It's been pretty hectic here lately. Just when I think I'll be able to catch up on maintenance, and actually make progress, work and other issues take center stage. However, in the little bits of time here and there, I was able to put together this little booklet. I've found it helpful in keeping track of novena days, and which mysteries I'm on. It's based on the PocketMod concept - a neat way of printing out little booklets on a single piece of paper. I'm making it available here, as others may find it helpful as well.

The folding part can be tricky at first, but there's a good print and video tutorial here. It's a .pdf file, so you'll need Adobe Reader (a free download). Printer specs vary, but make sure your printer is set to landscape, with no scaling to fit (messes up the layout).

It's based on the 54 day Rosary Novena, but with the Luminous Mysteries, it's now a 72 day Novena. That's a pretty grueling regimen, but if you can do more than one rosary in a day (not that hard, really) you can do it in a much shorter time. Not cheating really, as the more time in a day spent in prayer, the better you can focus on it. That's not always possible, but when you can, it does help. Being able to keep track of where I am keeps me on track, and I'm not as likely to jump ship. Hope you find it helpful.

Rosary Novena Tracker

I was in line at the bus terminal getting my pass for next week. It had been a long day, an even longer week, and I was dog tired. I just wanted to get my pass, get home, and relax. It was somewhat crowded, the line fairly long, and there seemed to be a bit of a stir ahead of me.

I couldn't see what was going on, I couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary, but people off to the side kept looking over. Some seemed disgusted, some were snickering, and some were laughing outright. And while the clerk at the window was still on the same customer, the line seemed to disintegrate in front of me, one by one. Until I stood a foot behind him.

The first thing I noticed was the smell. It was the unmistakable aroma of urine and sweat, so strong I had to back up a step and turn to the side. No stale wine or alcohol, just the raw, unadulterated stench of extreme poverty.

After a moment, I turned again to the front, and looked at the elderly man just ahead. I say elderly, as that was my first impression, but on looking closer I saw he appeared to be in his sixties, not so old for today. He had a good head of gray hair, not too long, but it was scraggly and disheveled. His beard was the same. His head was bent low, his gaze focused on the floor just in front of him. His shirt was nondescript. His medium blue jacket, sliding down his right shoulder, was so filthy it looked like it hadn't been washed in years. His jeans were as worn and dirty as his jacket, ending in tatters just above ragged white sneakers.

As we inched forward, he would raise his head a bit and look off to the right, where others in line were openly mocking him. There was no anger or resentment on his face, only resignation, and a hint of shame in his wide blue eyes. Then, he would turn to the front again, and lower his head.

I felt sorry for him. He seemed so beaten down, like he had been on the bottom so long, he didn't remember any other way. Maybe I'm inferring a bit too much, but that's the impression I got. I wondered why he was in line.

When it was his turn, he held up his hand and I saw he had several ones in it, maybe four or five. He stepped up to the window and mumbled something, I couldn't hear what. The clerk waved him away with a wide exaggerated sweep of her hands. The old man tried to say something, but the clerk again waved him off, leaning far back in her chair so as to avoid any contact with him or his aroma. He bent his head low, put his hand down to his side, and walked away off to the left, not stumbling or shuffling, just beaten.

As I stepped up to the window, the clerk and another woman in the back laughed and talked about it, while the second woman made a point of spraying air freshener about in a wide swath for several seconds. Then the clerk turned her attention to me and proceeded with the transaction, as though nothing had happened.

Finishing, I turned and walked back to the main part of the terminal. I looked around for the old man, but didn't see him at first. Then I spied him, off to the side, at one of the token machines. His head was still bent down, and I couldn't see if he was getting tokens or just standing there. I'd like to say I went over to him, to play the Good Samaritan, to see that he had what he needed. But, I didn't. I just paused briefly, then rushed off, not wanting to miss my bus.

The ride home wasn't all that long, just about fifteen minutes. All the way, I kept mulling over thoughts of the old man, his circumstances, and what, if anything, I could have done. He was still on my mind as I got off the bus and started the short walk home. Once there, I sank onto the sofa, dropping my bags to the floor, and closed my eyes. I was tired, and still a bit saddened by the whole experience,

And yet, in spite of everything, I felt strangely blessed. I saw Jesus today.

