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I saw my grandfather forty years after he died. I loved him with all my heart, not because he gave me toys, bought me ice creams or took me to the Fun Fair, but because he loved me so much. I was only eight years old when he died of a heart attack and I cried myself to sleep. The next day my mother told me that he loved me very especially, so much so that he made special plans for me and so I should always pray for him each day when I said my morning prayers. That’s why I felt so guilty when I saw him again forty years later. The truth of the matter is, I had forgotten to pray for him as often as my mother wanted me to, as often as I should have done. It was Christmas Eve when I saw him. I usually shaved in the morning, but as I was going to midnight Mass I thought I better make myself a little more presentable. I had removed all the shaving cream off my face apart from a white moustache under my nose, about the same size as the white moustache my grandfather always wore, that tickle

It's a bad time of year to be hurting.  Not that there is a good time for pain, of course, but the weeks around Christmas and New Year's can be particularly poignant for some. I suspect many of us have had such seasons. Times when we can't be with loved ones, or a relative or close friend has died, or we've suffered a miscarriage, or we're sick, or we've lost our job, or there is illness in the family.  Even the time of year can make us feel blue.  Here in the northern hemisphere, night falls early in these months of bleak midwinter. We may be struggling to adjust to the long, long, long dark. For anyone reading this who is sad, in pain, or maybe just wishing the holidays would be over and gone - know that you're not alone. In fact, you are so 'not alone' that I'm going to ask a favor of everyone reading this..... (continue)

Today's first Bible reading doesn't include the last part of Micah 5:4.... ...I'm guessing that's because we see these verses mostly as they relate to our Lord's birth, about seven centuries later. Folks in Micah's day had more immediate concerns: " 3 he shall be peace. If Assyria invades our country and treads upon our land, We shall raise against it seven shepherds, eight men of royal rank; " 4 And they shall tend the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the drawn sword; And we shall be delivered from Assyria, if it invades our land and treads upon our borders. " ( Micah 5:4 - 5 ) Micah lived around Isaiah 's time, a bit over 27 centuries back. Assyria's leaders were trying to unite the (western) world into a single empire, and succeeding: for the moment.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

As the Morning Rising: Just go as you are! : You don't need to wrap yourself in reindeer paper or put tinsel on your head. Just go as you are. Bring the Christ-child in you to a tro...

When I attend Mass, I prepare for Mass by writing random thoughts in my notebook. I use the same notebook for notes on homilies and notes on the readings. This is one of the ways in which I pray. My prayers are often written. Read more at Prayerfully Yours

Advent is a time to prepare yet also to discern where we are being led towards. The journey that Joseph and Mary were to make from Nazareth to Bethlehem, by many accounts, was not a fairytale but fraught with much danger, miserable weather, and challenges. Even in the best of health, this undertaking would have been difficult for the ablest of travelers. And yet, as scripture reminds us this is how God was to become Incarnate in our world. Not in comfort, or amidst luxury but One who walks with us through the most difficult moments and trials that we might encounter in life.  Read More..

WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO COME DOWN TO EARTH? WHY DID GOD NOT FORGIVE US WITHOUT CHRIST'S SACRIFICE? DID JESUS REALLY HAVE TO DIE? PLEASE CLICK HERE

'The little town of Bethlehem is taken from two Hebrew words  which mean 'House of Bread.' He Who called Himself  'the living Bread descended from Heaven' was born in the 'House of Bread' and was laid in the place of food, the manger.....' Bishop Fulton J. Sheen   (from The Breadbox Letters)

As the Morning Rising: Our Mother of Perpetual Help : Blessed Icons of Our Mother of Perpetual Help  at  Clonard Monastery Belfast,  ready to be reverently transported to the homes of her ch...

Master of the Hours of Maréchal de Boucicaut Book of Hours of Maréchal de Boucicaut, 1405-08. Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris Gospel Luke 1:39-45 ( NRV – Catholic Ed ., Can.) In those days, Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” The Visitation , El Greco, 1610-13 Dumbarton Oaks, Washington DC About eight years ago I celebrated Mass on the Feast of the Visitation in a home for girls where most come from

Scientists following up on Kepler observations learned that a bit over half of the objects tentatively identified as giant planets are brown dwarfs or stars. We've also learned that Saturn's moon Enceladus has a vast ocean under its icy surface: with all the ingredients needed for life.... ...If you've read my 'science' posts before, you know why I think Earth isn't flat ; the universe is billions , not thousands, of years old; poetry isn't science ; and thinking is not a sin .... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

