Holy Week: Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper

Holy Week was really awesome for me. I was going through Lent, reading my three books each day, but not feeling particularly ... um, holy? No, not right. Closer to God? Probably a bit closer there. But I pushed on. Got back to praying the Rosary more often, but still not back to my every-day mode. (I'll continue to work on that.)

But then Holy Week came - or, more specifically, the Triduum.

Our family always attends the Triduum. Easter Vigil is my favorite Mass of the entire year, and I think it could only be improved if we had a wedding at the Mass, as well. But this year, the entire Triduum really moved me and made the somewhat drier time of Lent worth it.

First, Holy Thursday came. In the past at our parish, the foot washing wasn't done properly. Everyone could have their feet washed, everyone could volunteer to wash feet, and Father did not do much of it. I did not participate, at first because I was unprepared (I'd never seen that done before), and then later because I realized it wasn't proper to do it this way. However, this year, Father K. had the various ministries in our parish chose two people (either two in the ministry or a husband and wife) to have their feet washed; Travel Man and I were asked by the Justice and Peace ministry. We discussed, we thought, and then we accepted.

Yes, I know ... vir means MEN, but we both did it anyway. Deal.

Anyway, it was going to be a bit of a penance for me. I hate feet. Hate 'em. Don't like touching them, don't like having mine touched. I once got a manicure and pedicure as a birthday present from my sister, and I traded the pedicure for a second manicure. So even the idea of having water poured over my foot and having it dried off was a bit ... weird. But what happened to me during Mass on Thursday was much more than that.

When we got up and went to our chairs for the washing, Travel Man was one of the men in charge of placing the chairs on the lowest step going to the altar. Because he'd also be taking them away, he sat in one of the first places to be washed so that he'd be able to get up quickly and put chairs away. And because we sit on the opposite side of the church where Father K. started, I sat in the last chair.

At this point, I want to let you know (in case you've never been to Holy Thursday Mass - and it's something I highly recommend, even if you're not Catholic) what the Gospel reading is for Holy Thursday. It's the same in all three Liturgical Cycles.

Gospel

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come

to pass from this world to the Father.

He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.

The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.

So, during supper,

fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power

and that he had come from God and was returning to God,

he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.

He took a towel and tied it around his waist.

Then he poured water into a basin

and began to wash the disciples’ feet

and dry them with the towel around his waist.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,

“Master, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus answered and said to him,

“What I am doing, you do not understand now,

but you will understand later.”

Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered him,

“Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.”

Simon Peter said to him,

“Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.”

Jesus said to him,

“Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed,

for he is clean all over;

so you are clean, but not all.”

For he knew who would betray him;

for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

So when he had washed their feet

and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,

he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?

You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.

If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,

you ought to wash one another’s feet.

I have given you a model to follow,

so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

I love Saint Peter. He is my favorite saint because he spoke before he thought so often, and his love for Our Lord is so evident. When he met Jesus, he wasn't so sure who this Guy was, but once he got a glimpse, he went whole-heartedly with Him. He never looked back, even when he was being impetuous.

So there I sat, waiting for Father to come to me. He and the deacon moved together, with the altar servers following behind, handing him towels and taking the wet ones away. Because the church is curved slightly, I couldn't see Father until he was about halfway down the line of people. Then I noticed something.

He was not just kneeling before each person, but staying that way, crawling on his knees to each person to wash their feet.

The sight took my breath away. I looked at Father, whom I love and respect, and thought, "That's not right! He shouldn't be crawling to us like that! He shouldn't be doing this! We should be honoring him!"

And I got it. For the first time, I really got Saint Peter's reaction. I'd always known in my head that Peter thought it was inappropriate that the Lord should wash his feet, but it hadn't really internalized for me. I didn't know it in my heart the way I know it now. I looked down at Father as he approached my chair and thought, "No! This isn't right!" I worked hard to choke back my tears at that point. When he got to the person two chairs down from me, I noticed something else: as he finished drying her foot, he looked up into her eyes, smiled, and then moved on.

This was almost too much to bear. Now I was really fighting the tears. I asked Saint Peter to pray for me, so I could keep from crying. I did not want to cry up there.

When it was my turn, I noticed more. First, Father had made sure the water was warm. It was comfortable. Then, it wasn't just a matter of a little water being poured on my foot and wiped off. He acted as though I had dirt on my feet and he washed it. I think that if I had been wearing sandals and was grimy, my foot would have been clean at that point.

Humbling. Moving.

Never did I think it would be like that. I'm glad I said yes, because I learned something very important about Christ and Saint Peter and the apostles in that moment. And I was able to internalize another Gospel story in an entirely new way.

Saint Peter, pray for us!

[image source]

Sick on Purpose

I think God was preventing me from getting myself any more upset than I already was this week. I joked with Travel Man that Obamacare made me sick because I had a fever Monday through Thursday at about noon.

Turns out, I missed Masses and the Mission all week, and according to my friends who went, it was a blessing. Content wasn't bad, but the Q&A sessions went in all kinds of directions, to the point that one exasperated woman stood up and asked, "Why are you even Catholic, then?"

