REVIEW: Mother Angelica: Her Grand Silence

I recently finished reading an amazing book.  For those of you who missed this post's title, this book was called Mother Angelica: Her Grand Silence.  It's a powerful and moving biography of an amazing woman.  Mother Angelica has been one of the most outspoken and influential women in the Church in the last century, and while I'm not a part of the committee that may one day determine her sainthood, I can say without fear of contradiction that this is one individual who certainly lived a saintly life.  I believe one day, we will see a Saint Angelica.  One day, all of her sacrificing, prayers, and suffering will culminate with one more saint in our midst.

The book covers most of the end of Mother's life.  Author Raymond Arroyo actually wrote another biography of Mother, which details the earlier portion of her life.  I have not had the chance to read it, but it will be on my to-read list for sure.  However, while all of Mother's life was a beautiful tribute to the God she discovered as a teen, for me, it was the end of her life which touched such a chord.

I have been trying to write about this for a while, but I just can't get the words to come out.  My grandmother has been sick for a long time, and is slowly passing away.  There have been times when I honestly believed that she was going to die, but each time, God brings her back to us.  I've been struggling with things, because I watch her suffering, and while I know there is a divine plan, I find it difficult to understand why a woman who is so sweet and loving, and so faithful to God would be made to suffer like this.  This book made me understand.

I understand now that pain and suffering is meant as a means of cleansing.  Suffering allows us to have a deeper relationship with God.  It forces us to be humble, it crushes our pride, and it makes us rely more deeply on Him.  It also acts as a spiritual cleansing for others.  Suffering allows us to sacrifice for the good of the souls of others.  When we are made to suffer, it is God reaching out to us and showing us His mercy.

I recommend all of you read this book, no matter your creed, situation, or current thoughts on religion.  Just read it and allow Mother to reach out to you as she has reached out to so many people, and how she has reached out to your little sister here; as she has reached out to me.

I'll leave you with this video.  This is from World Youth Day 1993, where the Stations of the Cross featured a pantomime with a female actor playing the role of Jesus.  Why am I sharing this?  Because this is the first time I had really seen Mother Angelica get angry; a righteous anger.  And every time I watch this video, I feel a fire stirred up inside of me, and I want to be just like her.  I hope that you feel the same.

God bless you all,


❤ Little Sister

Blessed Martin Martínez Pascual

I read this article on UCatholic, and have not been able to stop thinking about this man.  I've kept the tab open, and I keep coming back to his face, the look in his eyes.  And I feel this strong connection to him.  I'm not sure if I'm developing a crush on a martyred priest, or if it's the strength of his faith that's so fascinating, but I've decided I'm going to start learning a bit more about him, and pray for his intersession in my life.  After all, he's currently beatified, so he's on the road to sainthood.  And as a Catholic, I believe that those who have gone before us will continue to pray for us here on earth.  So, why not?  Perhaps God is trying to reach out to me though this man.  Perhaps there is something special that I need to learn from him.

I Learned that in an Anime #2: Dragon Ball Z is Pro-Life

Just as a fair warning, this post is going to contain some spoilers about the Dragon Ball Z film Battle of Gods (2013) and the Dragon Ball Z anime.  If you haven't seen the film and plan on it, I suggest watching it first and coming back to read this post later.  If you don't care about spoilers, please read on ahead.  I'll try to give a bit of background for non-DBZ fans so you can also follow along.

***

So, to summarize, this film was considered something a reboot of the Dragon Ball franchise.  It takes place sometime after the events of "Z," but before GT.  A bit of background on the series: Goku is a Saiyan, a member of a destructive race of aliens who travel from planet to planet wiping out the native inhabitants.  However, he crash-landed on earth as a child, hitting his head and losing his memory, so instead, he grows up to become a hero for justice and a protector against the many threats to the earth.  By the time "Z" has ended, Goku has defeated some of the most powerful beings in the universe, including Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu.  

