The 12 Days of Christmas

Merry almost Christmas, fellow bloggers! Sorry for abandoning you. I do feel badly about that...but I hope to start writing again more regularly. :) 

I don't know how many of you know the true meaning of the song "The 12 Days of Christmas." I, personally, never cared for the song. It was lengthy, repetitive, boring...UNTIL I learned what the story was behind it.  And today, I'm here to share that with you! 

Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law - private OR public. It was a crime to BE a Catholic.  "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith.

The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."

The other symbols mean the following:

1 Partridge in a Pear Tree = Jesus Christ, Son of God

2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.

6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation

7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments

8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments

11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

Isn't that beautiful?  Who knew there was so much meaning behind this long song? I am still personally amazed. :)

What are you guys doing to prepare for Christmas?

"Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds..."

I'm sure you can tell by now that I am a hopeless romantic.  I know I said it in my "about me" page, but I'm getting the chance to prove it.  Until several years ago, I never really enjoyed poetry.  It was long, boring, and, to me, pointless. But ever since starting my High School English Course with Seton, I've grown to love it immensely. 

Some of the well-known ways of expressing love is taken from the Great Poets and their works.  Here are some of my favorites.

Sonnet CXVI from Shakespeare

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments.  Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wand'ring bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come;

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved. "

She Was A Phantom of Delight

William Wordsworth

She was a Phantom of delight

When first she gleamed upon my sight;

A lovely Apparition, sent

To be a moment's ornament;

Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair;

Like Twilight's, too, her dusky hair;

But all things else about her drawn

From May-time and the cheerful Dawn;

A dancing Shape, an Image gay,

To haunt, to startle, and way-lay.

I saw her upon nearer view,

A Spirit, yet a Woman too!

Her household motions light and free,

And steps of virgin-liberty;

A countenance in which did meet

Sweet records, promises as sweet;

A Creature not too bright or good

For human nature's daily food;

For transient sorrows, simple wiles,

Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles.

And now I see with eye serene

The very pulse of the machine;

A Being breathing thoughtful breath,

A Traveller between life and death;

The reason firm, the temperate will,

Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill;

A perfect Woman, nobly planned,

To warn, to comfort, and command;

And yet a Spirit still, and bright

With something of angelic light.

She Walks in Beauty

Lord Byron 

She walks in beauty, like the night

   Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

   Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

   Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

   Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

   Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

   How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

   So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

   But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

   A heart whose love is innocent!

How Do I Love Thee?

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

What are some of your favorite poems?



God Bless America!

A NATION'S STRENGTH

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1904)

What makes a nation’s pillars high

And its foundations strong?

What makes it mighty to defy

The foes that round it throng?

It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand

Go down in battle shock;

Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,

Not on abiding rock.

Is it the sword? Ask the red dust

Of empires passed away;

The blood has turned their stones to rust,

Their glory to decay.

And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown

Has seemed to nations sweet;

But God has struck its luster down

In ashes at his feet.

Not gold but only men can make

A people great and strong;

Men who for truth and honor’s sake

Stand fast and suffer long.

Brave men who work while others sleep,

Who dare while others fly...

They build a nation’s pillars deep

And lift them to the sky.

A TOAST TO THE FLAG

JOHN DALY

Here’s to the RED of it:

There’s not a thread of it,

No, nor a shred of it

In all the spread of it

From foot to head,

But heroes bled for it,

Faced steel and lead for it,

Precious blood shed for it,

Bathing it Red!

Here’s to the WHITE of it:

Thrilled by the sight of it,

Who knows the right of it

But feels the might of it

Through the day and night?

Womanhood’s care for it,

Made manhood dare for it,

Purity’s prayer for it

Keeps it so White!

Here’s to the BLUE of it:

Beauteous view of it,

Heavenly hue of it,

Star-spangled dew of it –

Constant and true.

States stand supreme for it,

Diadems gleam for it,

Liberty’s beam for it

Brightens the Blue!

Here’s to the WHOLE of it:

Stars, stripes and pole of it,

Here's to the SOUL of it;

RED, WHITE and BLUE!