I fantasize about Father Corapi being our Mission Leader for Lent. Or Father Groeschel. Some sort of priest who wears a habit or his clerics or something identifying him as a religious. Someone who still crosses himself when he passes a Catholic church and doesn't make snorting noises about the magisterium or say that Luke wrote St. John's Gospel or ad lib some of the prayers at Mass.

But in the meantime, I'll be in thanksgiving for our pastor, who told me today that he can't break Lenten fast on Sundays because he "feels like it's cheating." Who speaks out against cohabitation, contraception, fornication, masturbation, abortion, euthanasia, and who sings the Agnus Dei during his weekday Masses.

Remember, we need to pray for religious who are acting this way, not just be angry with them. Pray, children! Pray!

Lenten Mission

I just discovered one of the priests giving our Lenten Mission wrote in support of that "Just Say, WAIT!" article on the new translation.

The nun on the mission team blogged recently about how it's bad to ask for religious to wear habits or be too monastic or even to ask that they still pray the Divine Office daily. (This in reaction to the Vatican's survey of women religious in the U.S.) She, too, complains about the new translation.

There's even a link on their page (Thomas More Center) to U.S. Catholic, which printed an article in support of Liberation Theology, and highlighted a professor at a Catholic university who teaches it to undergrads!! Among their recommended authors on theology is Richard McBrien.

My first clue that I wouldn't be particularly jazzed about going was when I saw the two priests and the nun were all in street clothes. Their website doesn't encourage me at all. I can't help but be underwhelmed by the whole thing, and not at all motivated to rearrange my schedule to go to any sessions.

yuck.

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday: First Flowers of Spring

The snow is nearly gone, and suddenly, we've got Snowdrops and Crocus Flowers!

Spring is my favorite season because of the way everything seems to be reborn this time of year. Even our souls, through the grace of the Sacraments and the Church and the season of Lent, are reborn.

I wrote about this idea two years ago, at the beginning of Lent (which came unusually early that year):

...Lent is a lot like this garden. As we begin this Liturgical Season, winter is still heavy upon us. Things are cold and dreary outside, and most people would say that Lent feels a little dreary inside, as well. After all, we've just put away Christmas and now we have gone from celebration to penitence. From cookies and fun to sacrifice and giving-up. When I made Soccer Dad a cup of coffee yesterday, I thought, "How many days is Lent again?" and wondered if I'd be able to make it through. I feel like the garden looks when you drive by it. Brown, yucky, empty.

But, the fact is, the garden isn't really empty, and it's not yucky. (Brown, I'll give ya'.) But even that brown has a purpose. ...

Read more about my thoughts on my garden, Lent, and Easter here.

Seven Quick Takes: Second Friday of Lent

Jen is our lovely hostess; please head over to her blog and check out all the Quick-Takers!

§one§

My Lenten reading is going pretty well. I am surprised at how deep the Mother Angelica book has turned out to be. Here I thought it would be lighthearted and fun to read. Well, it's lighthearted for sure, but it's no easy-reader. It definitely makes you think about Scripture in new ways.

I really do like how she encourages us to imagine ourselves in the story. I heard a Franciscan talk about this once, years ago, and have used it many times to really internalize the Gospel (and the rest of the Bible). It really came in handy when we read a few Sundays ago about Jesus reading in the synagogue in His hometown, then sitting down and basically saying, "That Scripture - the one about God? Yeah, it's about Me, you know."

Imagine the cacophony!!

§two§

Big Girl is nearly done with basketball this season. She has improved even over the last two months, and even though her team hasn't won a game yet (they've got another chance tomorrow evening), I am really proud of her. She also learned to do a layup! THIS is a big deal to me. Layups are a good foundational play to know, especially if you're small in stature. I used to be pretty decent at layups when I was her age.

If she scores in the game tomorrow (and she is putting a lot of effort into accomplishing that), I might have an aneurism. Or heart failure. Or both.

§three§

Travel Man said if they win, he'll have an aneurism.

§four§

My girls repeat these things and don't know what an aneurism is. I think I keep forgetting to have them look it up in the dictionary.

§five§

Tomorrow (I'm writing this on Thursday night), we are supposed to be getting our tax refund. I actually spoke to a lady at the IRS about my refund, and that was what she said. "Your refund should be direct deposited on Friday."

Something really special will happen on Saturday if that money hits tomorrow.

We are going to go to the bank and pay off the last debt we have that isn't on our home.

We will be debt free.

I cannot wait to call Dave Ramsey on Freedom Friday.

§six§

I discovered that iPhoto has a really nice photo printing feature. I was looking for a button (duh) and realized that I only needed to look under "File" to find "Print." Kind of like every other program on my computer.

Yes, I used to sell these things. But I was never Apple Care. So there.

Anyway ...

I printed off a gazillion pictures and put them up on our display area in our upstairs hallway. I need to get new artwork from the girls, but here's our 5x7" lineup:

§seven§

Here's your Meat-Free Friday Dinner! (Or at least a link to it.) I will freely admit that I haven't made this ... yet. But I will. It looks so yummy! It's going on the menu for March, for sure. But if you're looking for your meat free dinner for tonight, get some shrimp and fettucini and go to town. Then let me know how you liked it, if you please.