Final-Form Frieza, Super Buu, and Perfect Cell

The movie starts in a time of peace, where there are no threats left to fight, and Goku's friend Bulma is celebrating her birthday. Meanwhile, in another part of the universe, Beerus, the god of destruction has awakened from his long slumber to fulfill a prophecy and find the fabled "Super Saiyan God". When he does not find what he is looking for on Earth, he decides to destroy it if Goku can't stop him.

So, here is the spoiler time...

Beerus vs "Super Saiyan God" Goku

Goku can't stop Beerus.  He's just not strong enough.  But, there is a prophesy that if five Saiyans with pure hearts join hands and channel their power into another, he or she can become a Super Saiyan God.  So, Goku gathers together his other Saiyan family and friends (Vegeta, Trunks, Gohan, and Goten), but the ritual doesn't work.  They misunderstood: there has to be five Saiyans to power up a sixth one, as opposed to a total of five.  But, here's the thing...Gohan's human wife Videl is pregnant with his Saiyan baby, so she joins the circle as well, and the power of the child's pure heart is enough to complete the ritual and give Goku the power he needs to transform.

Pregnant Videl and unborn Pan give their power to help Goku

So, what does that mean?  Well, the only way that Goku could have reached the level of godhood was to have the power of five pure-hearted Saiyans to help him.  And if Videl's unborn child (soon to be known as Pan) was able to complete the ring as the sixth Saiyan then that means a few very important things.  One, baby Pan has a pure heart, and two, she is a person.  A clump of cells could not have had the power or the purity of heart to assist as she does.  And look closely at the picture of Videl featured here.  That's a pretty flat stomach.  In fact, her husband doesn't even know that she's pregnant yet!  She surprises everyone by announcing her pregnancy at the moment  when Pan's pure heart is needed to complete the circle.  My point?  According to science, that baby is nothing more than a tiny cluster of cells...and yet, it is enough of a person to make a big impact.

Too many people tell us today that motherhood is a form of bondage, and that the unborn children in our wombs are not people yet (so as to justify ripping them from the womb in pieces or burning them to death with a saline solution).  How far from the truth this is!  Pregnancy is a beautiful thing.  As I talked about in my last post, I am considering veiling at mass and adoration.  In some of the links provided there, people talk about how you veil something that is sacred.  And a woman veils herself because her body is sacred.  God touches women in a way he does not touch men--he gives us the ability to produce life and carry it until it is ready to be born.  What a beautiful gift!

Tarble

The thing is, this was not just a convenient point that was needed in the film.  For example, the prophecy could have required a total of five pure-hearted Saiyans, since there would be more than enough of them at the party. They could have even used other Saiyan characters from the series, such as Vegeta's brother Tarble, even though he wasn't there at the time.  Beerus made it abundantly clear that he's going to wait.  This is not a matter of "We have sixty seconds and need a fast solution!"  Sure, there was a time limit, but it was not an instantaneous death sentence.  So, why not get him?  Or the ritual could even have required six pure hearts, regardless of race. But, that's not how it happened.  Instead, the message here is that it had to be six Saiyans, and Videl and Gohan's daughter Pan was the necessary extra piece to complete the circle.  And this means that this was a conscious choice on the part of the writers.  They wanted to show Pan's personhood.

Say what you would like, but this is pretty clear to me.  Just as God has decreed that each and every one of us is a person with our own soul and will and purpose, so too is it shown in this anime.  Goku is a protector.  Life in all of its forms is important to him.  That's why he needs the assistance of all lives to power up some of his most powerful attacks such as the spirit bomb or his Super Saiyan God form.  Many movies and shows attempt to tear apart the humanity of the unborn just as abortionists try to tear the babies from the womb.  But, at least one can count on the Dragon Ball franchise to get the message right.