Happy Independence Day, dear readers!  I hope your day is filled with God's glory of being a free nation! Have a blessed day! What did you do to celebrate the 4th?

"Tale As Old As Time..."

Have you ever noticed that suddenly the lyrics of a song you love have even more meaning?  Have you ever adored a song, but never really took the time to sink in the words? I have. And the most recently revelation is the song "Beauty and the Beast"... the Angela Lansbury version, of course. 

I have always loved this song.  But I have loved it in different stages.  When I was a little girl, I loved the whole scene; the beautiful, golden ballroom, Belle's flowing dress, the romance, the Beast swirling her around and around.  I knew I loved the song, but only because it fit in so well with the scene.  As I grew, I realized the song was so romantic! (Because isn't almost everything romantic when you're 15?) There was suddenly something so magical in the whole thing! I was beginning to realize how beautiful romance could be! But recently, I listened to the lyrics and found that this song is truly romantic, because it contains many of the emotions that ladies and gentlemen experience in a relationship. And many important key components to a happy and Godly relationship and marriage. 

"Tale as old as time

True as it can be

Barely even friends

Then somebody bends

Unexpectedly..."

The beauty of friendship is transformed into something magical. Love. It's a "Tale as old as time." Because someone bends unexpectedly. Bending is necessary in any relationship!  It can't be "my way" or "your way."  Both parties have to bend - or sacrifice their own desires - for the other person. But it strengthens the relationship.  And in marriage; brings husband and wife closer together in unity before God.

"Just a little change

Small to say the least

Both a little scared

Neither one prepared

Beauty and the beast..."

Just the smallest change can make the difference.  Suddenly, friendship becomes something more! The touch of his hand means something special, her smile is directed just at you, your eyes meet in a crowded room and hearts leap.  Suddenly, both boy and girl know they want to spend the rest of their lives together in marriage.  But it's a big step.  Both are scared; this is all new.  No one is prepared and many mistakes are made, but the joy outweighs the struggle. And one learns from mistakes. 

"Ever just the same

Ever a surprise

Ever as before

Ever just as sure

As the sun will rise..."

True love and romance is enchanting and beautiful in any language and in any culture. When united with the Will of God, love remains the same. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud... Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) It is selfless, it is virtuous, it is full. It is as sure as the rising of the eastern sun.  It is a gift from God.

"Tune as old as song

Bittersweet and strange

Finding you can change

Learning you were wrong..."

 

How important is that verse? "...Finding you can change; Learning you were wrong." Many times our pride prevents us from following the path of God.  Pride blocks the way for grace to enter into our heart.  Jesus told St. Faustina that, "The greatest misery does not stop Me from uniting Myself to a soul, but where there is pride, I am not there."  How can we forgive if our pride is in the way?   Admitting you were wrong and changing is so important in a relationship - any kind, actually.  Whether it be a friendship, sibling relationship, marriage, dating, or a relationship with God, we should never let pride hinder our love for another person.  Do we want to risk losing them? What would have happened if The Beast hadn't changed? 

I love this song.  In a deeper way than I would have ever guessed.  It's not just romantic, it true.  It's rich and full.  It is enchanting! 

"Beauty and the Beast..."

Go! Listen to the song and drink it in (Along with that ballroom... and the chandelier! And the glorious night they admire out on the balcony).  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch Beauty and the Beast...

-

A Long-Postponed Book Tag!

Hello, lovelies!  My two good acquaintances here on the blog did a Book Tag awhile ago.  Since it's rather late and my mind doesn't want to totally compose a blog post, I though I would complete this tag myself! Hope you enjoy the answers! 

Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack: 

I don't normally snack while I read (after all! You have you use both hands to keep the book open), but if I do, it would probably be pretzels. 

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I usually don't like the idea of marking my books, but there are times I do.  More specifically, if it's a text or school book.  Then I usually need all the notes and help I can get! ;)

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open? 

Mostly a bookmark, but if not that, I usually just close the book and find my place again when I pick it back up.  It never takes me that long to find it. 

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?