The Dolorous Passion I

I've been reading The Dolorous Passion as my main Lenten reading. The beginning, as I mentioned, is not difficult to get through. It's amazing how much detail there is in the book. No, it's not Scripture or inspired. It's merely a private revelation, which the Church always gives us the option of accepting or not. Catholic Answers gives us a bit of an explanation (full text is at the above link):

"Throughout the ages, there have been so-called ‘private’ revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to improve or complete Christ’s definitive revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history. Guided by the magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium [collective sense of the faithful] knows how to discern and welcome in these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church. Christian faith cannot accept ‘revelations’ that claim to surpass or correct the revelation of which Christ is the fulfillment, as is the case in certain non-Christian religions and also in certain recent sects which base themselves on such ‘revelations’" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 67).

These visions, then, are left up to us as to whether or not we wish to accept them. Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, however, was bound by them, since she was given them. (This site provides much more detail, and New Advent has information on the topic, as well, though their depth often proves a bit much for me. EWTN also has some information on private revelations here.)

Since we've declared Sundays in Lent to be (nearly) electronic-free - no computer, no Wii, no TV - I haven't posted yet on what I've read. I read through the first part of the book, which contains descriptions of the preparation for and the celebration of the Pasch. It ends with Jesus and the eleven (Judas had gone on to finish his betrayal of Our Lord) leaving the Upper Room and going to the Garden.

I mentioned it before: this part is the easiest to read. You are drawn into the story and drawn into the celebration. How could the Apostles have really known, even if Jesus Himself was trying to tell them, that so much could go so "wrong" in such a short time? No wonder they couldn't believe Him!

Some of the details were interesting, such as there being a portion of the Blessed Sacrament left and that it was stored - with a lamp lit nearby - in a space within the Upper Room. This setup gives the impression that perhaps that was the first church and that there was a Tabernacle there. I found this idea intriguing. It also reminded me of our own Holy Thursday Mass, when the priest consecrates enough hosts to remain for Good Friday services. (Good Friday and Holy Saturday are the only two days of the year that there are no Masses celebrated in any Catholic churches in the world. The Easter Vigil, because it begins well after sundown, is considered to be an Easter Mass.)

One thing that is standing out for me during this reading of the book is that Judas is presented as one who has been more and more dissatisfied with Jesus' non-action. To our human eyes, it doesn't seem that He is establishing His Kingdom: the House of David that will never fall, the Kingship that will never end. And Judas' impatience has driven a wedge between him and God.

How often are we this way? I know that there are times when I am impatient with God, when I want Him to just HURRY UP and do something. When I pray for something - something good and wonderful and right - only to be told, "Wait."

I don't want to wait. I'm like a small child in Toys R Us, pitching a fit and kicking on the floor, screaming, "I WANT IT NOW!!!"

But God's time is not ours, and we must all remember that. We can't be like that child. We can't be like Judas, trying to force our timing on God. Patience.

I've begun the next part of the book, as well, which begins with Jesus and his Apostles arriving at Mount Olivet, where Jesus begins to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is where it becomes difficult and emotionally exhausting to read.

First, let me explain a little about that.

When you watch the movie The Passion of the Christ, there are visual elements you might miss. You can't see everything at once, or you might close your eyes at a painfully difficult part of the movie. But when you read about the Passion, you can't avoid it. It's all there, and it's all laid out in front of you.

When you're confronted with Jesus in the Garden, His soul nearly crushed with sorrow over our sins, it's painful to see. He suffers in Gethsemane because He sees the sins of humanity: from the fall of Adam to the end of the world. And when Sister Emmerich says that she sees her own sins among them, you realize that your own sins are there, too.

For me, I realize that my sins are there, and it hurts me to know that I've caused Our Lord this suffering. When Sister Emmerich speaks of those who reject the Faith or the Church, of those who blaspheme, of those who remain in the Church and yet wound her from within, I realize that I'm there. She sees my sins, too. Surely she did not see them as clearly as her own, but there they are.

And the thought that I would see my sins, laid out before me, knowing that they were a cause for the lashes on the back of my Savior, the nails in His hands and feet ... that is nearly unbearable.

When Jesus goes to his Apostles - Peter, James, and John - and finds them exhausted from fear and sleeping, I know this is how He finds me most of the time. Sleeping.

He is anxious, but still, He is their Shepherd. And He is gentle when waking them. "Could you not stay with me but an hour?"

Am I so gentle when I find my own children doing something aside from what I left them to do? This comes up and practically slaps me in the face. Even these great saints, these Fathers of the Church, were not perfect. Why do I expect more from others? Why do I expect so much less from myself?

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

I'm still in the garden, as far as my reading goes, and it is rather difficult from here on out. I'll update again when I can. I need to take breaks from this book at times, and that's when I'll update from the other books I'm reading this Lent.

Have a blessed and fruitful Lent!

[image sources: The Dolorous Passion, Gethsemane]

What's Wrong with the World I

Not very far into this book just yet, but I definitely like Chesterton's beginning. I've read other books on fixing society - I do have a degree in education, you know, and education degrees contain nearly as much information on how to fix our students as how to teach them (or even content) - and Chesterton's observation that they start with all the problems and then lead up to the Grand Solution to Fix It All is dead-on.

