Prayer before Mass

(taken from the Red Latin Mass book)

Eternal Father, I unite myself with the intentions and affections of our Lady of Sorrows on Calvary, and I offer to Thee the Sacrifice which Thy beloved Son made of Himself on the Cross, and which He now renews on this holy Altar. I offer it in the name of all mankind, with the Masses which are now being offered, and all those which will be offered throughout the world this day:
To adore thee and give Thee the honor which is due to Thee, confessing Thy supreme dominion over all things, and the absolute dependence of everything upon Thee, who art our one and last End;
To thank Thee for the innumberable benefits we have received;
To appease Thy justice, aroused against us by so many sins, and to make satisfaction for them;
To implore grace and mercy for myself, for Thy Church, for all afflicted and sorrowing, for poor sinners, for those whom I have promised prayers, for all the world, and for the holy souls in Purgatory. Amen.

Imitation of Christ

Taken from Preparation for Total Consecration according to Saint Louis Marie de Montfort. These speak of the littleness of man (in the sense of "homo" not "viri" for those of you who choose to take offense) and where his worth is from.

Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him; or the son of man, that Thou visit him? What has man deserved that Thou should give him grace? Lord, what cause have I to complain, if Thou forsakest me, or what can I justly allege, if what I petition Thou shalt not grant? I am nothing, I can do nothing of myself that is good, but I am in all things defective and ever tend to nothing. And unless I am assisted and instructed by Thee, I become wholly tepid and relaxed, but Thou, O Lord, art always the same and endure unto eternity, ever good, just and holy...

But I who am more inclined to go back than to go forward continue not always in one state for I am changed seven different times. But it quickly becomes better when it pleases Thee, and Thou stretchest out Thy helping hand: for Thou alone can change me that my heart be convereted and find its rest in Thee alone.

He who would be too secure in time of peace will often be found too much dejeced in time of war If you could continue to be humble and little in your own eyes, and keep your spirit in due order and subjection, you would not fall so easily into danger and offense. It is good counsel that, when you have conceived the spirit of fervor, you should meditate how it will be when the light shall be withdrawn.
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Wherefore, but I did know well how to cast from me all human comfort, either for the sake of devotion or thorugh the necessity by which I am compelled to seek Thee, because there is no man that can comfort me. Then might I deservedly hope in Thy favor, and rejoice in the gifl of a new consolation. Thanks be to Thee from Whom all things proceed, as often as it happenes to me, I, indeede, am but vanity and nothing in Thy sight, an inconstant and weak man. Where, therefore, can I glory, or for what do I desire to be thought of highly?

Forsooth of my very nothingness; and htis is most vain. Truly vainglory is an evil blague, because it draws away from true glory and robs us of heavenly grace. For while a man takes complacency in himself, he displeases Thee; while he looks for human applause, he is depreived of true virtues. But true glory and holy exultation is to flory in Thee and not in one's self. To find pleasure in no creature, save only for Thy sake. Let Name be praised, not mine; let Thy work be magnified, not ine; let Thy Holy Name be blessed, but let nothing be attributed to me of the praise of men. Thou art my glory; Thou art the exultation of my heart; in Thee will I glory and rejoice all the day; ut for myself, I will glory in nothing but in my infirmities.

The Fool's Prayer

Recently, life has taken a turn for the more confusing, and I remembered this poem from my high school days. It touched me then, but even moreso now, when I seek humility and simplicity adult wise. I hope you may enjoy it as well. It helps to envision oneself as the fool...for we are only humble if we think we are proud, and we are proud if we think ourselves humble.

THE FOOL'S PRAYER

by: Edward Rowland Sill (1841-1887)

HE royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!"

The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the Monarch's silken stool;
His pleading voice arose: "O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"'Tis not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
'T is by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.

"These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say--
Who knows how grandly it had rung!

"Our faults no tenderness should ask.
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders -- oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.

"Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!"

The room was hushed; in silence rose
The King, and sought his gardens cool,
And walked apart, and murmured low,
"Be merciful to me, a fool!"

Litany of Humilty

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…

An 80s child remembers when...

