All Hallows Eve

All Hallows Eve, Hallow'een...

No doubt, there are many Christians who will not be celebrating what our culture knows as Halloween tonight, for fear the practices are steeped in the paganism of the past.  While those brothers and sisters in Christ have a point, our little flock of four, on the other hand, has taken a slightly different approach.  Rather than avoid the festivities, we have changed our perspective.  Gone from our decorating are all cultic symbols and gory details of death frequently used this night:  witches, goblins, monsters, ghoulish music, creepy crawlies.  What we do have are scarecrows, smiling pumpkins, stars, lights.  Scarecrows to remind us that we ourselves, through holy living, can scare away evil, smiling pumpkins to remind us that though we face great darkness every day, we can smile knowing that it is God who has our backs, stars to remind us of that great star that led the wise kings to Jesus and that we should be following the light to Him, lights because He is the Light of the world.

Someday, too, when I have more backbone,  I'd like to distribute holy cards with the treats to the children who come to our door. Simple ones depicting the meaning of All Saints Day...the real meaning of Halloween.

It's been ages...

I know, it's been a while since I've last written in this blog.  It seems life and my other blog, sarrasmurf (dot) blogspot (dot) com, has been taking up much of my time lately.  Not ones to sit on the sidelines of our faith, the family has gotten deeply involved in parish life.  My oldest son is a freshman at the only Catholic high school in Idaho, is a Boy Scout with the parish troop and is undergoing immediate preparation classes for confirmation (he will be confirmed in May 2012).  My youngest son is a fifth grader at St. Mark's school and sings with the school Mass choir.  Carl and I have jumped right in and are not only teaching one of the Confirmation preparation sessions, we are leading a weekly teen bible study based on Sunday's readings.  I have also been volunteering at the boys' schools, singing in the choir, cantoring occasionally, and will be helping out at the American Heart Association "Go Red" Luncheon this week.  We've been busy, busy, busy and life is rushing full speed ahead.

With all this "doing" it's been a bit difficult just "being."  Since finding out that our parish has a Perpetual Adoration Chapel, I've felt a longing to spend more time in front of the Blessed Sacrament.   Yet, I have allowed myself to get so busy that I'm finding it nearly impossible to break free from my hectic schedule to even pray a 10 minute Divine Mercy chaplet at His feet.  Seriously?  Ten minutes and I can't do that?  Sheesh!  What's wrong with me?!?

It looks like it's time to be a little less like Martha and more like Mary.

Having some difficulty with the contradictions

It's very strange to be in a diocese where the Masses I've gone to in three parishes have been less reverent, pious, beautiful and mysterious than I've become accustomed to yet an orthodox, faithfully Catholic radio station thrives and will celebrate its second anniversary this weekend.  I'm finding difficulty in wrapping my head around the idea that within a parish, the uber-traditional practice of around-the-clock adoration coincides with liturgical and theological liberties taken during Masses by the priests.  I walk into the churches and they are traditionally styled, complete with cruciform architecture, icons, stained glass, yet the music is mostly contemporary, the organ sits idle, a gaggle of EMHCs form a semi-circle behind the altar before the priest takes communion and the clergy actually say "thank you" to the congregation after we respond "and also with you."  (If it were in Latin, would the priest say "gratias?" I digress.)  I'm feeling a bit lost in reconciling the two extremes in my head and I just can't figure out how the two can coexist.  Well, that is just silly...I know why they can coexist...the Holy Spirit can make anything holy, despite what we humans do to muck up our worship experience.

I'm hoping that when the new translation is actively used this Advent, "say the black, do the red" becomes the norm.  Maybe from there the rest of the contradictions will resolve.  Until then, my faith and hope will be sustained in the fact that no matter what the liturgical environment, Jesus is still present at every Mass (and in the perpetual adoration chapel just next door).

Bored...what's a mom to do?

I find myself sitting at a picnic table in the middle of a very lively night-slide at a local water park. My husband and kids are off on different directions and I'm alone and kinda bored wondering what to do. I have my camera but can't find the loved ones I want to take pictures of. Well, that's the beauty of being a Catholic mom. While I'm waiting I can spend a few quiet moments in the center of chaos in prayer. I've caught up on my novena to St Cecilia and I will start a rosary next. I love that I can spend time in communication with Jesus no matter where I am.

Well, it looks like I'll be holding off on the rosary...Damien's arrived and he wants a corn dog.