I haven't found my thumbdrive yet, but out of nowhere a backup of everything up through October appeared on my laptop. I'm pretty sure it wasn't there the first 60 thousand times I looked through my files hoping that I had saved at least some of the files from the thumbdrive.
Everything but my Nanowrimo novel and some work I've done on another book was there. Thank you St. Anthony! I'm still praying that my thumbdrive reappears because having to rewrite 7 chapters will be a pain, but I can live with having the huge majority of my documents back.
While looking up more about St. Anthony, I found out that besides finding lost stuff, he's also the patron saint for a ton of other things, like baron women, pregnant women, American Indians, elderly people, boatmen, fishermen, harvests, horses, mariners, sailors, swineherds, travel hostesses, travelers and watermen. And he also protects against shipwrecks and starvation.
He is one busy saint. I'm just thankful that he spared a few minutes for me.
Prayer of Thanksgiving Saint Anthony of Padua
Most loving protector, St. Anthony, what gift can I give you in exchange to show my heartfelt gratitude? With your continued help I will show appreciation to you by being more faithful to God, more constant in prayer, and readier to do good to those nearest me. I praise you for the esteem in. which your name is held throughout the world, for the miracles and wonders with which you have filled the Church and the world, and for the many benefits men keep receiving through your gracious help.
May these intentions convey my great thanks to the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to our blessed Lady, Queen of heaven and earth.
Pray the Our Father
Pray the Hail Mary
Pray the Glory Be
Dec 27, 2012
Dec 26, 2012
Can You Find It?
Did you know that there is a patron Saint of lost stuff? I didn't until this past week. Where has he been all my life?
Over the weekend I lost a thumbdrive that has a bunch of important files that have not been backed up. Months of work is down the drain, unless I can locate this thumbdrive.
So, I am going to put this into St. Anthony's hands, because God knows I can't seem to find it on my own. So please St. Anthony work miracle for me.
Over the weekend I lost a thumbdrive that has a bunch of important files that have not been backed up. Months of work is down the drain, unless I can locate this thumbdrive.
So, I am going to put this into St. Anthony's hands, because God knows I can't seem to find it on my own. So please St. Anthony work miracle for me.
Novena to Saint Anthony to Find a Lost Article
St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find the thumbdrive which has been lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favor, I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen.Dec 25, 2012
Midnight Clear
Tonight I went to midnight Mass at the monastery and I'm starting to think I might just be too old to be staying up this late. Atleast it only happens one night a year.
It was a beautiful Mass.
Before heading to bed I wanted to wish everyone a very merry and blessed Christmas. May you feel the magnitude of God's love for you in this one lowly birth.
God remember all of your children
who are not around to celebrate Christmas this year
because of accidents, murder, illness and abortion.
And remember all those
who will not be celebrating Christmas
because of homelessness, loneliness, or lack of faith.
Amen.
It was a beautiful Mass.
Before heading to bed I wanted to wish everyone a very merry and blessed Christmas. May you feel the magnitude of God's love for you in this one lowly birth.
God remember all of your children
who are not around to celebrate Christmas this year
because of accidents, murder, illness and abortion.
And remember all those
who will not be celebrating Christmas
because of homelessness, loneliness, or lack of faith.
Amen.
Dec 21, 2012
It Starting To Look Like...
...winter at Trinity Heights.
 |
| Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel |
 |
| On the bridge by St. Francis of /Assissi |
 |
| Our Lady of Mount Carmel |
 |
| A picture of where a deer was 2 seconds ago. |
Dec 14, 2012
Dec 12, 2012
Missing the Call
Recently, I came across a discussion online in which a poster was worried about missing God's call. The gist of the conversation was that they wish God would just tell them what he wanted them to do. What if they were called to the religious life, but didn't realize it until after they had already gotten married?
He'll Call Again
Trust me, God does not just call once, he keeps calling until you answer. (He's kind of a nag that way) When I was younger, I went off the tracks and ended up in a place where a call to religious life was no longer possible. Did God give up on me? Of course not. He reassessed his options and began calling me to do other things. Nothing is an obstacle to God.
Selective Hearing
God calls us in many different ways. You might be hoping for the booming voice with choirs of angels singing or maybe a written out agenda (that would be sweet). Not likely to happen. A call can be a subtle as a feeling of interest in something or thought or more major like getting lost and ending up at a priest's convention or hearing the same word or phrase over and over from different sources. If you're only tuned in to getting a big announcement, you just might miss the whisper.
Stop Waiting Around
While you're waiting to hear his call, instead of just sitting around stressing, get off your duff and seek him out. Pick a devotion. The rosary, Eucharistic adoration, liturgy of the hours are all good places to start. If it doesn't do anything for you, move on to another. Eventually you'll hit on something that feels right to you. Use that devotion to get closer to God. As you get closer, you'll be able to better hear him and might (big might) discover what he wants you to do with your life.
Patience
I know, patience is not easy, but, God does things in his own time. If you get into the mindset that you have to know and you have to know now, you could set yourself up for a false call. Prepare yourself to be ready to answer when he does call and then continue to live your life, centered on God.
