Lord Holy Father!
We thank you for this day and all that it brings. Good and bad. Let us be instruments for your
Kingdom. Let us think more of Thee and less of me...
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
June 1st Justin Martyr Day
JUSTIN MARTYR -- THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN
CHAPTER I -- ADDRESS.
To the Emperor Titus Ælius Adrianus Antoninus Pius Augustus Caesar, and to his son Verissimus the Philosopher, and to Lucius the Philosopher, the natural son of Caesar, and the adopted son of Pius, a lover of learning, and to the sacred Senate, with the whole People of the Romans, I, Justin, the son of Priscus and grandson of Bacchius, natives of Flavia Neapolis in Palestine, present this address and petition in behalf of those of all nations who are unjustly hated and wantonly abused, myself being one of them.
CHAPTER II -- JUSTICE DEMANDED.
Reason directs those who are truly pious and philosophical to honour and love only what is true, declining to follow traditional opinions, if these be worthless. For not only does sound reason direct us to refuse the guidance of those who did or taught anything wrong, but it is incumbent on the lover of truth, by all means, and if death be threatened, even before his own life, to choose to do and say what is right. Do you, then, since ye are called pious and philosophers, guardians of justice and lovers of learning, give good heed, and hearken to my address; and if ye are indeed such, it will be manifested. For we have come, not to flatter you by this writing, nor please you by our address, but to beg that you pass judgment, after an accurate and searching investigation, not flattered by prejudice or by a desire of pleasing superstitious men, nor induced by irrational impulse or evil rumours which have long been prevalent, to give a decision which will prove to be against yourselves. For as for us, we reckon that no evil can be done us, unless we be convicted as evil-doers or be proved to be wicked men; and you, you can kill, but not hurt us.
CHAPTER I -- ADDRESS.
To the Emperor Titus Ælius Adrianus Antoninus Pius Augustus Caesar, and to his son Verissimus the Philosopher, and to Lucius the Philosopher, the natural son of Caesar, and the adopted son of Pius, a lover of learning, and to the sacred Senate, with the whole People of the Romans, I, Justin, the son of Priscus and grandson of Bacchius, natives of Flavia Neapolis in Palestine, present this address and petition in behalf of those of all nations who are unjustly hated and wantonly abused, myself being one of them.
CHAPTER II -- JUSTICE DEMANDED.
Reason directs those who are truly pious and philosophical to honour and love only what is true, declining to follow traditional opinions, if these be worthless. For not only does sound reason direct us to refuse the guidance of those who did or taught anything wrong, but it is incumbent on the lover of truth, by all means, and if death be threatened, even before his own life, to choose to do and say what is right. Do you, then, since ye are called pious and philosophers, guardians of justice and lovers of learning, give good heed, and hearken to my address; and if ye are indeed such, it will be manifested. For we have come, not to flatter you by this writing, nor please you by our address, but to beg that you pass judgment, after an accurate and searching investigation, not flattered by prejudice or by a desire of pleasing superstitious men, nor induced by irrational impulse or evil rumours which have long been prevalent, to give a decision which will prove to be against yourselves. For as for us, we reckon that no evil can be done us, unless we be convicted as evil-doers or be proved to be wicked men; and you, you can kill, but not hurt us.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Guatemala loses anothr Missionary, but Heaven has another greeter at the gate
Deacon Chris Myers died on Thursday Night in Guatemala. Below are Fr. Michael Della Penne's kind tribute to Chris. As I said on my Facebook post, we all should have such great things said about us when we go to be with the Lord.
THANKYOU LORD FOR THE LIFE OF DEACON CHRIS MEYERS-
SINCE I HAD THE BLESSING TO BE WITH CHRIS WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, I WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE LAST PRECIOUS MOMENTS OF HIS EARTHLY LIFE WITH ALL HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I SAY IT WAS A BLESSING TO BE WITH CHRIS WHEN HE PASSED NOW BUT IN THOSE MOMENTS OF PANIC, I HAVE TO ADMIT I FELT HELPLESS AND AFTERWARDS I EVEN FELT GUILTY, THINKING I COULD HAVE DONE MORE. THE BLESSING HAS COME AFTERWARD WHEN I TOOK IT TO PRAYER. I REMEMBERED A STORY ABOUT A MONK WHO ALWAYS SPOKE ABOUT FINDING GOD AND SEARCHING FOR HIM ALWAYS BUT WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD EVER SEEN GOD THE MONK PAUSED AND SAID NO. BUT, HE SAID, EVEN MOSES HAD BEEN TOLD BY GOD “ YOU CANNOT SEE MY FACE AND LIVE” BUT ONLY ALLWED MOSES TO SEE HIS BACK AS HE PASSED BY HIM (EXODUS 33), REVEALING THATOFTEN IT IS ONLY LOOKING BACK AT OUR LIVES THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SEE THE PASSAGE OF GOD.