However, he proposes that this is an incorrect way to go about fixing society. First, he says, we must know where we're going with society. What does a healthy society look like? If left to mere humans, we get about 4 billion different ideas. There must be a standard. After all, medicine has that standard of what a healthy body looks like, so doctors all have the same goal: get the body as close to that as possible.

I've yet to get into the second chapter here. I'm taking a little break this morning to work further into The Dolorous Passion. I'm still reading about the preparations for the Passover, so it's easier reading now. (Funny how we're gently brought into the story, and then it seems to go horribly wrong. That must be how the Apostles felt. Here we are, celebrating Passover. Jesus has really been talking about His death a lot lately, but this isn't a night for sadness! And then the Seder is different suddenly and Judas is leaving and John is more upset than anyone else and Jesus leaves before the fourth cup and we're going to the garden to pray. And the garden is quiet, but Jesus ... oh! Jesus what's happening to You? Why is Judas back...? And so reading this book is a lot like being present - a fly on the wall, if you will - at the Passion and Crucifixioin of our dear Lord. I'll write about it in its own post, as it deserves that.)

The weather is warming up here, and so I'm going to send the girls out to play before lunch - while the snow is still here - and take that opportunity to really start reading. A little music in the background, a cup of coffee by my side, and a book in hand.

Sounds about right to me.

Lenten Reading

I'm giving up certain parts of my online activities for Lent, and instead I'll be doing some spiritual reading.

First on my list is a book I've read before, but is very difficult for me to read (emotionally). It's The Dolorous Passion, which was the book that Mel Gibson read and used to "fill in" details between Gospel accounts when he made The Passion of the Christ (which we watch every Good Friday). Sister Emmerich was a mystic who had visions of Our Lord's Passion and Death and was asked to have them committed to paper before she died.

It is a very. tough. read.

So in between reading that, I'll be working on reading Mother Angelica's Private and Pithy Lessons from the Scriptures and What's Wrong with the World (Chesterton). This will be my first Chesterton book! (I'm a bit excited, especially after reading Dale Alquist's introductory book on Chesterton.)

Not that I think I'll finish all of those, but I do have a couple of other books on my list of things to read. First, there's The Imitation of Mary. It's another difficult read, if only that it forces me to face how far I have to go in order to be the kind of Christian I ought to be. Then I've also remembered that I've got another book that I started and sort of put aside: Introduction to Christianity, by then-Cardinal Ratzinger.

I'll try to post here about what I'm learning (and how I'm doing). I am really trying not to give myself too much to accomplish during Lent; as I learned a few years ago when I tried to do too much, that is just setting me up for failure. However, I am a voracious reader when I'm not occupying myself with time wasters online, so I do anticipate having enough time to get through at least the first three books, if not more. The biggie will be The Dolorous Passion. Like I said, it's a difficult read for me. It's emotionally exhausting. And it is an in-your-face reminder of why Jesus died and what He went through for me.

There are things I'm planning on doing aside from reading more. One that I've already made public is my commitment to participating more in 40 Days for Life. I plan on going (with the girls) to pray outside Planned Parenthood more often - hopefully once a week at a minimum - during this campaign. You, too, can participate in the 40 Days event, even if you aren't able to be there physically. We need prayers - lots of them - and those prayers can be quite powerful. If you can, pray and fast for us and for the 40 Days campaign. Really, you're praying and fasting for those mothers who are contemplating abortion, their children, and those people who work in the abortion clinics across the country.

[image sources: books, 40 Days for Life]

Coffee: Stephen Colbert on Starbucks' Training Night

This will be me on Easter Sunday.  ;)

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ACK!

In all my rushing to get into that Apple class, I totally forgot to put up a recipe last week!

Okay, I'll get two up today, and post-date them for Friday. Us? We ate fish sticks last week, and this week we'll be sticking with grilled cheese and tomatoe soup.

However, upon request of the other two diners for Easter dinner (the girls), we'll be having tuna casserole for dinner on Easter. It's good. I have nearly everything I need already, and it's an inexpensive dinner to make. Plus I know they'll eat well. ;)

So, I'll peruse my Friday dinner lists and get two recipes up for you. I think one will be my super-fast ziti. That's for Easter Friday around here.





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The Gifts of Mercy and Forgiveness

Have you ever noticed that the longer you stay away from Confession, the harder it is to go? Even though I received the Anointing of the Sick in December, it had been a month before that since my last actual Confession. (When I received the Anointing, I wasn't in any shape to talk much, what with the NG tube down my throat.) And so I was rusty, couldn't properly remember my sins (and there are plenty, let me tell you!), and I'd been feeling great dread in going.

I have certain sins that are my "favorites". Things that are difficult to resist. And the longer I stay away from the Sacrament of Grace that Confession is, the harder they are to resist. Without the sanctifying grace that is given so freely in the Confessional, I fall more easily and more often. Performing the duties of my vocation (wife, mother, homeschooler) becomes more difficult. Even seeing the sin is more difficult. When I was attending Mass more often (when gas was cheaper and I could afford to drive the 20-30 mile round-trip to a Mass nearly every weekday), I would go to weekly Confession. Sin became easier to resist. Not only that, but I could also see the small ways in which I offend the Lord on such a regular basis. Oddly enough, my Confessions were longer and more detailed whenI went more often.

