Crucify Him

So here's the thing... I think a lot, and God knows that, so when He wants to move me interiorly He often gives me something stimulating to ponder.  This past month I have had so many things to think about that I didn't know what to blog about!  "Should I write about the political issues surrounding our religious freedoms?" I wondered; "Or what about the powerful blog I came across?  Or maybe the Catholic video I saw on voting; no wait, maybe the trip to the Pequot Tribe museum..."  Ay ay ay! Thanks for all the stimuli, I told the Lord, but what am I supposed to do with it?  Well after a few hours of thinking and a good night's rest, I decided to write about all of it!  Besides, each of these topics is harmoniously connected in only a way that the Holy Spirit can map out, so get ready, get set, let's go!

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• The first piece of food for thought I received was a blog I came across.  It is about a young man who is Mormon, has been married to his wife for ten years, has three lovely little daughters, and is homosexual.  The blog was lengthy, but I read the entire thing in one sitting.  I cannot describe the love I felt resonating from his words and sincerity.  The generosity with which he embraces himself, others and God is truly inspiring.  I hope that you will take the time to read his blog in its entirety.  It has changed my life forever.

Link to Josh Weed's blog:

http://www.joshweed.com/2012/06/club-unicorn-in-which-i-come-out-of.html?spref=fb

• Next serving is of a Catholic video that speaks of the issues we must face in America as voters this coming November.  Although it is addressed to Catholics, I truly feel that it speaks to every Christian and anyone who supports life as well as the freedom to live their religious convictions.

Link to the Catholic video on voting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9vQt6IXXaM

• More to chew on... We went to visit a museum which had amazing displays and historical accounts of life in the Pequot Tribe.  There were quite a few informational videos, two of which were particularly fascinating.  The first was on their tool-making abilities and I was awed at how they made use of everything.  Nothing went to waste!  When they killed an animal for food, they used its furs for warmth and then its bones for weapons and/or eating utensils.  Amazing.  The second video was about the Pequot War which last from 1637-1639 between the Pequot Tribe and the English who came to the land.  It was so well done, but the disunity among the tribes and the people in general was very hard to watch.

Links to Pequot Information:

http://www.mashantucket.com/

http://www.pequotmuseum.org/

• The rest of my ruminating was done on the latest proposals being made in regards to health insurance in the United States.  I  read an article by Mary Ann Glendon, a professor at Harvard Law School, about Catholic Bishops who had filed lawsuits against the mandate being made by the Department of Health and Human Services.  The mandate is attempting to dictate that even Catholic sources of health insurance must supply means for sterilization, abortifacient and birth control.  The article is below as well as a Litany for Liberty composed by the U.S. Catholic Bishops which we are encouraged to pray as we fight for our religious freedoms.

Link to Article by Mary Ann Glendon

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303610504577418201554329764.html?KEYWORDS=mary+ann+glendon

Litany for Liberty
For use during the Fortnight for Freedom (June 22 - July 4, 2012)
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

INTRODUCTION

Christ the Lord has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.  Let us turn to him in humble but fervent petition, seeking the grace to root out from our hearts all trace of darkness, and all that holds us back from walking in the full freedom of the children of God.  As Christ is our great model for that innder freedom, which enables us to do the right, let us turn to him with confidence that we, too, may follow him to the fullness of spiritual freedom.

Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy;  Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy;  Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, victor over sin and death... Free our hearts.
Jesus, source of light and hope... Free our hearts.
Jesus, fullness of truth and mystery... Free our hearts.
Jesus, teacher of seeking hearts... Free our hearts.
Jesus, healer of body and soul... Free our hearts.
Jesus, bringer of mercy and justice... Free our hearts.
Jesus, who humbles the heart and mind... Free our hearts.
Jesus, release of captives... Free our hearts.
Jesus, voice against violence... Free our hearts.
Jesus, courage for the lowly/downtrodden... Free our hearts.
Jesus, origen of all authority and power... Free our hearts.
Jesus, true lawgiver... Free our hearts.
Jesus, unity of order and passion... Free our hearts.
Jesus, freedom of the Spirit... Free our hearts.
Jesus, obedient Son of the Father... Free our hearts.

