what now brown cow?

Standing ironing, thinking about what this time in between is about. The time between the Resurrection and the time when the Holy Spirit was received by the disciples and the Church was inaugurated. Why so long between? Imagine the disciples's whole selves absorbing within days and then weeks the crucifixion and then that devastation and then the resurrection and its unsurpassing joy. Then encountering Our Lord in their lives still. We are in the midst of that time. and it brings to me the awareness that this is the time to absorb the truth that life depends on God's mercy and that we can't live without Him. That life lived in the awareness of both the cross and the stone turned away and the empty tomb changes everything. No wonder I'm a little dizzy. The type and the color and la langue has changed. We must be patient with one another. We're suffering from spiritual spring fever.

Mother Mary

In the last 48 hrs. Mary, the mother of Jesus has "popped up"in my life. The youngest little person is Anna Maria DiMaggio here having a chat with Mary as the two stand in her family's garden. I found this picture in my friend, Darleen's, blog. Then in two separate women's faithsharing groups, two individuals urgently requested with a sigh, that the group pray a "Hail Mary". We fervently did so. I have had a sense too that Mary's presence and assistance is surely needed right about now. Within the Church there is a lot of disgruntle if not despair about leadership. Like a child who goes to her mother in an effort to understand Dad's laying down the law, maybe we are seeking Mary's maternal guidance during these days of wondering? where is Our Lord now? How many days til Pentecost?

Life at 50

IT's almost 4 in the morning and I'm wide awake. So this is menopause. What a drag. Everyone else in the world is asleep, getting rested and ready for a new day. I will have to wake up in 3 hrs to drive my youngest to the airport so that he can head south to visit his brother at college. College son has no classes for the remaining two days of this week. For what are we paying tuition? So that they can PLAY! and I'm jealous and that is because I haven't played in a while. Aha! That's what I must do soon.... after I get some sleep and have an attitude adjustment.

Sinners All

There's a lot of talk about sin lately. There's the governor of NY who's in big trouble right about now. There's the 7 new sins ineptly described by the media. What a surprise there. The sin of abuse by the Catholic clergy, the cost of which is untolled. I wrote my son a letter today thanking him for something he did about two years ago. He pointed out to me a sin of which I am guilty. He didn't use the word sin, but essentially that's what it is. You're dying to know what it is? maybe if you know me, you can take a wild guess. Anyway, I am truly thankful to him for pointing it out to me and I don't think it was really easy for him. What kid likes to tell his mother that she's coming up short? BUT, I heard him and am trying with the grace of God and the blessing he conferred by pointing out my "fault", to be aware of when I'm tripping into the red zone again. What if we did that for eachother more often, out of love for eachother? Maybe I could write a book: The Gentle Art of Pointing Out Eachother's Sin.

praying with the brothers

We drove into Oakland today to pray with the Dominicans at their priory. And let me say, "It was good." It was good to be with a fraternity of religious who are committed daily to prayer, chastity, teaching, poverty, obedience, am I leaving anything out? Some of the priests I've known for almost 30 years. They are still there, as Dominicans, living out their vocations, still preaching and showing up for liturgy on Sunday. My question as we were leaving Oakland was : how come I can appreciate so much the opportunity we have to pray with these men this week and then another week be exasperated with the fact that they are all men, students of philosophy and theology, and living outside of my world? Fr. Michael Sweeney talks about the need for the laity and the ordained to honor each other's distinct calling... one whose work is about conforming the world to the teachings of the gospel and the other to be administering the sacraments to the Church. Perhaps, the tension I feel is exactly what I tried to describe above and is due to the distinction Fr. Michael is making. We need to be with our people. which brings up my excitement about the cathedral... (I won't be thrilled to see dozens of priests on the altar).. but, because I can't wait to see our diocese in one place... let us be one.