Happy Birthday, Pope Benedict XVI!

In your honor, I am reading Deus Caritas Est again. I have also been looking at EWTN.

Our First Communicant

Today, after Mass, my friend Marlene came up to me and said, "I have to share with you what Bernadette told me last week. It was so sweet that it brought tears to my eyes." Marlene shared that she had asked Bernadette if she was excited to receive her First Communion and Bernadette had responded, "Yes, everyday I tell Jesus, 'I am coming, Jesus! I am coming, Jesus!'"

Dear Jesus, thank you for placing a true desire for you in Bernadette's heart.

Anthony Benkovic

Please pray for the repose of Johnnette Benkovic's husband's soul. Anthony Benkovic died on Wednesday, April 11, 2007. May he rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon him.

Johnnette Benkovic is the founder of Living His Life Abundantly and Women of Grace.

Poetry Friday

Loveliest of Trees, The Cherry Now
by A.E. Housman

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.

Now, of my threescore years and ten,
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.

And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.

Humiliation

What do you do when you send an e-mail to almost 200 people urging them to contact their "legislatures"? Do you point out your error and let them know that they should actually contact their legislators?

I am simply trying to accept my humiliation quietly. At least I did not invite the same e-mail recipients to a closed function. Oh wait, I did do the latter and it wasn't that long ago.

Thank you, God, for keeping me humble.

Urbi et Orbi

In case you did not hear it or haven't had a chance to read it, Pope Benedict XVI's Urbi et Orbi Message can be read here.

This year's message had increased meaning for me, as our pastor has renewed the practice of saying "My Lord and my God" or "Dominus meus et Deus meus" during the consecration.

Happy Easter

Christ is risen! Alleluia!

On Holy Saturday, the three oldest attended the Easter Vigil with their dad. They experienced the same awe that I always felt at this Mass. They arrived home, shortly before 11:00 pm, telling me all about it. They were very happy to tell me that four people entered the Church. They also liked holding the "lit" candles. I was delighted to hear and see their enthusiasm.

After attending Easter Sunday Mass, we spent a quiet Easter at home, enjoying the company of the children's grandparents.

I pray that everyone has a Happy Easter Week!

Good Friday

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 lenght the sword had passed.

Oh, how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother highly blessed,
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 scourges rent.

For the sins of His own nation,
saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.

O sweet 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 Savior crucified.

Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all our 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 His awful Judgment Day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
by Thy Mother my defense,
by Thy Cross my victory;

While my body here decays,
may my soul Thy goodness praise,
safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

Doing What is Possible

Yesterday, I was lamenting the fact that aside from our crown of thorns, our family did not observe our usual Lenten traditions this year. Our Last Supper was not displayed. Patrick and Finnian fussed most of the day. Our house was a mess. Catherine was late for her piano lesson. We ate scrambled eggs for dinner (yes, dinner). I still have a lot to do before Easter. My list went on and on.

At eight o'clock, we attended Mass and my lamentations were washed away. I was thankful to be in the presence of our Lord. I was thankful to be doing the most important thing that I could be doing as a human being, attending Mass. At the end of Mass, Patrick started screaming. I gave Finnian to my husband, picked Patrick up and went to the vestibule. As I stood in the vestibule, holding Patrick, I was thankful that on Holy Thursday, we had done what was necessary and possible.

This morning, I am grateful to Love2learn Mom for sharing St. Francis of Assisi's wise words, "Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."