What Judas Forgot

(from 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

The Lord's passion unfolds like a drama. Suspense mounts as Christ speaks these words: "Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed." That man is Judas Iscariot, one fo the twelve apostles. Think for a moment what Judas' betraying Jesus says about the man Dante places in the deepest pit of hell. Judas was no stranger to Jesus. Judas accompanied Jesus from the beginning. Judas heard the truth the other apostles heard. He saw the miracles the others saw. All that Christ did to reveal himself as the Savior of the world, Judas witnessed firsthand. Now in a flash, Judas forgets everything. "What are you willing to give me," he asks cunningly, "if I hand him over to you?" These words should inspire awe in each of us. To be sure, Judas forgot Christ's wisdom, his great deeds, his saving ministry. What is more pitiable, Judas forgets the lesson a sinner like himself most needs to remember. It is the lesson of forgiveness. We will never know why Judas forgot the one lesson that would have saved him from suicide. His self-inflicted fate however serves as a stark reminder of sin's final payoff. Judas' despair should serve also as a warning. Whatever sin one may commit against Jesus, one and only one remedy exists. Turn back toward Jesus, and ask forgiveness.

Reflections based on Matthew 26:14-25
Father Romanus Cessario, O.P.

Merciful Father, the passion of your only begotten Son

forgives sins and brings new life. Keep my heart turned

toward Jesus, who lives and reigns with you for ever and ever.

Today's suggested penance: Give alms to a needy person or cause.

Peter and Judas and John

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)


This was an important moment. If the apostles understood nothing else in the upper room, they understood this. John stays as close as possible to Jesus, close enough to lean back against Jesus' chest. He does not want to miss a moment; his understanding may lag behind, but his love for Jesus keep shim right at Jesus' side. Peter professes his desire to follow Jesus even to the death. His resolve will lag behind, but his desire is there. Judas leaves. He leaves in order to betray this moment with Jesus and everything that went before. He leaves into the night. He was not yet at the point of no return. He could have said, "Lord, I don't want to go, I want to stay with you," and all would have been changed, all would have begun to heal. And who can imagine how Jesus would have responded? Jesus imagined it for us when he told us the story of the merciful father of the prodigal son. In the midst of my sin, I want to turn back to Jesus as Judas could have done. I want to stay with Jesus as Peter wanted to do. Therefore, I want the love of John. For it is only this kind of love that allows us to stay with Jesus even at the cross.

Reflection based on John 13:21-33, 36-38
Father Richard Veras

Father, the cross of your Son reveals you love for me.
May none of my crosses ever compromise my love for you.

Today's suggested penance: Do something kind for those in prison.

Little Miss Blue Eyes

WOW at the gorgeous blues my girl is sporting :)

Isn't she beautiful? I realize I'm completely biased but still ... she's such a cutie! Thanks for letting me show off my Doodle ;)

Oh, and we officially have 2 teeth coming in now ... not that Maggie is obliging at all about letting us see and/or take a picture of them :)

Who Are We Looking For?

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

Judas proclaims his love for the poor. Mary loves. Unself-consciously and sincerely, Mary loves. She does not measure her love or wonder what people will think of her expression of love; she loves. Her eyes are on Jesus, and this makes here a supreme witness to the greatness of her beloved Lord. Judas utters and idea that seems very good, to sell Mary's perfume for the poor. He dresses up his pettiness well. His greates sin might not be thievery, but the hardness of heart that does not recognize and rejoice in the presence of Jesus right there before him. Mary's love is not her idea, but her response to Jesus who has come to her home. Where is Judas' joy that Jesus has come into his life? Judas' good intentions will never be enough to satisfy him or to change his petty heart; we will see that in the tragedy of Wednesday of Holy Week. On this Monday of Holy Week, let us ask: Has Lent been the sum total of my good intentions, or rather a time when I have recognized anew the presence of Christ who comes into my life? Another way to ask this would be, "Are you satisfied, are you rejoicing, are you in love?" It may be too late for Judas; it is not too late for us.

Reflection based on John 12:1-11
Father Richard Veras

Father, help me to recognize and accept the love of your Son,

Jesus Christ, that I may love.

Today's suggested penance: Say "I'm sorry" to someone who is alienated from you.

Nothing to Do but Put It in His Hands

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

"'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit'; and when he had said this he breathed his last" (Lk 23:46). It is so final. It takes place after all has been said and done, seen and suffered, tried and tested, and we have finally moved on. He at last consigns himself utterly to his Father. I cannot help thinking of so many hospital patients who said to me with dejection and defeat in their voices, "You see, Fathers, there's nothing to do now but put it in God's hands." Then, after tears, silence, prayers, and conversation, they would end up saying the same words with a different tone. They would perceive that placing themselves in the Father's hands was the one place of certainty and hope for them. The same words that had been anexpressin of defeat no had become a boast of conquest, giving peace and positivity. In his hands always had been the best place for things to be, but it took this trial to accept this freely. Jesus himself had to learn this. "Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered" (Heb 5:8). Having consigned himself to the Father, he has won the victory over sin and death, and he is here now so that, through him, we can consign all things to the Father and gain Christ's peace.

Reflection based on Luke 22:14-23:56
Father Vincent Nagle, F.S.C.B.

Father, you have withheld nothing from us, but handed over

to us even your own Son. Though we have misused and

abused him, yet let now this sacrifice give us the courage to

abandon ourselves to you through him.

Today's suggested penance: Make a holy hour with your family to pray for the graces of Holy Week.