Now I am, admittedly, lazy about getting myself across town. I am not attending Mass as often as I ought to, and even though it's expensive to go every day, it's not so expensive that I couldn't manage it weekly. Really. And if I made the effort to go on Fridays, let's say, I could also go to Confession weekly, as well. (I do live only three miles from my parish, but we don't have Mass during the week except on Wednesday evenings - if Father is in town - and I prefer to confess to a different priest than Father for reasons all my own.)

This all looks rather gloomy, doesn't it?

But yesterday, I wanted to go to Confession. Sort of. I knew I needed to go, and that was why I wanted to go. So, we prepared to head across town for Confession.

We got there a little bit before Father was to start, so I asked the girls to go with me to pray before the Tabernacle. I knelt in the front row, opened my prayer book, and prayed this prayer:

My Lord and God, I have sinned. I am guilty before You.

Grant me the strength to say to Your minister what I say to You in the secret of my heart.

Increase my repentance. Make it more genuine. May it be really a sorrow for having offended You and my neighbor rather than a wounded love of self.

Help me to atone for my sin. May the sufferings of my life and my little mortifications be joined with the sufferings of Jesus, Your Son, and cooperate in rooting sin from the world.

Amen.

I begged the Holy Spirit to help me to make a good Confession, to help me to be honest. Even though I know I am speaking to Christ Himself when I speak to the priest (I speak to Christ through the priest, and Christ absolves me through the priest, as well), I am still nervous when I confess. I am often embarassed at the sins I confess again and again. I'm ashamed that I cannot seem to do better for my Lord than I do. And, as Red Neck Woman said, when we prepare for Confession, we actually seek out the sins we've committed. We don't just acknowledge our sins, but we examine our consciences in order to humble ourselves and admit our sins. (And, for those who might not realize it, know that our confessors - the priests we go to for this Sacrament - must also make a regular Confession, as well. Even the priests must participate in this exercise of humility.)

When we moved from the main church to the chapel that is attached to where the confessional is, there were people waiting ahead of us, and the girls and I sat quietly and prayed. Big Girl went to a kneeler near a stained glass window of Saint Maron and prayed there until her turn. Little Girl, still six months or so away from her first Confession, sat and read a book on the lives of popular saints. (Many of you Catholic parents have bought this same picture book for your children. I had one when I was a girl, and my girls have their own copy, as well.)

Finally, it was my turn to enter the Confessional. My heart pounded as I walked to the door, entered, closed it behind me, and knelt behind the screen.

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned..."

Without excuse, I made the best Confession I could. I awaited my penance. After receiving it, I said my Act of Contrition, and then listened to the priest as he said some of the most wonderful words anyone can hear spoken to them:

God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I could almost feel the weight, the chains, fall from my soul! I managed to hold back my tears as I said, "Thank you, Father. God bless you!"

As I knelt and said my penance, I cried tears of joy, and then I said a prayer of thanksgiving for after Confession:

My dearest Jesus, I have told all my sins as well as I could. I have tried hard to make a good confession. I feel sure that You have forgiven me. I thank You. It is only because of all Your sufferings that I can go to Confession and free myself from my sings. Your Heart is full of love and mercy for poor sinners. I love You because You are so good to me.

My loving Savior, I shall try to keep from sin and to love You more each day.

My dear Mother Mary, pray for me to keep my promises. Protect me and do not let me fall back into sin.

Amen.

If you haven't been to Confession since Lent began, I urge you to avail yourself of the graces of this beautiful Sacrament. Even if it's been years, do not stay away from God's grace and mercy! Do not be afraid to come back to God and His Church and His Sacraments!

It is not as scary as you might think, and you'll feel so much better when you're finished. Plus, you'll be shiny, clean, and like-new for Easter!

May God bless you and may you have a blessed Holy Week!

*I am always amazed at the light penances I receive. I always feel like I ought to do more than I'm given, but I know that part of the gift of Reconciliation is that we aren't punished as we ought to be for our sins - not when we are sorry for them. Christ took that punishment for us.

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Lenten Friday: Cajun Shrimp & Pasta, Tomato-Bisque Soup

I forgot to post a recipe for last week! Oops!

I'll post two for this week, and a bit early, too, because I have an online class I'm trying to take in the evenings when the girls are in bed. I need to finish by the 13th or my $99 goes to waste!

I give you:

Cajun Shrimp and Pasta

• Prep: 4 minutes
• Cook: 11 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces uncooked vermicelli
• 2 tablespoons light butter
• 3/4 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
• 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1 3/4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, mitting salt and fat; drain.
2. While pasta cooks, heat butter in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until butter melts. Add onion and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Add shrimp and Cajun seasoning; cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3. Divide pasta evenly among 4 shallow bowls; spoon shrimp mixture over pasta. Add water to pan drippings and cook over high heat 30 seconds; pour evenly over each serving.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup shrimp mixture and 1/2 cup vermicelli).

