Ball Family Chronicles #2: Little Voices at Mass

It's been entirely too long since I published something (and in the process of writing this post, I realized how few pictures I've taken over the last three months.... shame on me!). The newborn and infant phases of parenting have really been taking everything out of me.

Daniel has left to go to work, and so in these smallish hours before the littles wake up, I have a little joy to share with you.

As you can imagine, having a baby makes going to the same Mass each week a bit arduous, so we do the sensible thing.

We don't worry about it. We get up when the baby makes us, and we go to the first Mass that's after she finishes nursing.

Christ Joyfully to the Nations

The Feast of the Epiphany

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6. The link includes the intervening verses. Be sure to read the other readings for context.

I suspect that the vast, vast majority of the current Christian population is gentile in its origins.

Early in the Church’s history, it experienced growth at an incredible rate - on the order of thousands of people being baptized in a single day. I don’t think any of us are likely to witness conversion on such a drastic scale in our lifetimes.

Rejoice IN THE LORD

3rd Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Philippians 4:4-7. Be sure to read the other readings for added context.

I wrote last week on how Advent is a time of preparation, and the ways in which we are called to live as though constantly in a state of watchful preparation for the return of our savior and king.

There are many different types of preparation. In Advent, we practice both penitential preparation and joyful preparation. This week, we light the pink candle on our Advent wreaths, the candle which traditionally represents Joy. It is easy in a season that is both preparation and penitential to lose sight of the joy with which we prepare for Christ’s return.

Sometimes the Villain Gets One Right

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from James 3:16-4:3. I suggest reading the other readings as well, for context. It’s lectionary # 134, if you’re reading from a hard copy.

There is a Native American Fable - or maybe an adage - about a boy who talks to his grandfather about two dogs fighting inside of him. One is a good dog, who represents virtues, and the other is an evil dog, who represents vices. The boy asks his grandfather which dog will win, to which the old man replied, “the one you feed.”

How am I feeling? I'm Fine... Just Pregnant!

When I was pregnant with Pitter Patter, I got asked how I was feeling a LOT, and I didn't like it. It took a long time before I could really articulate what it was that bothered me about it, but I finally got it all written down. I've had this post written for a long time, but I was waiting to be asked the question a few times before I published this.

My dear friend - My dear, sweet, beautiful friend:

Before I say anything else, let me just say this. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. You are so kind to be concerned about me and the baby. Pregnancy can be an uncomfortable thing, so thank you. Thank you so much for asking how I’m doing. I want you to know how much I appreciate your concern.

You may not know this, but I have gotten that very same question "how am I feeling"' from more people than I want to count. Some of them I knew. Some I didn’t, and I didn’t quite know how to respond. (Answering the question for strangers is super-awkward, by the way!)

What I am about to say is an awful lot to say all at once, on the spot, so I thought it’d be best to write it out, so I can say everything I mean. There is an awful lot, so please bear with me.

Unique in the World

 

Original photo from Pixabay.

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Ephesians 1:3-14. I also suggest reading the other readings, but for the first reading, begin at 7:10.

In this section from the beginning of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul gives thanks for the blessings received from God in the community of the Ephesians, and in the Christian community at large.

God made us to be holy before him, to be adopted by him, he’s give us forgiveness of our sins, and given us rich graces by which we are able to do his will in an unfriendly world, he’s revealed to us his will, and given us knowledge of his plan for us.

Is He Real? Is Any of it Real?

Feast of the Holy Trinity

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Roman 8:14-17, but I highly recommend reading the rest of this week's readings, as this week's reflection really is on all three readings.

So… is God a figment of our imagination? I dare say he can’t be, and that our God is the only true God for this reason: Who would invent a God that was a sequence of mystery-wrapped-enigma-paradoxes?

Mother's Day Godsend

There is one day out of the year that my house becomes a picture of order, beauty, and cleanliness:

That day is Mother's Day.

I deep-clean the kitchen, and the piles of clutter on the islands at the entrances to my dining room (and on the table) are air-lifted to another room.

I also clean up the living room and the play room.

I usually bake two bundt cakes for the event - usually a chocolate cake (because Daniel likes chocolate cake), and "something else" (because I don't).