HIS LAST DAYS WERE TRULY FILLED WITH GRACE AND HELD SOME VERY SPECIAL MOMENTS OF ENCOUNTERING GOD. I AM ATTACHING A PICTURE THAT I RECEIVED TODAY THAT WAS TAKEN FROM A MASS WE CELEBRATED TOGETHER AT A SCHOOL CALLED ASSUMPTION LAST WEEK. THE PICTURE CAPTURES MUCH OF WHAT I AM FEELING. WRITTEN IN SPANISH ABOVE US ARE THE WORDS “THANKYOU LORD FOR LIFE”
LOOKING BACK ON THIS PICTURE NOW, I AM ABLE TO SEE MANY BLESSED MOMENTS THAT MAKE HIS DEATH EASIER TO ACCEPT.
THE GREATEST BLESSING BY FAR WAS THAT CHRIS HAD JUST JUST FINISHED CELEBRATING THE EUCHARIST MINUTES BEFORE WITH THE CHILDREN. HE HAD JUST RECEIVED JESUS AND WAS WALKING UP THE HILL WITH OUR SEMINARIAN EUGENIO TO THE FRIARY.
WHEN I ARRIVED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, I NOTICED HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING AS HE HAD SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW, CHRIS HAD BEEN EXPEREINCING CHEST PAINS FOR OVER A MONTH AND EVEN CHECKED THEM OUT IN BOSTON BUT THE DOCTORS DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. A COUPLE TIMES WHILE HE WAS HERE, HE HAD TO REST, COMPLANING THAT THEY HAD RETURNED. WHEN I SAW HIM ON THE BENCH IN FRONT OF THE FRIARY, I COULD TELL THAT THIS WAS SERIOUS. HE SEEMED UNABLE TO CATCH HIS BREATH. A FEW MINUTES LATER HE BEGAN TO SLUMP OVER. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE AMBULANCE AND THEN ADMINISTERED CPR. HE CAME TO BUT WAS BREATHING SLOWLY AND WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. HE AGAIN SEEMED TO SHUT DOWN AND AGAIN I GAVE HIM CPR AND HE BEGAN BREATHING AGAIN AND THEN I FELT COMPELLED TO RUN AND ANOINT HIM. LOOKING BACK ON THIS MONET I AM NOT REALLY SURE WHY I DID IT OTHER THAN I THOUGHT I SHOULD. WHAT A GREAT GRACE FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THIS SACRAMRNT.
HE WAS RESPONSIVE AND COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT HE COULD NOT SPEAK. WHILE WAITING FOR THE AMBULANCE HE WENT OUT AGAIN AND WE BROUGHT HIM BACK BUT THE LAST TIME HE STOPPED BREATHING I WAS NOT ABLE TO BRING HIM BACK. THE AMBULANCE CAME ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, AND TRIED TO GIVE HIM OXYGEN AND INJECTED HIM WITH A NEEDLE TO TRY AND REVIVE HIM. THEY PRONOUNCED HIM DEAD AT 7:05 PM. WE WERE ALL IN SHOCK. THE WHOLE THING SEEMED SURREAL.
SOME POWERFUL STORIES HAVE COME OUT ABOUT WHERE CHRIS WAS IN HIS LIFE. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE HE DIED, HE HAD SHARED A LOT WITH A TO A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE MARIELOS. SHE TOLD ME HE HAD SHARED WITH HER A DREAM HE HAD. HE SAID THAT GOD TOLD HIM THE NIGHT BEFORE THAT HE WOULD DIE AT VALLEY OF THE ANGELS. THEY JOKED ABOUT IT, SAYING THEY HOPED IT WAS NOT ANY TIME SOON.
CHRIS WAS CERTAINLY WHERE HE WANTED TO BE AND WAS IT WAS OBVIOUS HOW VERY HAPPY HE WAS. HE LOVED THE CHILDREN AND THEY LOVED HIM.
