. King Style

Are we really a nation that does all it can to promote equality?  

Not while we're supporting the black genocide.  

I invite you to please listen and read the words that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke and ask yourselves: Would his dream include the mass killing of African American babies by their mothers and fathers?  

What are your actions and decisions saying about your dream for our country?

What are you doing to create true equality?

Who are those who are being marginalized, cast aside, and silenced in our world today?

For more information, check out this documentary narrated by Dr. Alveda King: Blood Money.

A review of the documentary can be read here.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 62)

-1-

Three years ago this morning: my mom, sisters, husband, and brother-in-law rushed to my dad’s place in the middle of the night to say goodbye to my father, who less than a month after his 54^th birthday breathed his last. Lord, thank You for Your love and perfect plan for each one of us. Help us to live each day to glorify You, bring others closer to You, and live out the love You have given us. Dad, we love you and still feel loved by you, and take great comfort knowing you are in Heaven experiencing God’s pure love.

-2-

Teresita An Original Play about St. Teresa of Avila is a lively, humorous, thought-provoking play inspired by the life of a saint who had lots of personality and a great deal of faith. This original one-act play written and performed by playwright, actress, and director Michele Morris is one you won’t want to miss!  Read a review and get more info here.

-3-

My Little Guys are Growing up! I saw some pictures of Hank at his sleep away camp, and still cannot get over that the two little boys I nannied for starting one week after Kevin and I got married eight years ago are old enough to go to camp.  It seems like it couldn’t possibly be that long ago that I was balancing bottles, juggling snacks, and chasing Hank and JG around.  They taught me many things, and they’ll always have a special place in my heart.   

-4-

 “What do You want of me?” is a powerful refrain in a poem by St. Teresa of Avila (which Michele Morris includes in the program for “Teresita”) has given me a lot to think and pray about.  I’m sure some news that we’ve gotten from family and friends who are moving on to new and exciting stages in life, the anniversary of my father’s passing, and the death of a friend’s mother have all gotten me thinking and wondering about what God wants of Kevin and me.  What are we here for in the grand scheme of things?  I know ultimately we’re here to love and serve the Lord and bring others closer to Him, but the specifics of that and whether or not we’re doing that effectively has been making me wonder.  So I guess Kevin and I are asking the same question, “what do you want of us, Lord?” 

 

-5-

The French Would Be Horrified! This week as part of Trip to France Camp at school, we tasted a variety of French foods.  Of course, we had to sample at least a couple of the cheeses for which the French are famous.  For the third year in a row, the kids all preferred Gruyere to Brie, but the real kicker is that they all were eager to have string cheese sticks as well on one of the day when superior dairy products were offered.   

-6-

What did you just say?! Kids often crack me up with the things they say, not even intending to be funny or ironic.  One of my favorites this week was when a four year old was making a keychain with wooden beads and came across one that had a hole that didn’t go all the way through, and he makes some comment to me about how it must have been an error the “manufacturer” made.  Flabbergasted he knew this word and used it correctly, I agreed wholeheartedly that was likely indeed the case. 

-7-

God’s got it!  In wondering what the Lord has in store for us lately, sometimes I’ve felt a bit down.   A number of things that have happened today have reminded me that the Lord is indeed aware of our prayers, loves us dearly, and has a plan for our lives even when we can’t for the life of us figure out what it is.  Time with kids, a yummy lunch provided by a co-worker, prayer time, an conversation with our favorite brother in Christ John as he was leaving Little Sisters of the Poor after Mass and prayer time and as I was going in to visit my grandma.  God is good all the time!  All the time God is good!

Head over to Conversion Diary, to read Jen Fulwiler's wonderful tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday.

In Memory of My Dad: James Lester Niermeyer

In honor of my dad’s birthday, (he would have been 57 today), I made sure to do some of his favorite things: 

     1.      I’m currently listening to the Eagles while I’m writing this.  Actually, I think this was probably my dad’s copy of the CD. 

     2.      Earlier today I sat in a very comfy recliner, Dad’s prime spot in his apartment. 

     3.      I also did one of his all-time favorite pastimes, I rocked a baby girl to sleep on my shoulder.  (Truth be told, I rocked two of them to sleep on my shoulder in the recliner more than once today while nannying for the three Baab girls.)

     4.      I plan on having some ice cream with chocolate sauce on it before I go to bed this evening.   

I have fond memories of my dad’s final birthday, and I’ve still got the message on our answering machine that he left for us that evening three years ago.  Don’t underestimate the power of a phone call.  Reconcile, make amends, say thank you and I love you.

     
Dad, I'm grateful you're now somewhere you know that you're loved unconditionally, that you get to be with loved ones who have gone before you, and that you no longer have a heavy burden of suffering weighing you down. 

     We love you and miss you, Dad, but we know you’re watching over us from Heaven.    

Heaven's Homecoming

     Heaven’s Homecoming is a beautiful look at the many admirable qualities of the elderly faithful and their deep understanding of love, heaven, prayer, and the important role of the priest during their lives and certainly at the moment of their deaths.  Father McKay, who served as the priest at Holy Family Home for 18 years, shares “eulogistic stories” of the aged in his care.  Under the patronage of Saint Jeanne Jugan and her Little Sisters of the Poor, these residents show their humble faith, wonderful humor, and determination to reach their final destination of heaven. 

     All names in the book have been changed to respect the privacy of the residents, but their precious faith, devout prayer practices, hilarious interactions, and prophetic dreams are vibrantly portrayed.  The string throughout the book is the priest’s relationship with each of these individuals, and how each one of them helps him come a step closer to overcoming his fear of death and dying. 
       When my mom handed me the book to read and I scanned the back, I knew I’d read it eventually, but I didn’t put it at the top of my list.  I was expecting that it would be sort of dry, probably not very cohesive, and published more because it is about the residents at a home with the same patroness and religious caregivers as Little Sisters of the Poor than due to its literary prowess or entertainment value.  
     I’m pleasantly surprised at how well this was written.  I absolutely loved these stories, and as is often the case with my favorite funny or moving passages, I just had to share them aloud with my nearest and dearest.  We laughed and cried together.  Even my grandmother, a resident in her upper 80s at the local Little Sisters of the Poor home, chuckled when I read her a few of the stories from it.
     There’s no ISBN, no website, or even a publisher listed on the book, so I’m not quite sure of the best way to get your own copy of Heaven’s Homecoming other than from the Little Sisters of the Poor home for the elderly nearest you, but you can get the Kindle version on Amazon here.