Hidden in Plain Sight

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

I am often shocked by my children's inability to find things that are in plain view. They tell me they have "looked everywhere" for something it takes me ten seconds to locate. I am also sometimes surprised at my husband's difficulty finding things in our refrigerator. His eyesight is much better than mine, but I see things that are invisible to him. Because I know they are there. There is a story about children who are playing hide and seek. One boy hides and waits for the others. He waits and waits. But the others do not come. The story's author says God has done the same thing, challenging us to come and find him: our problem is that we don't look. Though God has revealed himself in a clear and striking way in his incarnation, we nevertheless may find him elusive in our everyday lives. We wonder where he had gone. But when a child we know disappears in hide and seek, we don't wonder about his existence - we simply start looking. Likewise, Christ challenges us to come and find him. He invites us to trust in his continued presence, rather than being distracted by an unfounded fear that - simply because he is hidden - he has left us. He will never leave us. We must look for him in confidence, because he is there.

Reflection based on John 11:45-56
Rebecca Vitz Cherico

Lord, help us to find you wherever you are revealing yourself.

Let's not be discouraged by our difficulty in seeing

your presence at first glance, but continue searching for you,

confident in your presence.

Today's suggested penance: Give comfort to someone who is afflicted.

Maggie is Super-Cute and That's My Reason for Sharing Another Video

How do you crawl and transport necessary play items? Old fashioned ingenuity, my friends.

My MIL took this video when she was watching Maggie last week. Don't we have the cutest li'l puppy dawg on the block.

As Many Enemies As Followers

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

Last Sunday, we began this final week of Lent hearing how Jesus saved a woman from being stoned. Today we hear how they tried to stone him. A woman cought in adultery was brought before Jesus so evidence could be gathered to later convict him. Jesus turned the tables on them. This Sunday the Lord will enter Jerusalem to insure they arrest him, while today's Gospel says, "they tried again to arrest [Jesus]; but he excaped from their power." Are we not reminded that Christ does not act according to human expectations? He always surprises us. The Son of God was sent to earth to lead us back to God the Father, yet he seems to have as many enemies as followers. He possessed the power to escape, yet surrenders himself to a former disciple. Today's Gospel passage ends by reminding us that though he is unpredictable - he does everything for our salvation. For he escaped to a place where they could find him. "He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him... And many there began to believe in him." Jesus went to a place that asked something of those who sought after him. It meant passing through the waters of his baptism just as new converts will do next Holy Saturday evening.

Reflection based on John 10:31-42
Father Michael Nolan

Father of mercy, do not abandon those

who have abandoned you.

Today's suggested penance: Bear wrongs that you experience today patiently.

Do Not Be Afraid, Mary

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Reflection)

God first manifested himself to the Jewish people by appearing as a cloud. As this cloud, he guided them through the desert to freedom, he spoke to them, and he descended to overshadow the tent of meeting in order to be present among his chosen people. "Then the cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. Moses could not enter the meeting tent, because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling" (Ex 40:34-35). If Moses had entered the tent, the power of the Most High would have obliterated him. But now the angel told Mary that this same glory would overshadow her! No wonder the angel told her not to be afraid. Do we tremble when we approach the altar? That same glorious power of the Most High takes up residence within our flesh when we receive Holy Communion. God no longer descends in the form of a cloud; he approaches under the appearance of a morsel of bread. Mary is the new tent of meeting, and her simple "Yes" made it possible that God would one day make a tabernacle of each of us. If we receive him without fear, does it mean that the angel has reassured us?

Reflection based on Luke 1:26-38
Suzanne M. Lewis

Father, Most high, the favor you have shown us makes us

tremble with gratitude and awe. We beg you, through the

intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to make us worthy to

receive you with hearts like Mary's.

Today's suggested penance: Pray with special devotion to your patron saint(s).

Time - Where Have You Gone?

I have been going through videos and pictures of Maggie lately, wanting to put together a slideshow for her birthday party, and I just don't know how this year has gone by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday Hubby and I were on our way to the hospital, worried because I having contractions at 32 weeks and wondering what was going to happen. Five days later, Maggie entered the world, and our lives were forever changed.

She was so tiny, only 4lbs 5 oz when we took her home. It's unbelievable how much she has changed is just one year! I am in awe of how God has created her. It is so amazing to watch her grow and learn, and we were chosen to be her parents, given the privelege of caring for and teaching her. How blessed we are.

I can't even remember what I did before she came into my life.

This is a video my MIL took on Maggie's 2nd full day of life. You may have to turn up the sound to hear her sweet mewling ... she was seriously objecting to having her heart rate checked :)

Surrender and Encounter

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

I am driving on the turnpike with a friend. We pull into a rest stop to get something to drink. He insists this is the rest stop we were at last week. I argue it was a different one. As we walk into the building, he asks, "If there is a woman with blond hair and red eyeglasses at the cash register with a nametag that says 'Cookie', will you believe me?" Yeah, right, I say, looking around for the restroom. I find him a few minutes later, at the end of the building, by a cashier who is a woman with blond hair and red eyeglasses. He smiled the you didn't believe me look - and says, "Greg, meet Cookie." Like the crowds Jesus encountered, we often need to be right. We are certain of where we have been and where we are going; what we are owed and what we should do. A life of faith, Jesus insists, is something more. It is about allowing yourself to be led, to surrender the need to be right, and to open your eyes. We are now near the end of the lenten journey. We look back on these weeks and may regret that our Lent was not what we had hoped. There is still time to pull over, to rest, and to meet Jesus.

Reflection based on John 8:31-42
Monsignor Gregory E.S. Malovetz

Mighty God, let me surrender my need to be right and,

in doing so, encounter Jesus once again.

Today's suggested penance: Instruct the ignorant.

Sweet Grace

Every morning when I check my email, I am greeted with a daily Bible verse. Today's was this:

The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ~Romans 8:18

I guess God reads my blog :) He sent me encouragement not only through you wonderful blog-friends, but through His Word via email, as well.

God is so good and knows our every need. What blessings are His love and grace!

And I do thank you, my sweet friends, for the prayers and encouragement. You make it easier to walk this journey.