CHRIS RECEIVED A VERY FITTING GRACE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT HE PASSED AWAY HERE AT THE VALLEY. CHRIS HAD SHARED WITH ME A WHILE A GO JUST HOW MUCH HE LOVED FUNERALS. HE HAD EXPLAINED TO ME THE RICH THEOLOGY AND POWERFUL SYMBOLISM IN THE RITUALS AND HOW HE WOULD LOVE TO PREACH ABOUT THEM. WELL BETWEEN WHAT HE RECEIVED HERE AND WILL RECEIVE IN BOSTON, I CAN SAY HE IS TRULY GETTING THE ROYAL TREATMENT. FROM THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, CHRIS HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY LIFTED UP IN PRAYER BY ALL OF OUR 150 CHILDREN. WE BEGAN ASKING THE CHILDREN TO PRAY FOR HIM DURING THE DAY AND THEN BY HAVING THE CHILDREN LINE UP AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHURCH TO GREET HIS BODY. WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL SERVICE (ONE OF SEVERAL) WHERE I REMINDED THEM THAT HIS PRESENCE AND HIS LIFE WERE A GREAT AFFIRMATION TO THEIR WORTH AND IMPORTANCE AND DIGNITY. THAT CHRIS HAD CHOSE TO COME TO GUATEMALA FOR THEM. THAT THEY WERE VERY IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THIS GRINGO DEACON TO DECIDE TO GIVE UP ALL HE HAD, LEAVE THE US AND COME TO GUATEMALA TO BE WITH THEM AND HELP EDUCATE THEM, AND TEACH THEM ENGLISH AND PRAY WITH THEM AND SERVE THEM AND LOVE THEM. HIS COFFIN WAS SURROUNDED WITH EXOTIC FLOWERS AND WE HAD SEVERAL SERVICES IN WHICH FR NERI AND I PREACHED. IN BETWEEN THE SERVICES THE CHILDREN STOOD AROUND HIS CASKET (BY GRADES), NEVER LEAVING HIS SIDE ALL DAY, BOTH DAYS. IT WAS AN AMAZING TRIBUTE TO A SPECIAL MAN. WE PRAYED THE ROSARY, THE DIVINE MERCY AND OTHER PRAYERS NAD HAD TIMES OF SILENCE AND SINGING SONGS. MANY PEOPLE CAME TO SHOW THEIR RESPECTS.
FR NERI POINTED OUT HOW FRANCISCAN CHRIS’ HEART WAS AND HOW HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE AROUND THE BROTHERS AND HOW GOD GRANTED HIM THE GRACE TO DIE AMONG US AND MINISTERING WITH US AND AS ONE OF US. ONCE WHEN ASKED WHAT MADE A GOOD FRANCISCAN, CHRIS HAD REPLIED A GOOD FRANCISCAN NEEDS TO HAVE LONG ARMS – TO HUG OTHERS AND A BIG HEART. USING THIS CRITERIA, CHRIS CERTAINLY WAS A GREAT FRANCISCAN WHO HAD A WIDE OPEN HEART; HE WAS A MAN LIKE FRANCIS WHO SOUGHT OUT THE LEPERS, THOSE WHO SOCIETY HAD PUSHED ASIDE, ESPECIALLY THE MENTALLY ILL AND THE POOR. HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS HUMBLE ENOUGH TO KNOW HIS OWN WEAKNESSES AND COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO NEVER STOP TRYING TO SEEK JESUS IN HIS LIFE. CHRIS HAD FOUGHT MANY BATTLES IN HIS LIFE AND HAD MANY ADMIRABLE QUALITIES: HIS UNSELFISHNESS, HIS BEING SO DOWN TO EARTH, HIS CREATIVITY AND HIS HONESTY STAND OUT. HE WAS SO REAL AND NEVER HID HIS STRUGGLES, BUT RATHER USED THEM TO HELP OTHERS. FR NERI THEN SHARED A POEM CALLED ‘UPHILL’ FROM THE BOOK CHRIS HAD SHARED WITH US CALLED ‘GOD CALLING.’ THIS POEM WAS OFFERED IN THE REFLECTION FOR THE NIGHT BEFORE (FEBRUARY 28TH) , BUT IN SOME WAYS SPEAKS OF SOMETHING OF CHRIS’ LIFE.
DOES THE ROAD WIND
UPHILL ALL THE WAY?
YES TO THE VERY END.
WILL THE JOURNEY TAKE
THE WHOLE LONG DAY?
