Always Advent

I just got back from the annual Holy Thursday Eucharistic Chapel Hopping thing that the children and I have done for the past 3 years: right after the Holy Thursday mass, one stops at the altar of reposition at Church for a few moments of adoration, then travels to a number of different Eucharistic chapels throughout the area, stopping by each one for a brief time, then moving on to the next one.

The total number of chapels one visits is either nine or seven (not sure why, but I suppose nine is for a novena.) This year we did the pilgrimage with a family with two very small children, so we only did three stops (which we said was for the Trinity!)

Has anyone else ever kept this yearly custom? Where did it start? Why nine chapels? Or seven? Or whatever your custom dictates?

The first year we did it, one of the kids complained a bit that she was tired.

“That’s the point,” I replied.

“It is?” she said, perplexed.

“When Jesus asked his apostles ‘Could you not watch one hour with me?’ they fell asleep because they were tired. The point is for us to be tired and offer that time for Jesus.”

Kind of a variation on the Eucharistic Holy Hour, but in motion. A very kid friendly activity, because it appeals to short attention spans.

I love seeing how the various parishes set up their Eucharistic altars. Our favorite one EVER was a nearby parish that placed the altar and the blessed sacrament in a tent made of thin netting, and placed desert-themed plants and decorations around it, then put a harpist there playing beautiful music throughout the adoration period. We didn’t want to leave!

…as Lenten penance perhaps? :)

Anyway, no blogging today–hope you understand! God bless you–attend as many Holy Week liturgies as you can!

I posted recently about Thomas Cahill’s Hinges of History series, in particular the book called Sailing the Wine Dark Sea:

http://claresiobhan.stblogs.com/2008/03/04/thomas-cahill-the -hinges-of-history/

Just a heads up: this book is definitely not suitable for children or teenagers. Cahill seems to know his history, he writes his own translations of some of the poetry, but he’s very irreverent, fairly graphic in his description of a certain sexual behavior for which the ancient Greeks are notorious, and he uses the f-word. Hm. I’m still reading it, but I’m not sure I can recommend it.

I came across this at Fr. John Zuhlsdorf’s website What Does The Prayer Really Say?

At the end of Holy Mass of Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, at noon, His Holiness delivered him (sic) Angelus message. This week it included a very strong appeal for peace in Iraq, following on the death of the Archbishop of Mossul of the Chaldeans, Paulos Farah Rahho.

Here is the section of his comments on Iraq. My emphases indicates the part he quite literally shouted, though they were part of the prepared text:

At the end of this solemn celebration, in which we have meditated on the Passion of Christ, I want to call to mind the late lamented Archbishop of Mossul of the Chaldeans, Paulos Farah Rahho, tragically deceased a few days ago. His beautiful witness of faith in Christ, the Church and his people, which despite many threats he never wanted to abandon, presses me to raise a strong and concerned cry: enough of these massacres, enough with the violence, enough with hatred in Iraq! And I raise at the same time an appeal to the people of Iraq, which for five years is bearing the consequenzes of a war which has provoked the upheaval of civil and social life: beloved Iraqi people, raise up your heads and let you be, in the first place, riconstructors of your national life. Let there be reconciliations, forgiveness, justice and respect in common life betweem tribes, ethnic and religious groups, the solid way of peace in the name of God.

Wow!
(Here’s a link to the post: The Holy Father shouts for peace in Iraq.)

I pulled the image at the top from Fr. Z’s website. He has more images from the papal Palm Sunday liturgy in St. Peter’s Square here: Benedict XVI’s Palm Sunday Mass.

Our pastor taught us this little prayer (which he says the nuns taught him as a child):

I have found Him whom my soul loves.
I will hold Him, and never let Him go.
(based on Song of Songs 3: 4)

The nuns as his school growing up taught the kids to say this prayer during the elevations of the host and chalice.

I usually save this one for when I return to my seat after receiving Holy Communion, because the one I learned to say at the elevations is:

My Lord and my God!
(at the elevation of the host)

and

My Jesus, mercy.
(at the elevation of the chalice)

I have a friend who’s a Dominican priest, and when he was in seminary he started praying the Divine Praises after communion. My kids and I recite these together right after Mass–they’re usually right there in the inside back cover of the missalette, although by now we’ve pretty much memorized them. One of the kids or myself leads them, out loud but quietly, and the others repeat each line.

These are all excellent ways of increasing your devotion to Jesus, especially in the Holy Eucharist and for keeping your focus on Him during the Mass.

Note: these prayer practices are not approved for public liturgical use–they’re just prayers I and my children say as private devotions.

Other than The Passion of the Christ and Jesus of Nazareth, I mean.

A great movie for the whole family to watch together sometime during Holy Week is The Prince of Egypt. I first saw this movie with my family in the theatre on Holy Saturday, 1998. That was quite an experience. It has some cartoonish elements, like the Egyptian priests and an outlandish chariot race, but overall it is a respectful and moving treatment of the story of Moses.

The direct-to-video sequel, Joseph: King of Dreams is actually quite good also.

Epic Stories of the Bible is a series of animated motion pictures released by Promenade Pictures. Twelve movies are in the works, and first one, available now, is The Ten Commandments. Voice talent on this one includes Ben Kingsley (Narrator), Christian Slater (Moses), Alfred Molina (Ramses), Elliott Gould (God). The screenwriter also wrote the screenplay for Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. I haven’t seen this one but I heard it was good.

Promenade Pictures
founded 2003
produces family films with Judeo-Christian themes
Frank Yablans (formerly of Paramount and MGM)

the next planned films
Noah’s Ark
David and Goliath

Feel free to weigh in with your recommendations!

My mom has a friend from Greece. When I first met her she greeted me with an embrace and that famous European “double kiss” –- one on my right cheek, one on my left.

She took note of my surprise. “You’re not familiar with this greeting, Clare?”

I told her I had seen people greet each other that way many times, but no one had ever greeted me that way.

She asked me if I knew the symbolic meaning of a kiss on both cheeks.

I told her I did not.

“In Greek culture, it means that when I greet you, I greet and accept both sides of you, the good and the bad.”

I thought that was great, but…

…I imagine it’s sometimes easier to greet a stranger that way than someone you know well. Haven’t most of us experienced the hard reality that the people you know best are sometimes the hardest ones to accept and to love? Are there times, even in Greek culture, when people can’t bear to offer the “double-kiss” greeting? What do Greeks and others who practice that custom do at those times?

How about when looking in a mirror? Can I accept the fact that there are two sides to myself: the “new creation,” transformed in Christ, and the “old man,” still struggling for dominance years after I’ve “formally” broken ties?

That’s part of the great battle everyone fights.

Blogging about blogging–I love it! Something I came across on Catholic Exchange again, about the Catholic Blogging Awards:

http://www.catholicexchange.com/node/70354

Yesterday Catholic Exchange had a good article about credit cards:

Studies repeatedly show that we generally spend more freely when using credit cards than we do with cash and swelling card balances are on the increase. According to recent data by CardTrak.com, the median (middle number) amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is about $6,600 while the mean (or average) credit card debt load is nearly $9,900.

The “sweet spot” for most credit card companies comes from consumers who carry high balances, consistently make the minimum payments and occasionally make late payments where penalty fees are incurred. Those of us who pay off our card balances on time monthly are affectionately known in the industry as “deadbeats.”

Complete article here:
Warning! What’s in Your Wallet May be Hazardous to Your Health!

May I direct you to Always Advent’s historic first post?

Not too amazing, I’ll admit. How about the eighth or so thing I ever posted–a review of an old episode of Star Trek: The Original Series.