Our Romanian Byzantine Catholic Bishop celebrates 20th Anniversary of Episcopate

May God grant you many more blessed years in health and happiness, Bishop John-Michael Botean! 

heaven touches earth: The Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgy

The Light of the East: Eastern Catholic Churches

random life lessons on my birthday- part 2

....a few more things I have learned in my long life....I'm not telling exactly when I learned them! 

26. The crowns in the Byzantine Catholic marriage service symbolize martyrdom, not being 'king and queen.'

27. Oh yes- and the Catholic Church does not allow priests to marry! But the Church does allow married men to be ordained deacon and -for the Eastern rites- priests.

28. You will learn the theory behind 'how to be a perfect priest's wife.' Will you succeed? No! But you will usually try.

29. Advice is dangerous- like this to a future priest's wife:

"And specifically about your question of "Does a priest's wife need the call?" Yes and no. You must be called to be married to a man who will be ordained deacon and priest, but after that, your vocation differs according to your state in life, talents and abilities. Every priest's wife is different. 

About feeling like you don't have a choice...this gets into sticky personal territory, but as a marriage team you need to be in agreement with these huge decisions and changes. It is similar to a spouse wanting to be a doctor. Just because it is the 'dream' of one spouse to pursue something that is time-consuming and expensive for a greater good does not mean that the other spouse has no say. The other spouse should have 'veto power' and the spouse with a dream should accept this with no bitterness. This is easier said than done. I know one married couple who were married for over fifty years. Although they were Roman-rite, he changed rites and became a deacon in the Byzantine-rite. The wife was very supportive, making him sets of vestments and being supportive of time spent away from the family. When he was ordained a priest, it was too much for her and they divorced. 

There will be times when you feel unimportant. The Sacrament of Holy Orders is an eternal mark while marriage is not. You will need to humble yourself. You will need to find your own ministry within the Church and a hobby outside of it. You should cultivate friendships outside of your parish- this is a difficult one for me because I am painfully, increasingly INFP. I pray that you succeed.

It seems to me that you feel like you are on a roller coaster, powerless to get off. I hope you can shake this feeling and make the decision together. It will be a sacrificial journey of faith, but he, who feels called to the priesthood, is married to you. So his vocation is an incredibly specific one- marriage to you, then the priesthood. Although the priesthood is eternal, you come first. It's a paradox, and this is a reason why some people say that a married priesthood cannot work. You need to work on your family's identity. Your attitude and inventiveness, as the mother, helps determine the success of this endeavor. I hope this post helps a little and that every person who read this far will be praying for you!"....

30. I learned that I need to read (and try to follow) my own advice.... Now that the baby is six, life in church is much easier...
31. The southern border of Arizona is not coast line. 

32. Ask for what you want, and you might get it- even those awesome hunter green penny loafers from Nordstrom (I paid half).

33. It is okay to be a tourist sometimes. It is silly to be in Paris twice and stubbornly refuse to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

34. It is not healthy to eat a 'cup of soup,' red licorice whip, and milk every day during high school.

35. Gaming, Austria is beyond beautiful in all seasons.

36. Every time you go to Trader Joe's, buy a 4 pack of avocados. They will ripen eventually.

37. Buy cold medicine, chest rub and tissues in October before anyone gets sick.

38. His priestly ordination day- even more so than our marriage day or his diaconate ordination- is the day that the evil one painted an enormous target on both of us. It is what it is. I believe it is better to realize that and fight than to pretend nothing changed.

39. Children remember a lot.... I was 'helping' my father in his wood shop. Maybe I was in 3rd grade. He said, "you are a jack of all trades." I still remember how happy that made me feel.And why is 'On Eagle's Wings' not hated by me? It was the theme song of the mother-daughter retreat I went on with my mom.

40. Don't cook eggs with peanut butter, but graham crackers with yellow mustard are pretty tasty.

41. You definitely do not need to wear your Catholic school uniform skirt on the orientation day before the school year starts and students will be in jeans or shorts.

42. People will think you want women to be ordained Catholic priests because you are married to a Byzantine Catholic priest.

43. People will think you are anti-public school and want everyone to homeschool because you do so.

44. Try to stop assuming and being an insecure jerk and you will be happier....for example, a fellow Catholic mom in the area calls her child a 'hipster' sort of name. And I judged her in my mind. She is hipster- she is tall and skinny with great hair- she is cool (what is wrong with that? Well- I am not those things). Well, I found out the story of the name, and she named her child that for a beautiful, faith-filled reason and I cannot give details except that I was a jerk for assuming anything (just internally). 