FROM MORN TO NIGHT, MY FRIEND
C.G. ROSETTI
ALTHOUGH I FEEL I HAVE NOT REALLY BEGUN TO MOURN FOR MY FRIEND AND BROTHER, AS WE HAVE BEEN BUSY MAKING ARRANGEMENTS AND PREPARING LITURGIES, I FEEL BLESSED TO HAVE KNOWN HIM AND EVEN MORE BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN WITH HIM IN HIS FINAL MOMENTS. I KNOW WE STILL HAVE A FUNERAL MASS AND BURIAL TO CELEBRATE IN BOSTON BUT I WANTED TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS WITH THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. MY DEEPEST FEELING NOW IS ONE OF GRATITUDE FOR KNOWING SUCH A FAITHFILLED MAN WHO DESPITE HIS ROUGH SPOTS HAD SUCH AN INCREDIBLY TENDER AND LOVING HEART. I WILL MISS HIM VERY MUCH BUT I FEEL HIS SPIRIT POWERFULLY RESIDING HERE AT THE VALLEY -NOW MORE THAN EVER- AND KNOW THAT HE WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF VALLEY OF THE ANGELS.
· · · Share · 19 hours ago
THANKYOU LORD FOR THE LIFE OF DEACON CHRIS MEYERS-
SINCE I HAD THE BLESSING TO BE WITH CHRIS WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, I WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE LAST PRECIOUS MOMENTS OF HIS EARTHLY LIFE WITH ALL HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I SAY IT WAS A BLESSING TO BE WITH CHRIS WHEN HE PASSED NOW BUT IN THOSE MOMENTS OF PANIC, I HAVE TO ADMIT I FELT HELPLESS AND AFTERWARDS I EVEN FELT GUILTY, THINKING I COULD HAVE DONE MORE. THE BLESSING HAS COME AFTERWARD WHEN I TOOK IT TO PRAYER. I REMEMBERED A STORY ABOUT A MONK WHO ALWAYS SPOKE ABOUT FINDING GOD AND SEARCHING FOR HIM ALWAYS BUT WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD EVER SEEN GOD THE MONK PAUSED AND SAID NO. BUT, HE SAID, EVEN MOSES HAD BEEN TOLD BY GOD “ YOU CANNOT SEE MY FACE AND LIVE” BUT ONLY ALLWED MOSES TO SEE HIS BACK AS HE PASSED BY HIM (EXODUS 33), REVEALING THATOFTEN IT IS ONLY LOOKING BACK AT OUR LIVES THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SEE THE PASSAGE OF GOD.
HIS LAST DAYS WERE TRULY FILLED WITH GRACE AND HELD SOME VERY SPECIAL MOMENTS OF ENCOUNTERING GOD. I AM ATTACHING A PICTURE THAT I RECEIVED TODAY THAT WAS TAKEN FROM A MASS WE CELEBRATED TOGETHER AT A SCHOOL CALLED ASSUMPTION LAST WEEK. THE PICTURE CAPTURES MUCH OF WHAT I AM FEELING. WRITTEN IN SPANISH ABOVE US ARE THE WORDS “THANKYOU LORD FOR LIFE”
LOOKING BACK ON THIS PICTURE NOW, I AM ABLE TO SEE MANY BLESSED MOMENTS THAT MAKE HIS DEATH EASIER TO ACCEPT.
THE GREATEST BLESSING BY FAR WAS THAT CHRIS HAD JUST JUST FINISHED CELEBRATING THE EUCHARIST MINUTES BEFORE WITH THE CHILDREN. HE HAD JUST RECEIVED JESUS AND WAS WALKING UP THE HILL WITH OUR SEMINARIAN EUGENIO TO THE FRIARY.
WHEN I ARRIVED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, I NOTICED HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING AS HE HAD SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW, CHRIS HAD BEEN EXPEREINCING CHEST PAINS FOR OVER A MONTH AND EVEN CHECKED THEM OUT IN BOSTON BUT THE DOCTORS DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. A COUPLE TIMES WHILE HE WAS HERE, HE HAD TO REST, COMPLANING THAT THEY HAD RETURNED. WHEN I SAW HIM ON THE BENCH IN FRONT OF THE FRIARY, I COULD TELL THAT THIS WAS SERIOUS. HE SEEMED UNABLE TO CATCH HIS BREATH. A FEW MINUTES LATER HE BEGAN TO SLUMP OVER. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE AMBULANCE AND THEN ADMINISTERED CPR. HE CAME TO BUT WAS BREATHING SLOWLY AND WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. HE AGAIN SEEMED TO SHUT DOWN AND AGAIN I GAVE HIM CPR AND HE BEGAN BREATHING AGAIN AND THEN I FELT COMPELLED TO RUN AND ANOINT HIM. LOOKING BACK ON THIS MONET I AM NOT REALLY SURE WHY I DID IT OTHER THAN I THOUGHT I SHOULD. WHAT A GREAT GRACE FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THIS SACRAMRNT.