I'll leave you with this closing thought:

God bless,

♥ Little Sister

Veiling

For a few months now, I have been considering the possibility of veiling during mass, adoration, and prayer.  Now, when I say "veiling" what I mean is wearing a mantilla or chapel veil as a sign of respect and humility during my prayers.  Now, I'm sure there will be some confused readers out there.  No, this is not like the Muslim hijab or burka, but rather more revealing.  Think of a scarf draped over the top of the head, or better yet, here's a picture:

Image Credit: ChurchPop

I brought this idea of veiling up to my family, and while they weren't against it, they certainly didn't understand.  And that's okay.  After all, this is an older tradition, and I'd say 90% of women no longer feel the need for the veil.  I had been thinking about it after a Facebook post from a Catholic friend who found himself fascinated by a woman who veiled at the campus masses he attended.  A few months later, I saw a young woman, a few years older than me, veiling when I visited a different parish for weekend mass.  Like my friend, I was absolutely fascinated, and thought it was a beautiful gesture.  Think of it this way: a woman should consider herself a bride of Christ.  When women get married, we veil our heads.  Why would we not veil our heads in the presence of our Lord, then, too?

To take a small aside, my grandmother is dying.  Or, at the very least, she does not have a lot of time left.  For nearly ten years, she's been suffering from Parkinson's, and in the last few months, her health has taken a turn for the worse.  It has been very hard watching my beautiful, strong, and amazing grandmother going down this path.  She no longer uses facial expressions, and rarely talks.  Sometimes, she'll nod.  She's very aware, though.  You can tell.  She's still a highly intelligent woman, and every time I see her, I am blown away by her strength.

So, why am I talking about this?  Well, yesterday, my mom and I were cleaning out her room, since she's being moved from her current assisted living facility to a new one that will provide a higher level of care.  And as we were going through her belongings, packing everything into boxes and bags, my mom said she had something for me, and reaching into one of the drawers, pulled out a beautiful black veil.

I started crying as I held it.  It still smelled like Grandma's perfume.

Despite not understanding my desire to veil, my mom had held onto this simple piece of lace that she had found weeks ago with the intention of giving it to me.  She said it's what my grandma would want.  Now, every time I veil, I will have that little piece of her with me.

If you would like to learn more about the veil, and why Catholic women all over the world are bringing back this beautiful tradition, you can read about it here and here.  And here are a couple of videos you might find helpful as well, courtesy of ChurchPop.

Do you veil?  Or do you know someone who does?  What do you think of this practice? Let's start the conversation in the comments below.  I would love to hear what you have to say.

God bless,

♥ Little Sister

Advice for Lonely Singles

So, this advice is as much for me as it is for you.  I have been single for three years now, after having gotten out of a strange "pseudo" relationship with my best friend that lasted three years in college.  And I have been very on the fence about getting out into the dating game again.  It's not that I don't want to find a boyfriend (and eventually a husband), but I keep finding reasons why someone just isn't right, and then I back away, so that if that person was considering asking me out or making a move, he can sense the shift in my own feelings towards him, and he never follows through.

Why do I do this?  Well, I believe it's for a couple of reasons.  And you might be feeling this, too.  First, I went through a lot of "puppy love" crushes in my time, and fell for a lot of guys who just weren't right for me.  Two in particular stand out.  One was verbally abusive, and the other was a cynical atheist.  As much as I tried, I found it difficult, and each time it didn't work out, I ended up a bit hardened by the experience.  Now, looking at the men in my life, I've determined that unless he's "perfect," I want nothing to do with him.  And that's not necessarily right...is it?

Father Mike is one of my favorite YouTube personalities, and I'm sure you've seen him on this blog before.  So, before we continue, I ask that you take a few minutes to watch this video and then keep reading. 

