Friday, December 31, 2010

The ABCs of Why I Love Being Catholic

Here's what I came up with quickly. Maybe you have some things you love that I've forgotten or can come up with Y and Z.

A: Absolution, authority, Assumption
B: Blessings, Bishops
C: Cardinals, conclaves, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Communion of Saints, Cathedrals
D: Deacons, Doctors of the Church
E: Eucharist, Easter Vigil, encyclicals
F: Fathers, fasting, feast days
G: Good Friday, genuflecting, guardian angels
H: Holy Days, Heroes of the Faith, history
I: Incense, Immaculate Conception, icons
J: Jesus on the cross (crucifix), John Paul II
K: Kneeling
L: Latin, Liturgy of the Hours
M: martyrs, Mary, mysteries, missions
N: nuns, novenas
O: obedience, obligations
P: popes, purgatory, priests
Q: Queen of Heaven
R: real presence, rosary, RCIA, reverts
S: sacraments, saints, sacrifice, Stations of the Cross
T: teaching magisterium, tradition, Tridium, tabernacle, Theology of the Body
U: universal church
V: vocations, Veneration of the Cross
W: weekday mass, Way of the Cross
X: eXcommunication--a call to repent
Y:
Z:

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

'Twas

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house
The remodelers were trampling
The vacuum was broken
The cards were bought not addressed, stamped or sent
And there's no time to make this rhyme.
But I'm peaceful and happy that everyone's home
And the raisin bread IS baked
And I'm thinking of what this is really all about:
Christ came.
He will come again.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Working Out

Jumping jacks, toe-touching, and knee lifts all make the routine at Curves more interesting than just jogging on the pads between machines. I am working out.

It was a misunderstanding. I needed to explain myself and apologize. Hurt feelings happen so quickly and easily but gentle words help. It is working out.

Thrusting the shovel into the soft loam, smelling the earthy fragrance, gently lifting a plant into place are all signs that I am working (out).

A tense, time-sensitive project needs all my concentration. Don't bother me now. I am working. OUT!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Difference

Four arms stretched wide--
One man in anger,
One God in pain,
And between the two:
Great divide.

One, the high priest,
His robes destroyed.
Before him stood
The man-God claimer:
Lamb of feast.

Soon upon the tree,
Bloody arms wide,
Healing hands pierced,
The man-God claimer
Claims us free.