It never ceases to amaze me. God's tender care extends to even the tiniest details of our lives. I used to depend on Jesus to do my food shopping for me. I know, that sounds a bit over the edge. But, it's true.

During one of our ultra-lean times, finding the resources to feed two hungry boys was difficult, at times impossible. I would shop at a supermarket, not known for it's low prices, but not having a car, it was the only one I could get to. And, it never failed. When I only had a dollar or two to spend on dinner, I'd go in there, and lo and behold, there would be some "manager's special" that just fit the bill (or rather my meager pocketbook). And decent food, too. A whole chicken for a dollar or two (enough for at least 2 meals). A large package of italian sausage (who can't find a hundred things to do with that! ;-) ) Large packages of ground beef. Always different, and always something I could afford. There were many-a-time when we would have had to go without had it not been for those unannounced, out-of-the-blue sales.

And then, there's the blueberries. I love blueberries. I mean, I LOVE blueberries. Pies, cakes, muffins, anything with blueberries. I noticed that sometimes, the "sale" included some form of blueberries. Not always, mind you. But when I was down, depressed, just in need of a hug, there would be some form of blueberries on sale - a bargain even I could afford. You see, Jesus knows I love blueberries. Just one of those things He and I understand.

Things have gotten better since then. And they've gotten worse. Sometimes lots worse. But, they're getting better again, much better than they have been in some time. Still, it can get tight from time to time. Like now. Just paid the bills, and there wasn't a whole lot left over. Enough to make it to payday, if we don't breathe ;-) Well, I went into that same supermarket chain (different store), with the same dilemma. I had just so much money, and had a number of things to get with it. After going up and down the aisles, looking for that special "sale" but not finding it, I figured Jesus was trying to teach me humility and mortification. Thank you, Jesus. So, I retraced my steps, and decided on spaghetti. That's pretty inexpensive, if you go with the store brands, and I found a package of Turkey Italian Sausage on sale. Not a great sale, but I could manage it if we did without a few other things.

I got to the checkout and chose one of those you-scan-it lanes. I only had a few things, and besides, I like the power. I scanned everything else, and came to the sausage. It scanned in a good bit more than what it should have. I deleted the item, and rescanned. Same higher price. Darn it! I might have to put it back. Well, vegetarian spaghetti is good, too. First, I went to the girl standing herd over the line, and told her of the problem. She said, they didn't put in the prices, the meat department does that. I reiterated that the sign said one price, and it scanned at another. She got out the sale circular and went over it. It wasn't there - must have been one of those unannounced sales. She called over the manager, and she went to the meat dept. to check on it. The manager came back with another of the same. It too scanned at the higher price. "Well," she said, "looks like you get it for free." "What!?" "If it scans at the wrong price, you get that item for free." Wow! Free. You can't get a better bargain than free.

All together now -- THANK YOU, JESUS!

I was discussing bread-baking with a friend recently, and the remark was made that you get the best bread when you only use God-given ingredients. What we know as bread today is a poor imitation of true bread, mostly because of the leaven.

Bread used to be something totally different. It used the yeast found naturally on grain, and fermented over time - a day or two. It's a process similar to that in wine, cheese, yogurt, and beer. The yeasts and other cultures act on grain, fermenting it, changing the nature, and making it more digestible and nutritious - the fermentation process of true bread enables the body to utilize the various nutrients and B vitamins more effectively, and if made from whole grains, can be the cornerstone of a healthy diet. During this fermentation, gasses are released, just as in wine, and these gasses, trapped in the dough structure, cause the dough to become light and rise. Even the taste is far superior.

Furthermore, each locale has its own unique varieties of yeasts and cultures like no other, so that each man's bread is exactly what his body needs in his environment. We associate the familiar tang of sourdough with San Francisco, due to the yeasts and cultures particular to that area. In fact, we often refer to all naturally leavened breads as sourdoughs. However not all sourdoughs are sour. Some are more mild, some have an even sharper taste, just as cheese can be mild, sharp, extra sharp, etc.

