“I think joy and sweetness and affection are a spiritual path. We’re here to know God, to love and serve God, and to be blown away by the beauty and miracle of nature.”
~Anne Lamott
Good evening my sisters! This Monday in Passion Week, I am…
Thanking God For
::a peace filled and joyous parish home
::a wonderful St Patrick’s Party
::crocheting (I really am enjoying my new found hobby. I take my little crochet basket with me everywhere just in case I have time to crochet.)
::nursing a grumpy baby to sleep
In the Garden
We have the beginnings of a small orchard! Saturday Chris planted 2 plums trees. We ordered 2 apple, 2 cherry, 2 pear, 1 nectarine, and 1 fig tree. They should ship later this week so we will spend the weekend planting those. In the garden we have planted lettuce, onions, garlic, carrots, strawberries, peas, cilantro, and radishes. We also planted 3 Blackberry bushes. In the kitchen window sill we have 11 little tomato plants starting to sprout!
Pray for me my friends. I need my enthusiasm and diligence to continue. I typically start strong, begin to putter out and quit all together once the temperatures get unbearably hot. I really want this garden and orchard venture to be a success.
Praying For
I am praying for my children. This world is tough…friendships are tough.
Enjoying
After the house has quieted down (finally!!) I stay up late and crochet and listen to audiosancto sermons on the computer. This one, The Critical Need for Virtuous Fathers, is so good. But look, if you’re going to listen to this sermon so you can point out all your husbands faults, flaws and sins…skip the audiosancto sermon. It is not meant to turn you into your husbands Holy Spirit. If you want to listen to it and then go give your man a great big smooch and tell him what a wonderful husband and father he is…listen away.
Reading
The Hermitage Within
Praying the Scriptures for Your Teenagers
The Catholic Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version
Holiness for Housewives: And Other Working Women
From the Kitchen
Pancakes & Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon
Refried Beans, chips & cheese
Hamburgers w/ chips & maybe potato salad
Chris said he’s on to me now. If we are having breakfast for dinner, it usually means
A) my original plan fell through
B) there was no original plan
Pondering
Our new Holy Father. Just hours into his Papacy, people were critical, digging up “dirt” and already assuming to know him as our Holy Father. There are any number of people, who when they find out I’m a mother, could very easily say some negative things about me as a mother based on how I behaved around children before I received the supernatural grace to actually be a mother. Are you following me here? We don’t know what Pope Francis will be like as a Pope because he’s never been a Pope. He’s never had the supernatural graces necessary to shepherd the Church. Whatever I did as a single, vain, self centered, ignorant woman…Thanks be to God…do not reflect my life as a mother. So if someone tells you they’ve “heard/read/saw some things…” ask if it was Pope Francis or Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio?
“We too, I think, are this people who, on one hand want to listen to Jesus, but on the other, sometimes we like to beat up on others, condemn the others…The message of Jesus is mercy, for me, and I say this with humility, mercy is the strongest message of the Lord.”
Pope Francis
My family and I are just coming out on the other side of being in a place of first, having the righteous attitude meant to condemn others and secondly, having that condemnation turned on us and against us full force. My Heavenly Father has been gently showing me how that kind of negative, pessimistic and superior attitude will only hinder people from coming to Him…it will also drive my children (His children) away from Him and His Church.
Captured
Leo receiving his blessing from Pope Francis
Link up ladies or join in the comments; what do things look like on your side of the fence?
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by Fr Jacques Philippe.
Just an FYI from the CCC:
To fulfill this service, Christ endowed the Church’s shepherds with the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals. The exercise of this charism takes several forms:
891 “The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful – who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. . . . The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,” above all in an Ecumenical Council.418 When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine “for belief as being divinely revealed,”419 and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions “must be adhered to with the obedience of faith.”420 This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.421
892 Divine assistance is also given to the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the successor of Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop of Rome, pastor of the whole Church, when, without arriving at an infallible definition and without pronouncing in a “definitive manner,” they propose in the exercise of the ordinary Magisterium a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals. To this ordinary teaching the faithful “are to adhere to it with religious assent”422 which, though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless an extension of it.
Theresa recently posted..Mysteries great and small {revisited}
I read that earlier. There are many great pieces on Infallibility on EWTN.
Good stuff.
Emily
Emily Davis recently posted..Catholic Woman’s Almanac
Thanks, Theresa. If we all agree with this, then there’s not much to argue about.
Connie Rossini recently posted..Meet Pope Francis (for kids and their parents)
I am the same way with my garden. I really do well at the beginning of each spring, then peter out (is that how you spell that?) by mid-summer. It’s especially hard with a baby or toddler to care for.
