On Calvary

Of all twenty Mysteries of the Rosary, Joyce's favourite one is the Crucifixion. This drwaing was done by Joyce last Tuesday at the Atrium (Catechism of the Good Shepherd). According to her, Jesus is talking to the people there, including Mary, Joseph, and Mary Mother of God (on the right). Everyone is sad.

We thought it was John there with the letter "J". But Joyce insisted it is Joseph, Mary's husband. We didn't correct her on the spot. But we'll be sure to read more with her in the Bible on what happened there on Calvary.

Novena to St. Therese

Thank you Elizabeth for posting this novena which starts today! Joyce's baptismal name is Therese and we are very thankful that she has grown quite fond of her saint. She is looking forward to the celebration on October 1! Which means I need to figure out something really good for us to do :)

St. Padre Pio

For the past couple of years, I've forgotten where I had placed a third class relic of St. Padre Pio. Lorraine's parents, who received the relic almost 20 years ago from a family friend, gave it to her, so I feel really bad about it, and the parable of the servant who buried his talent came to mind. I know I could not have purposely thrown it out, but must have put it in a place so safe that I could no longer find it. After learning that it is St. Pio's feast day today, I resolved to ask him for help. And guess what, the first place that I looked, I found the relic. Thank you St. Pio!

Here is a prayer found inside the prayer card that the relic is attached to:

O Jesus, full of grace and charity, victim for sinners, so impelled by love for us that you willed to die on the cross, I humbly beseech you to glorify in heaven and on earth the Servant of God, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, who generously participated in your sufferings, who loved you so much and laboured so faithfully for the glory of your heavenly Father and for the good of souls.

With confidence I beseech you to grant me, through his intercession, the grace of ... which I ardently desire.

Glory be to the Father ... (three times).

-- post by Lorraine's DH

The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

Thanks, Elizabeth for sharing this wonderful meditation for this feast. I honestly didn't even know about this feast (I've got lots to learn indeed). This was very powerful and touched me deeply. It was like watching the movie Passion from a whole different perspective - the pain and sorrow she went through seeing the scourging of Jesus, wiping Jesus' precious blood off the ground, watching Jesus fall on the way of the cross, and finally witnessing his suffering and death on the cross. I'm so thankful for this feast and this meditation. It's like a "Mini Lent" for me.

The Cost and Conditions of True Discipleship

Today's Touched by Grace column in Catholic Exchange is an excerpt from the past Sunday's homily by Fr. Roger Landry:
Cost and Conditions of True Discipleship

The entire homily by Fr. Landry can be found on his website:
http://catholicpreaching.com/index.php?content=homilies&homilies=20070909

After reading this homily and yesterday's article on the same topic, I realize that I have the "Jesus is part of my life spiritual cancer" which Fr. Landry talks about. I have to be more aware of my decisions, however small, that it may be a choice between Jesus and something else. Am I ready and willing, to always put Jesus first?

First Eucharistic Adoration for Joyce

This morning, we missed the 8 a.m. mass (everyone slept in :) so we went to the 9 a.m. at a parish which is further away. When the mass was over, we noticed a group of people walking into a hallway near the back of the altar. DH had been to the morning mass at this church a few times before so he remembered that they have a little chapel back there where Eucharistic Adoration takes place after mass every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Joyce asked where everyone was going, and I explained that they were going to see Jesus "in the form of the consecrated host." We had never explained clearly to her what Eucharistic Adoration is (shame on us). Not surprisingly, she wanted to go. I explained to her that we have to be very quiet and very respectful, because Jesus will be right there with us.

We knelt at the door of the chapel since it was quite full inside (and I was afraid that she would be noisy and disturb others). I have never seen Joyce so still and so respectful. Even though she couldn't see the monstrance in the beginning (there were people standing up), it was as though she knew that Jesus was there. I later picked her up so that she could "see Jesus." We remained for a few more minutes (as DH was with Matthew waiting outside the church and he's running late for work). Joyce told me later it was a bit noisy so she couldn't hear what Jesus wanted to tell her (there was a fan running in the room). I reassured her that it was OK, and that Jesus was really happy that she was there with Him. Would she like to go again? Yes, she would. Well, I guess we'll purposely miss our 8 a.m. mass at least once a week :)

Blessed Mother Teresa

As we were thinking of the blog title yesterday, Mother Teresa's quote - "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." - came to my mind. Since we were one day away from her feast day, and have always loved this quote, we came to agreement quickly. Today I read Demi's book for the first time together with my kids. I was moved to tears near the end of the book because I remembered watching her funeral on TV 10 years ago and the sea of people who came to give her tribute... it was just so touching. Anyways, I didn't know that the book was quite lengthy (note to self - should always read it once before showing the kids :) so I wasn't surprised that Matthew lost interest 1/4 of the way through. But Joyce was very interested and asked if she could be one of the nuns! Yes, I answered, if that's God's calling for you, and that will probably happen when you're older. Later when I looked at the map of the missionary centers around the world, I told her that there is a center her in our city (because I remember that her Godmother had visited there) and she asked whether she could visit them. I told her that we could when the time is right, but I'm thinking it would be too traumatic for her at this young age to see the sick and dying. We'll keep this in our prayers.

The following are some of our favourite quotes by Mother Teresa:
"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."
"If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?"
"God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try."
"I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness."
"Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home."
"Each one of them is Jesus in disguise."

Blessed Mother Teresa, pray for us! Pray especially for Canada, where the sanctity of life and traditional family values are under attack.