WHAT DID SHE KNOW? PLEASE CLICK HERE

Advent is a proverbial time of waiting  and listening in the darkness for the birth of the Christ Child within our own hearts.  However, the biggest stumbling block to truly listening is our self-important business. Henri Nouwen S.J., Jesuit author and university prof,  complained to God about all the students who came to his office, interrupting his writing of an important book. God’s answer? “I just gave you that book to write to keep you busy in between appointments; your real work is all those interruptions.” No matter what our occupation, we tend to think that our work, our agenda is important. It is almost in our nature to let ambition and drive push other people to the fringes of our awareness while we toil in an isolated bubble of self-importance. There are many methods that can shake us out of this selfish obsession but for me as a mother, it was my children.                                 continue reading

Catholic Bloggers, I converted 6 years ago to the beautiful Catholic faith. I want to share the images that helped me on my journey to the Catholic Church.  In no other church did I experience the beauty, awe and truth I found within these gothic walls. Surrounded by stained glass windows and Gregorian chant, my soul was yearned for Christ. I want to share the beauty I tried to capture in the photos I took.  I've uploaded 100+ images to my blog ( www.thewhitfordlife.com ) so you can download them for free. Please enjoy them and use them to spread the beauty of the Catholic Church! Below are a few of my favorite. 

Have you ever felt lost, alone, confused, unsure of what to do next, unsure of what your calling is? Do you ever sit back and wonder what God is asking of you? Maybe there was a time you knew your calling. You were to be a Wife and a Mother, a caretaker, a healer, a child's giggling dance partner, a coloring book aficionado, and a world class booboo kisser. You were to be a partner, a supporter, a champion, a budget-applying miracle worker, a secret look across a crowded room interpreter, and a soft place for your better half to land at the end of a long, hard day. And now...you are just not . So what is God calling you to do? When your dreams have been dashed and reality is that you need to concentrate just to support, to feed, clothe, and house your children. In Sunday's Gospel, Luke 3: 10-18, John the Baptist addresses crowds asking similar questions, "What should we do?" To read the rest of God  What Should I Do? please join me at SingleMom

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to watch the movie, “ A Christmas Carol. ” One of my favorite scenes from the movie is when the ghost of Jacob Marley visits his old partner Ebenezer Scrooge. Marley tries to warn Scrooge to change his ways before it is too late. It’s too late for Marley, who drags the chains of sin and neglect with him for all eternity. Marley is seven years deceased, and warns Scrooge that Scrooge’s chains of sin and neglect are far greater than Marley’s, since Scrooge has had an additional seven years to commit sin and neglect. Jacob Marley tries to impart some wisdom; to ... Read more...

O Holy Night is my favorite Christmas Carol. The lyrics are rich in meaning and so many of them have provided much thought for meditation and spiritual journaling. Here are five facts, images and inspirations from the song. Read more here...

A friend of mine spends Christmas Day writing her cards. For one thing, this spares her from re-mailing cards to people who have moved. Another friend sends his cards in July. That way his card gets more attention and also reminds people of the Savior in the summer. Whether you purchase Christmas cards  or create them yourself, Christmas cards can be a way to spread the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus, at Christmas time. Although a card with a cute reindeer or a lovely snow scene may be appealing, art and a Scripture verse related to the nativity event keep the focus on Christ. Likewise for stamps. Fortunately religious stamps are still available for Christmas. Do you decorate your envelopes with stickers? Why not use religious ones for this religious feast day? Since we pay almost a half a dollar to send each card, we can get our money's worth by tucking something inside, such as a small flat gift, or a Christmas prayer or reflection. We might also give the gift of o

The road was rocky and hard. I could see the young woman and man walking ahead of me. The woman was pregnant. The truth is that she looked like she would deliver that baby at any moment. Her husband was loving and kind. He did his best to make her feel comfortable on the donkey. He would stop and make sure she was covered with the blankets they had on the donkey. Read more at Prayerfully Yours

Immaculate Heart of Mary - CHRISTMASTIME by Mark Knobil (2007) via  FLICKR , CC Feeling conflicted about navigating the sudden CROWDS at church this Christmas? Thinking about coming to church for the first time in a while? Be not afraid! There's room for everyone. Today's post continues the series on what happens in the liturgy, and why we're all essential to what happens there. "Keep Your Fork!" Join me at Praying with Grace !