Nutritional information:

• Points: 5
• Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 3 V-L Meat
• Calories: 232 (17% from fat)
• Fat: 4.5 g (sat. 2.3 g)
• Protein: 22 g
• Carbohydrates: 25.4 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 171 mg
• Iron: 3.7 mg
• Sodium: 429 mg
• Calcium: 44 mg

(That was from an older WW 15 minute cookbook.)

We'll be having grilled cheese and tomato soup on Good Friday, and I wanted to post this delicious recipe for Tomato-Basil Bisque, also from the 15 mintue cookbook.

Tomato-Basil Bisque

• Prep: 5 minutes
• Cook: 6 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basic, garlic, and oregano
• 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• shredded fresh basic (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook first 5 ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired; serve immediately, or chill.

Yield: 6 1-cup servings.

• Points: 3
• Diabetic Exchange: 1 starch, 2 veg
• Calories: 135 (13% from fat)
• Fat: 2 g (sat. 0.9 g)
• Protiens: 5.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fiber: 1.4 g
• Cholesterol: 3 mg
• Iron: 1.4 mg
• Sodium: 814 mg
• Calcium: 140 mg

It was a really nice change from the straight-out-of-the-can soups, and this was amazingly easy to make. I'll admit that the girls weren't that crazy about it, though.

As far as last week's recipe went, it was delicious but VERY tangy. (I made Flounder with Lemon, Parsley, and Bread Crumbs. Quick and easy!! I'll post the recipe and back-date it.) Very tart, which is unusual for my cooking. But it was good, anyway. We ate it with green beans on the side to make it a light meal. I'll be eating the leftovers tomorrow, I think.

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Lenten Friday: Flounder with Lemon, Parsley, and Bread Crumbs

This is from WW Italian cookbook (Simply the Best Italian), and is not that difficult to make. it also doesn't take all that long to make, in case you're in a rush. The book suggess that if you're using fresh fish (I used frozen flounder fillets), you can use sole, red snapper, catfish, or trout if you can't get flounder. This makes four servings.

Flounder with Lemon, Parsley, and Bread Crumbs

Ingredients:

• 4 (1/4 pound) flounder or sole fillets
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• Lemon wedges and flat leaf parsley sprigs (I did not garnish with these. So sue me.)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Place the fillets, skin-side down, in the baking dish. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, then brush each fillet with 1 teaspoon of oil.
2. Mix the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over the fillets. Bake until the fillets re just opaque in the center, 10-12 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with minced parsley and garnished with the lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.

Per serving:

• 170 Calories
• 6 g total fat
• 1 g saturated fat
• 51 mg cholesterol
• 278 mg sodium
• 6 g total carbohydrate
• 1 g dietary fiber
• 21 g protien
• 45 mg calcium
• Points per serving: 4

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Lenten Friday Recipe: Broiled Polenta with Ratatouille

(Note on Thursday: I'm putting this up early, but post-dated, for Friday. This way, if you want to shop for the ingredients and make it tomorrow, you can.)

I first made this one Friday last Summer because they girls wanted to know what ratatouille was after seeing the movie of the same name. I had no idea, but found this in one of my Weight Watchers cookbooks, and it wasn't too difficult. It's time-intensive because you have to chop everything up, but it was kind of neat to make it. Plus, it was yummy! It makes a nice meatless Friday dish.

Broiled Polenta with Ratatouille

3 points per serving, makes 6 servings

(Note from book: For a more substantial meal, stir in two 15-ounce cans rinsed and drained kidney beans or chickpeas into the ratatouille during the last 5 minutes of cooking. 1/2 cup of the beans will and 1 point per serving.)

Ingredients:

• 8 sun-dried tomoato halves (not packed in oil)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 (3/4-pound) eggplant, unpeeled and cubed
• 1 (1/2-pound) zucchini, cubed
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1 (16-ounce) tube refrigerated polenta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  

Instructions:

1. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in warm water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain, discarding the liquid, then chop the tomatoes.



2. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick Dutch oven. Swirl in the oil, then add the onion and garlic. Saute until golden, about 7 minues. Add the eggplant, zucchini, green and red bell peppers, tomatoes, sugar, salt, ground pepper, and the chopped sun-dried tomoatoes; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are softened and the flavores are developed, about 30 minutes. Stir in the basil during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking.



3. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Cut the polenta into 12 crosswise slices, arrange on the baking sheet. Sprinkel with the cheese and broil 5 inches from the heat until hot and the cheese is golden, about 4 mintues.



4. Serve the ratatouille with the broiled polenta rounds.

Per serving (generous 1 cup ratatoille and 2 polenta rounds):

• 156 calories
• 4 g total fat
• 1 g saturated fat
• 3 mg cholesterol
• 634 mg sodium
• 26 g total carbohydrate
• 5 g dietary fiber
• 6 g protien
• 120 mg calcium

[image source]

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Lenten Sudays: Family Movie, Second Sunday

This weekend, we watched Surf's Up, a cute movie about a penguin who only wants to be a surfer. What really made it cute was that it was done like a documentary. It was really what sold the movie, as far as I was concerned.

There is one complaint I have, though. This movie was rated PG for "mild language and some rude humor."