I used to read nothing but fiction, but as I grew older and broadened my reading sphere, I learned that I equally love both! Fiction is fun to take you away from the world, but non-fiction is so informative! I especially love non-fiction about the World Wars.  

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?

If I have the time, I like to read to the end of the chapter.  However, there are plenty of cases where I have had to stop suddenly or even *gasp of horror* IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE! 

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?

Absolutely not. Books are friends, they are not meant to be thrown.  Of course, there are the occasional books where the author annoys me, but I will just put the book away for awhile until I am further prepared to read it again.  

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?

No, not usually.  I have done so before, but only because I needed the clarification. I probably should make it a habit, though... It would enlarge my vocabulary quite a bit! 

What are you currently reading?

Christy by Catherine Marshall 

The Search for Joyful (sequel to Mrs. Mike) by Benedict and Nancy Freedman

Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot

What is the last book you bought?

Well, it's hard to list them all since I just made myself present at a book sale, but some of them are:

A Little Treasury of Great Poetry

Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

Charles Dickens Best Stories

and 

The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne 

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?

By all means - BOTH!  I love stand alones like A Tale of Two Cities, but at the same time I've devoured the Anne of Green Gables series more times than I can count!

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?

Yes! Absolutely! 

G.K. Chesterton, Cardinal Henry Newman, Fulton Sheen, L. M. Montgomery, P. G. Wodehouse, and C. S. Lewis.  Always good reads.  As far as books go, I would recommend the Narnia Series and the Lord of the Rings Series - both amazing.  And also The Best Man by Grace Livingston Hill and The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy.

How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)

I would say I mostly organize my books by the author - I try to keep all the same authors works together. But if they're stand alones, then I will probably do it according to size.

I nominate:

Clare from Come Further Up

Samantha from Heavenly Aspirations 

Peregrin from Traveling Home

Rosamund from The Earthen Vessel 

and 

Patricia from In Corde Jesu

And whoever feels so inclined to do this! :)

"Come, Holy Ghost..."

     Pentecost is here. A beautiful High Feast in the Liturgical Year. Pentecost Sunday is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church! Today we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Here we know that the Holy Spirit instituted His Seven Gifts. 

     "The holy mystery of the day of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost, is to be understood in the following manner: the spirit of man must be completed and perfected by the Holy Spirit, that is, it must be sanctified, illuminated, and divinized by the Holy Spirit..."

" This holy mystery is realized continually in the Church of Christ and because of this the Church is really a continuous Pentecost.... From Holy Pentecost, the day of the Holy Spirit, every God-like soul in the Church of Christ is an incombustible bush which continuously burns and is inflamed with God and has a fiery tongue within it."

-St. Justin 

     I don't pray to the Holy Spirit as much as I should. Did you ever notice that the Holy Spirit seems to get neglected? I pray to the saints, I pray to Jesus, I pray to the Blessed Virgin - but for some reason, prayers to the Holy Spirit seem to always be forgotten. But think of how much He does for us! Think of the inspiration and guidance He gives us! Josemaria Escriva says that, "You are not alone....the Holy Spirit, living in your soul in grace – God with you – is giving a supernatural tone to all your thoughts, desires and actions." How beautiful. The Holy Spirit, living in your soul in grace – God with you. God is living in our soul!! Think about that! The Holy Spirit is there - now - guiding our thoughts and actions and helping us with the hard decisions we face everyday! 

     In one of his sermons at Pentecost, Josemaria Escriva profoundly states that, "The Holy Spirit comes to us as a result of the cross - as a result of our total abandonment to the will of God, of seeking only his glory and renouncing ourselves completely." Have you ever thought about it in that perspective? 

     But I love his next point...

"Only when a man is faithful to grace and decides to place the cross in the center of his soul, denying himself for the love of God, detaching himself in a real way from all selfishness and false human security, only then - when a man lives by faith in a real way - will he receive the fullness of the great fire, the great light, the great comfort of the Holy Spirit."  If we accept our cross and offer to God all our sufferings, we will receive the fullness of the great fire. If that isn't inspirational, I don't know what is! I want to burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit! I want to be a soldier of Christ and fight the Great Battle with Him! Do you? 