Jesus, Who Is All-Good

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

Kind-hearted princess, evil stepmother, handsome prince - as any child knows, with these few words we already have the makings of a good tale. Children love any tale that is "black and white", with good characters truly good and wicked characters irreformably wicked. God indeed has prepared their hearts for Jesus, who is kinder than any fairy godmother, more heroic than any prince. Indeed, in some sense, the Gospels are black-and-white tales, with a hero who routinely condemns the wicked villains: "I have much to say about you in condemnation," he tells the Pharisees in today's Gospel. But if, as children, we are drawn to this drama of good and evil, as adults we must come to understand more fully the true role of the villains. We may join in as Jesus condemns those hypocritical chief priests and Pharisees. But at a certain point we come to understand that they are us. We have all joined the chorus of the wicked who cry, "Crucify him!" Lent is a wonderful time to deepen our sense of our own sin, both personal and collective. And as we strive to make the examination of conscience a daily discipline, we recall, of course, our childlike wonder at our Lord, who is "all-good and deserving of all our love."

Reflection based on John 8:21-30
Lisa Lickona

Heavenly Father, in Adam, all were condemned, and,

in Christ, all will rise. Reform all that is disfigured in me and

conform me to the image of your Son.

Today's suggested penance: Give cousel to the doubtful.

Baby Time?

As we get closer and closer to Maggie's 1st birthday, I am still so undecided about Baby #2 (or 4, if you're keeping a full count). I don't even know why I'm semi-obsessing over this. I'm not on a schedule or deadline. But I am 36 years old, and as far as my doctor's are concerned, Advanced Age for pregnancy, so it weighs on my mind. As they say, my biological clock is tick-tick-ticking and who knows when the batteries are going to run down.

Plus, I know Hubby wants another baby (boy) - and I want another, as well (girl) - it's just that ...

... well ...

... to be honest, pregnancy scares me.

I wish I could change my feelings about this but right now I am as far removed from desiring pregnancy as one can get.

The issue isn't exactly pregnancy in-and-of itself. I don't mind getting big*ger* or watching what I eat or even the morning sickness when it isn't too intense. The thing that gives me pause is this: our success rate right now is 1 in 3.

It's like we're gambling with life everytime we do this, and the odds are necessarily stacked in our favor. Maggie wasn't full-term, and we were incredibly blessed that she was so healthy when she got here.

I just don't know if I can lose 2 more babies to get another Maggie.

Add to that the fact that I have to give myself shots twice a day in my belly for the duration of my pregnancy and we're not exactly painting a happy fun picture.

(Writing that down doesn't make it seem so dramatic but let me just say that the first time I had to give myself a shot, I nearly hyperventilated and snotted all over the nurse, I was crying so hard. (I'm not a pretty crier, y'all). And while it got marginally easier (I was at least able to do it without All The Drama), the fact remains that it sucked. I totally stressed myself out about the whole thing each and every day of my Peanut pregnancy. And Maggie was worth every.single.shot. It's just that now I know what to expect and it tends to skew my decision-making ablilities.)

And that doesn't even include the shots for gestational diabetes (which I know I may not get next time around, but still, wallowing here) which ups the Daily Shot Count to 5.

The thing about all of this is that I worry and plan. I stress about the best thing to do and the right time to do it, and I think I know what the right time is.

I have been unwilling to give this up and let God take control. Or I've given it to Him and just held on to a string for a bit before yankin' the whole thing back.

It's easy to say that I know God's plan for me is good and perfect. It's something else altogether to surrender my burden and just trust in that plan. That's the hard part.

And it's something I'm working on.

Okay, I'm done whining now - thanks for being such good listeners :) Sarah over at Gitzen Girl wrote a beautiful post on surrendering. It's worth the time to check it out.

No Problem with the Lighting

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

A while ago, another priest and I made a pilgrimage through Europe. In one city we entered a church to see if it were possible to concelebrate the parish Mass. It was late Saturday afternoon. The old church was pitch dark. A man inside saw us but didn't stop to talk. He was occupied. We could tell he didn't want to be bothered. The lights were not working and he didn't know how to fix them. It turned out that he was the pastor and the last thing he needed was to cater to two foreign priests who showed up unexpectedly. He allowed us to concelebrate the Mass with him. Yet, just as Mass was about to begin, he still expressed frustration over the situation. So I took a chance and reminded him that there was no problem with the lighting. "Christ is the light," I reminded him. For Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." I was afraid he would think I was trying to be funny. Instead his demeanor changed. He turned serene. He remembered the reason we celebrate the Eucharist - for Jesus, the light of the world, sheds light in the darkness. As Lent ends, let us recall the reasons we took up our penitential practices.

Reflection based on John 8:12-20
Father Michael Nolan

Gracious Father, help me to prepare well

the next time I go to Mass.

Today's suggested penance: Do something constructive to rescue someone ensnared in sin.

Turning to Face the Lord

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

My three-year-old is in the tattletale stage. Every misstep by her big brother or sister provides another opportunity for her to come running - usually into the kitchen as I'm cooking - to report what she has witnessed. She stands there, waiting to see what kind of punishment might be meted out. In today's Gospel, we see Jesus confronted by a mob of unruly "children" who've come to tattle on one of their own, a woman caught in adultery. Unlike the three-year-old version of this bad habit, the crowd is not anticipating lost TV time; this crowd is hungry for blood. Like a good parent, Jesus maintains his cool while his children whine and make demands. They want vengeance, but he offers mercy. When Jesus turns the tables, the tattlers drop their rocks and go home, no doubt disappointed that they did not get the justice they were seeking. The woman faces Jesus, surely expecting punishment, but he pours out his love and forgiveness instead, telling her, "Go, and from now on do not sin any more." What a tremendous gift, not just to the woman caught in adultery but to every one of us. No matter how bad our transgressions, how off track our lives, mercy is just a prayer away.

Reflection based on John 8:1-11
Mary DeTurris Poust

Lord, give me the grace to acknowledge my sins and

bring them to you, even when I want to hide my face in

shame. Help me to remember that you will never

withhold your all-embracing love.

Today's suggested penance: Do something loving for someone who is sick.