The mild language was completely gratuitous, too. "Sucks" could have easily been "stunk", "crap" could have easily been "garbage" or "junk", and - the coup de gras - "pecker face" (I kid you not!!) could have been just about ANYTHING else!

Earth to Hollywood:

Normal parents don't want their children exposed to language like that. Normal parents don't allow their kids to use "sucks" and "crap", and they certainly don't let them call people "pecker face"!!!

And the rude humor (farts, belches, peeing on the sea urchin sting) is not necessary, either. Yeah, I know kids laugh, but why appeal to the most base humor all the time? Is it possible to make a movie without these kinds of jokes for once? They used to make movies like that, you know. There was not one farting joke in Singin' in the Rain, and yet it's one of my children's favorite movies. There wasn't a single belch in Pollyanna, but my girls thought that was a great movie. In The Music Man (the original), there wasn't a single curse word. But my girls danced around singing "A Hundred and One Trombones" for days after we watched it.

It's not difficult to figure out what we want, if anyone in Hollywood would bother to pay attention. We want something wholesome, without the cursing, without the innuendos (yes, Surf's Up had those, too), without the bathroom humor. We want a good story (not another re-hash of Cinderella, please). We want something that, for once, we don't have to glance at each other over the children's heads and make the What Was That?? face at each other. There are two studios that we feel that we can trust: Pixar and Walden Media.

Overall, movies are going the way television has gone: offering little to nothing for families. Last week, we were a "Neilson Family", and I had the opportunity to write comments in the back of our nearly-empty diaries. I basically said that there is nothing for families anymore. I can't turn on the TV in front of the children during the evenings - even the "family hour" - for fear of them seeing or hearing something that will be seared into their impressionable minds. Even when watching sports, we have to turn off commercials - even at 2 in the afternoon - because they are for frightening shows, R-rated movies, "M" for Mature video games, and worse. Heck, we couldn't even watch the actual pre-game show for the Super Bowl because Jimmy Kimmel had some vile and immoral garbage on. (I think it might have been his review of the parties for the Super Bowl, including the Playboy party and the Victoria's Secret party.) (Oh, and can someone tell me why Kimmel even has a show? Talk about a lack of talent!)

Even kids' channels are filled with awful programming. Disrespect, rudeness, bathroom humor, and the like are the regular fare for most shows on Disney and Nickelodian. I can't (or, rather, won't) let the girls watch much of anything on either channel - SpongeBob and Kim Possible are about it.

*sigh*

Even though, overall, I liked the movie, it would have been better without the inappropriate elements. So, listen up, Hollywood. Stop striving for the PG rating for families, and start striving for G.

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Recipe for Lent - Second Friday

Here's another recipe to try out for Lenten Fridays. Despite the fancy-sounding name of this recipe, it's actually quite easy to make, and it only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. I haven't made it in a while, so I don't have a picture of it. I might try making it next week with flounder instead of tilapia. (The recipe, from Weight Watchers, mentions that if you can't find tilapia, another mild white fish will do, and specifically mentions that flounder is another good choice.) If you're counting points with WW, this meal has 5 points, and this recipe has 4 servings to it.

Pan-Fried Tilapia with White Wine and Capers

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup white wine, dry
• 1/4 cup tomato(es), seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 1/2 pound raw tilapia, 4 6-ounce pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 spray cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons light butter
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 medium lemon, cut in wedges (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk; set aside.
2. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Dredge fillets lightly in flour, and coat both sides of fillets with cooking spray.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fillets; cook 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; turn fillets, and cook 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove from pan.
4. Add wine mixture to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stire in butter until melted. Spoon wine mixture over fillets; sprinkle with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 2 tablespoons sauce).

Just typing that out makes me want to eat it again. This week is tuna casserole, but I'll bet I can get this cooked up for next week! Dee-lish-us!

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Lenten Sundays: Family Movie, Week One

Available from Ignatius Press.

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Walking in the Garden of Lent

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, and Soccer Dad went on a business trip to North Carolina. Since he was not due there until the afternoon, we all attended a 7:30 Mass across town at the most beautiful church in the area. He checked the weather, packed the few things he'd need overnight, and hopped into the car while we stood in the driveway waving and blowing kisses.

As he drove away, Big Girl said, "Mom! Look at the flowers starting to come up in the garden!"

Now, that garden doesn't look like much, does it? From a distance, you cannot see the green shoots that are starting to come up around the Blessed Mother. But a closer inspection reveals that crocus flowers and grape hyacinths are starting to send their tiny leaves above-ground.

And another close look reveals that irises are coming up, too. They peek from beneath the dry leaves left over from fall.

Lent is a lot like this garden. As we begin this Liturgical Season, winter is still heavy upon us. Things are cold and dreary outside, and most people would say that Lent feels a little dreary inside, as well. After all, we've just put away Christmas and now we have gone from celebration to penitence. From cookies and fun to sacrifice and giving-up. When I made Soccer Dad a cup of coffee yesterday, I thought, "How many days is Lent again?" and wondered if I'd be able to make it through. I feel like the garden looks when you drive by it. Brown, yucky, empty.