Listen to one of my favorite Pentecost songs. Your day will be immediately better. I promise! 

"Let Us Be Elegant or Die..."

"The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides."

~Audrey Hepburn~

Femininity is a semi-lost virtue in today's society.   Today, women think that to be attractive, they must be scantily-clad, harsh, and independent of men and their help and reliance.  Not so!  A feminine woman doesn't have to wear jean jumpers to be Godly, but she also doesn't have to wear her PJ's to the grocery store.  But, more than dress, a true woman is beautiful inside as well as out.  A true woman possess many qualities and virtues that are most becoming.  Not only should women strive to look modestly attractive, but they should also work on inward virtue.  A French Proverb I read once said that beauty without virtue is like a rose without a scent. 

Women should strive to develop and maintain many graces.  

Here are a couple of thoughts on femininity: 

Femininity is important.  A man needs the gentle, strong personality of a woman to make him see his role as protector and supporter.  When a woman is "independent" and makes the man feel as if he isn't needed, roles become confused. Colleen Hammond, from Dressing With Dignity, says that "...Genuine, God-given, inner femininity appeals to men.  It stirs up in them their genuine, innate masculinity and the desire to protect, revere, and defend the gentle sex."

To me, that sounds pretty nice.  I would gladly accept the help of a man and his desire to "protect, revere, and defend" me! How flattering! :)

Colleen Hammond further states that "...men with character are attracted to the virtuous qualities in a woman.  They admire her joy, her inner happiness, her femininity, her playful spunk."  Ladies, you are beautiful creatures!  God made you to be attractive in a modest and moral way.  Use your feminine charms.  Follow the example of the Blessed Mother in attaining virtue.  She is our guide and model in humility, charity, obedience and a thousand other virtues! 

Don't be afraid to be yourself, either.  You have a beautiful, developing, and feminine personality all your own!  As a woman, you have so many unique features that are yours only.  Your kindness to the elderly or disabled, your charity towards your neighbor; helping that elderly lady in the parking lot unload her groceries or talking to an aging man who lives on your street -- all of these small things show your femininity and your beauty! Strive for God's love and mercy and you will be your true self.  I leave you with this quote from one of my favorite speakers: Fulton Sheen.

"The level of any civilization is the level of its womanhood.  When man loves woman, it follows that the nobler the woman, the nobler the love; the higher the demands made by the woman, the more worthy a man must be.  That is why woman is the measure of our civilization."

God bless!

Education is a Blessing

"I have never let schooling interfere with my education" 
Mark Twain.

This quote by Twain makes me laugh every time.  But, although I laugh at him, I do feel strongly about an education.  When I was younger, I never appreciated my schooling.  To be honest, it wasn't until the last year or two that I really became inspired to further my education and to broaden my learning.  Being homeschooled, I was able to learn so much more than just the basic schooling and lessons taught from a text book.  I have learned life lessons, humility, charity, how to work and talk with people of all ages, and how to appreciate the life God gave me.  Because I wasn't subjected to the pressure of school and it's society and cliques, I was able to relax and devote time to my studies and life lessons.  There were days I didn't do school, but went out to visit the sick or dying, to pray and gain graces at Mass, to enjoy a day at the park, and I doubled up on school the next day to catch up.  That was one of the perks of a home education.  But, although I know my education is important, I feel that the valuable lessons I've learned; the personality I've developed; and the strong faith I've formed have been just as - or perhaps more - beneficial than I ever could have expected.  

