Sherry, at Chocolate for Your Brain, hosts Small Successes each Thursday. Check it out to see others' successes & share your own. Recognizing the small things we accomplish each week helps us realize that even when it doesn't seem like it, we are getting things done!
1) Since Casinodad has started his new job, I've had dinner ready each night, as well as having the kitchen cleaned up & the living room straightened up.
2) I've been forcing myself to get up earlier in the morning to pray, read the readings for the day, & read the reflection in The Word Among Us. I've noticed that my demeanor has been much calmer throughout the day. I usually do not sleep very well, so getting up earlier is VERY tough for me.
3) Cleaned our front room. It is supposed to be the school room, but the munchkins usually prefer the kitchen table. With their help, I got the piano (an almost 100 yr. old upright) moved so that I could dust & vacuum behind it.
NEW FEATURE: Add a goal for the upcoming week & report the results in the next round of Small Successes.
Last Week's Goal...Rearrange the living room to get it ready for fall & winter, so that we can use the fireplace w/out being blocked by the couch. Also, do whatever I can to help Casinodad prepare for & pass his insurance test next Tuesday. (I succeeded in accomplishing both of these AND Casinodad did pass his insurance test on Tuesday!)
This Week's Goal...I'd like to get my clothes closet in our bedroom cleaned out.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Small Successes
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings
My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.
This week I'm thankful for the following clothing items! I am a comfort & casual kinda gal, but I love to dress up when given the chance, especially for church & work.
1) Flannel Jammies...I have a couple pant & shirt combos, as well as a couple of flannel nightgowns that are so comfortable & warm. Now that the nights are getting a bit cooler, it's nice to don these right after dinner, relax, then snuggle under the covers at bedtime.
2) Skirts...I LOVE to wear skirts, especially long, flowing ones (and yes, ::blushing:: I still like to spin like a little girl!) I've found several great ones at Goodwill in the past couple months (a denim one, a black knit one, & a cute black one w/ yellow, red, & green flowers), each for only $1.99. Can't beat that!
3) Capri Pants...They are so versatile, dress them up or down. They're great to wear in spring, fall, & throughout the summer. I rarely wear shorts anymore.
4) Knit Tops...Long, short, or 3/4 length sleeves, they're comfortable, versatile, & super easy to care for - wash, dry, & wear, usually w/out ironing.
5) Zip-Up Hoodies or Sweat Jackets, (right Judy? LOL)...I have three (black, brown, & navy) that come in handy throughout the year, especially on those chilly mornings & evenings, and thrown over one of those knit tops.
9. Revised Roman Missal: The Communion Rite to the End of Mass
And now for the final post on HandyGramps' explanation of the Revised Roman Missal. We'd love to hear your thoughts or questions.
9. The Communion Rite to the End of Mass
The Lord’s Prayer
We are now at that moment we have all been waiting for. The bread and wine have been changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, and it is time for us to receive Christ in the Eucharist. The Communion Rite begins with a prayer that bears no change: the Lord’s Prayer – the Our Father. As Fr. Turner writes, “Some people think that the prayer should at least be updated to change the word thy to your. This is the only text of Mass that retains the Old English pronoun. But the Lord’s Prayer we know has achieved a level of holiness that cannot be replaced.” The priest’s prayer that introduces the Our Father and the prayer that follows have changed a bit. One notable change in the prayer following that begins “Deliver us, Lord…” replaces “protect us from all anxiety” to “safe from all distress.” The subtle difference is that we will now pray to be free from that which causes the anxiety, not merely relieved of the anxiety itself.
One particular phrase that Fr. Turner uses – “achieved a level of holiness” – in a way underscores the impetus for the revisions we have discussed. It’s almost to say that the words we pray are being raised to a level that already existed in that singular prayer, the Our Father, to that language of “Sanctity” that we spoke of early on.
The Sign of Peace
The invitation to give one another the Sign of Peace has not changed; but the priest’s words leading to it have. He will now say, “…look not on our sins, but the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her [emphasis mine] peace and unity…” The use of the feminine pronoun is an acknowledgement of our belief in the Church as the Bride of Christ. To the actual invitation, “The peace of the Lord be with you always” we will respond as we do to “The Lord be with you” – “And with your spirit.”
The Lamb of God
The “Lamb of God” remains as is, including any valid musical settings used when it is sung.
Communion
Having addressed the Lamb of God, we are ready to receive Christ, the Lamb, in Holy Communion. We are called to share in the meal by the priest, who presents the Lamb to us, using the revised words that follow.
[The revised words are shown in bold type.]
Former Translation
Priest: This is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are those who are called
to His supper.
Revised Translation
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God,
behold Him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called
to the supper of the Lamb.