Okay.  So, if you're like me, your first reaction was a bit of indignity.  What do you mean I don't have a soulmate?!  Yeah, I thought that too.  But, it makes sense.   I always thought it was a bit sad to consider that if we do have soulmates, then what happens when someone marries the wrong person?  For example, let's say I'm supposed to marry a guy named Bob.  But, then instead of marrying me, Bob marries Kay for whatever reason.  And then, I end up marrying someone else.  But, now, Bob, Kay, me, and my spouse are with the wrong people.  Doesn't that mess everything up?  Well, perhaps, if Fr. Mike is right, this is not the case.

I like that he addresses the issue of perfection here.  There is a guy I'm curious about.  I've met him through work.  He's very nice, kind, and Catholic.  But, I'm just not sure that he's "the one".  And I'm holding back on him.  Well, there are two issues here, as I'm sure many of you could point out.  One is that going on a date or two does not equal marriage.  This is true.  My issue is that I like to look ahead.  So, if I don't think this is going to work out now, then why waste his time and mine and go out?  That's what happened with my best friend.  We knew it wasn't going to work, but we wasted three years on each other.

And the other issue, which I half-addressed above is that there isn't necessarily "the one".  Our Father gave us free will.  But, by choosing one person for us, a single option that must be followed...that's not really free will, is it?

This is a lot to think about, I know.  And I'm not necessarily saying this is the correct answer.  But, it was some good food for thought.  And it has made me think a bit more.  Perhaps, instead of waiting for perfection, which can only be found in Jesus Christ, I should be a bit more open to options.  And perhaps, if you're struggling with being alone, this might be something to consider as well.  Think about it.

Until next time, brothers and sisters.  God bless,

Little Sister

A Couple of Inspirational Thoughts for the Start of Your Week

The Eucharist

Our Father

Hello, everyone:

Sorry it has been a little while since I've last posted.  There has just been a lot going on.  Nothing bad, but I've been busy, and just have forgotten how to slow down and focus.  Now, before I post too much, I wanted to try a new feature on this blog.  I'd like to start each post (or end each post--haven't decided yet) with a prayer intention.  This might be for someone in my family, a celebrity, a world leader, or even one of your intentions (if you have one, please include it in the comments on any post!)  The Catholic Church is about community, so this is a great opportunity for us to pray for each other.

With that in mind, today's prayer intention is for our sister in Christ, S.  She's a non-practicing Catholic who could use our prayers in returning to the Church.  Please pray for S., and ask that God will help to draw her back to Himself.  Thank you!

_________________________________________________________________________________

I have been thinking lately about how I pray.  When I was a child, I would address my prayers to God.  As I got older, I started to call Him Lord.  And lately, I've been calling Him Father.  This was not something that came overnight.  But, it was a beautiful acceptance of my role as a daughter of Christ.

When I was in grade school, our parish's deacon explained that when Jesus calls God "Abba," that actually translates not as "Father," but "Daddy".  There is something very beautiful and vulnerable about calling someone "Daddy" and I loved the sentiment.  But, for years, my relationship was so formal...so, Lord it was.  And there is nothing wrong with calling God by that title.  He is our Lord.  But, I have found a certain peace in calling Him Father.  I tried the name a few times and it felt awkward.  So, I prayed about it, and one day it just came out.

If you recall, Jesus tells us to call God "Father".  There is a whole prayer dedicated to it.  By using this name, you are allowing yourself into a deeper relationship.  When I talk to my Father, I feel as though I am a child asking for a favor or talking about my troubles or the good things that happened to me today.  I am allowing myself to be vulnerable in a way that I had not expected.  And most surprising, I have found that I have begun to trust more.  Just as a kid, when I expected my dad (who was totally a superhero) to take care of everything, and make everything better, I have come to trust God in the same way.  Of course, bad things happen, and I get scared, frustrated, and angry, but I know that everything is going to be okay.  Think of it this way: as a kid, you might slip and fall, and you scrape your knee.  Your dad didn't stop you from falling, but he will clean up your knee and hug you and make it feel all better.  God might not stop bad things from happening, but He will always be there to pick up the pieces and take care of you in the end.

