Saturday "How we are loved " Ska

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A wonderfully well done home-made vid of one of my favorite tunes with lyrics of that unconditional love that the Father has for each one of us, because He truly sees the "flowers in these weeds" (O:

"In a field of yellow flowers,
underneath the sun,
bluest eyes that spark with lightning,
boy with shoes undone.

He is young,
so full of hope,
reveling in tiny dreams,
filling up his arms with flowers,
right for giving any queen.

Running to her beaming bright,
while cradling his prize.
A flickering of yellow light,
within his mother's eyes.

She holds them to her heart,
keeping them where they'll be safe,
clasped within her very marrow,
dandelions in a vase.

She sees love, where
anyone else would see weeds.
All hope is found.
Here is everything he needs.

Fathomless your endless mercy,
weight I could not lift.
Where do I fit in this puzzle,
what good are these gifts?
Not a martyr or a saint,
scarcely can I struggle through.
All that I have ever wanted
was to give my best to you.

Lord, search my heart,
create in me something clean.
Dandelions
you see flowers in these weeds.

Gently lifting hands to heaven,
softened by the sweetest hush,
a Father sings over his children,
loving them so very much.

More than words could warrant,
deeper than the darkest blue,
more than sacrifice could merit,
Lord, I give my heart to you".
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The Bad Shepherd?

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A tad early for mass this morning (early is not usually a D'art trait), I surveyed the art and architecture of the particular church I was knelt in (our lil' shabby chic parish is made up of a trinity of antique churches).I found myself gazing upon the stained glass image of Christ the Good Shepherd, holding the rescued baby lamb.

With my daily mixture of the Holy Spirit and Starbucks (sadly, if you know me, it's usually more of the latter), I started to percolate (yes, a coffee pun) an idea on what exactly a Good shepherd would, and would not, be. I also thought how this title for our Lord completely reinforces the idea of one holy catholic and apostolic church.

Would a good shepherd leave a divisive mixture of ninety nine sheep, all trying to go there own way, in search of another "individualistic" lamb?, or would he only do so if he knew that they were indeed "one" flock, encircling, and protecting each other?

Even if they were one flock, me thinks he would still need to leave a few priestly sheepdogs, or even Babe the good pig, to keep watch over them in his absence, entrusting only them with the "keys" to the gate.

How many times would this good shepherd allow a an unruly bit of wool to knock down his fences before he allowed that particular mutton chop to go out on it's own lest it endanger the others with it's "my way" heresy of pride (me thinks all heresy starts with "well, I think . . .").

If we truly wish to be evangelical in our lives, we first have to unite under one flock, so that the Good Shepherd can with all confidence, leave us 99 to search for our lost brothers and sisters.

"I" must die daily to serve the "I am", and the "we" He died for, and who He still goes after. There are few greater ways to say you belong to God, than to humbly lay down your pride, to also say you belong to the one church He gave up His life for.

"A shepherd only tends to one flock"
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Leaving Ninety Nine

"It's dark and lonely and the path is unclear
Can't move my feet because I'm frozen with fear
then you say, my child, my child
i am always here, i'm at your side

I'd leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you
(For you alone) I'd leave ninety-nine
Leave them all behind
To find you"

Aslan is on the move

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"return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God."
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Cure for the Brave New World

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"tell me something true
'cause i'm only free
when i look at you

and you look so good it hurts
and love, i come undone

chorus
but i don’t want medication
just give me liberation
even if it cuts my legs right out from underneath
don’t give me medication
i want the real sensation
even when living feels just like death to me

don't paint my face
i need to see the scars
so i don't forget
the back of my tutor's arm

'cause i just can't keep it straight
which kills and which one saves

chorus

bridge
‘cause the truth is i need you just like the air i breathe
just like a freight train needs the tracks beneath
so i’d rather suffer my whole life and be this rich man’s wife
if loving you means suffering"

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Be Cool Now

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Take a vow of poverty now,
because after President Obama
and the congress
bankrupt the country,
it'll just be trendy (O:
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The Conceit of a Mass'keteer

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I received this list of Lenten suggestions from the good folks at Catholicity (they are a wonderful resource, along with Lighthouse, for free Catholic audio cds), and I couldn't help but add a couple myself.

1. Pray the Rosary every day (here are some for my fellow drivin' folk).
2. Receive Communion at Mass every day.
3. Go to Confession every Friday.
4. Pray the Family Rosary every day or once a week (or get a group of friends).
5. Pray in silence 20 minutes a day.
6. Make a Eucharistic visit every day.
7. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet (at 3:00 PM, the Hour of Mercy) every day.
8. Fast on bread and water one to three times per week.
9. Read a spiritual book.
10. Give a painfully large donation to charity (it's all God's money anyway).
11. Give a donation to charity instead of buying something for you.
12. Pray "Jesus, I love you!" in the first waking seconds of the day.
13. Listen to Catholic CDs or radio.
14. Do something major to improve your marriage (single people, get thee a spouse).
15. Volunteer anywhere: at your kid's school, homeless shelter
16. Visit a home for the elderly
17. Give up something you absolutely love, crave, or spend time on, or that annoys the people you love.
18) Spend a minute every day looking at a crucifix.
19) Stations of the Cross (most parishes do stations on Friday evenings during Lent).
20) Every day, tell someone that they are God's son or daughter ( 'cause you know you are, right?).
20) Love more, love often . . . just love!
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The Beginning and the End

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"It is impossible that God should ever be the end,
if He is not the beginning.
We lift our eyes on high,
but lean upon the sand;
and the earth will dissolve,
and we shall fall
while looking at the heavens".