Unguarded Hearts

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

The Pharisees ask the guards, "Why did you not bring him?" The guards answer, "Never before has anyone spoken like this one" (Jn 7:45-46). Jesus performs no miraculous deed that persuades the guards to keep their hands off of him. Nor are they caught up in a riotous cult of celebrity where all swoon that the Christ is among them, for the crowd members are clearly divided in their reactions. The guards are disarmed solely by the force and frankness of Jesus' words. The guards, unlike the Pharisees, do not fortify their own hearts against the possibility that God's Word might come into their midst, even by way of Galilee; they remain receptive, rather than antagonistic, toward the One whom others so easily dismiss by raising bogus grounds for disqualification - ultimately rejecting God himself. The guards, in fact, have brought Jesus to the Pharisees in the words that have begun to take up residence in them through nonviolent means. But they cannot hand him over to persons whose hearts have become cement block cells of the lasw in their contempt for most of men. The guards were used to being treated as mere instruments enacting the machinations of others; now they have the chance to realize that God's words are meant to enlist them - and us - in a legislative plan of peace.

Reflection based on John 7:40-53
Father William M. Joensen

Dissolve the protective barriers I would set up against

those through whom you would come to me, Lord God -

including cordons of origin and occupation -

so that I may be receptive to your Son's words,

and ready to embrace the peace he brings us.

Today's suggested penance: Pray in a special way to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Dramatis Personae

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

The angel doesn't command Joseph to take Mary as his wife; he tells him not to fear doing so. "Joseph, the good news is that your dream can come true. What you assumed would end your marriage is in fact the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The Holy Spirit and a heaven-sent Son are now in this larger picture, and you're the man!" Divine and human plans come together. Joseph feels ecstatic joy when the crushing report of human infidelity is changed into the astounding news of divine fidelity. Yet God's entry here, due not to sin but to the nature of personal relationships and marital love, is admittedly awkward. His coming into our world as a real actor and not simply as divine director and producer can alter our meticulous plans and cause real disruptions. The problem is that he has make this theater work too well when he simply remains in the background. So when the Lord shows up to play a part as well, whether in ancient Israel, Mary's womb, or my personal life, dislocation ensues. No problem. Like Saint Joseph, I'm expected to have a plan for my life, yet understand it as a provisional scene in a larger work. My life is part of the divine drama, yet my role is indispensable and I contribute to the story line.

Reflection based on Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a
Father Lawrence Donohoo, OP

Loving Father, through Saint Joseph's intercession help me to

accept the entry of your will into my plans so that my will

can enter into your plans.

Today's suggested penance: Reconnect with someone who was responsible for generating faith in you.

Tarragon Chicken

Just letting y'all know I put a new recipe up over at Sweet Tea Recipes. Enjoy!

The Waffling Waffler from Waffleton

Yep. I'm at it again. Obviously I am having difficulty deciding on a design choice for this here blog, which is weird because I tend to be a quick and decided decider. I make decisions pretty quickly and never look back.

Except where blog design comes in, apparently.

And Maggie's birthday party.

Y'all. I have never waffled so much on what to do for a get-together In. My. Life. It's ridiculous! When my mom and I went shopping for her party stuff, I went in with a design plan. I knew what I wanted.

I then proceeded to change my mind a half-dozen times, the last time being when I spied pretty Easter/Spring-y stuff as WE WERE WALKING TO THE CHECK-OUT. Even Hubby couldn't believe I was acting that way (he's ususally the waffler of the family).

Anyway, I finally decided that the fact that it's Maggie's 1st Birthday Party was theme enough, so we are doing pretty springtime decorations and it will be lovely.

I hope :)

And the blog design? I can't make any promises. Just know you're in the right spot even if it looks different :)

That You May Have Life

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

"But you do not want to come to me to have life." The words of Jesus cut to the heart of the Pharisees' rejection of him. Because of fear, and pride, and the hardness of their hearts, the Pharisses choose not to see the Truth standing right in front of them; they see his form, and hear his voice, but do not recognize the words of life and salvation he speaks to them. They search the Scriptures for eternal life, but in their refusal to accept fully the unfathomable love of the Father, they miss the point. How often we too miss the point out of stubbornness or fear. Jesus' words are directed straight at us, when we refuse to go to him, and especially when we choose to reject the divine medicine he offers us. Do we have the humility to come to him, to ask for the medicine that restores us to life? In the sacrament of confession, we are given the grace of hearing the voice of Jesus and seeing his form in the person of the priest. Our sins of pride, self-pity, envy, self-righteousness, lust, and all the rest are absolved, pulverized, and obliterated into nothingness, allowing us to fill the empty lamp of our heart with his life, and ignite it with his love.

Reflection based on John 5:31-47
Melinda Knight

Father of mercies, your Son Jesus testifies to the truth of your

love for us. Give us faith to help us see in him the fulfillment

of your promise of salvation.

Today's suggested penance: Send a thank-you note to someone to whom you owe a debt of gratitude.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

What Life Is Worth Living?

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

The Father has life in himself. The Son has life in himself. We do not. The life in question is the divine life, eternal life. We have it only oncondition the Lord Jesus give it to us. We have it as we are born again, born into divine life by water and the Spirit. Again, Christ is the Bread of life, and we receive the divine life when we receive communion. The sacraments make us living branches of the vine that Christ calls himself later in the Gospel. We have this life also by faith, wich is what today's Gospel says: those who hear Christ's word and believe it have life. Faith does this of its very nature, for it is sharing in the knowledge of God, and God's knowing and loving - thta just is his life. That's why John's Gospel, at the beginning, says that Christ, who is life, is also the light of men. He is life by being light - making us to know God and the things of God. This life is far better, greater, more precious than our natural life. That is why Christians subordinate everything else in their lives to staying in the truth of the Gospel.

Reflection based on John 5:17-30
Father Guy Mansini, OSB

O God, open the eyes of our mind to the light of faith so that

we may hear the voice of your Son and, on the last day,

rise with him to everlasting life.

Today's suggested penance: Do something kind for someone you love.