I saw this and just had to post it, it is such a riot! Acapella is a great art form, and these students from the University of Wisconsin Madison Campus have done an excellent job. If you were an 80s kid, you might actually remember this and get a kick out of it. Ah, memories.

My school...

Dr. Bergsma on the Inversion of Norms

When you are looking for a place that is going to change the world, you expect to find it in a huge institution with $12 billion in grants to their division A football team, countless resources, and new state of the art buildings going up all the time. You don't expect to find it in the middle of the rust belt, where 2500 student struggle to survive the polluted air and water, with professors who are raising multiple child families in a ghetto a mile away. It just doesn't seem like it should work like that.

You have to be very humble to come from Steubenville.

Prayer to Saint Gabriel for a Marraige Partner

This prayer is a little on the childish side in my judgmental opinion, but brings forth some good points nevertheless. Every person who either knows they are called to the married state or who does not yet know their calling should pray for their spouse and their children. Praying for him/her now helps immensely in your future happiness...not to mention their own as well. Also, when choosing a marriage partner, you are choosing the mother/father for your children as well as your own help mate. Saint Raphael has been invoked as a matchmaker for may years, and is pretty much awesome. If you don't believe me, read the book of Tobias.

Glorious Saint Raphael, Patron and lover of the young, I feel the need of calling to you and of pleading for you help. In all confidence I open my heart to you to beg your guidance and assistance in the important task of planning my future. Obtain for me through your intercession the light of God's grace so that I may decide wisely concerning the person who is to be my partner through life. Angel of happy meetings, lead us by the hand to find each other. May all our movements be guided by your light and transfigured by your joy. As you led the young Tobias to Sara and opened up a new life of happiness with her in holy marriage, lead me to such a one whom in your angelic wisdom you judge best suited to be united with me in marriage.

Saint Raphael, loving Patron of those seeking a marriage partner, help me in this supreme decision of my life. Find for me as a help mate in life the person whose character may reflect some of the traits of Jesus and Mary. May he(she) be upright, loyal, pure, sincere, and noble, so that with united efforts and with chaste and unselfish love we both may strive to perfect ourselves in soul and body, as well as the children it may please God to entrust to our care.

Saint Raphael, Angel of chaste courtship, bless our friendship and our love that sin may have no part in it. May our mutual love bind us so closely that our future home may ever be most like the home of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Offer your prayers to God for the both of us and obtain the blessing of God upon our marriage, as you were the herald of blessing for the marriage of Tobias and Sara.

Saint Raphael, friend of the young, be my friend, for I shall always be yours. I desire ever to invoke you in my needs. To your special care I entrust the decision I am to make as to my future husband (wife). Direct me to the person with whom I can best cooperate in doing God's holy will, with whom I can live in peace, love, and harmony in this life, and attain to eternal joy in the next. Amen.

In honor of Saint Raphael: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

Where have all the Good Skirts gone?

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So, many young ladies have asked me "why are there no modest skirts that are NICE, not frumpy!!!!" and my small amount of research has yielded these. You do have to be picky, and some are pretty pricey, but most of these are guaranteed to be good quality, not flimsy, rippy, or otherwise worn out quickly. Personally, I intend to dress myself very nicely someday...that day when I am independently wealthy. ;-)

But, until then, I have taken a vow of poverty to dress myself in 2nd/3rd/4th/5th hand stuff and try to make the results look something like this. It can be done if you've got talent and a good eye. Don't forget to check the clearance racks, as you can often find things for 50-80% less than the original price!

Funky Frum https://www.funkyfrum.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=13 has nice colors and styles...very streamlined puckered type things.

Hannah Lise is rather conservative, you've got to pick through it to find the good stuff, which may not work out for you anyhow. Beware of frump and loose fittingness.

Modest Clothing is just that, and very Amish. (not literally, but almost)

Shade has more tops than anything, but they modest while still fashionable and in good taste. Overall, very nice styles, simple, elegant, pretty and practical. They also have really cute maternity clothing.

J.Jill is one of my favorite clothing lines ever! Natural styles, elegant, fashionable, and great variety. You do have to pick through the funky stuff, and their boots look really silly.

Soft surroundings has lots of really long skirts, sometimes rather bizarre, but always colorful and pretty.