Blaise Pascal
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Catholic Retort #57b

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Non-Catholic Christian
"All your statues and symbols are idolatrous"

Catholic Christian:
"Is that a rhinestone Ichthus
on your Camera phone?"
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How I come to the Cross

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Hello, I swear I won't be too long
Hello, I promise I'll be real strong
Wait up, I just wanna tell you
Hold up, why are you still here?

I've been dirtier than you wanna know
I've left earlier than you'll ever know

Why do, you wanna be all listenin' to me
Why do, you spread your arms and tell me I'm free
Why do, you wanna be in my life
In my life

I've been dirtier than you wanna know
I've left earlier than you'll ever know

Jesus, Jesus
There's something about your name
Master, Saviour, Jesus
Jesus!
Jesus!
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Church of Self

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Me thinks the old adage "a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client", could also be "a person who has themselves for a church, has a fool for a pope"
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Don't worry, I am not gonna talk about the temple of Tom Cruise, but about that empty "altar-ego" too many of us make to worship our god . . . the great "I". Of course I am going to rant about the "me and Jesus" fallacy that so many have fallen for in regards to worship.

"I don't need a church, I can worship Jesus myself"

"Jesus comes to me, I don't need a building"

"The Bible teaches me all I need"

The funny thing is that I have never met anyone who spoke these words who actually spent time with Jesus (no, listening to CCM radio or watching TBN, doesn't count), or that even read the Bible that often. In all of this, there really isn't the desire to find out what exactly Jesus would want, but the twisted mentality that as long as I call myself a Christian it's all good.

How long does the average long distance relationship last? Would you believe someone who says they loved you, even had t-shirts made with your name on it, even wore a symbol of you around their neck, but didn't ever want to visit you?

All of what I am saying , is not to be judgmental or condemning, but comes from my own time in the wilderness of self before I found the Church. Oh how wonderful it is to be in His house filled with the voices of His children. Oh how thankful I am to be able to start each day greeting my brothers and sisters with the sign of "peace" . . . followed by the true Peace entering my body as I receive the Eucharist.

Anyhow, love takes effort, and one only has to look at a crucifix to see the effort Christ made to show you His love, and give us the church.

Hope to see ya at mass (O:

Somewhere Between Canaan and Egypt

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This is my lil' pre-Lent warm up hip-hoppin' skadelic tune, which is a bit amusing in that I am forgoing the listening of music during that approaching time. A song that should easily have been on the radio except for the whole "overtly singing about God" thing, and a song about how we all go through "The Wilderness", and how most of our friends are still there.

As the ashes are placed on our foreheads this Wednesday, we are invited to participate in the sacrifice of Christ, to draw us closer to the One who hung on a cross rather than watch any of us suffer the fate we so well deserve. When picking your Lenten fast, I hope that it is something that will truly cause a little initial pain and emptyness in your life, as it will also lead to the joy of being nearer to the Lover of your soul. A sacrifice that in the end will lead to growth of character, love of God, and a greater appreciation of our brothers and sisters who wish they had whatever you are giving up.

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"God do you really understand what it’s like to be a man
Have You ever felt the weight of
loving all the things you Hate
Have You struggled . . .have you worried
How can You sympathize?

I have spoken much too soon put my hand over my mouth
I can’t contend with You
Your ways are so much higher
And we pass through the fire that
Christ endured before us
When You were in the wilderness".

Something Beautiful

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"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; that I know very well"

Lest you forget
You are Wonderfully made
You are loved
You are Something Beautiful!

"It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful

It's the child on her wedding day
It's the daddy that gives her away
Something beautiful
When we laugh so hard we cry
all the love between you and I"

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Clearing a Path

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..."

Matthew 5:43,44

Being Irish, me thinks that getting a little hotheaded is natural, but in reality it is just another thing that I've trained for since childhood. Granted, it is rare for anyone to see this part of my nature anymore as I have grown a bit, and thankfully as I usually am driving alone (driving the DC Beltway might even tempt Mother Teresa to flip someone the bird).

Anger that is hidden and which stems from resentment or unforgiveness, is a much worse destroyer of our heart and spirit (and the heart and spirit of others), than the occasional honking of the horn. It is like rocks scattered all over our path of life, some put there by others, yet most put there by ourselves. We keep tripping daily over some of the same stones, or walk around the others that we think are too big to handle. Oprah has countless pop pyschologists on her show promising the best GPS system to avoid these obstacles.

Christ on the other hand, asks us to keep walking straight, to clear the path of all these things that are not of Him. Some of these are lighter to lift than we think (especially if we draw our strength not from our self), and some are but big clumps of dust that blow away as soon as we touch them. Others are so big and well placed, that it might take days, weeks, or even years to move, but in the moving of all of these we find we are toning that one important muscle, the one that allows, with ease, to offer up our right cheek after the left has been slapped.

This is the muscle that allows us to be beaten to a pulp, to be ridiculed and spit on, and to be naked to a nailed to a cross; yet all the time saying "they know not what they do".

God's love in our heart is , me thinks, the great bulldozer to help us clear the straight path we have been asked to walk. . . . and praying for certain Irish hot-headed drivers is a good thing too (O:

"cause you cannot choose your friends
but you choose your enemies
and what if they were one
one and the same
could you find a way
to love them both the same
to give them your name"
Love is Not Against the Law - Derek Webb

Learn Obedience, Value Everyone
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Shocked, and Slightly Embarrassed

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Working on my bathroom at my new Bawlmer abode, I came across a few items that were once needed in the days when there was hair )o; . . . so I thought this instructional video rather fitting.
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