Church Life
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Small Mysteries, Large Voices, Small Mention
Behold — I shew you a mystery. We have several hummingbird feeders in our yards, some of them mounted on metal shepherd’s hooks. We’ve learned that the only hummingbird feeders worth having are the ones with a water dam in the top, a sort of cup that holds water and keeps ants from getting onto the feeder. I have to keep careful watch on the feeders, replenishing the water in the dams because it not only evaporates, but also because some of the smaller songbird will drink the water in the tops of the feeders. The other day I must have missed checking on one of the feeders, because when…
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A Prayer In Song
I haven’t listened to John Michael Talbot in a long time. When I’m in a certain mood, his music is appealing and soothing to me. Talbot apparently used the first part of the phony Covid lockdown to record a CD called “Songs From Solitude.” Here is one of the songs from that CD. And then here’s a song version of the Jesus prayer. My thoughts on this were sparked by recent posts by Bruce Charlton and William Wildblood. I hope these songs give you a sense of peace in your soul. ~ S.K. Orr
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Rest In Peace
Over to the left on my sidebar, you’ll see a link to the Monastery of the Infant Jesus in Lufkin, TX. This morning, Mrs. Orr received word that one of the nuns, Sister Mary Regina, has died. If you are so inclined, please say a prayer for the repose of Sister Mary Regina’s immortal soul. Also pray for the remaining nuns at the monastery, who will certainly miss the aged nun’s presence and influence. Requiescat in pace, Sister. ~ S.K. Orr
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Because WJT Will Understand
“A foreigner in her country, I came awkwardly, an anachronism, I suppose, and yet she came to light my life, to lead me into regions heretofore unknown to me, and I could not for the world give her up.” from Little Saint, by Hannah Green (2000 by Modern Library, New York, NY), p. 20
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The Feast of Saint Joan of Arc
Five hundred and ninety years ago today, a devout 19 year-old virgin from an obscure French village was fastened to a pillar in the village square of Rouen and burned to death by Church authorities, their actions born of political intrigue, spiritual blindness, worldly greed…and great evil. Young Joan hears her voices For deeply personal reasons, I have a special devotion to the Maid, and have maintained an intimate relationship with her through prayer and meditation for some years now. There is no one like her. And her presence in the living world of today is real and undeniable. I am celebrating the Maid’s feast day on this last Sunday…
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And About The Ninth Hour…
It is now three p.m. here, the ninth hour of the day if reckoned by the timekeeping of the earthly days of our Lord Jesus Christ. Either He died as the holy apostles have told us, or He did not. It was either accomplished for us, or it was not. His followers are either the most wretched of all men, or we are not. This is not the hour for arguments or syllogisms or debate. This is the hour when I am compelled to whisper, “Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy kingdom. Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Lord, increase my faith. Lord Jesus, receive my…
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Wednesday In Holy Week
I overheard someone at work refer to one of their mutual acquaintances as having “a missionary’s heart.” The phrase got me to thinking about missions and my experience with missionaries. In my experience in the Protestant world, few things are more heavily lip-serviced and more lightly performed in real life than “missions.” Pretty much every church has a bulletin board or display with photos and profiles of “their” missionaries. There are regular fund-raisers, coinciding usually with the missionary and his/her family making a personal appearance before the congregation to give a report on how things are going in their particular mission field. I also saw a fair number of “mission…
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Requiescat In Pace
My dear friend and spiritual advisor, Father James, who is a monk at Our Lady of Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky, informed me that one of his friends and fellow monks died recently. Brother Frank Gorzynski died on March 19th, after a rapid decline. He had battled multiple health issues over the years and had spent considerable time living in the monastery’s infirmary, which is a skilled nursing facility. I didn’t know Brother Frank, though I did get to speak to him briefly in the hallway of the monastery’s visitor’s center during a visit. I remember his prominent eyebrows and his achingly sweet smile. Brother Frank was 92 years old and…
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Comfort On This Day
It comforts me to realize that Christ did not warn the “little ones” like me — the ones whose understanding is weak or immature or lacking — He did not warn the little ones to be sure to know and parse every fleeting thought or obscure dictate of every leader of His church, lest we be condemned and damned. No, He warned those in authority about the dire consequences of causing one of His little ones to stumble or sin. My Father loves me; my Lord achieved redemption and forgiveness for me; my Blessed Mother and the host of triumphant Saints prays for me; the Holy Ghost guides and strengthens…
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Palm Sunday
We were flogged again with storms yesterday and last night. While out doing our weekly shopping yesterday afternoon, we huddled in the car while the sky turned inky and the lightning threw its crooked line daggers down, down near us. When we returned home, we learned that an area not far from where we had been was pelted with enough hail that it needed shoveling. The photos from the local weather station looked as if three inches of snow had fallen, and the damage to the siding on many homes looked as if a machine gunner had strafed the neighborhoods. I hoped all those eager young people who bought vegetable…