Freedom

It was many years ago when I first found the poem "When I am old I shall wear purple..." I loved it and have always kept a copy. Well now I AM old and I don't wear purple and I don't spit but I certainly realise that growing old does give me a great freedom from caring too much about what people other people think. I really don't worry any more about people thinking I'm a 'religious nut' or that I'm heavier than I used to be. I can go my 30 minutes walk a day free from that nagging feeling that I should do more - I even feel blessed and thankful that I CAN do it when so many people of my age can't. I am blessedly free of the necessity of planning the future; I can live in the present and Alex and I happily reminisce together about the past and don't feel guilty about it. People advise "Don't live in the past, look to the future." We haven't much future on earth and we have a lot of past and enjoy visiting it. We DO have a future for sure and hopefully it'll be glorious and blessed, so why shouldn't I 'wear purple' metaphorically speaking of course.

Be always with Christ.

I love the maxim "Be always with Christ". To be always with Him...to live only for Him: to die to myself, to my wishes, desires and feelings wanting only Him and His desires for me. It means staying close to Him throughout the day, to pray at regular times yes,and especially at the beginning of the day, but also to pray to him continuously, never having ME time unless He is included. It's hard and sacrificial but also sweet, tender and joyful. I haven't arrived there yet, but I keep practising...with Him.

Mary's role.

During this month of Mary as I pray the rosary I love to meditate on The blessed Mother's role in Jesus' life. Today I was saying the luminous mysteries and apart from the Marriage Feast it is harder to bring her in than in the other mysteries. But I imagine. I'm mediating on the Baptism of The Lord by John the Baptist. We don't know that Mary was there so I imagine a neighbour rushing in and telling her the news and Mary nodding slowly: she knew it was going to happen but she didn't know when. "So" I can see her saying quietly to herself "It begins." She must have known it would lead to suffering for Him ...and her. She must have prayed for Him and for those who would follow Him. "Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us..."

What do you do?

What do you do when travel to Mass through heavy traffic and discover the priest has cancelled the Mass and locked up the Church AGAIN? What do you do when the same priest says casually at the end of Mass two days later that he's cancelling Mass tomorrow? What do you do when you get the distinct impression that your Priest considers daily Mass-goers a nuisance? What do you do when you go to Mass at another Church and the whole congregation is laughing and talking so loudly before Mass and totally ignoring the Blessed Sacrament that you are driven out almost in tears? In the words of an old Protestant song I "Give it all to Jesus" and redouble my prayers for Priests.

Celebrating the Assumption

I love to prepare for special feast days and today has been a planning day for the Feast of the Assumption. I have prepared a sweet crown for our statue of the Blessed Mother and tomorrow I will also put a extra special flower before the tiny statue of her that I keep over my sink - and often chat to. The first Mass available to me is at 12.05pm and I sigh for the days when one could go to Mass at 6.30am; I'd love to start the Holy Day that early. Finally we will have a very special ice-cream treat after dinner in her honour. I love being a Catholic!

No Worries

So we are off to spend the weekend with our family scattered round the North Island and we have a 4 hour journey. Part of that journey takes us past a volcano which has just started having "minor eruptions" such as just ash on the roads and fumes in the air and flames and lava above us. "No worries" as Kiwis say. "The Lord is my Shepherd What have I to fear?" No worries. But just to be sure, I'll check out saints who'll protect us from volcanoes. And I'll take my rosary for sure!

Crazy Seasons

The seasons here in NZ are always haywire. This is the last month of winter yet when Alex and I went walking today in the beautiful University grounds, we saw in a one small area snowdrops, daffodils, bluebells and violets are flowering together! Crazy...but lovely. Praise God for the beauty of His creation.

Learning a new habit.

I have set myself a challenge to learn a new habit. I'm ashamed that I don't do already do this, but the truth is, I don't, and it's pretty hard to learn a new habit at my age. What I'm challenging myself to do is to say a Grace before Meals at EVERY meal. There I've admitted it! Alex and I usually pray together before our evening meal, but we take our other meals casually and often at separate times and I always forget to thank God for them. So, for the past 2 weeks I've been really hard to remember, and even leave myself little reminders on the dining table but I still often forget. I DO improve a little when I ask my guardian angel to remind me in my morning prayers, but I often even forget to ask him! But I keep trying and thank God when I do remember. One day soon, with God's and my guardian angel's help, it will become a true (and blessed) habit!