Pray with me:

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.

Amen.

God bless you all!

Dean Koontz

 

I was recently on ChurchPop and found this great article about author Dean Koontz.  Not only is he a Catholic, but he's a good writer, too!  I loved Odd Thomas, and the only think keeping me from diving right into the next book was the fact that the library didn't have it on the shelf.  In fact, perhaps I should stop by tomorrow and see if I can get it.

If you enjoy a good thriller with a supernatural twist, I think you'll really like his writing.  It sucks you right in and it's hard to stop reading.  You can check out the article here.  For those of you who saw the movie, Odd Thomas, but didn't read the book, you totally should.  If you hated the movie, that's fine, since I found it disappointing, too.  The book is much better.  And for those of you who loved the movie, well...the book is still much better :)

Fasting

With Lent's arrival, perhaps it is time to consider fasting.  I hate to fast, but these videos bring up some great points that I think all of us need to consider.  I especially like (and sort of hate) the idea of the "heroic minute" from the first video.

St. Valentine

Happy St. Valentine's Day, everyone!  I'm going to keep this post short tonight, since I have a bit of a headache, and I'm extremely tired, haha.

Valentine's Day is more than just candy and romance.  Learn about the real St. Valentine here.  

Also, here are a few Valentine's comics from Jason Bach.  I know I shared these last year, but for those of you who haven't seen them, they're a real hoot :)

Click to enlarge

This is just Part 1.  You can read Part 2 and Part 3 here.

Finally, consider using today as a reason to pray to St. Valentine.  Pray for strength to follow God's will, and, to keep with the romantic theme of the day, pray for your current or future spouse.  If you're called to the single life, then pray for your spouse the Church. If you're looking for a prayer, consider perhaps, this prayer for your soulmate from Catholic.org.

God bless.

Patron Saint of the Year (Repost)

Hello, all!  While I was messing around in the behind-the-scenes part of this blog, it appears that I have accidentally deleted my post about St. Walburga!  And so, this is sort of a rewrite of that post, since of course, I never intended to take it down.

So, a few weeks ago, I discovered this great idea on Facebook.  The premise is very simple.  At the start of the new year, some people select a saint who is to be their patron and friend for the year.  You don't get to pick by yourself, though.  I can't just say "I want Saint John Bosco, or Saint Bernadette, or Saint Joseph to be my patron this year."  Traditionally, you draw a name from a hat, and that is your saint.  The thought is that God will help draw you to the saint who can do the most good in your life.

 

With Lent upon us, this might be something to consider, as a way to strengthen your prayer life.

The article I read, (which frustratingly, I cannot find), suggested that instead of using names written on pieces of paper, you could use a site, which generates saints' names.  You can find that here.  The important thing to remember is that when you get the name of a saint, that is your saint.  There is no round 2.  Think about it this way.  This saint was chosen for you by God to be your special intercessor and friend.  And then you turn around and say "Oh, I don't think I want this saint...."  Ouch.  Talk about insulting.  Don't insult the one who has come to help you!

My patron for the year is St. Walburga.  I have included a lovely picture of her on the right-hand side of my blog, and if you click on it, you can learn more about her.  She sounds pretty amazing, actually, and I'm really looking forward to getting to know her this year.  Besides covering a multitude of intentions through her intercession (including cough, famine, and rabies), she also comes from a family of saints, which is very cool.

If you try this, tell me in the comments who your saint is :)

Saint Walburga, pray for us!  God bless you all!

Happy Ash Wednesday!

Death

I lost someone who was very dear to me today.  I feel so empty inside.  What keeps me going is the assurance that I'll see her again someday, that she is no longer suffering, and that she is with the Lord.

I could never be an atheist.  I can't imagine living life with the belief that there is nothing else, and that when someone dies, they are gone forever.  I just couldn't.

Please keep my family and me in your prayers.