Project 365

Just as an fyi ... I have a Project 365 blog that I just started. I'm trying to be more diligent about taking pictures daily and thought this would be a good motivator.

It's likely I won't be able to update every day but plan to do so at least weekly.

Chasing an 11 month-old speed-crawler takes up a lot my time, ya know :)

Anyway, you can check it out HERE.

Hope Is in His Power

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

As a young girl, I said a number of novenas for things I wanted. One novena noted that "it had never been known to fail." Afternumerous unsuccessful prayers, I considered amending that part. I have various friends who are still single or who have homes to sell, and are frequently asked whether they have said certain novenas (which they usually have). Novenas are a beautiful and good thing, but we can risk believing in the power of the novena rather than in the power of the One who answers our prayers. We cannot force his hand by our actions, and we need always to remember that our relationship with him comes before any gifts that he gives us, because it is truly more precious. Today's Gospel tells of a man, sick for thirty-eight years, who is lying in wait at a pool believed to have special powers. He stays there, though he is crippled and has no possible way to get to the waters when the pool of Bethesda is stirred up (when it was believed to have its great curative effect). All of his hope is in an elusive cure. Jesus, instead of bringing him to the waters, heals him on the spot. But after curing him, Jesus seeks him out; he knows the man needs much more than just a physical healing.

Reflection based on John 5:1-16
Rebecca Vitz Cherico

Lord, do not let me mislead myself into thinking that the cure

for my ills is in my efforts; help me to realize that my hope

can only be in you.

Today's suggested penance: Prayerfully make a list of the greatest desires of your heart.

Maggie Meets the Easter Bunny ...

... and it did not make her happy.

As you can see in the darling picture below capturing our child's attempted escape mere moments before the tears started in earnest.

Maggie has started this whole 'mommy-clingy' thing lately (even where Daddy's concerned, she reaches for Mommy), plus she'll tuck her head against me and play shy. And not just with strangers but with people she knows! It took a couple of minutes of Uncle Danny playing peek-a-boo yesterday for her to warm up to him, and she's known him since birth.

However, if you are holding another baby/toddler/small child, you are totally cool. She LOVES babies and small children, and if you are the adult holding said baby/toddler/small child, she will easily tolerate your presence.. It's so cute to see her interact with other kids ... you just have to watch her because she tries to grab their faces (and they, usually, are trying to grab hers, as well). Super cute, so long as the baby talons don't scratch out any eyes. (How do baby finger nails get so stinkin' sharp?)

Wow, I've gotten a bit off-topic, haven't I? Where was I? Oh, yeah, Easter Bunny. We had gone to Waldo's BBQ yesterday for my 36th birthday dinner, then spent the afternoon walking around an outdoor shopping area, enjoying the fan-tab-ulous weather. As we were leaving we spotted the Easter Bunny (who, for some reason, had not yet crossed my mind at all - if we hadn't seen him yesterday Maggie would have been trauma-free this Easter because I never would have thought to take her). And as mentioned before, she did not have fun. Mr. Bunny was totally cool and cute, though, and played peek-a-boo with her until she started smiling and laughing. The rapport they shared those few shining moments flew out the window once I plopped her in his lap and stepped back.

But at least we got a picture. And isn't that what mom's are supposed to do? No childhood is complete without at least one unhappy holiday character picture. I'll just check that box and move on.

And as an aside, I always go to Waldo's BBQ for my birthday but this year, instead of going to the Original Waldos, we went to a new Chain Waldos down by the mall. Bad bad decision. Poor service. Poor food. So in summary: just go to the Original. Always. You won't be disappointed.

Aftermath of a Conversion

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

The royal official who approaches Jesus to request the healing of his gravely ill son serves King Herod in Galilee. This same Herod will, on the day of Jesus' death, treat him contemptously and march him back in mockery to Pilate with an elegant robe wrapped around him, amusing Pilate by this gesture. This adds poignance to Jesus' words today: "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe." On Good Friday, Herod hopes to see signs of miraculous wonder from Jesus, but the encounter turns quickly to scorn. Was this royal official of today's Gospel a witness to this? Earlier, when Jesus met him desperate for his son's life, Jesus performed the cure, and the man became a believer. Never, however, does any story in the Gospel end with the telling. One can speculate that this official must have undergone great distress at the derisive actions of his corrupt royal master toward Jesus and the horrible Roman crucifixion that followed. One may expect that perhaps this man gave up his comforts and security and his position of prominence, unable to betray his newfound faith. It is a story that continues until now for souls who come to see, sometimes in the settings in which they live and work, that they cannot compromise their commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ and his Church.

Reflection based on John 4:43-54
Father Donald Haggerty

Merciful Father, may I be courageous always

in bearing witness to the truth of your Son Jesus and

of his love for all people.

Today's suggested penance: Pray the rosary with the intention to renew your Marian devotion.

Are We in Dire Need?

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

When we read the story of the prodigal son, we learn that the younger son, after leaving his family and spending his inheritance upon "a life of dissipation", "found himself in dire need." Saint Luke brings this message home when he writes that this son "longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed." It is easy for us to overlook that the older son in the story is also in dire need. He needs his father's approval and a sign of his love, such as "a young goat to feast on" with his friends. Both sons are needy, the one who dissipated his father's inheritance and the one who carefully husbanded it. As he did earlier during Lent, Saint Luke speaks to us here about what we really need. It's not "the whole world", but rather the love of the Father. Some come to realize this after a fall. Others after expecting, but failing to receive, a big reward at the end of a series of jobs well done. In either event, the answer does not lie in our grasping. It lies in God's offering, God's gifting. For "everything he has is ours." We should not be ashamed to cry with joy to hear such an offer. We can imagine the prodigal son himself, and his brother, doing the same.

Reflection based on Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Helen M. Alvare

Father, help us to live with our hearts and

minds wide open to your gifts. Help us not to grasp,

but to receive, with gratitude and joy.