Christa-Taylor Modern, simple, and elegant, though a wee bit pricy. If you buy something from them, they will send some money or blankets or something to widows and orphans in Cambodia.

Eshet Chayil is a definite mix, moderate pricing, some sheik and antique styles. Kinda weird on the whole.

Next Tag is basically a search engine for literally thousands of items from different suppliers and allows you to search by style, brand, price, fabric, etc. You have to sort through for the nice things, but there are alot mixed in to hundreds of different skirts.

Style J has modern, long denim skirts, with options for petite and tall and extra-tall too! Moderately priced and will match many different tops and go with several styles.

Aimcraft.com

contains scores of skirts, shawls, tunic type shirts, and home décor strait from India. Very colorful and moderately priced.

Shopstyle.com : yet another wonderful source for comparing things from several sites. Prices vary, but it alows the freedom to sift through a lot of different styles, prices, etc.

Babel Extended

Being a nursing student tends to get a bit bogged up in the technical aspect of things, so I decided to audit a Theology course not only to spice up my schedule a bit but also to learn more about my faith just so that my theology center of my brain did not dry up and go completely sour, especially in lieu of the fact that I have recently been having difficulty recalling logic and doctrine for moral and theological issues. That, by the way, is simply a compound sentence with several dependent clauses attached to it and is not a run on. If anyone feels compelled to correct me on this point, please do so as I would rather know that I've messed up instead of continuing in my error.

Anyhow, Babel. Dr. John Bergsma is an assistant professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville, and specializes in Biblical theology. His class it totally awesome! Among many things cover in the first 16 chapters of Genesis (which I am unable to expound upon at this time due to time contstraints and general inability to keep thoughts flowing logically on more than one topic at this time), one of the things that struck me the most was the bit about Babel. God has already destroyed the earth through water, causing a "re-creation" and once again bringing the land out of the sea as at the creation, and once more setting up a covenant with the man, which is just as quickly by Noah and his sons as was the original covenant broken by Adam. The Lord God swears that he will never again destroy the earth through water, but we can see just how quickly that man becomes depraved and shrinks back into sin. To take a step back, Genesis 10 contains the names of all the peoples of the earth, all the ethnic backgrounds of the world: Chinese, Slovak, Italian, Egyptian, African nations, Aztecs, Asian and European nations, every nation and ethnic people is here represented. The names given by this text are very ancient and are not in common usage anymore, but they are the names representing the entirety of the race of men. Anyhow, Genesis 11 contains the account of Babel:

Then they said, "come let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower...And the Lord said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing that they propose to do will now beimpossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." So the Lord scattered them abroad...and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel.

After the tower of Babel, the Lord makes a covenant with Abraham in 12:2-3 (actually a promise which is later extended and ratified as a covenant). In it he promises 3 things:
1. I will make you a great Nation.
2. I will give you a great name. (implies royalty)
3. in you all the families of he earth shall be blessed--> a universal blessing extended unto all the nations (families) of the world that will be given through you.
Therefore, Abraham, whom St. Paul and the Church refer to as "Our father in Faith," is the channel through which the blessing (grace? eternal life?) is to come to the nations, to all the people of the earth.

So, back to Babel. All of these nations are descended from Adam first, and then from Noah, so we are all related: Germans, Dutch, Italians, Moroccans, Arabians, Chinese, Russians, etc. That is a pretty cool gene pool if you think about it. Anyhow, at Babel you have the confusion of language, they can no longer understand each other. Now, God fulfills his promise to Abraham in God becoming Man in the person of Jesus Christ. In Acts 2:5 we see again men "from every nation under heaven," and they are later listed, giving names more modern than those in Genesis 10, but nevertheless taking in all the nations of the world. Here, all of these men listen to the preaching of Apostles, and are confused in their ability to understand! "They were bewildered because each onn heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, "Are not these men who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?" Each is able to understand the words of the apostles in his own language, and we thus have a reversal of Babel: a common language. The common language is the language of the Holy Spirit.

Interesting to note that this is like Latin, the common language of the Universal Church. That the tangible language of the Holy Spirit is Latin, for the faithful from Israel, Germany, United States, Vietnam, Russia, South Africa, all communicate in this common langage...but that is a thought for another time as well.

If I've left anything out here, please tell me.