45. Be not afraid. It is going to be alright. Our Lord has won the victory.

just say Jesus- like the Coptic martyrs

Milad Makeen Zaky--- Abanub Ayad Atiya--- Maged Solaiman Shehata--- Yusuf Shukry Yunan--- Kirollos Shokry Fawzy--- Bishoy Astafanus Kamel--- Somaily Astafanus Kamel--- Malak Ibrahim Sinweet--- Tawadros Yusuf Tawadros--- Girgis Milad Sinweet--- Mina Fayez Aziz--- Hany Abdelmesih Salib--- Bishoy Adel Khalaf--- Samuel Alham Wilson--- Worker from Awr village--- Ezat Bishri Naseef--- Loqa Nagaty--- Gaber Munir Adly--- Esam Badir Samir--- Malak Farag Abram--- Sameh Salah Faruq source: Taylor Marshall Blog

 Just thinking about them today...

an inspiring contemporary Christian song for Catholics: Abandon's It Was Love

Was Jesus human or divine when He was on the cross? This song explores that and comes to conclusion that "it was love" that held Him to the cross. He felt pain because He was fully human, and He made the choice to stay on the cross of our salvation because he is God. 

lyrics to It was Love

The angel stood in awe
At the sight they saw
The night You were betrayed
You could have saved yourself
But you held back the heavens
And let them carry You away

You laid Your kingdom down, they handed you a crown of thorns- You were torn, but cried let Your will be done

It wasn't nails that held You to the cross It was love, it was love, it was Your love- You took our place, carried our guilt and shame All for us, all for us, all for us It wasn't nails that held You, it was love

To think You chose this cup knowing all that was to come
Oh the grace that poured from You
Before Your final breath through Your tears You said
"Forgive them, for they know not what they do."
You looked up to the sky-- Let out a final cry
It is done! Hope has won! Lord, let Your kingdom come!

an inspiring contemporary Christian song for Catholics: For King&Country's Proof of Your Love

Yes, dear reader, I have to stifle a cringe when the song leader wants us to turn to page 123 and sing Gather Us In or Lord of the Dance at Mass. Why are we stuck in 1982? Church started years before that- none of the older music is worthwhile to remember? 

In the church, awaiting the holy sacrifice, we should be reverent, solemn.If we truly believe what the priest is going to do, there is not a place for 1982-style strange theology. But there is a place for praise. 

The Byzantine style is traditional, and we frown on innovation because innovation sometimes can lead to theological missteps like Gather Us In. We will sing the old songs over and over. Anything new is probably really an old song that the cantor recently discovered while attending a service in the old country. I prefer it this way within the church, but we might be making a mistake in that we are throwing the baby out with the bath water.

In a Byzantine service, we would never sing the song above, but we can learn from their fervor and the beautiful theology in the words. Listening to songs like these- and also more traditional audio like listening to the rosary or chant- help me get through another long drive in traffic. This song could be a great way to inspire a prayer time. We traditional, liturgical types can sometimes forget that there really is a place for a more charismatic communication with God even if we are not be this way during a religious service in church. 

This song convicts me. Like we say before we receive the Eucharist at the Divine Liturgy- in my life, I am the "greatest sinner"- let my life not be a scandal and a stumbling block to those who are searching for God in His Church.

Proof of Your Love lyrics   

If I sing but don't have love, I waste my breath with every song
I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise
If I speak with the silver tongue and convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste with every word I say

So let my life be the proof of Your love
So let my love look like You and what Your made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof, The proof of Your love

If I give to a needy soul but don't have love then who is poor?
It seems all the poverty is found in me

When it's all said and done-- When we sing our final song
Only love remains-- Only love remains

If I can speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy
But don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rust gate
If I speak God’s word with power, revealing all of His mysteries
And making everything as plain as day
And if I have faith to say to a mountain jump and it jumps
But I don’t love, I’m nothing
If I give all I earn to the poor or even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr
But I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere
So, no matter what I say, no matter what I believe, no matter what I do
I’m bankrupt without love--- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

an inspiring contemporary Christian song for Catholics: Lauren Daigle's 'How Can It Be'

We listen to only Christian pop music and classical in the car. Some Christians turn up their noses at CCM, thinking that music can, and should, be Christian- beautiful and truthful- without being so, well, obvious about it. These are the same type of people that believes that LOTR and The Hobbit are too sentimental.

I disagree. While there is plenty of room for art to be non-obvious in its Christianity and pursuit of beauty and truth without actually being theologically crystal clear (Madeleine L'engle's books, Mumford & Sons' songs, Tony Pro's portraits), there is even more space for art and media to shout from the roof-tops- Jesus Christ is Lord!

This song is a favorite. For a Catholic, it could be sung after the beautiful sacrament of confession. Jesus told His apostles that they had the power to bind and loose of earth and that it would remain bound and loosed in heaven. Grace and mercy are waiting in the sacrament of confession/reconciliation. 