Today's suggested penance: Offer your day for someone who has fallen away from the faith.

We See from Where We Stand

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

Sitting at the crowded cafe, a voice asks, "Would you mind if I sit here?" I look up. It is a woman, pointing to the empty chair and holding a bag of ice. She tells me that she was in a bank, walked into a glass door and hurt her head. She was told to hold the bag of ice on her head for twenty minutes, but she can't find her watch. I assure here that I will watch the time. We talk about the papers I am grading: homilies from students in a class I teach. I tell her some of the homilies don't seem to have a direction. She says, "It's like life, ain't it? If you don't think about where you want to go, you wind up walking right into the glass doors." At times we are like the Pharisee, focused selfishly on ourselves. Other times we are the tax collector focused only on how bad we are. Standing in either place, we are without direction in our life. We wind up walking into glass doors, and in doing so we lose our way. It is Jesus who sits at the table. He wants us to sit down, because he has the time. He humbly invites us to let him show us the way.

Reflection based on Luke 18:9-14
Monsignor Gregory E.S. Malovetz

Mighty God, help me find my way when I am lost. From

where I stand, let me be humbled by your compassion.

Today's suggested penance: Console someone who is grieving.

Not Far from the Kingdom

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

There is a disquieting mystery contained in the brief exchange between Jesus and this scribe, recounted with so few words in the Gospel of Mark. The man approaches Jesus in order to trick him into an answer that will embarrass him; but when he asks Jesus which commandment is greatest, somehow Jesus succeeds in making the scribe answer his own question. The scribes were the authorities on every question of the law. It is as if a professor handed an exam to a student, and the student convinced the professor to take the exam in his place; and when the professor had completed his own exam, the student evaluated his teacher and offered encouragement for answering well! Perhaps Christ's gaze, so tender and knowing, pierced through to that man's soul. Or perhaps the authority in Jesus' voice disarmed the scribe. We can only imagine that to stand in Christ's presence must have been disorienting for all but the hardest of hearts, but we will never know exactly how Jesus overcame this individual; all we know is that the man momentarily forgot his goal and fell under the power of Christ's presence. Perhaps it was this fact, even more than the truth of the scribe's answer, that led Jesus to conclude that the man was not far from the kingdom of God.

Reflection based on Mark 12:28-34
Suzanne M. Lewis

Almighty Father, allow us to succumb to the power of your

Son. Take away our hearts of stone, so that we may stand

naked and disarmed in his presence. May our hearts be

pierced each day by the tenderness of his gaze.

Today's suggested penance: Fast from television or some other amusement.

Buzzed Driving

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

"If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out?" (Lk 11:19). Some people would rather have another's house collapse than have God shake their ill-founded worldview by calling them out for their crudely self-cancelling claims. The satanic sower of nonsense is less fond of blatant lies. He prefers to anesthetize persons to their own internal contradictions. This is greater mischief than inciting hypocrisy, greater even than the half-truth of calling evil good (for in every disordered act there is some partial good in play); those who recklessly impute evil origins to good deeds done are complicit with Satan's attempt to overturn the whole created realm. They insult and deny the Christ in whom all things came to be - including their own God-given consciences. Each person is sadly capable of creating his or her own private world: hell. The interior schism between the self-validating reasons we offer for our own actions versus the malevolent motives we attribute to others who do the same things is precisely Beelzebul's stock-in-trade. The buzz of dispersive gossip fomented by the Lord of the Flies may temporarily fill a vacuum, but it also drowns out the voice of God who would gather every grain of goodness if we would but adopt a holy silence into which God's Word alone can speak.

Reflection based on Luke 11:14-23
Father William M. Joensen

Awaken me, God ever true, to the ways in which

my own words cancel themselves out, so that I may call good

and evil by their proper name, and delight in detecting

the seeds of the Word at work in others.

Today's suggested penance: Pray for and give alms to the missions.

Who Is The Greatest?

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

The scribes and Pharisees were the keepers of the law, God's most precious gift, given to the chosen people of Israel. Everyone considered these men to be greater than others: they were the university professors, newspaper editors, and politicians of that time and place. They had set up a system of religious government that shunned the unclean, the sinners, and the uneducated. Jesus was often in conflict with them over their practice of the law. Jesus' disciples must have been giddy with delight whe he, a man who was an object of wonder, who spoke as no one had ever spoken, whose authority was evidently of divine origin, took their part. Not only was he clearly greater than the scribes and Pharisees, but if they could remain on his side, they, too, would share in his future greatness, which they imagined as the same but even greater than the political power of the Pharisees. Their hope for future glory was, unfortunately, part of what attracted Jesus' followers, despite the fact that he often taught them the truth of the matter. The path to glory contradicts all our images of greatness; to follow it, we must adhere with simplicity to the Word of God, which encompasses everything, incliding our lives, all of creation, and the cross.

Reflection based on Matthew 5:17-19
Suzanne M. Lewis

All-powerful and ever-living God, we beg for the grace to

listen with open hearts to your divine Word and to follow

you law in humility and wonder all the days of our lives.

Today's suggested penance: Clean up someone else's mess.

Remember to Forgive

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

Freshly forgiven an unimaginable debt and eluding a grim descent into slavery, why wouldn't the previously owned man cry out with joy at receiving his family back and the opportunity to begin saving money? Or was that the problem? Did he throw his fellow servant in prison because here was an easy way to begin amassing a fortune? Or perhaps he couldn't accept a complimentary gift, and wanted to pay back the king anyway. Maybe the explanation is simpler yet: he forgot he was forgiven and given more than he bargained for. This is what "forgiveness" means: to "over-give", to give too much, to surprise by giving someone a chance to start over. To gorgive is to give a future. It's said that God offers us unconditional forgiveness, but Jesus makes clear the proviso that we go our and do likewise. But note: it's not that the Father forgives us only on condition that we first forgive. No, he goes first; we forgive "second". God does offer unconditional forgiveness, but with the possibility of refund if we abuse it, or more exactly, never really accept it in the first place. For the divine forgiveness is what makes our human forgiveness possible. Having come in crying , we can go out singing, caring less about others' debts and caring more that they too have forgiveness coming.