Our Lady

Excerpt from This Tremendous Lover by M Eugene Boylan

Happily there is a short cut to that union with Christ for the individual and for society. For as Pius X taught: "They are miserable and unfortunate who under the pretext of honoring Christ neglect Mary, for they do not know that the Child cannot be found except with His Mother." And the same Holy Father quotes the Apocalypze:

And a great sign appeared in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And being with child, she cried travailing in birth and was in pain to be delivered.

and it applies to Our Lady, who, though blessed in heaven, is still laboring in a mysterious birth. Whose birth? asks the Holy Father: clearly ours, who are still detained in exile and have yet to be brought forth to the perfect charity of God and eternal happiness.

The part played by our Lady in our sanctification is so important that it calls for a book itself.

Saint Joseph, Ora pro nobis.

Saint Joseph, the husband of Our Blessed Lady and foster father of Our Blessed Lord is the man closest to Jesus. He exemplifies exceptional purity, humility, and strength. Holy Scripture rarely refers to anyone as righteous, but it does use this word to describe Joseph, therefore declaring that he is exceptionally holy. He has never failed me, and is invoked as the patron of family harmony, guardian of the church, patron of fathers and husbands, patron of virgins, patron of a good death. Pretty good resume, if you think about it. Here are some of my favorite prayers to the man closest to Christ. The Novena is great and has never been known to fail, so there is a caution with it saying to be careful what you ask for. It's a good one to use with vocations, family matters, and protection against impurity.

Memorare of Saint Joseph
Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who sought your intercession was left unaided. Full of confidence in your power I fly to you and beg your protection. Despise not, O foster-father of the Redeemer, my humble supplication, but in your bounty hear and answer me. Amen.

Prayer to St. Joseph (Novena if said 9 consecutive mornings).
O Saint Joseph, who's protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from thy Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ Our Lord so that having engaged here below your heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breathe. Saint Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me.

Things Irish coming soon

Due to the requests I've had, and the general need of the thing, I will be starting another blog shortly after the beginning of the school year.
What is the pressing need, you say? Why, Irish done in a simply way.
Dances, songs, lyrics, and such,
videos of ceilidhs we've had, and much
more than I now care to tell.
An Irish blog. How quaint. Well....
Anyhow, 'twill be up by October, God willing. Just thought I'd announce that. I'll be looking for contributors as well,
Peace be with ya all, and God bless your house and all that dwell in it.

what do I do with my life?

There comes a time in a person’s life when they have to decide if they like mountains or plateaus. Personally, mountain is much easier to spell than plateau so it is a nicer word. But seriously, a person cannot just stay where they are. “Christ loves you just the way you are” is a common religious platitude, and, though true in itself does not contain the fullness of the message it tries to convey. Yes, Our Lord loves you just the way you are because He is so merciful and loving that despite how disgusting and offensive your actions, thoughts, and ideas may be, He still sees His beloved creation: you. However, He loves you so much that Our Blessed Lord wants you and I in heaven with Him, which is why the end of our lives should be to know, to love, and to serve God. He loves you too much to let you continue down the road to punishment. Holiness is that which each person ought to be striving for. Everything else will fall into place. The quest for holiness leads to happiness, joy, peace, self control, good interpersonal relationships, etc.

I have met many a person who knows that a vocation is the way a person is to get to heaven. Suddenly, they become consumed in trying to figure out or “find” their vocation. They cannot move on without finding their vocation, so they try this, try that, embrace Ignatian spirituality for a month, then Franciscan, never really solidifying their relationship with Christ and with themselves. Honestly, yes, you want to know your vocation, but relax! Just strive for holiness and remove yourself from sin and your vocation will find you. Otherwise, you can get trapped into a cycle of “is he the one? Is this the time? Am I called to this order or that one?” each and every time a new option crosses your path, and you get all flustered that there may yet be another possible path.

Saint John Bosco was an acrobat as a youngster, and likened the way of sanctification to walking a tight rope. “I would keep my balance by looking straight ahead, my eye on my goal, never to either side or down. I knew that if I removed my eyes from the goal, I would lose my balance and fall” he said. “When striving for God, walk a straight path, and keep the minds eye turned to the Lord, never looking down or looking to either side, for I know I will fall and loose my way.”

