Leo the Lion

I was privileged to help Monica Goeckner with her Confirmation Project, Leo the Lion.

Monica crocheted a stuffed animal lion to be raffled as a fundraiser for Leo Prigge.

A second lion was crocheted and gifted to Leo. 

On Friday, March 25th, the Solemnity of the Annunciation, Monica and I recorded the Raffle drawing on Facebook Live. 

We were both camera shy and very nervous but excited to announce the winner!

   The Raffle ticket winner was Jane Schwartz! 

We raised over $2,000 for Leo and his family! 

Thank you to everyone who supported this project and to everyone who gave from their heart! 

The generosity of this community (and beyond) amazes me!

As Monica's Confirmation sponsor, I am so proud of all the hard work and love she put into her project. 

Please keep Leo Prigge and his family in your prayers as they continue on their healing journey.

"As you go through life, you will see that there is so much that we don’t understand. And the only thing we know is things don’t always go the way we plan." Mufasa

God has a BIG plan for you, Leo!

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” – Timon

You are BRAVE!  

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9  

 Leo the Brave and Leo the Lion 

And The Word Became Flesh

Happy Solemnity of the Annunciation! 

"The Annunciation gave Mary something amazing to ponder, something that happens to be deeply related to Marian consecration and entrustment." 33 Days to Morning Glory, Fr. Michael E. Gaitley 

Today Pope Francis prayed the The Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for Russia and Ukraine. 

Mary is our Mother, the Queen of Peace. 

We entrust ourselves to her Immaculate Heart. 

"John Paul explains, “For it must be recognized that before anyone else it was God Himself, the Eternal Father, who entrusted Himself to the Virgin of Nazareth, giving her His own Son in the mystery of the Incarnation.” Mary surely marveled at this act of humility on God’s part." 33 Days to Morning Glory 

She accepted her vocation as Mother of God.

In an instant she became the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. 

At the Cross she became our Mother too.

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14 

Archangel Gabriel

The Archangel Gabriel's Feast Day use to be celebrated on March 24th, the day before the Feast of the Annunciation. 

However, the Catholic Church now celebrates Gabriel, Michael and Raphael on September 29th.

Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. 

The angel Gabriel makes God's message understandable to people and he helps them to accept it with a pure heart.  

"Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Luke 1:30-33

This is Archangel Gabriel's message of hope. 

Fear not! 

Nothing is impossible for God! 

"Beside each believer stands an angel as a protector and shepherd leading him to life." St. Basil the Great

St. Joseph

Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph! 

Happy Feast Day to my dad, sister and brother as they celebrate their patron saint! 

We know very little about St. Joseph because he lived a hidden life, a humble life. 

However, what we do know is that St. Joseph was a virtuous man. 

St. Joseph was a loving husband and father. 

He was a hard worker and a protector.

St. Joseph is a model for all husbands and fathers to love and protect their families.

St. Joseph lived the virtue of humility.

"Humility surrenders gently." Matthew Kelly

St. Joseph's love and humility are real. 

He did not pretend to be something he was not. 

St. Joseph was the real thing. 

 "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." C.S. Lewis

Litany of St. Joseph

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,

Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary,

Pray for us.

Saint Joseph,

Pray for us.

Renowned offspring of David,

Pray for us.

Light of patriarchs,

Pray for us.

Spouse of the Mother of God,

Pray for us.

Chaste guardian of the virgin,

Pray for us

Foster Father of the Son of God,

Pray for us.

Diligent protector of Christ,

Pray for us.

Head of the Holy Family,

Pray for us.

Joseph, most just,

Pray for us.

Joseph, most chaste,

Pray for us.

Joseph, most prudent,

Pray for us.

Joseph, most strong,

Pray for us.

Joseph, most obedient,

Pray for us.

Joseph, most faithful,

Pray for us.

Mirror of patience,

Pray for us.

Lover of poverty,

Pray for us.

Model of laborers,

Pray for us.

Glory of home life,

Pray for us.

Guardian of virgins,

Pray for us.

Pillar of families,

Pray for us.

Solace of the wretched,

Pray for us.

Hope of the sick,

Pray for us.

Patron of the dying,

Pray for us.

Terror of demons,

Pray for us.

Protector of Holy Church,

Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Graciously hear us, O Lord,

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

V. He made him the lord of His household.

R. And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray.

O God, who in Your indescribable providence you graciously decided to choose blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Your most holy Mother; grant, we beg You, that we may have for our advocate in heaven him whom we venerate as our protector on earth; Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

 

https://youtu.be/MKdNiF2jWcY

Transfiguration

 Today's Gospel is the Transfiguration.