God of wisdom and of counsel, You see in my heart a sincere desire to please You alone and to conform myself entirely to Your holy Will in the choice of my state in life. Grant me, I humbly implore You, by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, my Mother and my holy Patrons, the grace to know what state in life I should choose and to embrace it when known, in order that thus I may seek Your glory and increase it, work out my own salvation, and deserve the heavenly reward which You have promised to those who do Your holy Will. Amen.
He'll Call Again
Trust me, God does not just call once, he keeps calling until you answer. (He's kind of a nag that way) When I was younger, I went off the tracks and ended up in a place where a call to religious life was no longer possible. Did God give up on me? Of course not. He reassessed his options and began calling me to do other things. Nothing is an obstacle to God.
Selective Hearing
God calls us in many different ways. You might be hoping for the booming voice with choirs of angels singing or maybe a written out agenda (that would be sweet). Not likely to happen. A call can be a subtle as a feeling of interest in something or thought or more major like getting lost and ending up at a priest's convention or hearing the same word or phrase over and over from different sources. If you're only tuned in to getting a big announcement, you just might miss the whisper.
Stop Waiting Around
While you're waiting to hear his call, instead of just sitting around stressing, get off your duff and seek him out. Pick a devotion. The rosary, Eucharistic adoration, liturgy of the hours are all good places to start. If it doesn't do anything for you, move on to another. Eventually you'll hit on something that feels right to you. Use that devotion to get closer to God. As you get closer, you'll be able to better hear him and might (big might) discover what he wants you to do with your life.
Patience
I know, patience is not easy, but, God does things in his own time. If you get into the mindset that you have to know and you have to know now, you could set yourself up for a false call. Prepare yourself to be ready to answer when he does call and then continue to live your life, centered on God.
God of wisdom and of counsel, You see in my heart a sincere desire to please You alone and to conform myself entirely to Your holy Will in the choice of my state in life. Grant me, I humbly implore You, by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, my Mother and my holy Patrons, the grace to know what state in life I should choose and to embrace it when known, in order that thus I may seek Your glory and increase it, work out my own salvation, and deserve the heavenly reward which You have promised to those who do Your holy Will. Amen.
Dec 4, 2012
Say What?
This month's assignment is to read Article 8 of the Catechism. Uh huh. The reading part is going great. The understanding what I just read, not so much.
There are bits and peices that are easy to understand, like the symbolism of the Holy Spirit. That I can get no problem. But, what the heck is stuff like this supposed to mean:
As part of the Year of Faith, the Bishops are encouraging everyone to read the Catechism. After only reading this one section, I'm almost scared to try and read the rest. Even with a college education, I'm just not smart enough to understand this stuff.
As an added self torture, in order to try and understand what the Catechism is trying to say, I also read Divinum Illud Munus, which is an Encyclical on the Holy Spirit written by Pope Leo XIII back in 1897. It was not much easier to understand than the Catechism.
So I resorted to the dummies version aka Catechism for Adults, which I conveniently had sitting on my book shelf. (Totally forgot it was there.) While it doesn't translate the mystifying passages of the Catechism, it does give a nice explanation of the general idea of the section.
I also found that I have a copy of the St. Joseph's Catechism, which is conveniently in question and answer format in elementary level language. Who could have known that I would have so many good back up sources readily available.
If I do venture to read the whole Catechism, I think I will keep the dummy versions handy, because reading the Catechism doesn't mean much if you don't understand it.
There are bits and peices that are easy to understand, like the symbolism of the Holy Spirit. That I can get no problem. But, what the heck is stuff like this supposed to mean:
706 Against all human hope, God promises descendants to Abraham, as the fruit of faith and of the power of the Holy Spirit.68 In Abraham’s progeny all the nations of the earth will be blessed. This progeny will be Christ himself,69 in whom the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will “gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.”70 God commits himself by his own solemn oath to giving his beloved Son and “the promised Holy Spirit... [who is] the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.”71 (60) Huh?(Yes, those are my enlightened notes on the section in red.)
As part of the Year of Faith, the Bishops are encouraging everyone to read the Catechism. After only reading this one section, I'm almost scared to try and read the rest. Even with a college education, I'm just not smart enough to understand this stuff.
As an added self torture, in order to try and understand what the Catechism is trying to say, I also read Divinum Illud Munus, which is an Encyclical on the Holy Spirit written by Pope Leo XIII back in 1897. It was not much easier to understand than the Catechism.
So I resorted to the dummies version aka Catechism for Adults, which I conveniently had sitting on my book shelf. (Totally forgot it was there.) While it doesn't translate the mystifying passages of the Catechism, it does give a nice explanation of the general idea of the section.
I also found that I have a copy of the St. Joseph's Catechism, which is conveniently in question and answer format in elementary level language. Who could have known that I would have so many good back up sources readily available.
If I do venture to read the whole Catechism, I think I will keep the dummy versions handy, because reading the Catechism doesn't mean much if you don't understand it.
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