My six year old made this beautiful Easter Card. She didn’t aske for any help from either my wife or myself, and I am very proud of her work.
This year I was lucky enough to get one of the few seats available for a lay person to attend the Chrism Mass for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Because of COVID seating was restricted to one representative per parish. While it was strange to see so few people at the Cathedral, it was still a beautiful Mass. I didn’t take any pictures during the Mass, but snapped a few before it got started.
My wife and I try to get our children out in nature as often as possible. Sometimes to explore. Sometime just to play. They always have fun, and they are always learning something. One of the tools that we have for the kids is a little explorer kit that we have made for each kid.
I have always liked the idea of a walking stick. Hikers use them. Pilgrims used them. 18th century gentleman used them. Even Robinhood and Little John used them, though theirs were a little different. Unfortunately they have fallen out of fashion. Even so, this summer I decided to start walking with a cane (or walking stick) whenever I take the kids out for a walk.
The weather is starting to break, and it is starting to feel a lot like spring here in Michigan. Not only is it warming up, but the birds are coming back, and baby animals are starting to be born. We were lucky enough to see a few lambs this past week. It made a pretty big impression on the kids. So much so, that the boys were lambs for a day instead of dinosaurs.
Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, and our parish feast day. I think when many people hear the name of our parish they think it is “St. Mary, the Joyful.” Yet, the “Cause of Our Joy,” has nothing to do with how Mary was personally feeling, it a reference to the JOY that Mary brought to the world by saying “yes” to God’s request to bring Jesus into the world. If you have ever prayed the rosary you know the mysteries, which start with the Annunciation, walk us through the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and finally Glorious times in Mary’s life.
“Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.” – Ernest Hemingway
In today’s second reading, (Heb 5:7-9,) we are told that Jesus, “learned obedience from what he suffered.” I think obedience is one of the virtues that we have the most difficultly with in the American Catholic Church. We have Priests who are not obedient to their Bishops, Bishops who are not obedient to the Pope, and lets be honest, most lay people like you and me don’t really want to be obedient to any of them. It doesn’t help that many Catholic “personalities” seem to fan these flames to push their agenda.
A few days ago I said in a post that the turkeys kept a respectful distance while we were walking. Today we went on a walk and the turkeys go up and close. This was exciting because they are one of my boys favorite birds. While this might sound silly if your only reference is the bird on your plate at Thanksgiving, in person they are amazing. They are large, and there feathers have iridescent blues, reds and yellows.
The Litany of Saint Joseph
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us…