An Update

Hello, everyone!

I'd like to provide you all with a quick update.  The poor little old lady at my parish is doing fine.  She's been returned home and is recovering from having a pacemaker installed.  Thank you to all of you who prayed for a swift recovery.  There is no doubt in my mind that prayer saved her.  She went into complete cardiac arrest in the middle of mass.  That means her heart completely stopped beating.  But, through prayer and the timely intervention of our congregation, her life was saved.  How amazing is that?  God bless her and those who helped her!

And God bless all of you!

The Importance of Community

Sometimes, people ask why we need to go to Mass.  Can't I get the same experiences praying at home?  Plus, I can do it on my own time and at my own pace.  Mass is just too long, etc.  The list goes on and on.  And yes, there is something to be said for praying at home.  But, the sense of community cannot be overlooked.  After all, didn't our Lord say that were two or more are gathered in His name, he will be there among them? (Matthew 18:20)

And I think it goes deeper than that.  Today, at Mass, one of our parishioners had a heart attack.  I wasn't able to see who it was, but I heard it was a woman.  As of right now, we do not know if she is alive or dead.  But, rather than being horrified at this news, think of it this way: she was surrounded by her community in her hour of need.  And, if we believe the Gospels to be true (which we do), then God was more certainly with her.  Of course, God is with us always, as was stated in Matthew 28:20, "And behold I am with you always, even to the end of the age".   She came to mass alone, so that means she might be widowed or never married.  Imagine the alternative of dying alone at home with no one to take care of her.  Rather, she was surrounded by community who called 911, performed CPR, and rushed to her aid.  And of course, God was with her.

We all fell into silent prayer while the paramedics came to help.  One of the women from my parish, who was sitting in my pew, gripped my arm and held onto me for support, and I held her hand.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm somewhat emotionally stunted.  I don't like to talk about emotional things, and I don't know how to respond when people cry to me.  But, God blessed me in that moment, and allowed me to be strong enough for both of us, to hold my sobbing sister in Christ, and be there for her in that moment.  That's community.  Being there for each other in good times and in bad.  That's why it is important to go to Mass instead of just praying at home.  Because the early Christians were a community, and because God wants us to remain a community.  And because we need to take care of each other.

God bless you all,

Little Sister

A New Year and the Year of Mercy

Happy 2016, everyone!  I know I'm a few days late, but I've been very busy getting in some well-deserved rest, and wandering around the house in my Snuggie.  I hope all of you had a very blessed Christmas and New Year, as well.

So, with the new year comes resolutions.  I know most of us plan to lose weight, read more, eat healthy, maybe travel.  I have my own list of things that I want to do.  I want to work on self-improvement, work out more, learn a new language, post on this blog more...etc, etc.  You get the idea.  But, there is one thing that I think I'm going to have genuine trouble working on.  That's mercy.  Now, I know what you're thinking.  Mercy?  Little Sister, are you some sort of tyrant?  No, it's not like that.  The issue I'm having is my mother, hovering over me and reminding me, each time I get angry or feel uncharitable, that Pope Francis has made this an Extraordinary Year of Mercy, and that means we have to really focus on showing mercy in our lives, whether that's cutting people slack, giving aid, or not holding a grudge.  In the spirit of honesty, I'm not that good at that.

So, that's my  big focus this year: trying to be merciful.  That means less complaining, not holding a grudge, and giving people what they need, even if it is not what I want (such as talking to a chatty coworker who needs to talk to someone, instead of just avoiding her like I would want).

This is going to be difficult.  And I have a few other things that I'm trying to work through, so this promises to be an interesting year, if nothing else.

In other news, I would really appreciate some prayer help from all of you.  I've been having some pain in my ear for a little while now, and I'm starting to get a bit nervous.  St. Cornelius is the patron saint of ear problems, so I've been praying for his intercession myself.

God bless, and Happy New Year!