Former Translation
People: Lord, I am not worthy
to receive you,
but only say the word and I shall be healed.
Revised Translation
All: Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
The shift from “This is” to “Behold” echoes the words of John the Baptist spoken when Our Lord went to him to be baptized in the Jordan River (John 1:29). It is a more elegant and majestic announcement of the Lord’s presence among us, a fitting tribute to the Lamb who shed His blood that all might be saved.
To be “Happy” signifies a state of being free of any kind of complication in life, a state that does not always fit those coming forward to receive Communion. In fact, most of us probably have issues in our lives that at least inhibit our happiness to a greater or lesser degree. To be “Blessed” is a state to which all of us can be called, regardless of what’s going on in our lives. Further, and very appropriately, it reflects what John wrote in Rev. 19:9a, “Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.’” This makes a direct connection to the fact that receiving Communion is a foretaste of what we can expect in heaven, when we are invited to the Messianic Banquet.
The admission that we are not worthy is a direct acknowledgement of our sinfulness, which can be healed only by the Word of the Lord. The revision states almost verbatim the words of the centurion who comes to Jesus and asks Him to cure his ailing servant. When Jesus offers to go and cure him, the centurion responds: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed” (Matt. 8:8; see also, Lk. 7:6). Although he is a Gentile – and a Roman soldier, at that! – Jesus admires the man’s faith and cures his servant immediately. The message for us is that, if Jesus is so willing to acknowledge this man’s humility despite his sinfulness, He is just as willing to do the same for us.
The last change to this short prayer is from “I shall be healed” to “my soul shall be healed.” There is a subtle ambiguity in using “I” in that it could be misconstrued to be asking for the healing of some physical or psychological condition. The intent here is to focus on our being healed spiritually, a request for healing better expressed by asking that “my soul” be healed.
You may have also noted that the response by the “People” has been changed to a prayer said by “All”, indicating that the priest, like the people, is in need of that same healing.
The Concluding Rites
In a final greeting, the priest will say, “The Lord be with you”, to which we again respond, “And with your spirit.” He will follow this greeting with the blessing – sometimes a simple blessing, sometimes a more formal, solemn blessing. If he uses one of the solemn blessings, you will note that the words have changed. They will, however, conclude in much the same way as before, prompting us to respond with our resounding “Amen!”
The deacon (or priest in the absence of a deacon) will then offer a dismissal. Some new options are:
“Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”
“Go in peace.”
All of the dismissals call us to leave and go into the world with a mission, called to spread the Good News of Salvation by the way we live. We acknowledge that call by thanking God for the opportunity to serve Him in the world we live in: “Thanks be to God.”
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
"Tuesday's Ten" - Ten Things That Irk Me (2nd post for today)
Yes, I am human! I do get angry, I do get upset, & things bother me! However, I'm not a confrontational person, so very rarely will I get into an argument or discussion w/ someone. I do try to stand up for my beliefs, but many times I get tongue-tied & think of what I want to say after the fact. So, this edition of "Tuesday's Ten" - 10 Things That Irk Me, are some of my "after-the-fact" thoughts on some arguments & other things that just plain bother me.
1) Abortion - It really bothers me when people say that that don't agree w/ abortion for themselves, but don't feel it is right to tell someone else not to do it. Unborn children are given no choice, so WE need to be their voices. And yes, even cases such as rape, financial difficulties, etc. are NO excuse for an abortion. There are MANY people unable to have children & willing to adopt, assistance for those who are alone, etc. There ARE people/organizations willing to help! (Think of all the technology we'd be missing out on if Steve Jobs' mother had aborted him instead of putting him up for adoption.)
2) Rude Commenters - Occasionally I'll read an online article & the number of rude comments astounds me, especially when they are on positive articles. It's as if some people can't share in something nice happening to another person. It's one thing to debate in a polite way, but when the article's author is blasted for their writing, it's just downright rude!
3) People Who Ignore Stop Signs - Those signs are there for a reason! I don't know how many times our family's guardian angels have worked overtime to help us avoid a collision.
4) Politicians who spend more time telling us what their opponent isn't doing right, instead of telling what they will do to fix things.
5) Texting - Now, I know texting can be used effectively. I'm talking about the rudeness of texting in the company of others. There was a comic this past Sunday of a teen w/ an older man (either her father or grandfather) spending time together. However, the whole time they were out, she was texting...a true sign of the times. And don't even get me started on texting WHILE driving!
6) Extreme Couponing - This is those people who take advantage of coupons & offers to the point of snatching every last toothpaste, deodorant, etc. just because they can get it cheap or free & not leaving any for the rest of us who might actually need the item right away.