For the freedom to love... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to believe... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to hope... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to worship... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to serve in charity... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to care for the suffering... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to comfort the sick... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to feed the hungry... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to shelter the homeless... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to proclaim the Gospel... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to walk in chastity... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to live in peace... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to work in good conscience... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to stand in solidarity... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to seek justice... Give us your grace.

For the freedom to reject sin... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to reject coercion... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to reject falsehood... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to reject evil temptations... Give us your grace.
For the freedom to reject injustice... Give us your grace.

CLOSING PRAYER

O God, who gave one origin to all peoples and willed to gather from them one family for yourself, fill all hearts, we pray, with the fire of your love and kindle in them a desire for the just advancement of their neighbor, that, through the good things which you richly bestow upon all, each human person may be brought to perfection, every division may be removed, and equity and justice may be established in human society.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.  Amen.

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Homosexuality, voting, indigenous people, health care mandates... How do these all connect?  If you noticed, the title of this particular blog is "Crucify Him".  Here's the icing on the cake: We not only crucified the Son of God, but we are continuously and constantly crucifying one another.  When we make men and women of homosexual orientation feel that they should be ashamed of who they are; when we vote without giving thought to the issues that may impact someone else's life besides our own; when we forget that there were people who lived on in this land before it was "settled" and that we have no more of a right to it than anyone else who wishes to enter; and when those in authority are attempting to deny the rights of Christians and all peoples of faith across the country to practice the values that we hold in highest esteem, we condemn one another as we condemned Christ.  "They shouted..., 'Crucify Him!'  Pilate said to them, 'Why?  What evil has he done?'  They only shouted the louder, 'Crucify him!'" (Mk. 15:13-14).

What will it take for someone who is attracted to people of the same sex to find an environment in which they can feel safe and loved?  Is it so difficult for us to deny ourselves that 46.9 million people in the U.S. live in poverty while the rest of us live with more than enough?  When will we realize that all of us are immigrants, moving from one place to another, that this land does not belong to any of us?  And why does it seem that suppression of cultures, beliefs, etc. is always thought of as the solution?

People who are gay are loved by God just as much as the rest of us.  They too have stories and experiences to share that could bring others closer to God.  The best dancer I know is a friend of mine who struggles with her sexual orientation; our friendship has taught me how to be sensitive to the needs of others.  People who live in poverty deserve our attention because they also help to make this country run and have unique perspectives to offer.  The most beautiful poem I ever received was written by a homeless man who was simply happy I'd taken the time to listen to him.  The people who lived on this land before us have done so much to get us where we are today.  What would our food, land and traditions be if not for their hard work and joy for life?  My own grandmother, an orphan who never received an education past the 8th grade, raised twelve children by herself.  Because of her hard work, many of her children and grandchildren have been able to go to college in pursuit of their dreams.  It is not necessary to oppress others just because we do not agree with their way of life.  It is necessary, rather, to love one another unconditionally so that we do not beg others to change, but find freedom instead in the change we make within ourselves.  When I learned to accept that a young boy I tutored would never meet the mental demands made upon him by the school's curriculum, I was able to appreciate what he did have to offer, which was a heart more loving than I could ever hope to imitate.

Let us learn from one another rather than form enemies out of people who simply did not grow up in the same environment or with the same beliefs that we did.  Let us remember that working together rather than against one another will enable each of us to live freely as God intended.  Respect life; respect one another.

YOU ARE LOVED
(pass it on)

To be Mother

I Wonder

A reflection

When I had the chicken pox,

my mom powdered my face

and applied some lipstick;

the powder stopped the itching

and the lip color helped me feel better.

I brought a dog home from the pound once

and tried to keep it a secret from my mom.

She wasn't too happy about that

but three days later, smile and all,

she was helping me pull tics off the new pup.