Jesus, Peter, James and John go up the mountain. 

Jesus is transfigured.

His clothes and face become dazzling white.

Elijah and Moses are there also.

God's voice testifies that Jesus is His Chosen Son.

Peter said to Jesus,

"It is good that we are here." Matthew 17:4

This phrase stood out to me today.

In a world filled with so much suffering, I do not think to pray, 

"Lord, it is good that we are here."  

Instead I often think of the Lord of the Rings quote,

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. 

It is very human to wish our troubles away. 

The apostles were human, too. 

John was the only apostle who stood with Jesus at the foot of the Cross. 

However, it was still good that Peter, James and John were with him on the mountain.

He invites us to the mountain as well. 

The LOTR quote continues,

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."  

It is good that we are here. 

We are here for a purpose. 

We may not know our purpose some days but still our purpose remains.

Transfigure our hearts, Lord!

Yes, it is good that we are here.

Artist: Carl Bloch (1834-1890)

Easter People

Yesterday my mom and I attended Brenda's Paint Party!

It was a gorgeous, bright and sunny day! 

I learned how to use a pallet knife.

I enjoy being creative and I enjoy painting with friends.

We painted bunny rabbits! 

I have a fascination with Easter decorations. 

Easter eggs, bunnies, chicks... 

I delight in these things!

It seems silly blogging about the little things I love. 

Yet, it is the little things, the smallest things that give me joy.

What fills your heart with joy?

What or who do you delight in?

I know Easter isn't about the decorations... it's about new life! 

Eternal life! 

From Him comes our true joy!

By His Death and Resurrection we are saved!

Jesus invites us to share in His joy!

To be an Easter people! 

 "Even the smallest one can change the world." Peter Rabbit 

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Meaningful not Easy

I shared this quote on Facebook from the Sisters of Life Founder. Cardinal O'Connor.

"O Lord Jesus…Did the pain shoot way past Your head and Your hands and Your feet deep, deep, deep into Your soul, so that You could no longer feel the touch of Your Father’s love in the numbness of it? …Is that why You understand how our faith falters and we’re not always sure of what we believe or why, and how much it hurts to be misunderstood or ridiculed or slandered or deserted or divorced or unwillingly pregnant or emptied by abortion? …You always knew Easter would come, even when it was almost impossible to believe and totally impossible to experience… What an absolutely marvelous wonder that You let us know, also, who You are, and about who we are in You, and about our own lives and sufferings and deaths, and that every bit of it can be meaningful even if not a single moment of it is easy."

- John Cardinal O’Connor

April 4, 1985 from The Catholic New York

There are a lot of hard things in life that we wish would be easy.

However, Life is not easy.

Life is often hard.

But Life also has meaning in the moments that are not easy.

The moments of difficulty are hard to describe. They are different for everyone. 

We all face challenges that are not easy. 

The meaning can be hard to find or difficult to accept. 

"Find a quiet place, sit down, close your eyes, acknowledge God's presence, breathe deeply, talk to him briefly about how life has left you empty, and ask God to fill you." Life is Messy, Matthew Kelly 

We still continue to want life to be easy. 

I want life to be easy. 

But again life is not always what we want and we know this from looking at the cross. 

Jesus, help us when life is not fair or easy. 

Help us to look at you on the cross and believe there is meaning for the hard things in life. 

Cardinal O'Connor said, "Easter is coming! Even if not a single moment of it is easy!" 

"Life is messy, but it isn’t just a mess. Life is also won­derful. But this is the perspective that departs us when we are in the thick of the mess. We lose sight of all the good and get consumed by the turmoil we are embroiled in. The whole truth is that life is messy, but it is also wonderful and beautiful and awe-inspiring." - Life is Messy

Ash Wednesday

It is the beginning of Lent!

"He who goes about to reform the world must begin with himself, or he loses his labor." 

St. Ignatius of Loyola  

Today on Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis has asked us to offer fasting and prayer for Ukraine. 

We need peace and not war. 

We need Mary, our Mother, Queen of Peace.

She hears our prayers and brings them to her Son, Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

She is our example of hope. 

Mary believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. 

"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory." William Barclay 

Mary has hope in her Son and hope in us! 

Have hope in her! 

Pray 3 Hail Mary Prayers at every meal prayer for peace.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!   

Novena Prayer for Peace in Ukraine