And like all things of real value, it takes time. You can't rush real bread any more than you can rush good wine or cheese. The taste must develop and mature over time. Not as long a time as wine, to be sure, but at least a day, perhaps more if the starter needs replenishing. But it's a taste worth waiting for.

That all changed thanks to Louis Pasteur and other scientists of that era. They examined the yeasts in bread, and identified some of the varieties and cultures. And, as often happens when science gets together with commerce, they began to tinker. They focused on the more robust yeast strains, and developed them to where they could act on the grain in a fraction of the time, causing the dough to rise in an hour or so, as opposed to a day. This meant bakeries could turn out more bread at a faster rate than previously possible, increasing profits many-fold. However, since they were now working with only one universal strain of yeast, as opposed to several locally unique strains, the action on the grain was not as effective. And since fermentation was cut short, the real flavor did not have time to develop. Nor was it the nutritious food it once was. It looked like bread, it smelled like bread, but it was only the visible form we associated with bread. The flavor and substance were gone.

We took what God gave us, bread of life, and "improved" it to the point where it was just baked phlegm bubbles, a placeholder for what we put on it -- useless at best, and at times absolutely horrid. God gave us bread, we turned it into the anti-bread. And all due to the leaven.

Knowing what we know about bread, we can see God's wisdom in giving us the Eucharist. The host is flour and water, but must contain absolutely no leaven. Jesus is the leaven. With bread, it is the leaven that gives it value, taste, and makes the flour and water true food for the body. With the Eucharist, it is Jesus that gives the Bread of Life substance, value, and makes it true food for the soul.

The faux bread of today cannot supply what the body needs. We try to fortify it with vitamins, but the body is not able to utilize them effectively, since the leaven has not broken them down. Good leaven is not just bubbles. It is the leaven that gives life, feeds, and satisfies. It is the leaven that enables bread to strengthen and sustain life. And it is Jesus, the Leaven of the Eucharist, that gives life, feeds and satisfies our souls, as no other bread can.

The other day, I was sorting through some old files on the computer, and came across a link to an article that intrigued me, "Pregnant Women 'Inherit' Some Charactistics of Their Children." It stated in part...

Mothers undergo permanent changes during pregnancy, in which they "inherit" some characteristics of the child they carry and, through the child, also receive some characteristics of the father...

...it has also been discovered that the embryo sends stem cells that, thanks to the mother's immune system tolerance, colonize the maternal medulla, and adhere to it. What is more, lymphocytes are born from here and remain with the woman for the rest of her life...

...the child's stem cells pass to the mother in great quantity, both at the moment of birth, whether spontaneous or Caesarean, as well as at the time of abortion, whether spontaneous or voluntary. These cells are implanted in the mother's medulla and produce lymphocytes, which have a common origin with the cells of the central nervous system; they have receptors for the neurotransmitters and can make messages pass that the maternal nervous system understand...

...When asked how long the fetus' influence on the mother lasts, the professor answered: "Stem cells have been found in the mother even 30 years after the birth. It could be said, therefore, the pregnancy does not last the 40 canonical weeks, but the woman's entire life...

...Moreover, the hematopoietic [blood-producing] stem cells go to the medulla and produce offspring cells, lymphocytes and neurotransmitters with the capacity to dialogue with the maternal central nervous system. It is somewhat as though the 'thoughts' of the child pass to the mother, even many years after his birth.

This single article contains a wealth of information to meditate on...