Isn't it wonderful that our informed conscience can inspire us to make things right with God?I cannot understand it when the Church is made fun of- 'Catholic guilt.' Maybe my convert-ness is showing, but shouldn't we feel bad if we do something we know is wrong? If I sin, I am glad I feel guilt! If I didn't feel shame, I am either ignorant, proud to sin being very far from God or, at worst, a sociopath! The sacrament of confession is a wonderful tool for Catholics to get closer to God and .

lyrics to 'How Can It Be'

I am guilty
Ashamed of what I've done, what I've become
These hands are dirty
I dare not lift them up to the Holy one

You plead my cause
You right my wrongs
You break my chains
You overcome
You gave Your life
To give me mine
You say that I am free
How can it be
How can it be

I've been hiding
Afraid I've let you down, inside I doubt
That You still love me
But in Your eyes there's only grace now

Though I fall, You can make me new
From this death I will rise with You
Oh the grace reaching out for me
How can it be
How can it be

& we have a winner! ~Angel in the Waters giveaway~

a silly song...

now, if we wrote a song from our texts, it wouldn't be half as fun!

Can u be home by 6:15 so I can take big girls to class?

yes

so you can get A from tae kwan do at 545?

sure

hi

hello

I guess you aren't coming home because you have a house blessing soon

yes- finished with first thing, then return to office and will call

R u coming home or staying

heeeellllllooooo

speaking with K and then I come home

Hi- how's work

fine- I keep moving

 Coming home yet?

yes right now

heeelllloooo

in meeting

hi

meeting. home soon

where are you?

still in meeting. wrapping up soon

how was your eval?

meh. maybe okay.

can you get big girls after Shakespeare?

si claro

in meeting. Can you get girls from Shakespeare? sorry

that's ok- home for dinner?

and it goes on and on!

 

not about Lent: 7 secular love songs I love

It is the first Friday of the Great Lent, and I feel like everyone in the Catholic and spiritually-inclined blogosphere has it covered. Click on my labels 'lent' or 'fasting' to your right if you are curious about what I have written in the past. I don't really feel inspired to post yet another lentil soup recipe on the blog. I probably will post recipes soon. But not today.

I could get all spiritual about the songs above. Didn't Chesterton say “The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.” The first few songs reflect that theme. And what about the prostitution undertones of the last two songs? Well, have you read Ezekiel? So, 'Roxanne' and 'Come What May' are totally spiritual, symbolizing God's love for us, His beloved, yet sinful people!....no?....maybe?...probably not, I just like these songs. Have an awesome Lent!

The Light of the East

The Byzantine Catholic Tradition from Pablo Cuadra .

The Light of the East- continue with part II at this youtube link

I just had to share: Why Priests?

Videos from the Wise

Readers- if you only have a minute to watch these videos, listen to the first two minutes of the third video with Fr Maximos. He is so wise! Catherine Alexander- we miss your videos and hope to see more of them soon!

Click here also for a video on an Eastern Catholic view on salvation

Transfigured with Christ

The Holy Transfiguration of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ

Troparion - Tone 7

You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God, 

revealing Your glory to Your disciples as far as they could bear it.

Let Your everlasting Light also shine upon us sinners, 

through the prayers of the Theotokos. 

O Giver of Light, glory to You!

Kontakion - Tone 7

On the Mountain You were Transfigured, O Christ God,

And Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they could see it;

So that when they would behold You crucified,

They would understand that Your suffering was voluntary,

And would proclaim to the world,

That You are truly the Radiance of the Father!

Sir Ken Robinson, Education, & Creativity

If you interested in education, education choice and reform- Sir Ken Robinson has many intriguing ideas. Play a video while you scrub some dishes- I did. And for homeschooling families, his soothing voice can be a little shot of inspiration while we gear up for the 'new year.'

Magic Mike Movie versus Hosea

I just had to share this homily from one of my husband's classmates from the University of Dallas. Deacon Harold is becoming the 'go-to' man for great thoughts on marriage and pro-life issues....and now that my mini-vacation is through, I hope to post more regularly- sometimes mommy blogish and sometimes more along theological lines.

An Anniversary QuickTake

My parents were married in '68 or so, but 'their' song is from '76. It makes sense that this song 'Still the One'  could only become a couple's song after a lot of history and at least four children. 

Putting logic aside, we chose Shania Twain's song for ours at our wedding 14 years ago. I don't listen to country music, but I like this song. I didn't know it was so popular when we chose it. We had only been together two years before we got married, but I still liked the message of the song. It makes more sense now.

find many more quick takes at conversiondiary.com

It's Still Easter

Inspiration via Youtube

I really should be cleaning, cooking, organizing, wrapping gifts, painting a door, going to Target for a fourth time to get the photo cards, washing the shoe polish from the two-year old's bare feet (I exaggerate- I did that yesterday)- so I will just share a few Youtube links that were sent my way via my personal facebook page. I don't surf Youtube without direction from trusted friends; there is just too much junk there. If a friend recommends a video, I'll watch it.