Recently, I reread the work from Cardinal Newman on The Purpose of a Liberal Education.  As usual, I enjoyed his straight and denotative point view, but certain things really struck me as particularly true.  Especially when he says, "Today I have confined myself to saying that that training of the intellect, which is best for the individual himself, best enables him to discharge his duties to society." Newman explains that it's not necessarily about the education and how much you learn, but, rather, on forming the person and his soul.  He says that education "...gives a man a clear conscious view of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, and eloquence in expressing them, and a force in urging them."  He further claims education "...teaches a person to see things as they are, to go right to the point, to disentangle a skein of thought, to detect what is sophistical, and to discard what is irrelevant."  Newman is trying to explain how important an education is! Not only for learning purposes, but for the development of character, of moral discernment, and for following God's will on earth.  Newman says that, because of a Liberal Education, a person knows how to hold himself in the presence of others.  He says some of the virtues of this education are:  "...being at home in society," knowing how to influence others, knowing when to speak and when to keep silent, how to converse, how to listen, how to ask pertinent questions, and  always being ready to learn something knew. I love Cardinal Newman's points in this essay, and I highly recommend reading the entire thing for more insight. 

I once read a quote that said, “In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.”  How true this is.  For a girl who wants to be a teacher, this quote particularly has a special place in my heart.  Although I am not yet an employed teacher, I have taught children before.   Of course, they don't realize how hard their studies will become, but at this moment they are so eager to learn and hungry for knowledge.  But, as the quote says, not only do they learn, but the teacher learns, too.  And not just the studies they have been through before.  They learn virtue.  They learn patience, humility, perseverance. They learn kindness.  A teacher is an important person.  They take young minds and develop them into a personality - the character they will develop later in life hinges a good deal on a good and moral teacher.  An ethical teacher is vital in society, especially if the teacher is a parent and the student is their child.  That's another reason I am so eager to finish my entire education.  I want to be there for my children and educate them through homeschooling, I want to help them when they have a question, or when they want to learn, and I want them to be inspired to learn, because education is a gift from God.  We should thank Him that He's given us the mind and intellect to learn about the many blessings and mysteries He has put here on earth.  "Wonder is the desire for knowledge." (St. Thomas Aquinas)

There is always time to learn.  Whether it be studies in Catholic Law, English, History, Literature, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or even hobbies that interest you.  Always study.  Always learn -- because God gives us this opportunity!  Will you embrace it?

“The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will.”

"You seek Jesus ... He is not here, for he has risen..."

Happy Belated Easter. 

Isn't it funny to think that Easter is already almost four weeks behind us? It's so easy to get caught up in the buzz of the season, the family functions, food preparation.  The beauty of Easter Sunday is felt, but do we really experience its fullness?  Every year, I tell myself I will slow Easter down - really make it count - but every year it whizzes past without even a glance back.  I feel as if I've totally missed the holiday. But then I realized that Easter is for 40 days.  I have until Pentecost to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ! Everyday is another chance to celebrate Easter! So, I'm going to share with you some of my favorite quotes and thoughts about Jesus rising gloriously from the sepulcher.  

I always love to ponder what the Blessed Virgin was experiencing and feeling.  Consider the joy that filled Mary's Heart when she met the risen Christ on Easter morning!  It's so beautiful to see Mary and Jesus as one.  They are so close - while Jesus was in her womb, their heartbeats were beating as one! George de Rhodes says, "Do you want to know God? Read Mary as you would a book; look at her as you would a mirror; reflect on her as you would a picture."  Every time I read this, I have to stop and ponder it.  We should love Mary, follow her example.  Think of the suffering she endured! Think of the help she can give us! The mother of our God and Savior!

St. Alphonsus Liguori profoundly states that 

"Only an infinite love for man - not nails - could fasten a God to the cross."  

Wow.  Just let that sink in.  God's love for us kept him nailed to the cross.  Even if there had only been one person who needed to be saved, God would have endured it all for only him.  How great His love is.  Do we love him with equal fervor?  Do we give Him time during the day? I like to try and thank Him when I'm especially touched by something beautiful.  The sun peeking through the clouds after a thunderstorm? Thank Him for it! The pair of shoes you wanted and ended up getting on sale? Thank Him! That joy you feel at living? Thank Him! He bestows upon us so much, and we, like the nine lepers, forget to go back and thank Him for the many joys he gives us daily.  "When you receive Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, thank Him from the bottom of your heart for being so good as to be with you."  (St. JoseMaria Escriva.)