• Mary, herself, was and is, fully human. Mary is not divine, nor is she to be worshipped, But we do honor her above all other saints, by virtue of her status as Jesus' mother. How much more so is she worthy of honor, if she, and she alone, has been graced with the unceasing Real Presence of her Son. We receive the Eucharist, and enjoy the Real Presence, as long as the form remains intact and uncorrupted, perhaps 15 minutes or so after receiving Communion. For Mary, does this mean there was no end to her Communion with her Son?
• Mary was not just the New Ark of the Covenant during her 9 months of pregnancy, but during her entire life thereafter. And, as she was assumed into heaven, body and soul, she continues to be the New Ark into eternity.
• We pray "Hail Mary, the Lord is with thee," not "Hail Mary, the Lord was with thee." We acknowledge that Mary was and is ever in the presence of the Lord, in a way we cannot fathom. Perhaps the presence of her Son's stem cells is not the same as Jesus' presence in the Eucharist, but even at the cellular level, can we separate Christ's humanity from His divinity? How many cells must be amassed before minute particles of Jesus' Body are "enough" to be adored? Does the revealed truth of the Hypostatic Union apply to individual cells, or just to the body as a whole?
• The cells transmitted from Son to mother were blood-producing cells - so they were both her Son's Body and Blood, just as the Eucharist is Body and Blood. The effects of this were that mother and Son were, and continue to be in true Communion.
• Mary was gifted with extraordinary graces, so much so that she was saved through the merits of her Son with her Immaculate Conception. Blessed with the Real Presence thoughout her life, and into eternity, does that indeed make her singularly qualified to be Mediatrix of All Graces? All grace comes from God, though Christ, the Sole Mediator. But if Jesus was and continues to be present in Mary in a unique intimacy unknown before or since, then is not her role as Mediatrix valid and justified?
• Does this hint at the reason behind the very real power of the prayer of the rosary? With every Hail Mary, we acknowledge the Communion between Jesus and Mary, which gives glory to Jesus as Lord, and honors Mary, His mother. With Jesus as head of the Body of Christ, and we the members of that Mystical Body, acknowledging the union between Jesus and Mary, we acknowledge our communion with Mary, our mother. "Am I not here, who is your mother?" And as the sole human who has been blessed with unceasing communion with the Lord, it is apt and fitting for us to approach her, our mother, to intercede for us in prayer. When we approach Mary, we are approaching Jesus. They are not one and the same, as the Trinity is one and the same. But they are in true Communion.
• God is frugal. No word or action is useless or wasted. I've heard it said that the only word that is not in God's dictionary is "Oops." All is used for our good, and to His Greater Glory. So, when Jesus' first public miracle was performed through the intercession of His mother, what does that say? If intercessory prayer is not in God's will, why did Jesus honor it in such a way, and not just any intercessor, as we all are, but through the intercession of His mother. Jesus said He only does the will of the Father. So, in honoring Mary, He was doing the will of the Father.
• Mary is not just in Communion with Jesus, but with the indivisible Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. She is Spirit-filled, a true charismatic, in Communion with the Spirit before Pentecost, just as she was in Communion with the Lord before the Last Supper. So, when she was in the upper room, praying for the coming of the Advocate, she was praying not for herself, but for the others. God did not need Mary's intercessory prayer to send the Holy Spirit, just as He did not need Mary to bring His Son into the world. But He listened.
  
  I was not present at Pentecost, so I am only speculating. But, after the nine days of prayer, the first novena, did the Holy Spirit descend on all equally? Or, did the Spirit of God first touch Mary, who was already Spirit-filled, and then radiate out to the others, as in her Magnificat, "My soul magnifies the Lord."

See, once you start meditating on the Communion between Jesus and Mary, in conjunction with what we now know of the physiology of communion between mother and child, you can really get lost in thought. The quote from Pope John Paul II, The Power of the Rosary, brings this into focus, and shows us that we can unleash a torrent of graces, simply by acknowledging Jesus through Mary, in the simple prayer of the rosary.

Saturday, I was advised by a priest to pay particular attention to the Sunday readings. This was a bit surprising, as I did not know this priest, nor did he know anything about my personal situation. While I do listen to the readings, I did as he said, and paid particular attention this time, pondering them. They did have some relevance for me.

The first reading, Jeremiah 20: 10-13, was comforting. These last few years have been very difficult, the last few months particularly so. I know lots of people go through times of struggle far worse than mine, but, to be honest, knowing that doesn't always help.

Psalms 69: 8 - 10, 14, 17, 33 - 35 was equally comforting, reinforcing the reading from Jeremiah.

But it was the gospel, Matthew 10: 26 - 33 that really spoke to me.

"So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known."

This again reinforces the 1st reading and the Psalm. There is no need to fear the actions of others. These sorts of stones can only hurt if I let them.

"What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops."

I take this to mean not to be fearful about speaking out. Not about others who have hurt us, that's for God to deal with. But, rather, about life and how it relates to the gospel.

