Blogging & Building Humilty- 7 QuickTakes

I started this blog, my first, on the feast day of Saint John the Baptist's beheading. It's been a wild ride, but it has calmed down since I started moderating the comments....to celebrate my 43rd post, I am feeling...

1. admiration for beautiful and well-written blogs like Conversion Diary and Secret Vatican Spy.  Not only are they well-designed, they both tell the stories of brave change. One writer was an atheist all her life; the other was an Evangelical Christian. To convert is to be sincere about your faith, but it can be scary. I am also a convert, but I made the change with my entire family when I was twelve. These writers have converted as adults and not always of the support of those close to them.

2. educated by blogs like What Does the Prayer Really Say? Personally (that's redundant; everything here is personal), I think that Father Z is the perfect combination of tough-as-nails intellectualism and approachability. I was never that interested in the subject of theology, but the blogs on my blogroll have taught me a lot.

3. a wee bit jealous of a friend with a blog begun at the same as mine- with ten times the followers and page views. It's a fashion blog. This is my opportunity to practice humility.  Not many people are interested in my story- or maybe they are confused by this blog. Is it a mommy blog? a God blog? a craft blog? (no one has excused me of being a craft blog- but I would like to be, a little, occasionally) In any case, comparing page views is like comparing numbers of Facebook friends- silly and unfruitful.

4. hopeful that one day I'll be more like Leila on Like Mother, Like Daughter. I suppose I should start with dinner and the laundry.

5. thrilled that a few people are interested in the Byzantine rite and the concept of the Eastern Catholic married priesthood. My goal with this blog is this- people in general and Western-rite Catholics specifically will understand about the different rites of the Church. Christians will understand that Eastern-rite Catholics are examples of the unity that we seek.

6. isolated. Writing this blog has driven home to me that my family does not belong.  And that's okay. We are in the minority; why should people care that much? If I feel different, my husband must feel worse. He recently went to the priests' conference at the local Roman-rite archdiocese where he has bi-ritual faculties. He was one of two (the other being an older man who had been an Anglican priest) priests there who was married out of over 800 men. If we lived in the old country, he would be the normal one, except for the American wife.

7. embarrassed when I make a spelling or grammatical error. As an ex-English major, there is nothing worse than making an inadvertent spelling error. I can edit all I want, but little mistakes creep in.This is yet another way that my little blogging adventure calls me to humility.

Here's to 43 more blog posts! Who knows where time will take us?

This Life is NOT a Dress Rehearsal....

....but the Nutcracker does get a dress rehearsal- trying on costumes, make-up, hair. It is a big production with over 80 dancers and 6 professional dancers hired from up North.

A Proverbs 31 Philip's Fast (Advent)

Advent (St. Philip's Fast) is upon us! Byzantine Catholics consider this season a time of both penance and preparation, a fast before the feast of the nativity. Different eparchies (dioceses) have different guidelines for the fast; my family is going meatless except for the Imperial feast on Sundays. Besides the issue of food, one should try to either give something up or do something positive to build one's character during the fasting season- like Roman-rite Catholics do during the Lent before Easter. I am going to try an experiment: to live Proverbs 31 during this St. Philip's Fast. I pray that I am up for the challenge. I believe this will be a positive experiment for my family- even if the Proverbs 31 woman may seem a bit- just a bit, but more authentically holy- like the Perfect Catholic Mom.

¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find?
   She is worth far more than rubies. ...Wear the garnet earrings given to me
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
   and lacks nothing of value.                  
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
   all the days of her life.  ...Bring him a good coffee at work
¹³ She selects wool and flax
   and works with eager hands. ...Find my knitting bag and start a project

¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,

   bringing her food from afar.  ....Make and follow menu plans
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
   she provides food for her family
   and portions for her female servants. ....Wake up earlier...
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
   out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. ....Plant herbs in pots
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
   her arms are strong for her tasks. ...Exercise with free weights
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
   and her lamp does not go out at night. ...Make sure bills are paid
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
   and grasps the spindle with her fingers. ...Do kid crafts for Christmas
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
   and extends her hands to the needy.   ...Research charities to give to
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
   for all of them are clothed in scarlet....Go through kids' clothes
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
   she is clothed in fine linen and purple....Do a project with fabric stash
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
   where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
   and supplies the merchants with sashes....Do lesson plans for classes
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
   she can laugh at the days to come. ...Buy new skirts  for Divine Liturgy
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
   and faithful instruction is on her tongue. ...Finish Orthodoxy
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
   and does not eat the bread of idleness....Fast from Facebook & Drudgereport
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
   her husband also, and he praises her: ...Start circle time with children
²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
   but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,
   and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. 

It will be difficult, but not impossible, to be my modern interpretation of a Proverbs 31 woman for the fast. The most challenging verse will be "she gets up while it is still night." All mothers know that we will sleep if we are able. A bit of work and prayer before the bustle of the day is fine as well. I am praying to achieve more persistence, discipline and consistency during this fasting time. 

The beauty of fasting is this- it makes the feasting all the more glorious! So many people get depressed at the let-down after December 25th. All that is left from the preparation is a garbage can filled with cardboard and wrapping paper. Forgotten toys are left on the floor; the family might be back at the mall on the 26th, returning gifts that didn't fit or weren't exactly what was hoped for. But when you have been preparing and fasting, there is a season of feasting that begins on the holiday. This is the beginning of the twelve days of Christmas, and the feasting should continue beyond those first twelve days to 'balance out' the time spent fasting.

Our spiritual life is a see-saw. First we fast, and then we feast, and then we fast again. God and His Church are wise in that it is known that we humans need constant renewal in soul and body. The fast-feast cycles give us these periods of renewal if we take the seasons seriously. Our children are being introduced to these fast-feast cycles at the level in which is appropriate for their ages (there's that illusive balance again) and will be hosting an Epiphany/Theophany party for their friends. In the meantime...on with the fast...!