Here's one I made for a previous occasion.

Saving Grace

The Resurrection of the Lord

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Colossians 3:1-4. I’d encourage you to read on a little bit, to around verse 17 to get a more full understanding of the implications Paul intends for his words here.

The introduction of Grace to a person’s life changes him. His entire outlook is modified.

Before, when there was nothing to look forward to after death, he was concerned with the affairs of this world - with the mad scramble for power and money and fame - to amass as much as possible before departing this world. To win the rat race.

Staring into the Infinite

Have you ever had to drive on one of those days when there’s a cloudless sky, and the sky is so blue that it hurts your eyes to look at it?

I found myself looking up at just such a sky one day last week. Only a few clouds, and the sky was this deep, bright blue. It’s hard to explain until you see it, and then you never quite forget how gorgeous it is. This always seems to happen to me when it’s freezing cold outside - also, when I'm driving and therefore unable to take a picture.

If it wasn’t for the atmosphere, you could see into space. Could look directly into the infinite. Finite, next to infinite. It reminds me of what I am like next to God.

It’s an awe-inspiring thought. It makes me feel, truly, how small I am, in comparison to the rest of creation, and how small I am compared to God.

And if it were not for the atmosphere, we would be fully exposed to the sun’s radiation every day. The atmosphere protects us from this. Not too long ago, it was pointed out to me that if we were exposed to the full glory of what happens each week at Mass - if the accidents changed with the substance - we couldn’t stand it.

While the atmosphere protects us from the sun’s harmful radiation, it also prevents us from seeing the sun as it truly is, as does the vast distance between us and the sun. In the very same way the fact that the accidents do not change at mass is an expression of the mercy of God.

We could not stand the full glory of God as he is - not in our present, sinful state, and so God covers that glory under the accidents of bread and wine, for our benefit.

If you have time this week, I would encourage you to visit the adoration chapel, and spend a little time gazing into the infinite.

Rejoice! We are an Easter People

Third Sunday of Advent

This Sunday, the second reading will be from 1 thes 5:16-24.

Pope Francis observes in his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium that, “There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter.” (EG, 6)  If this is true, then it is no wonder that people think that the Catholic faithful (and indeed faithful Christians on the whole) are oppressed, repressed, and unhappy people. If we go around moping like somebody is about to die, we look like a church that is perpetually in mourning. Who wants to belong to a religion like that?

Who wants to go to church where people act every week as though they all ate bad sushi the night before and still feel a little green around the gills. These are people who are there because of an unwanted feeling of obligation.

Now, don’t misunderstand – this is not a complaint against the obligation to attend Mass each Sunday. It is rather a complaint against the attitude with which some people choose to do it.

We must not take lightly what takes place during the Mass. The Eucharist is a beautiful union between heaven and earth. Angels sing and rejoice with us that God has accomplished the salvation of the world. We experience the bodily, physical presence of Jesus Christ made manifest in the world. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.  And people claim that they “don’t get anything out of it.” Objective grace is happening whether you feel it or not. (NB: I cannot claim most of the observations in this paragraph as my own – I am repeating things I heard in the homilies of many, many excellent homilists.)

Now, I understand that there may be times when you’ve ACTUALLY had bad sushi the night before, but just the same, Paul exhorts us to rejoice always.

What about -

Always. And in all circumstances give thanks.

What is the reason for this rejoicing? There are a few.

First: it is the will of God for us. God desires us to be happy in this life. We are commanded to rejoice in the Lord.

Second: In this concluding prayer for this letter, Paul prays that the members of that community will be made holy and be preserved blameless for the coming of Jesus Christ. He reminds us thereafter that God is faithful – and speaks of God’s fidelity regularly in his letters, as do many of the Old Testament prophets. God's faithfulness to his promises is something to rejoice in, as we are the beneficiaries of those promises.

Third: What’s not to rejoice in about the Eucharist?

And a hundred other reasons besides!

Let’s pray that God increase our joy in our faith. Let us ask him to increase our joy in the blessings that we have already received, and in those that have been promised to us, for he is faithful and will accomplish what he has promised.  Let us also ask that our joy might be a light to the world that others may see the joy of the Christian life, and be converted.