I tend to be a very private person, not wanting to focus on myself, so I post infrequently, and only at length. Well, God doesn't speak to us infrequently, but throughout the day, on big things and small. Sometimes I don't pay much attention, sometimes I can't NOT pay attention. But I tend to keep it to myself, Or I mean to speak out, but it get's lost in the shuffle of day-to-day living.

I'll try to do more roof-top shouting. If it helps others, that's what God wants for all of us... for all of us to participate in the building-up, and refrain from tearing down.

Last Sunday was the feast of Corpus Christi, yesterday the feast of the Sacred Heart, and today the feast of the Immaculate Heart. Much has been written on these feasts of Divine Love. I came across this commentary on the Eucharist by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the Pontifical Household. This part really stood out...

"What is the consequence? That we cannot have true communion with Christ if we are divided among ourselves, if we hate one another, and are not disposed to reconcile with each other. 'If you have offended a brother,' St. Augustine said, 'if you have committed an injustice against him, and then you go to receive Communion as though nothing had happened, perhaps full of fervor, you are like someone who sees a friend arrive whom he has not seen for a long time. He runs to meet him, throws his arms around his neck, and stands on tiptoe to kiss his forehead. ... But, while doing this, he does not realize he is stepping on his friend's feet with shoes of nails. Our brothers, in fact, especially the most poor and abandoned, are Christ's members, they are his feet still resting on earth.'

When giving us the host, the priest says: "The body of Christ," and we respond: "Amen!" Now we know to whom we say "Amen" -- that is, "Yes, I receive you" -- not just Jesus, the Son of God, but also the one who is next to us."

How many of us are guilty of this, often without realizing it. It's so easy to point fingers at others, especially in this age of a world so far from Christ. We see the evil, so much evil, that we begin to see evil where it does not exist. We do need to recognize evil, and to pray for those affected. But, sometimes, focusing on evil is like looking at the sun... it burns into our retina, so that it becomes a permanent part of our vision, overlaying most all we see, particularly when we are disposed to see it.

Sometimes the "evil" is that the "sinner" intruded into our territory, caused our routine to be affected in some way, or brought to the fore issues we would rather ignore. So, how do we often respond to these "sins"? By imagining all sorts of ways to justify the trashing of our neighbor's name, reputation, relationships.

We forget that "whatsoever you do to the least of My brethren, that you do unto Me" is not just about giving someone a glass of water, or donating food to a food bank, though these are certainly important. It's also about the hurtful things we do to our neighbor.

There are few sins more repugnant to God and man than gossip, slander, calumny, detraction... the great evils of this age... the age where communication is instantaneous, and the rape and murder of our neighbor invisible and rampant. There is a reason malicious gossip is a mortal sin. It is an act of aggression, an act of violence, and in grave matters, an act of murder.

When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, saying "Amen," we claim to be in communion with the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as well as the full Mystical Body of Christ. We must take care that we are in fact in communion with our neighbor, in our thoughts, words, and in our hearts.

*************

Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis DeSales:

"Slander is a kind of murder. In effect, we have three kinds of life: spiritual life, which consists in the grace of God; corporal life, which depends upon the soul; and civil life, which depends upon one's reputation. Sin takes away the first from us, death the second, and slander the third. And the slanderer commits three murders with a single stroke of his tongue: he spiritually kills his own soul, as well as that of anyone who listens to him, and he takes away the civil life of the one he has slandered. Also, the devil is in the mouth of the slanderer and in the ear of his listener."

Tomorrow is the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. So much has been written about this great feast of Our Lady, and the events surrounding it, no need to repeat. Much information can be had at http://www.bluearmy.com.

On that day, I suggest we not just say a standard rosary, but to offer the full 20 decades. What better way to honor Our Mother than with this most beautiful bouquet, and what better way to support the new pontiff than with this most powerful prayer.

We can just substitute 1 or 2 inane television programs, that we probably shouldn't be watching anyway, and put that time to much better use. A rosary is just 15-20 minutes, so a full rosary would be just over an hour. Not such a sacrifice, considering the inestimable good it would do. Before going to bed this evening, plan on how to fit in 4 15-minute breaks, and pencil in Our Lady on your schedule.

Like the ad says... just do it.