7) Parents Who Don't "Parent" Their Children - This is those parents who just let their kids run amuck all over the neighborhood w/out a care to where they are, whose property they might be damaging, what language they're using, etc. These are also the parents who think their kids can do no wrong!
8) Political ads, mailings, phone calls, & petitioners at the doors of libraries & other establishments
9) Not Giving Holidays Their Due - Before summer is over, Halloween stuff is in stores; Christmas stuff out before Halloween; Valentines for sale right after Christmas
10) Library DVDs - We save a lot of money by renting DVDs at the library. However, so many of them are scratched beyond repair because they're not taken care of by others who check them out. I've always taken extra care of items I've borrowed from others, but it seems many people don't.
Rest of Part 8. Revised Roman Missal: The Liturgy of the Eucharist
HandyGramps Explains (the rest of part 8)...
Now let us take a look at a few of the changes that are for the priest. Although those revisions will not be for us, seeing them will help us better understand what is happening in this central, most important part of the Mass: the Consecration. And, of course, we will also look at those revisions that do affect what we say. It is important to understand that, even though it is the priest actually saying those words, for the most part what he says is our prayer as well. There is, however, a moment when he gently slips away from our prayer and enters into the timeless moment that memorializes the words and actions of Christ at the Last Supper in…
The Institution Narrative is that moment in the Mass when the priest (only) speaks the words of Consecration that Our Lord spoke at table with His disciples. The translation does not match exactly what you read in the Gospels, simply because it cannot. The words of institution appear only in the Gospels of Matthew (26:26-30), Mark (14:22-26), and Luke (22:14-23), and in 1 Corinthians (11:23-25), and the words in Greek are different enough each time that they cannot be translated word-for-word. Because we cannot know precisely what words Jesus said, we have tried to capture their essence in such a way as to allow a deeper understanding of what happens during the Consecration.
[The revised words are shown in bold type.]
Former Translation
Take this, all of you, and eat it:
this is my Body which will be given
up for you
Revised Translation
Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body,
which will be given up for you.
It’s amazing how the addition of two simple words – “of” and “for” – can so profoundly alter the meaning of the words. To say “eat it” could easily imply that one is to consume the bread in its entirety, whereas “eat of it” suggests that one is to consume only a part of it. Think about that in terms of what you know about the Eucharist: we share in consuming the Body of Christ. This will become even more evident when you come forward to receive Communion (more on that later). The word “for” adds another dimension to the words, in that it tells us WHY we are consuming the Body of Christ (see the more detailed, Scriptural explanation in John 6:48-58).
Former Translation
Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
this is the cup of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and everlasting covenant
It will be shed for you and for all
so that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in memory of me.
Revised Translation
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the chalice of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,
which will be poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.
Once again, “for” gives us the WHY of it. The change from “cup” to “chalice” echoes what we learned earlier about an increased, ceremonial elegance in the language of the Mass, reflecting as well our regular use of that term for the vessel itself. Modern usage of the word “everlasting” likely encouraged the change to “eternal” in that today, we often use “everlasting” to define, say, the life of a battery – and we all know that in reality batteries have a finite life span. We understand time to be finite – that is, time will end at some point in the future. Not so the covenant, which extends beyond and outside of time.
The change from “shed” to “poured out” presents to us another of those deep meanings designed to encourage us to think beyond the obvious. By His wounds, Christ was naturally bound to bleed, a normal consequence of the tortures He endured. To say, however, that He “poured out” His Blood defines an act of the will – His will. Jesus CHOSE to shed His Blood for us. It didn’t merely happen as a result of the wounds. Any one of us can shed our blood. Only Christ can pour out His Blood and have a unique and unfathomable consequence: the salvation of humankind!
One of the more curious changes is from “all” to “many”. This is one of those instances in which a direct translation from the Latin is employed. But, what prompted The Vatican to choose multis (many) over omnes (all) in the first place? Isn’t salvation offered to all? In the accounts of the Last Supper in both Matthew and Mark, Jesus, Himself, uses “many”. Also, “many” is used in Matthew 20:28, reflecting the fourth Servant Song in Isaiah 52:13-53:12. In a way, it identifies the role of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament by making a direct connection with the terminology used in the Old Testament. Beyond this, the explanation gets a bit heavy; so suffice it to say that God is not omitting anyone from salvation. It is simply a matter of language used in those days that does not equate to language we use today (exemplifying the difficulty of translating from one tongue into another).