I used to paint and draw all the time

and my mother was very encouraging.

She would give me boxes galore to decorate

but one time I found some nail polish

and painted the bathroom sink...

During my birth, and even after,
the doctors continued to tell my mom,
"Your daughter will not make it.
You need to let her go; she's going to die,"
predetermining the loss of her first child.

When my mother accepted this and took me home,
she loved me completely despite the circumstances.
During this time, I grew healthier
and the little child she held in her arms
came back to life.

I wonder what Mary did when Jesus got sick --

let Him sleep in? Skip some chores?

I wonder how often Jesus came home saying,

"Look mom! Can we keep him?!"

I wonder what messes little Jesus made for Mary --
food on the floor? Mud in the house?

I wonder what Mary felt when Simeon said,
"And you yourself a sword will pierce."

I wonder how many emotions ran through Mary
when her crucified Son was raised from the dead.

New Life

Jeremiah was born on April 19, 2012 at 5 lbs. 9 oz.  He was a month early, so there were a few things that still needed to be taken care of in the hospital before he could go home.  There was a tube to pump out the liquids that had made their way into his stomach during delivery; he wore an oxygen mask to help him breathe; and then he ended up contracting Jaundice.  Finally, my sister Johnele and her husband Andrew were able to take Jeremiah home on May 3rd.  When I talked to Johnele on the phone she said, "It hasn't quite hit me yet that I'm an adult, married, and have a son; but it's so exciting to know that this is my life now!"  It's hard for me to believe as well that the one who watched me zoom around the house as she crawled behind; who believed in my every word; and who has been my little companion for 22 years is entering into a life of her own as a wife and mother.  It's not surprising, though, that two little girls who did everything together but were complete opposites would be saying "Yes" to the Lord's call at the same time, yet in very different ways.

It is equally not surprising, then, that around the same time my sister is bringing home one of God's creations, I would be doing something similar.  When I was in Lodi, NJ a few weeks ago I attended a celebration in honor of Earth Day. There was a table set up with free things, so of course I had to check it out.  My eyes scanned the scene: there were some magnets, some wild flower seeds, some baby trees... What!  I had to look twice; baby trees?  Yes, miniature Norway Spruce trees.  I had never seen a baby tree before, nor had I ever planted a tree.  "It'll grow anywhere in the Northeast," said the guy standing behind the table who must have noticed my obvious fascination.  "What if I can't plant it for about another week?" I asked him.  "That's fine," he said, "just make sure it gets plenty of sun and that the soil stays moist."  Hmm... I've got a window and some water, I thought to myself, why not?  "I'll take it!" I said, and I walked away with a baby Spruce tree.  One of our council members, Sister Nancy, happened to be in Lodi at the same time.  She saw me walking around with the little tree and told me about one she had planted in Livonia, MI.  "I used to decorate it all the time," she said, "but now it's too tall for me to even reach any of its branches!"  The idea of nurturing something to such growth made me even happier about my choice.  I finally planted the little tree, which I named Joseph after St. Joseph the Worker, and he is now outdoors getting plenty of sun and water.

The wonderful thing about life is its diversity.  Nurturing a child and growing a tree both fall under care for God's creation.  In Jeremiah, Johnele is experiencing her part in the Lord's love for His people and for His creation.  As my tree grows and provides shelter for the Lord's creatures, I too can experience the love of God.  It's all around us!  How often we choose to take part in it determines how well we respond to love.

From the Desk of Sister Heather Marie Deneen...

Petitioning -- I Can't Believe Vows are so Near!

My name is Sister Heather Marie Deneen.  I am a second-year novice with the Felician Sisters and I am guest blogging for Sister Desiré.  The second year is called the apostolic year, and it is designed to help a novice discern where her talents can be best used in the ministries of the congregation. It also gives the novice a real-world community experience outside the novitiate house, where community can be really intense.