Reflection based on Matthew 18:21-35
Father Lawrence Donohoo, OP

Heavenly Father, forgive me for forgetting your forgiveness

and for failing to send it heartily into the lives of my brothers

and sisters in debt to both of us.

Today's suggested penance: Point out to another his or her virtue.

A Man Rejected

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

Little children can be at peace playing at home with their mother, but every one of us, once we reach adolescence, begins to long for affirmation and affection from persons outside the home. My two teenage daughters never tire of begging me to let them get together with their friends. Or they are pouring their hearts out to me in agony about how this or that girl (or boy!) does not really like them. We have a lot of talks about what makes one a good friend, and how true friendship is a rare treasure. Jesus, too, loved with a human heart, and longed for human friendship, as is evidenced by his desire to gather around him a special group of friends, the desciples. And yet, he also experienced rejection by his friends. Early in this public life, those whom he had known his whole life - his fellow Nazoreans - violently attacked him, leading "him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong." In the many moments when we feel rejected or misunderstood, we can take comfort from our Lord, who was no doubt heartbroken when he was rejected by his friends and neighbors. He knows our longing; he has made it his own.

Reflection based on Luke 4:24-30
Lisa Lickona

Dear Father, your Son was wonded by the rejection

of his friends. In my loneliness draw me ever nearer to

his Sacred Heart.

Today's suggested penance: Give away some of your belongings.

Why Do We Not All Perish?

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

In Thornton Wilder's The Bridge of San Luis Rey, a Franciscan brother undertakes to justify the ways of God to man in colonial Peru when the bridge between Lima and Cuzco collapsed, killing five people. After six years of careful investigation into the lives of the victims, his researchers are condemned as heretical and he is burned along with them. The Lord Jesus reproves such investigation, too, when in today's Gospel he warns his contemporaries not to suppose that those who died in the recent collapse of a tower in Jerusalem were more guilty than everyone else in the city. He doesn't say that they weren't guilty; only that they weren't more guilty. And he warns: "I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!" What lets him speak this way? He thinks that accident and death, suffering and disease are all of them obviously a function of guilt, either Adam's or our own. They provoke no question. What is surprising is not fault and its conswquences, but forgiveness and grace. Why, if we repent, will we nonetheless not perish? Why will God forgive us? God forgives us because repentance is a share in the suffering of Christ, and Christ has suffered for us all and for all sin. That is why he can speak as he does.

Reflection based on Luke 13:1-9
Father Guy Mansini, OSB

O God our Father, teach us to trust in your providence

in all things and all events, and most of all to look to

the sufferings of Christ and his cross for consolation in

every trouble and every grief.

Today's suggested penance: Volunteer in a shelter, a soup kitchen, or a tutorial center.

The Father Waits

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

At the State Penitentiary just outside our city, the Catholic inmates on death row receive Holy Communion on Tuesday mornings. The guard stationed high above must release an automatic lock on the heavy cell doors to allow each inmate to approach individually, security cameras trained on every move. From behind bulletproof glass, we pray together in preparation, then the inmate opens his hand to receive the Lord Jesus through a small portal not unlike an old-fashioned mail slot in the front door. We read a passage from Scripture and pray again silently, and the inmate returns to his cell. To the other inmates, this must appear as the ultimate in pointlessness. Why bother, when your days are numbered, the date of your execution draws inexorably nearer, and nothing short of a miracle could ever get you out of here alive? Is there any more meaningless existence than life on death row? Today's Gospel, the parable of the prodigal son, provides the answer. Even here, especially here in a place as soulless as death row, the Father waits and watches for his children to come to their senses. Jesus Christ turns the walls of a prison into a door to the Father, and we, along with our brothers who are dead, can come to life again.

Reflection based on Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Melinda Knight

Almighty Father, you love never fails.

In my darkest moments, you wait to embrace me and

give me life again. Turn my steps away from sin and

show me the way home to you.

Today's suggested penance: Go to confession.

Come & Visit! New Recipe Blog Available Now!

I just wanted to let y'all know I have a recipe blog up now. The recipes on there are ones I have shared here before, but I wanted a place to organize them better (because I use my own blog to look up my own recipes ... not sure what to think about that).

I have a link on my left sidebar now - Sweet Tea Recipes - or you can click HERE.

Just a word of warning: These recipes would be Paula Deen approved!

Choosing for the One Rejected

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

Spiritual blindness is never a matter simply of ignorance about the truth. The phrase implies a cause in sinful choices, a lack of recognition due to persistence in sin. In today's Gospel, Jesus quotes the sharp prophetic warning of Psalm 118: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." He is of course the stone referred to, and the rejection is the eventual decision of the Jewish leaders to seek his crucifixion from the Roman governor Pilate. This determination of the Sanhedrin to murder Jesus ought not to be thought simply a bad mistake, a miscalculation that might have been avoided with better judgment; nor excused as an inevitable action because prophesied. Real men of real malice held Jesus long in contempt before they brought false accusations against him and settled his fate. It was a final rejection preceded by persevering hatred. Only short-sightedness, however, would view this rejection of Jesus Christ as limited to Jewish leaders of this period. All who renounce Jesus Christ are implicated throughout history; just as all who deny Christ in fear echo Peter's denials; just as all who avoide loyally following Christ and his Church flee like the apostles from the hardship of the cross. Always we are free to choose. Let us choose firmly once again our absolute fidelity to our Lord and his passion.

Reflection based on Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46
Father Donald Haggerty

Father in heaven, grant me the grace to deepen my faithfulness

to you and your Church during these holy days of Lent.

Today's suggested penance: Spend ten minutes praying before the Blessed Sacrament.

Even If Someone Were to Rise from the Dead...