Holiness is the means and the end. Everything else will fall into place. All I want is to begin life after death hearing the words: “Well done, my good and faithful servant…”

Patriotic reflections

Patriotism...what the heck is it? Is it flying Old Glory on the Fourth of July and Flag Day? Is it thanking our troops for the sacrifices they make? Is it paying our taxes and voting? Can we find it in a building or depicted in a work of art?

The symbols of patriotism in America are many and varied: the Stars and Stripes, our songs, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a Purple Heart, the Declaration of Independence, the Statue of Liberty. Of these, the Statue of Liberty is not an image of a real person, mortal or immortal, nor is it a memorial or recollection of the past. She is the present, an image of an immortal idea representing the passion for that idea embraced by our forefathers when they came to America to find jobs, to find a better life, to have the right to own land, to be able to hunt for food and to choose who should rule over them. It was exemplified by the men who drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence, and those who joined the fight against England that all may know our belief "That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." We hold these truths to be self evident. That is why we engaged in the World Wars, why we aided the fight in Korea and Vietnam: the rights of others were being violated. Were those who were violated Americans? No, but we certainly didn't let that stop us from coming to their aid. When the first attack in over 60 years to take place on American soil occurred only a few years ago, suddenly, people remembered Old Glory, and the Sentry of America, the Statue of Liberty. They began to fly the flag with pride, tears streamed from their eyes once again when they heard "the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there." Patriotism does exist in America...it just sort of seems to lay dormant until a tragedy happens that demands a rallying of forces .

Many don't know the words on the statue of liberty. She says "give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." that's really what America is made of...and it is grand. Millions of poor, battered immigrants That a whole nation should "hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men a created equal," and that everyone has the rite to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness....that just sort of rocks the world and shakes it upside down! That's why the beginning of the revolutionary war was the "Shot heard 'round the World." It was such a new idea, it was earth shattering, flying in the face of every Western Nation of the time.

Patriotism is a love of Country, of countrymen, and of ideals. Ideas are dangerous and motivating, the shape the destiny of people, movements, and ages. When we proclaim our ideas, take pride in our country and our identity as Americans. Maybe that's why shivers run down my spine during the national Anthem, why I love knowing all the songs about America that I can find, why fireworks on Independence Day make me happy. God bless the United States of America.

Summer update #2

Well, summer is fast fading away, and the weather in Virginia is finally cooling off...for a very short time I'm sure. It has been around 92F for most of the summer, give or take, and very humid. However, the great summer of 2008 has seen a relatively new addition to our weather: smoke. The fire in North Carolina blows directly our way from the South, covering us in a blanket of thick gray smoke. It smells nice, but does a number on one's lungs. They say it is burning 3 feet below the ground cause of the peat moss out that way, and that the only thing that could really put it out is a hurricane. On top of that, the great dismal swamp is burning as well. Well, unfortunately the Lord will never wipe away the face of the earth by water again, so he's going to burn it off.

We've been able to make the garden look better this year than we have in the last 10 years. Seems like our work on the stubborn gray clay has payed off finally. Lots of top soil, turning, and dead plant matter later, we have Tiger Lilies, chrysanthemums, Bleeding Hearts, foxgloves, Zinnias, Hostas, Hydrangas, and several varieties of unknown bulbs. Peter and I have worked alot outside this year. Peter is trying to turn outdoorsman (thanks to books and boyscouts) and has taken to splitting logs. The little ones are happy to assist him in this, and scrape off the bark and stack after the logs are split.

I've a part time job with a nursing home for severely disabled children. I was unable to find a full time position anywhere cause no one wants out of town college students, but this is nice enough. There are some of the cutest kids there, all deformed to some extent from birth defects, diseases, or accidents. Some had childhood illnesses that left their brains dysfunctional. I work mostly with teenagers.

My siblings and I have passes to the local recreation center, the city kid's workout. we don't have pastures to roam and lakes to swim in, therefore we need a pool or some other body of water. We play in the street, but there are these things called cars and power lines that continually get in the way...and we have already knocked the mailbox down once with a body.

Well, that's all forthe update now. More later.
Good night folks and God love you.