And, last, I want to quote a passage from St. Gregory's Homily on Pascha...

"Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him; yesterday I died with Him; today I am quickened with Him; yesterday I was buried with Him; today I rise with Him. But let us offer to Him Who suffered and rose again for us— you will think perhaps that I am going to say gold, or silver, or woven work or transparent and costly stones, the mere passing material of earth, that remains here below, and is for the most part always possessed by bad men, slaves of the world and of the Prince of the world. Let us offer ourselves, the possession most precious to God, and most fitting; let us give back to the Image what is made after the Image. Let us recognize our Dignity; let us honour our Archetype; let us know the power of the Mystery, and for what Christ died."

Need I say more? I didn't think so! 

So, once again, I want to wish everyone a blessed Easter, because, as we discussed before, we're still in the Paschal Season! Let us celebrate its beauty! :)

God bless!

"I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them..."

In those days Isaias said: The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I do not resist: I have not home back.  I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them; I have not turned my face away from them that rebuked me and spit upon me.  The Lord God is my helper, therefore I am not confounded: therefore I have set my face as a most hard rock, and I know that I shall not be confounded.  He is near that justifieth me.  Who will contend with me?  Let us stand together.  Who is mine adversary?  Let him come near to me.  Behold the Lord God is my helper: who is he that shall condemn me?  Lo, they shall all be destroyed as a garment, the moth shall eat them up.  Who is there among you that feareth the Lord, that heareth the voice of his servant?  He that hath walked in darkness, and hath no light, let him hope in the name of the Lord and lean upon his God.

Is. 50:5-10
Epistle for Monday in Holy Week

"...I shall cry by day, and Thou wilt not hear..."

O God, my God, look upon me: why hast Thou forsaken me?  Far from my salvation are the words of my sins.  O my God, I shall cry by night and day, and Thou wilt not hear; and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me.  But Thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel. In Thee have our fathers hoped; they have hoped, and Thou hast delivered them.  They cried to Thee, and They were saved; they trusted in Thee, and were not confounded.  But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men and the outcast of the people.  All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn; they have spoken with the lips and wagged the head.  He hoped in the Lord, let Him deliver Him; let him save Him, seeing He delighteth in Him.  But they have looked and stared upon me: they parted my garments amongst them, and upon my vesture they cast lots.  Save me from the lion's mouth, and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns.  Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him.  There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall show forth His justice.  To a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made.

- Tract from the Mass for Palm Sunday

Happy Feast of Saint Joseph!

Joseph, pure Spouse of that immortal Bride

Who shines in ever-virgin glory bright,

Through all the Christian climes thy praise be sung,

Through all the realms of light.

Thee, when amazed concern for thy betrothed

Had filled thy righteous spirit with dismay,

An angel visited, and, with blest words,

Scattered thy fears away.

Thine arms embraced thy Maker newly born;

With Him to Egypt's desert didst thou flee;

Him in Jerusalem didst seek and find;

Oh grief, oh joy for thee!

Not until after death their blissful crown

Others obtain; but unto thee was given

In thine own lifetime to enjoy thy God,

As do the blest in heaven.

Grant us, great Trinity, for Joseph's sake,

Unto the starry mansions to attain;

There, with glad tongues, Thy praise to celebrate

In one eternal strain.  Amen.

(Found in my missal with the Mass for the Feast of Saint Joseph)

Athanasius Contra Mundum: Beauty and the Beast

Mike over on Athanasius Contra Mundum wrote this great essay on fairy tales!  I encourage you to check it out!



Athanasius Contra Mundum: Beauty and the Beast:



I just came across an essay I had to write for an online summer college course in 2010 that I have decided to include here. Basically, I had...

Hello, everybody!

I just wanted to say that I'm back, I'm alive, and I will be posting again!  (I really will!) I hope you are all still alive and well, and I apologize for my absence!  I will post soon!  God bless!  :-D

At laaaaast!!!!

The blog is now working again. Deo Gratias!  Unfortunately this is a busy time of year, but hopefully between the two of us, we will be able to start making more frequent posts again. Thank you all for being so patient!