But, the fact is, the garden isn't really empty, and it's not yucky. (Brown, I'll give ya'.) But even that brown has a purpose. Those yucky-looking leaves are decomposing, making the soil richer, just as our sacrifices make our souls richer. The leaves give a better crop of flowers, and the sacrifices enable us to reap a beautiful crop of grace and blessings. And the garden isn't really empty. Those tiny shoots are coming out, reminding us that Spring is coming. It's nearly here! cry out the tulip shoots.

Just as the garden has tiny shoots of green to let us know Spring is nearly here - we can make it! - Lent is a time that reminds us that the Spring of Easter is nearly here. We can make it! And not just through the sacrifices (as minor as they are when you keep things in perspective), but through life itself. As the green shoots of the crocus plants are a sign of the hope of Spring, Lent is a sign - the very ashes on our foreheads, the first sign - of the hope of our resurrection. Easter is nearly here! Christ is nearly here! He is near! We can make it!

Have a blessed Lent.

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Lenten Reflection and Resources

This is the reflection that the Daily Gospel Online chose for today's readings:

Commentary of the day : Pope Benedict XVI

General audience of 21/02/07 (©Libreria editrice Vaticana)

Lent, a way to true freedom

From the outset Lent was lived as the season of immediate preparation for Baptism, to be solemnly administered during the Easter Vigil. The whole of Lent was a journey towards this important encounter with Christ, this immersion in Christ, this renewal of life. We have already been baptized but Baptism is often not very effective in our daily life. Therefore, Lent is a renewed "catechumenate" for us too, in which once again we approach our Baptism to rediscover and relive it in depth, to return to being truly Christian. Lent is thus an opportunity to "become" Christian "anew", through a constant process of inner change and progress in the knowledge and love of Christ.

Conversion is never once and for all but is a process, an interior journey through the whole of life. This process of evangelical conversion cannot, of course, be restricted to a specific period of the year: it is a daily journey that must embrace the entire span of existence, every day of our life… What does "to be converted" actually mean? It means seeking God, moving with God, docilely following the teachings of his Son, Jesus Christ; to be converted is not a work for self-fulfilment because the human being is not the architect of his own eternal destiny. We did not make ourselves. Therefore, self-fulfilment is a contradiction and is also too little for us. We have a loftier destination. We might say that conversion consists precisely in not considering ourselves as our own "creators" and thereby discovering the truth, for we are not the authors of ourselves. Conversion consists in freely and lovingly accepting to depend in all things on God, our true Creator, to depend on love. This is not dependence but freedom.

If you don't frequent the Soccer Mom site (which has links in a special section on the Liturgy on the sidebar), you can click here to go to the Catholic Culture site, which gives an excellent explanation of Ash Wednesday and the meaning of the ashes we wear today.

If you're looking for a kid-friendly activity, you can try making pretzels for Lent.

Also remember that if you pray the Rosary, Lent is when we focus solely on the Sorrowful Mysteries.

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Lenten Meditation on the Mother of God

This article was written by my friends' son, and I'm working my way through it. It is from last July, but considering Lent is nearly upon us, I thought it would be a worthy thing to contemplate right now. Here's a snippet of "'At Every Moment' - The Mystery of Mary's Mystical Suffering":

When the torturers struck the transcendental God who became immanent in creation, the suffering dealt was not only for the person of Jesus. With every lash of the whip, two lashes were felt. Every thorn was felt twice. Nails pierced four hands, and four feet as well. "Every blow rending the body of the son had its cruel echo in the heart of his Mother." St. Bonaventure exclaims, "Why wouldst thou, most honored Lady, be immolated for us? Is not our Savior’s passion sufficient for our salvation?" (1)

Yet, as she has revealed in recent centuries, her suffering did not stop there. In light of numerous mystical writings and apparitions, we could now rightly echo Bonaventure and say, why wouldst thou, most honored Lady, continue to suffer for us? Is not our Savior’s passion sufficient? Is not your earthly suffering sufficient?

How can Mary behold the face of God and suffer in her body-soul perfection? Does that not seem contrary to our notion of the beatific vision? What of God’s promise that "he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more"? (2) Is it even possible for a creature who has attained the fullness of unity with the Most High to experience privation in suffering? Perhaps the denial of Mary’s mystical suffering has an element of fear in its theological and philosophical debate. It just doesn’t seem right that she should continue to suffer. But that’s the whole point: It’s not right that she should continue to suffer!

Ah, but the first heaven and the first earth have not passed away as yet; they have not become the former things. (3)

And so we hear the words of the child Jesus in a vision to Sr. Lucia in Spain in 1925: "Have compassion on the Heart of your most holy mother, covered with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them". (4) Following the Child’s words, the Blessed Mother reiterated in the apparition:

Look, my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me, and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me (5).

It is impossible to disregard the Blessed Mother’s words here. Most Catholics would probably say they love Mary. Love involves compassion. If we have true love for Mary, we should be somewhat wounded by these words. Mary’s suffering is not something fanciful. It’s not some sort of motherly guilt trip she has laid upon us to get her children in line. This is clearly not a reference to her suffering at Calvary.

Mary says "at every moment." She suffers here and now. ...

Read the rest of it here.

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