The Acclamation of Faith (formerly the “Memorial Acclamation”)
Immediately following the Consecration, with the words “The Mystery of Faith”, the priest invites the people to shout with joy! Yes, you read correctly. We are called to make an “acclamation” regarding what just happened. The previous translation, “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith”, called for a proclamation, not an acclamation. So, what is the difference? The Random House Dictionary makes it very clear. It tells us, proclaim: “to announce or declare in an official or formal manner.” That hardly fits what we just experienced. But, acclaim: “to salute with shouts or sounds of joy” far better expresses the attitude of a people who realize that they have just been offered salvation – eternal life. Note that our four responses have been reduced to three. “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again” has been removed.
[Again, the revised words are in bold type.]
Former Translation
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life.
Lord Jesus, come in glory.
Revised Translation
We proclaim your death, O Lord,
and profess your Resurrection
until you come again.
Former Translation
When we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus,
until you come in glory.
Revised Translation
When we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim your death, O Lord,
until you come again.
Former Translation
Lord, by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.
You are the Savior of the world.
Revised Translation
Save us, Savior of the world,
for by your Cross and Resurrection,
you have set us free.
(Hmm… You probably noticed it, too – “proclaim your death” in the first two acclamations. What seems like a contradiction is really not when you look at it closely. What we do is, indeed, an acclamation, a shout of joy addressed to Christ for what He has done. It is WHAT we shout, the words we use, that is the proclamation. The shout, itself, is a true acclamation.)
So, why did we lose the most familiar one, “Christ has died…”? Simple. We have just experienced the ongoing moment of salvation: the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. That moment touches our lives in such a profound way that we cry out to Christ with every ounce of joy we can muster. We shout our joy directly to Christ. In “Christ has died…” we simply stated some facts about Jesus. Joy is the order of the day, so we let Our Lord know how we feel.
The Doxology, said only by the priest, will change from “Through Him, with Him, and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever” to “Through Him, and with Him, and in Him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.” The rearrangement of words, plus the additional words in bold type, more closely matches the Latin.
The Great Amen, our response to the Doxology, is so-called because it is our enthusiastic response to the most profound, most wonder-filled prayer we say: the Eucharistic Prayer. In his booklet, Understanding the Revised Mass Texts, Fr. Paul Turner tells about a child who was asked to define “Amen”. After a bit of thinking, the child said, “It’s like hitting ‘Send’” on e-mail. “Indeed,” Fr. Turner says. “We send our entire message all at once through the angelic Web server to the in-box of the One who rules over all.” (Don’t you just love how the electronic age has affected our ways of thinking, even at the level of a child?)
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Simple Woman's Daybook (2nd post for today)
FOR TODAY
I am thankful...for a nice afternoon at my parents' yesterday. I took the munchkins out there so that Casinodad could spend some time studying for his insurance test on Tuesday.
From the learning rooms...making a few minor changes to The Prophet's lessons. His history has been a bit tough to understand so I think I'm going to shelve that book for a year or two & do some other things w/ him this year. The book is written for grades 5-9, so I don't feel bad putting it aside right now.
From the kitchen...pita pockets w/ lunchmeat & cheese for lunch & make-your-own tacos for dinner.
I am wearing...navy v-neck knit short-sleeved top, khaki pants, & white socks
I am creating...(attempting to create) a peaceful environment. This week, we are keeping a candle lit on the stove & each time we see it, we are stopping a moment to pray for peace in our family.
I am going...stay on task this week w/ school! (continued from last week)
I am reading...All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (read-aloud for the kids), The Unschooling Handbook by Mary Griffith (researching to see if this is something the might work w/ The Archangel & his issues), & Women in Church History: 21 Stories for 21 Centuries by Joanne Turpin.
I am hoping...STILL,that we will someday feel at peace in making decisions regarding The Archangel's care w/ his ADHD, aggression/anger issues, & now it seems he has Tourette Syndrome, too.
I am hearing...the occasional wind blowing through our pear trees in the backyard, The Saint playing his Gogos & pretending they're robots, The Archangel playing w/ his plush monsters, & The Prophet playing w/ Legos at the table. These boys sure are creative! (BTW - Plush monsters are little stuffed felt toys that we've made after reading the book, Invasion of the Plush Monsters. Ours are not as good as those in the book, but the munchkins really love them.)
Around the house...I've been doing really well this past week in making sure the downstairs is straightened up & the kitchen cleaned w/ dinner ready by the time Casinodad has gotten home.
One of my favorite things...Listening to The Saint as he becomes more verbal. Just yesterday, as we were putting him into the van after church, he exclaimed, "Dat was awesome!" When asked what, he said, "I just love dat turch!"
A few plans for the rest of the week...school, "Mom Therapy," planning, cleaning/organizing, spending time w/ family
Here is a picture or two I am sharing...This is the munchkins & me at the entrance to a covered bridge on one of our hikes last week.