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

Most of us think that there is something essential we lack in this life: if I could just have "x" - a better job, a nicer house, a more understanding spouse, better health ... then everything would come together. As Catholics, our requests may be for deeper and deeper desires: a (clear) vocation, more children, the conversion of a family member who has abandoned the faith. These things that we want are often good and reasonable. Yet, we often do not obtain them. The things we are given on this earth are but signs. And seeing them for what they are is essential to our eternal happiness. We need to recognize the signs that the Lord puts in our life if we are to follow him. Jesus' story about the rich man and Lazarus reminds us of this: the rich man is convinced that if one of the dead goes to his brothers from the dead to warn them about his place of torment, they will realize what they should do. But Abraham insists that even someone rising from the dead would not convince them. It seems preposterous; and yet, how many failed to believe even at the sight of Jesus? How often do we fail to see the signs before us? We mustn't kid ourselves that we can recognize him without paying attention to his signs.

Reflection based on Luke 16:19-31
Rebecca Vitz Cherico

Lord, help me to see your signs in my life and

to follow the path on which you are leading me.

Today's suggested penance: Do something charitable for the homeless.

Provoked by a Mother's Love

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

While traveling across country by train, young Katharine Drexel visited Native American reservations. She was a Philadelphia Drexel. Her experience brought her into contact with human poverty - the poverty that can destroy you if you don't know Jesus. On a later trip, her grand tour of Europe, Katharine begged the Holy Father in a private audience to send missionary priests to those places. Katharine, who was struggling in her heart about whether to enter the contemplative life, received a terrifying answer. Pope Leo XIII responded: "Why not, my child, yourself become a missionary?" One of the most powerful men in the world asked on of the richest women in the world to give up everything and serve those who were considered the lowliest. The Pope's suggestion was faithful to a teaching resulting from an earlier woman's request. "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom," the mother of James and John said to Jesus. It was a request provoked by a mother's love for her children, even if it was swiftly rejected. It is a question that can save the souls of people today who accept the answer of Jesus. It is a teaching that helps us stay close to Jesus today and for ever.

Reflection based on Matthew 20:17-28
Father Michael Nolan

Gracious Father, open my ears to your will so that those in

need will be served with my hands.

Today's suggested penance: Serve someone today with love.

Humility Versus Virtual Celebrity

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

It is almost too easy to apply Jesus' cautionary words about the willingness of the scribes and Parisees to lord their virtue over others to today's political and social "leaders". They lecture us about their virtues and our shortcomings on every conceivable media outlet. Yet even when they behave what we used to call "badly", they are rewarded with million-dollar book deals and prime-time radio programs. Today, however, we would do well to remember that more and more "ordinary" folks like ourselves are trying to live "celebrity-style". Andy Warhol's prediction about everybody's fifteen minutes of fame seems almost quaint when we consider the strivings of so many to project themselves around the world via reality TV and internet video sites. For the average citizen of this new world order, humility, quiet service, and deference are out. In today's reading, Jesus calls us back from our "virtual" selves, to our real identity: "You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers." Yes, the world is vast, our brothers and sisters are many and in need of sound leadership. We have a role to play. But only God is the true "Master". We serve him, our brothers and sisters, and even ourselves when we imitate the Master and offer what we have as he did, and not in the way of self-serving celebrity-seekers.

Reflection based on Matthew 23:1-12
Helen M. Alvare

Father, help me learn to serve you with a glad heart,

and to resist putting my need for recognition about your will,

and the needs of others.

Today's suggested penance: Pray and offer some sacrifice for the Pope.

What a Bunch of Blarney

Being part-Irish on my mom's side, and having a birthday the 14th of this month - I love St. Patrick's Day! It's my favorite. So, in honor of this fabulous holiday, I thought I'd share some Irish-ness this month, for your edification and my need to have something to post - 2 birds with 1 stone, that!

The Blarney Stone

I'll have y'all know that I totally kissed this sucker when we were on our honeymoon, but Hubby was so shocked at seeing his wife of less than a week lying on her back, bending upside down, hanging from a castle with a 60-ish old man holding her legs and the only thing keeping her from certain death, that he didn't take a picture. Did NOT take a picture! Can ya believe it?! Not that it still bugs me ... ahem.

The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence (blarney - read my blog for examples, haha!). The castle was built in 1446 by Cormac Laidhiv McCarthy (Lord of Muskerry) -- its walls are 18 feet thick (necessary to thwart attacks by Cromwellians and William III's troops). Thousands of tourists a year still visit the castle. The origins of the Blarney Stone's magical properties aren't clear, but one legend says that an old woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who had saved her from drowning. Kissing the stone while under the spell gave the king the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly. It's tough to reach the stone -- it's between the main castle wall and the parapet. Kissers have to stretch to their back and bend backward (and downward), holding iron bars for support.

(info at The Holiday Spot)

The Measure of Love

(from the 2010 Magnificat Lenten Companion)

I observe my dog as she makes her way into the veterinary office, ready for her annual checkup. At sixteen years old, she is no longer "showroom new", as her face is now gray and arthritis slows her down. Once we are with the vet, I explain what has changed since our last visit: my dog can no longer jump up on the bed, she will not go up stairs, and she has difficulty getting into the car. The vet senses the melancholy in my voice. She pets the dog and smiles, and looking at me, says, "Well, that's what you're there for."As I get older, Lent becomes less a time of recounting my sins. It is a time when I sense how things have changed in my life. I consider the situations over which I have no control. The challenge of the season is how to stand firm in faith during those moments. The journey of Lent is a time of counting on the power of Jesus to keep me firm and steady, when the ground below me shifts. All around me, there are people for whom the journey has become more difficult. They do not need my judgment or my opinion. They need me to stand with them in the power of Jesus. I must realize that's what I am here for.

Reflection based on Luke 6:36-38
Monsignor Gregory E.S. Malovetz

Mighty God, when life shifts and changes, help me to stand

firm in faith. Let my life be measure in love.

Today's suggested penance: Do some extraordinary kindness to someone who would never expect it.