Children

Children
"God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
(1 Jn 4:16)

Monday, March 21, 2011

A Teaching Moment

As Patrick and Finnian were playing on Friday, we heard Finnian tell Patrick:
"Patrick, Jesus died on the cross for us, so that we can live with Him in Heaven. The devil can never go to Heaven because he is bad. The devil will never be allowed in Jesus' house."
Finnian must be listening to and/or understanding more of his siblings' religion lessons, our pastor's sermons, and the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, then I realized.

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth

Today, I heard Elizabeth crying. When I asked her why she was crying, she told me that Finnian had pushed her. I turned to Finnian and told him, "Finnian you mustn't push your sister." I was not prepared for what I heard next. He responded, "I didn't. I punched her."

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Wheels are Continuing to Turn

Last night, as I ironed, Finnian sat on a chair and chatted away and occasionally asked a question.

Finnian: "Mommy, when we die are we completely dead?"
Me: "No, our souls go to Heaven if we've been good."
Finnian: "Oh, if we go to Heaven, then we can live with Jesus forever! Fr. Saguto is a priest. Fr. Saguto loves Jesus a lot."

I really like how my little boy thinks and expresses himself. All of the dots aren't always connected in what he says, but I know that they are in his mind.

May God bless our good and faithful priests! May He help them to become saints!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Stations of the Cross

Stabat Mater

Stabat Mater dolorósa
iuxta crucem lacrimósa,
dum pendébat Fílius.

Cuius ánimam geméntem,
contristátam et doléntem
pertransívit gládius.

O quam tristis et afflícta
fuit illa benedícta,
mater Unigéniti!

Quæ mærébat et dolébat,
pia Mater, dum vidébat
Nati poenas íncliti.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si vidéret
tanto supplício?

Quis non posset contristári,
piam Matrem contemplári
doléntem cum Fílio?

Pro peccátis suæ gentis
vidit lesum in torméntis,
et flagéllis súbditum.

Vidit suum dulcem Natum
moriéndo desolátum,
dum emísit spíritum.

Eia, Mater, fons amóris
me sentíre vim dolóris fac,
ut tecum lúgeam.

Fac ut árdeat cor meum
in amándo Christum Deum,
ut sibi compláceam.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Crucifíxi fige plagas
cordi meo válide.

Tui Nati vulneráti,
tam dignáti pro me pati,
poenas mecum divide.

Fac me tecum pie flere,
Crucifíxo condolére,
donec ego víxero.

Iuxta crucem tecum stare,
ac me tibi sociáre
in planctu desídero.

Virgo vírginum præclára,
mihi iam non sis amára,
fac me tecum plángere.

Fac ut portem Christi mortem,
passiónis fac me sortem,
et plagas recólere.

Fac me plagis vulnerári,
cruce hac inebriári,
et cruóre Filii.

Flammis urar succénsus,
per te, Virgo, sim defénsus
in die iudícii.

Fac me cruce custodíri,
morte Christi præmuníri,
confovéri grátia.

Quando corpus moriétur,
fac ut ánimæ donétur
Paradísi glória.
First Station
Jesus is Condemned to Death
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Second Station
Jesus Takes up His Cross
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Third Station
Jesus Falls for the First Time
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Fourth Station
Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Fifth Station
Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Sixth Station
Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Seventh Station
Jesus Falls for the Second Time
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Eighth Station
Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Ninth Station
Jesus Falls for the Third Time
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Tenth Station
Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Eleventh Station
Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Twelfth Station
The Crucifixion
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Thirteenth Station
Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.

Fourteenth Station
Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
Stabat Mater

At the Cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last.


Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had passed.


Oh, how sad and sore distressed Was that Mother highly blest Of the sole-begotten One!


Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying, glorious Son.


Is there one who would not weep, Whelmed in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold?


Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother's pain untold?



Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld her tender Child All with bloody scourges rent; For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation, Till His Spirit forth He sent.


O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with thine accord: 
Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ my Lord.


Holy Mother! pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified: Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.


Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him who mourned for me, All the days that I may live: 
By the Cross with thee to stay; There with thee to weep and pray; Is all I ask of thee to give.


Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share thy 'grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.



Wounded with His every wound, Steep my soul till it hath swooned In His very Blood away; Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, Lest in flames I burn and die, In that awful Judgment day.


Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defense, Be Thy Cross my victory; While my body here decays, May my soul Thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee.
Stations of the Cross pictures by Vicentini
The pictures may be purchased via CatholicHeritage Curricula.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Kissing it Better

A couple of nights ago, when Elizabeth asked me to read to her, I responded, "Sweetie, Mommy can't read to you because she has a very bad headache." Elizabeth replied, "Mommy, I kiss it better." She proceeded to kiss my forehead in several places and then said, "It better." A few minutes later, she requested, once again, that I read to her. When I told her that my head hurt too much to read, she stated, "I kissed it better." I answered, "I know, but it still hurts." She said, "I kiss it better." She immediately started kissing my forehead. Upon stopping, she handed me a book and said, "Now read it."
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