I will talk about my apostolic experience briefly. In January, I lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and worked with our mission leader, Vicky. She is in charge of mission integration at Villa St. Francis, an assisted-living facility, and the Child Development Center of St. Joseph, both of which are Felician sponsored ministries.  Vicky is in charge of making sure all employees are trained to uphold our core values of respect and dignity of the human person, compassion, solidarity with the poor, transformation, and justice.  She also makes sure that these values are represented when decisions are being made and is in charge of Heritage Week (Oct. 4-10, the week between St. Francis Day and Blessed Angela Day).  I learned a lot about our corporate ministries from her and the staff of both ministries; it can be very challenging to make sure our values are always upheld in our decisions.  It is important to remind everyone at a Felician ministry they are not just doing a job but cooperating with Christ in the spiritual renewal of the world!

My other experience was in Kingstree, South Carolina at the Felician Center.  The Felician Center provides an after-school program, emergency food, assist with medical, dental, and prescription needs, visits shut-ins, and runs an affordable clothing closet where people can purchase gently used clothing for $2 a bag.  I loved the ministry in Kingstree because I really felt I was serving as Christ served, and I loved the people I served and served with. Kingstree has a wealth of volunteers from many Christian denominations and they are so committed to helping us be Christ’s hands and feet in rural South Carolina. I also loved the unpredictability of the ministries.  One never knows what kind of mood the kids will come from school in or who is going to come through the door to ask for help.

OK, this article is supposed to be about petitioning, so let me briefly describe what it is.  As a woman moves through the different stages of becoming a Felician, before she moves on to the next level of formation, she petitions, or asks her provincial for permission to move on to the next level.  The petitioning ceremony is usually preceded by interviews with the provincial minister and her councilors. They ask questions about how a candidate is growing in love with God, in prayer, in community life, and what her hopes are for ministry.  My interviews went well and I really enjoyed talking with my Sisters. Shortly after, the petitioning ceremony confirms that the woman is fit to move onto the next step of formation, which for me is first vows.

 

My petitioning ceremony for first vows took place at the Immaculate Conception Central Convent in Lodi, New Jersey.  It was a simple ceremony where I humbly asked Sister Christopher, the provincial, to be admitted to first vows.  It started with a short hymn, followed by me asking for permission to make vows.  A series of questions follow, reminding everyone I am freely choosing to answer Christ’s call to intensify my baptismal commitment as a Felician Sister. Afterwards, Sister Christopher gave me a message of encouragement, and I signed paperwork, making it official that I will be making first vows! The sisters who were around attended the ceremony as well as four of the provincial councilors and the entire novitiate house. They all hugged me and promised to pray for me as I start to plan my profession mass, await my first assignment, prepare to move, and spiritually prepare to profess vows.  For such a short ceremony, it really is packed with graces, which I’m sure I will need all that I can get.

So, please pray for me as I prepare for first vows.  I am excited to profess love for my spouse Jesus Christ, and to more fully become a part of the Felician community!  Know of my prayers for all of you too.

3D Ultrasound of My Nephew!

My nephew, Jeremiah Joseph.  That sure is my sister's baby, he's got her cheeks and pouty face already!  I love them!

Now I realize that getting my face pinched as a kid wasn't some form of family torture, it was merely a result of irresistable chubby cheeks.  Poor Jeremiah...

This second photo is the one that reminds me of my sister when she was just a little babe.

When I was younger people would say that reproduction is all about raising kids for God, and that's true, but I think another part of it is the opportunity to reflect on life in its many forms and stages.  Being the oldest and watching both my 22- and 6-year-old sisters grow, and now watching my nephew as he begins his journey already in the womb, I realize that having all this life around me is raising me up toward God as well.  It's an opportunity to watch Him work in the life of another so that I can see how He has worked in my own.  Family, which is simply a small representation of the Body of Christ, gives us all the chance to watch one another, support one another and love one another.  When we can do that at home, we can do it anywhere.

May all our families be blessed and held together in the hands of a tri-fold love which is Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Happy Easter, happy people :)