"The traditional Christmas tree is a very ancient custom which exalts the value of life, as in winter the evergreen becomes a sign of undying life...." (continue)

Some years ago I had dinner with friends in London. When I was leaving their home I was introduced to the husband’s father, who was busy digging in the garden. Taken by surprise and not knowing what to say I asked a rather stupid question – “ And what are you doing ?” I said.  “I do be digging the garden,”  he replied, glancing at his son as if to say – “ Who’s your fatuous friend ?” Intrigued by his answer I asked a nun who taught Irish in Dublin what was meant by the expression, ‘ I do be digging the garden’ . She said that it is the English rendering of what is called in Irish –  the present continuing tense . It means –  “I have been digging the garden, I am digging the garden and when you stop asking the obvious, I will continue to dig the garden!” There is no such tense in English, but it perfectly expresses the meaning of the Aramaic idiom, as spoken by Jesus, and in this case by St John, when he said, ‘ God is Love’ . He wasn’t trying to give a definition of what love is in

I just had to share with all of you the most amazing story of a young man that I know. Patrick Sewak is all of six years old, nearing seven. He is an extraordinary young man filled with virtue, and blessed by God; destined to become God’s servant. He is raised by his wonderful mother, Meris, and by his grandparents Mark and Bernadette. Patrick is “different” from the average child, and I say that in a good way. He yearns to attend daily Mass with his grandmother. At home he “plays Mass.” This child... Read more...

Head on over to Saints365 for the first installment in a series of posts reflecting on the gift of Mercy during this Jubilee Year of Mercy.  This week's reflection focuses on the gift of God's mercy in answering the prayers that we do not dare to ask.  You know those - the one's that we are afraid or hesitant to voice - the prayers that wonder if or why God would answer - the prayers that we barely allow ourselves to acknowledge.  Read more here...

MY CHRISTMAS FAUX PAS CLICK HERE

Real life interferes. I had other plans today. I planned to get up, go to Mass, spend the day doing this, that, and the other, go to a Christmas party tonight. That was what I wanted to do. Last night, I started feeling poorly. This morning, getting out of bed was not an option. Graduate Sunday! I love this Sunday. I spent the morning, no, it will be the rest of the day, in bed: blowing my nose, coughing, aches, pains, and a fever. Not what I had in mind. I guess, God had other plans. Read More at Prayerfully Yours

Sometimes the activities of Advent and Christmas can feel like an intrusion. Day to day life is more or less put on hold by an urgent need to shop and wrap and plan. Chairs and tables are displaced by, of all things, a tree in the middle of our house.  There is no time to do ordinary things, as everyday life is seriously disrupted for weeks on end. It can seem like a major interruption.   A few years ago, the truth of it hit me. This is what Christmas has been since the instant of the Incarnation: an interruption. Please stay with me here, because our first reaction to the word “interruption” could be negative.  But interruptions are often quite positive, and this Interruption was the most positive of them all.... (continue...)

The Year of Mercy/Jubilee of Mercy started on Tuesday, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. 1 In my home parish, it's also when we started receiving the Eucharist under both forms: our Lord's body and blood. If you think that's sounds gory and repulsive, you're not alone. Following our Lord has involved public relations issues from day one ... ...We'll be using Latin for parts of Mass during Advent, too: which is fine with me. I like Latin. I can even understand a little of the language. Mercifully, though, most of the Mass is in my native tongue. 3 — Which brings me back to the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis, and getting a grip.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

First published on Catholic Mom It is a simple fact- there is no better way to form deep relationships than conversation over a home-cooked meal. In fact, there is no better way to encourage the development of a warm supportive family than with great food and relaxed conversation around the dinner table. continue reading

For a long time I would wake up in the middle of the night with situations or conversations from a decade or more ago, replaying in my mind.  The anger and hurt would bubble up and my soul would mourn that time of darkness all over again.  I found it so hard to move past the slights, bullying, and unchristian behavior of others.  However, by reliving it over and over again, and renewing my anger over it, I wasn't being Christian either.  Forgiving ALL transgressions is the key.  We all sin, and sin is dark and ugly no matter how big or small.  We must forgive them all, because through Christ we are released from all of our debts of sin, we simply need to prayerfully ask forgiveness in Confession. In this Year of Mercy, let us see Christ in all we encounter and pray often, "Forgive them Father, they know not what they do!" Read more on  Veils and Vocations.