I completely agree with what you said about the pope. I’m surprised and appalled at all the negative talk coming from Catholics. We expect the world to be that way, but complaining or worrying about the pope is like kids criticizing their parents. We just don’t do that in public!
Connie Rossini recently posted..Meet Pope Francis (for kids and their parents)
I don’t have any negative views on him, don’t get me wrong… but it is right for us to pray for him and even worry. He is our leader, but not infallible, as he is human. And we have to make sure, like anywhere else, we have the right leadership. I am concerned that he is so humble and wants to live such a simple life, he may put aside some of our beloved traditions or more importantly put himself in danger.
It doesn’t mean I don’t honor and love him OR that I don’t LOVE our Faith and our God. It means I will pray extra hard for him.
Just giving another perspective.
Emily
Emily Davis recently posted..Catholic Woman’s Almanac
Well, Emily, I partially agree with you. When you said he’s not infallible, remember who we are talking about. He is sometimes infallible–when he teaches on doctrine and morals for the whole Church. So we can be certain that the pope will never teach error. We have had a few scandalously sinful popes in history, and the Holy Spirit protected them from teaching error. I don’t think we have to worry about Pope Francis being on the same level as them.
Of course, he may not always make the best prudential decisions about how we should practice the faith. The Holy Spirit does not protect him in that area. But is this something we should worry about? Absolutely not! It’s God’s Church after all, and He can handle it just fine. If I can paraphrase the Gospel, which of us by worrying can help the pope make better decisions?
I totally agree that we should pray for him. But I also agree with Jenny that all the speculation and worry about what he might do is premature. And if it bothers you (I’m not sure if it does) that he has put aside some of the traditional dress of the pope. recall that these were medieval additions to the papacy. Popes for centuries were Christ’s vicars without red leather shoes or gold cufflinks. I understand the place of beauty and signs of authority in these things, but I also understand how a man who wants to show solidarity with the poor could legitimately choose not to use them.
I’m certainly not questioning your love for the Church, my sister in Christ.
Connie Rossini recently posted..Meet Pope Francis (for kids and their parents)
We will have to agree to disagree. It’s ok with me that we all look at things differently.
His teachings – will likely be infallible.
His person – is fallible. He is human.
I think it is a simple matter of coming at things differently.
No worries,
Emily
Emily Davis recently posted..Catholic Woman’s Almanac
His teachings will “likely” be infallible? Sorry, I don’t get that one. It’s not only “likely”–it’s guaranteed by Christ in the Gospel. Once we throw that out, we make ourselves the judges of what is true or false.
Connie Rossini recently posted..Meet Pope Francis (for kids and their parents)
Hiya!
Your Almanac is great today. I will echo everything – love the new Pope. I am a little worried that he won’t accept security, etc. and I am fearful of danger there. Can’t wait to take my gardening class and start my garden, though I suspect yours looks more like the farmer who is teaching me.
I will add that I actually have breakfast for dinner on my menu plan. My family loves it AND it is a nice break for me too! Though I have been known to use it when I just want something easy. I also do grilled cheese and soup in that “easy” slot. lol
Praying for your olders, and you all!
Blessings,
Emily
Emily Davis recently posted..Catholic Woman’s Almanac
The garden and orchard sound WONDERFUL. I’m coming over!
Totally agree re: Pope. I think he’ll be a good one–I liked him right awway. Plus my grandpa’s name was Francis.
Emily recently posted..Seven Quick Takes Vol. 12
Jenny,
I am so with you on your comments about the negativity with Pope Francis. I was appalled at the comments people were making within the first few hours. Unfortunately, I’m still seeing comments out there. It is so horrible!! I like the analogy you used! I think I might have to borrow that one:)
God Bless you.
Laura recently posted..7 Quick Takes March 15 2013
Oh MERCY!! You are so right about not listening to sermons or other talk if all you’re going to do is beat your husband about the head and shoulders with the information! Many years ago, I had to part ways with friends because listening to them talk about their difficult relationships was beginning to taint my perception of my own. A hard lesson, but one learned well for me.
I am so delighted with your garden!! I pray that it flourishes and that you get plenty of rain.
Angela Pea recently posted..Minutes – March 18
Love your almanac and the pic is awesome! I think we have the same taste in furniture…I love the primitive look : )
Will keep your older children in prayer…I know the anxious concern that accompanies mothers regarding the friends our children come in contact with.
My spiritual director said to pick up a used copy of *Hermitage Within*…she said it is worth it : )
Bless our new Pope! We are so blessed to have Him during this time.
Have a great week.
Theresa recently posted..Inspiration::St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
Your garden and orchard sounds wonderful! I hope and pray all your trees and plants flourish and produce tons of fruit.
Amelia recently posted..My 25 best excuses for always being late