The Solemnity of All Saints Day on November 1 is a day that honors all those in heaven. Throughout the year we have many feasts of individual saints who are “canonized” or “listed” among the blessed. How did these saints get on the Church calendar? When Christ established the Kingdom, he didn’t hand out lectionaries, Roman Missals, and Church calendars. The days and seasons of the Church Year took centuries, and they continue to change with new saints being added. The original Church Year (calendar) had only Sundays and one whopping Sunday called Easter. Eventually, some anniversaries of the martyrs’ deaths (their “birthdays” into heaven) began to dot the calendar. These saints were remembered annually and continue to be. All who are living or have lived the life of Christ through their baptism are saints. Consider writing on a calendar the death dates of your loved ones. Throughout the year remember them on their special days. Put them all together to write your own Litany of Saints.
Do you play Wordle? My daily text message to my youngest sister includes a word like “splendid” or “great” or “phew” to let her know how I fared on the New York Times popular game. Although the game is fun, that’s not the only reason I play. I prefer the communication with my sister, which is precious to me. Today I had all the letters right, but they didn’t make a word. I had to rearrange them. Easy enough.
Are there other things in our lives that are all the right stuff, but they need some re-arranging? For example, I may have correct information, but I may need to soften the message for the sake of the recipient. I may aim to do good deeds, but the timing isn’t in the best interest of others. We have strong personality traits, but there’s a time and place to abandon those characteristics in our day-to-day encounters. We have our agendas, but we may encounter a million things that are more important now. Just as rearranging letters leads to Wordle success, rearranging our thoughts, words, and actions may produce successful outcomes.
Going somewhere? Of course! We’re all on our journey of life into eternal life. Recently when I took a plane trip, I decided to take only a backpack. Of course, this meant only the necessities. On your journey to eternal life what would you pack? What do you consider essential? Here are a few things I consider essential. First, I’d pack my good deeds. According to Matthew’s gospel, the Last Judgment is all based on works of mercy—those accomplished and those never done. Then I’d pack liturgical prayer. As a liturgical musician now and a teacher of liturgy in the past, I have hours to my credit. God will certainly see the work of liturgy—and leitourgia means public work–and say “Come on in!” Third, I’d pack my daily personal prayer. Its quantity may be to my benefit, but quality may make a very light backpack. Last, I’d squeeze in lots of stuff—I hope the right stuff. You know, the ordinary tasks of work and play, family and community life, and all the little human things that may be worthy of a ticket to heaven.
I realize I can’t take the backpack with me. And maybe the contents won’t matter a whole lot either. When I stand before the throne of God, does God see something of the Godself in me? The face of God shining upon me may be the only item needed to hear “Come! You have my Father’s blessings! Inherit the kingdom.”
Does anything surpass the pleasure of time spent with a best friend? Those blessed minutes and hours let us luxuriate in complete relaxation. Friends just be. Whether dining in a restaurant or eating popcorn during a Netflix, walking a rocky trail or sifting sand through toes, sharing a worry or snickering over a joke, sharing a book or reminiscing, it’s all the same. Just enjoy the friendship. Just be. That’s the best.
Why is it that the memories that hang around the longest are the ones we wish we could get rid of? Don’t you hate the stubborn cling of Velcro memories? When schools and parishes come to mind, some I haven’t visited for thirty years or more, my first thought is often an uncomfortable incident. Even switching my mind to “What’s your best memory?” doesn’t help very long, and I’m back at the negative, a memory that sticks like Velcro and hard to pull away toward the positive. If anyone knows a cure, please let me know. At least I can remind myself to avoid the pitfalls that caused the bad memory. Doing my best today, living the gospel today, being true to myself today stores snapshots in my brain to become the good Velcro memories of the future.
Just a month ago, on September 8 the Church celebrated the birthday of Mary. Is this the correct date? It’s anyone’s guess. But the point is to honor Mary, and wishing “Happy birthday!” is one way to focus on the Mother of God. I am very blessed to be raised by parents who gave honor to Mary. They purchased a large statue of Mary for our living room. Every evening we prayed the rosary near that statue. We kept the First Fridays and First Saturdays by attending the weekday Mass. We were given little rosaries for our tiny fingers. When old enough, we led the rosary and stated the mysteries.
Parents, grandparents, teachers, you have such influence over children. Provide for them all the helps and reminders about living their faith. I’m sure Anne and Joachim raised Mary with reminders of their Jewish faith and its observances. What an impact Mary’s parents had upon her! Mary could say yes to becoming the mother of God.
In this month when we honor Mary, Queen of the Rosary, perhaps you’ll be praying the 50 Hail Mary’s more frequently. I am glad that the Luminous Mysteries, or Mysteries of Light, were added to the other three sets of meditation. The five Luminous Mysteries reveal so much more of the life of Jesus: his baptism, his fun and miracle at Cana, his establishment of the kingdom through parable and miracle and more, his Transfiguration, and the Last Supper. Taken together, they teach us how Jesus, the Light of the World, let his light shine—and how we can let the light of Christ in us show through. First, we were baptized and given a lit candle to remind us to let our spark kindle the hearts of others in our ministries. The wedding feast at Cana reminds us of the kindness that can light up the days of family, friends, and coworkers. The establishment of the kingdom reminds us that we are all made royalty, prophets, and priests through baptismal waters. The Transfiguration reminds us that we all need to be transfigured into Christ, whose presence we are in our world. The Last Supper—What a beautiful story illuminating our responsibility to become the Bread of Life whom we eat for spiritual strength to feed a hungry world.
Light Bulbs, stay screwed in. Let your light shine. It’s the very light of Christ.
Concluding liturgies and prayer services is the blessing: “The Lord be with you.” With those words we are blessed and given the privileged mission to extend the blessing to others. As we go through our day, we can breathe a silent blessing upon all that we see: people, animals, plants, all creatures. Of course, we know that all beings are “with the Lord” already in God’s provident care. But becoming more mindful of our part in creating a blessed world benefits ourselves as we expand our hearts in loving inclusion.
As calendars turn from summer to autumn, farmers and gardeners plow under what they have spent months planting, growing, reaping. Wheat stubble and corn stalks are plowed under, tomato vines and bean plants start to enrich the soil for another year’s planting. Abundant rain in August yields healthy soybeans waiting to be combined. So much digging and dying in September, so much preparing for spring life. The Lion King drama tells of the “circle of life.” The King of Creation implants the “circle of life” in every tree, flower, insect, human. At times the dying-living cycle seems harsh, but the King of Creation has shown us the way in his death and resurrection.
This blog is a little late but its message is still very relevant to daily life for all of us!
College and university classes are beginning. Amid the chaos of packing, leaving home, carting textbooks up flights of stairs, juggling class schedules, adjusting to roommates, and eating a semester’s worth of snacks the first week, there’s a current running deep beneath the immediate concerns. It’s “What’s my life’s purpose?” Stated daily, that question is worded something like, “Will this class help me reach my goal?” or “Is this the right major for me?” or “What if I don’t pass this course?” Important questions whose answers depend upon the answer to “What is my life’s purpose?”