If

If prayers are measured or weighed in lbs. of frosting, then our cake for Claire is worth a couple of novenas. Before you think you'll pass out in a diabetic coma just from looking at this cake, I have to say that, in fact, it tasted better than it looks. Really! I'm reminded of the Footsteps Prayer. You know the one where the supplicant and Jesus have a conversation and in the end Jesus fills her in on a little secret: that solitary set of footprints in the sand aren't a sign that He abandoned her, but that He has been carrying the soul all along. When I was young , I did appreciate that people offered to pray for me. I knew that I needed them. But, now that I'm over 50, prayers take on a whole new significance. Partly because I know now how life can throw us curveballs. but also partly because I know how much the older folks love the younger ones and how much we want life to be sweet and full of blessing. Our prayers are fervent. It is a funny aspect of youth that life is experienced as if one walked alone ... but the experience of age is that one knows how dependent one is on: God's grace, the generosity of others, the presence of angels, the good condition of new appliances, the inspiration of new life, on your dentist, patient drivers, and the mercy of so many... for the youngsters and the oldsters, for faith in that companion's presence through it all.

this is going to be a squeeze! These pictures are for Robbie, and for Jennie and Alison Johnson. Backatcha Robbie! and Jennie, since you exhorted me to take pictures, I did! These were taken in our front yard. We don't get a lot of sun in the front yard, so life there is not as exuberant as it was in our front yard in Livermore. I am very grateful for what does burst forth here. We just planted a few lavender plants and another drought tolerant grey leafed with blue flowers plant whose name I can't remember. Maybe the deer won't eat them. The lemon tree/bush is under the eaves which is good for protection from frost, but not so good for sun exposure. We had to protect it from an ant attack last summer. It's a very old shrub but it keeps producing fruit. I'm hoping to make marmalade when there's a lull in the action. It's spring!

senior ball

well, guess what? John's going to the senior ball. A senior girl asked him! This semester has been one of firsts for him. He got his driver's license and drives himself to school now. He got his braces off a few wks ago. He will be Confirmed in May. Now, he's going to a formal dance in April. His godson is making his First Communion too! in May. Yesterday, he got to play singles for the first time in a league match. In the midst of his life, he's required to do service as preparation for his Confirmation. Hmmm. Anybody got any ideas for what John can do for service? How about ... could he just grow up and continue being John?

offering it up

Pictured: the first Sweet William bloom on flowers grown from seed last fall.

This evening I proposed to John that he "offer it up". He was dreading going to his Confirmation class tonight! "The other kids are so *****." I offered my sympathy. The more vocal members of this class are mostly interested in hearing their own voices and apparently have little to say. I remember those days being stuck in a room with my peers and not being able to flee. Of course, it doesn't help that John's brother is home for spring break and only for a little while. He'd rather be with Billy hangin out and watching edifying films like "Role Models". Anyway, I shared with him the notion of "offering it up", which the nuns and my mother used to recommend. My mother usually suggested it when I was whining about something. I have to say even then I did welcome the notion. It was something I could hang on to... that my suffering and pain, my frustration or simple inconvenience wasn't for nothing. I could couple it to the suffering of Christ and thereby elevate it.. and I could share in the suffering that all mankind endures at points. As I offered this to John I realized that it would behoove me to practice this discipline myself. AND HOW! This Lent has been hardly Lenten for me. So, now my own voice, informed by the nuns and my mother, is echoing in my head ... "offer it up."

between patrick and joseph

It's march 18th, 2009. Yesterday was the feast of St. Patrick and tomorrow is the feast of St. Joseph. According to the Church calendar, today is the feast of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop and doctor of the Church having lived in the late 300's. His writing still exists ... some of which is aimed at catechumens during Lent in anticipation of Easter baptism. I find it very touching that a bishop 1900 years ago wrote to his pupils, or his flock, explaining the essential truths of the Catholic faith. How foreign did his ideas about the Real Presence of Christ in the bread and wine seem to those neophytes? How lovely were those truths to citizens of that era? What was their experience of the "good news"? What explained their eagerness at taking the leap of faith? I have always felt priveleged to witness the rites surrounding the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults?) process, and most especially to hear their stories. Their faith has always strengthened my own. In gratitude for their teachers, their sponsors, and for the faithful in the trenches who every day struggle to live out their vocations. To all the saints! Herewith, Cyril:
www.byzcath.org/.../St%20Cyril%20of%20Jerusalem

happy saint patrick's day

This day used to only make me nervous because if you didn't wear green, you got pinched. My family didn't celebrate "being Irish" so there wasn't a fuss at home. No green cupcakes or green beer. We did have the traditional corned beef and cabbage, but no Irish soda bread. Potatoes, too of course. The whole house smelled like corned beef. And guess what? My house is heading in that direction soon. I would feel like the truest party pooper if I didn't honor this saint's day by steaming up the house with simmering spiced beef. One thing about St. patrick that is i think true is that his hagiography doesn't include a lot of suffering. He wasn't a martyr and he didn't heal lepers. This may account for part of his worldwide appeal. He was a persuasive and charismatic leader i think. He is credited with ridding Ireland of snakes. He brought Christianity to the Emerald isle, to people who took to it like a duck to water. I wish that I could meet the man and see what aspect of Christianity he most fervently cherished and reflected to the people then. I think I'll read up on him more today. Here, a part of St. Patrick's "Breastplate" Prayer:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ on my right, Christ on my left,Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,Christ in every eye that sees me,Christ in every ear that hears me.

Thank you, St. Patrick and thank you God for this great saint.

indian/pakistani restaurant

We had dinner last night at a restaurant on College Ave. The food was delicious and the atmosphere friendly and relaxed. There was an interesting mural above our table just below the big round sky light. As we studied it we made the discovery that many of the figures in the drawing were in some pose of copulation. Hmmm. We wondered if we were seeing what we thought we were seeing? Yep-per! So, when our wait person came by I asked her where this art came from? She explained that they are images found in many temples (I presume in India or Pakistan) I commented that we didn't really have anything like that in Christian churches... and she, without missing a beat, with water pitcher in mid pour, smiled and said "maybe it's in your future!" Maybeeeeee! I've had some exposure to Hindu gods and goddesses and they are strange and foreign to my Western sensibilities. But, it does occur to me that there is a comfort or an acknowledgement of the power of sex and sexuality there that I wonder if we try to ignore. I'm just sayin'. It strikes me that our culture still doesn't seem to have a very mature understanding of sexuality. No culture has the complete corner on this issue.