A Blessed Byzantine Advent

Advent (St. Philip's Fast) begins on Monday for Byzantine Catholics. This is a time of both penance and preparation for the nativity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. May the light of Christ be with all! (artwork by churchads.net)

The Catholic Priesthood- 7 QuickTakes

A few reflections on the priesthood from those who would know better than I...

St. Ambrose of Milan- "We saw the prince of priests coming to us, we saw and heard him offering his blood for us. We follow, inasmuch as we are able, being priests, and we offer the sacrifice on behalf of the people. Even if we are of but little merit, still, in the sacrifice, we are honorable. Even if Christ is not now seen as the one who offers the sacrifice, nevertheless it is he himself that is offered in sacrifice here on Earth when the body of Christ is offered. Indeed, to offer himself he is made visible in us, he whose word makes holy the sacrifice that is offered" (Commentaries on Twelve Psalms of David 38:25 [A.D. 389]). 

St Ignatius of Antioch- "Indeed, when you submit to the bishop as you would to Jesus Christ, it is clear to me that you are living not in the manner of men but as Jesus Christ, who died for us, that through faith in his death you might escape dying. It is necessary, therefore—and such is your practice that you do nothing without the bishop, and that you be subject also to the presbytery, as to the apostles of Jesus Christ our hope, in whom we shall be found, if we live in him. It is necessary also that the deacons, the dispensers of the mysteries [sacraments] of Jesus Christ, be in every way pleasing to all men. For they are not the deacons of food and drink, but servants of the Church of God. They must therefore guard against blame as against fire" (Letter to the Trallians 2:1–3 [A.D. 110]).

"In like manner let everyone respect the deacons as they would respect Jesus Christ, and just as they respect the bishop as a type of the Father, and the presbyters as the council of God and college of the apostles. Without these, it cannot be called a church. I am confident that you accept this, for I have received the exemplar of your love and have it with me in the person of your bishop. His very demeanor is a great lesson and his meekness is his strength. I believe that even the godless do respect him" (ibid., 3:1–2). 

St. Cyprian of Carthage- "If Christ Jesus, our Lord and God, is himself the high priest of God the Father; and if he offered himself as a sacrifice to the Father; and if he commanded that this be done in commemoration of himself, then certainly the priest, who imitates that which Christ did, truly functions in place of Christ" (Letters 63:14 [A.D. 253]). 

St. John Chrysostom- "When you see the Lord immolated and lying upon the altar, and the priest bent over that sacrifice praying, and all the people empurpled by that precious blood, can you think that you are still among men and on earth? Or are you not lifted up to heaven?" (The Priesthood 3:4:177 [A.D. 387]).

"Reverence, therefore, reverence this table, of which we are all communicants! Christ, slain for us, the sacrificial victim who is placed thereon!" (Homilies on Romans 8:8 [A.D. 391]).

"‘The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not communion of the blood of Christ?’ Very trustworthy and awesomely does he [Paul] say it. For what he is saying is this: What is in the cup is that which flowed from his side, and we partake of it. He called it a cup of blessing because when we hold it in our hands that is how we praise him in song, wondering and astonished at his indescribable gift, blessing him because of his having poured out this very gift so that we might not remain in error; and not only for his having poured it out, but also for his sharing it with all of us. ‘If therefore you desire blood,’ he [the Lord] says, ‘do not redden the platform of idols with the slaughter of dumb beasts, but my altar of sacrifice with my blood.’ What is more awesome than this? What, pray tell, more tenderly loving?" (Homilies on First Corinthians 24:1(3) [A.D. 392]).

"In ancient times, because men were very imperfect, God did not scorn to receive the blood which they were offering . . . to draw them away from those idols; and this very thing again was because of his indescribable, tender affection. But now he has transferred the priestly action to what is most awesome and magnificent. He has changed the sacrifice itself, and instead of the butchering of dumb beasts, he commands the offering up of himself" (ibid., 24:2). 

"I, Patrick, the sinner, am the most rustic and the least of all the faithful . . . had for my father Calpornius, a deacon, a son of Potitus, a priest, who belonged to the village of Bannavem Taberniae. . . . At that time I was barely sixteen years of age . . . and I was led into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of persons, in accordance with our deserts, for we turned away from God, and kept not his commandments, and were not obedient to our priests, who were wont to admonish us for our salvation" (Confession of St. Patrick 1 [A.D. 452]).

and for good measure....

Excerpt from the Pieta Prayer Book (Our Lord's revelations to Mutter Vogel)

"One should NEVER attack a priest, even when he's in error, rather one should ray and do penance that I'll grant him My grace again. He alone fully represents Me, even when he doesn't live after My example!

"When a Priest falls we should extend him a helping hand through prayer and not through attacks! I myself will be his judge, no one but I! Whoever voices judgment over a priest has voiced it over me; child, never let a Priest be attacked, take up his defense. Child, never judge your confessor, rather pray much for him and offer every Thursday, through the hands of My Blessed Mother, Holy Communion (for Him). Never again accept an out-of-the-way word about a priest, and speak no unkind word (about them). Even it were TRUE! Every Priest is My vicar and My Heart will be sickened and insulted because of it~ If you hear a judgment (against a Priest) pray a Hail Mary."

"If you see a Priest who celebrates the Holy Mass unworthily then say nothing about him, rather tell it to Me alone! I stand beside Him on the altar! Oh pray much for my priests, that they'll love purity above all, that they'll celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with pure hands and heart. Certainly the Holy Sacrifice is one and the same even when it's celebrated by an unworthy priest, but the graces called down upon the people is not the same!"

Pray for our priests and bishops!