HE WAS RESPONSIVE AND COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT HE COULD NOT SPEAK. WHILE WAITING FOR THE AMBULANCE HE WENT OUT AGAIN AND WE BROUGHT HIM BACK BUT THE LAST TIME HE STOPPED BREATHING I WAS NOT ABLE TO BRING HIM BACK. THE AMBULANCE CAME ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, AND TRIED TO GIVE HIM OXYGEN AND INJECTED HIM WITH A NEEDLE TO TRY AND REVIVE HIM. THEY PRONOUNCED HIM DEAD AT 7:05 PM. WE WERE ALL IN SHOCK. THE WHOLE THING SEEMED SURREAL.
SOME POWERFUL STORIES HAVE COME OUT ABOUT WHERE CHRIS WAS IN HIS LIFE. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE HE DIED, HE HAD SHARED A LOT WITH A TO A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE MARIELOS. SHE TOLD ME HE HAD SHARED WITH HER A DREAM HE HAD. HE SAID THAT GOD TOLD HIM THE NIGHT BEFORE THAT HE WOULD DIE AT VALLEY OF THE ANGELS. THEY JOKED ABOUT IT, SAYING THEY HOPED IT WAS NOT ANY TIME SOON.
CHRIS WAS CERTAINLY WHERE HE WANTED TO BE AND WAS IT WAS OBVIOUS HOW VERY HAPPY HE WAS. HE LOVED THE CHILDREN AND THEY LOVED HIM.
CHRIS RECEIVED A VERY FITTING GRACE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT HE PASSED AWAY HERE AT THE VALLEY. CHRIS HAD SHARED WITH ME A WHILE A GO JUST HOW MUCH HE LOVED FUNERALS. HE HAD EXPLAINED TO ME THE RICH THEOLOGY AND POWERFUL SYMBOLISM IN THE RITUALS AND HOW HE WOULD LOVE TO PREACH ABOUT THEM. WELL BETWEEN WHAT HE RECEIVED HERE AND WILL RECEIVE IN BOSTON, I CAN SAY HE IS TRULY GETTING THE ROYAL TREATMENT. FROM THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, CHRIS HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY LIFTED UP IN PRAYER BY ALL OF OUR 150 CHILDREN. WE BEGAN ASKING THE CHILDREN TO PRAY FOR HIM DURING THE DAY AND THEN BY HAVING THE CHILDREN LINE UP AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHURCH TO GREET HIS BODY. WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL SERVICE (ONE OF SEVERAL) WHERE I REMINDED THEM THAT HIS PRESENCE AND HIS LIFE WERE A GREAT AFFIRMATION TO THEIR WORTH AND IMPORTANCE AND DIGNITY. THAT CHRIS HAD CHOSE TO COME TO GUATEMALA FOR THEM. THAT THEY WERE VERY IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THIS GRINGO DEACON TO DECIDE TO GIVE UP ALL HE HAD, LEAVE THE US AND COME TO GUATEMALA TO BE WITH THEM AND HELP EDUCATE THEM, AND TEACH THEM ENGLISH AND PRAY WITH THEM AND SERVE THEM AND LOVE THEM. HIS COFFIN WAS SURROUNDED WITH EXOTIC FLOWERS AND WE HAD SEVERAL SERVICES IN WHICH FR NERI AND I PREACHED. IN BETWEEN THE SERVICES THE CHILDREN STOOD AROUND HIS CASKET (BY GRADES), NEVER LEAVING HIS SIDE ALL DAY, BOTH DAYS. IT WAS AN AMAZING TRIBUTE TO A SPECIAL MAN. WE PRAYED THE ROSARY, THE DIVINE MERCY AND OTHER PRAYERS NAD HAD TIMES OF SILENCE AND SINGING SONGS. MANY PEOPLE CAME TO SHOW THEIR RESPECTS.
FR NERI POINTED OUT HOW FRANCISCAN CHRIS’ HEART WAS AND HOW HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE AROUND THE BROTHERS AND HOW GOD GRANTED HIM THE GRACE TO DIE AMONG US AND MINISTERING WITH US AND AS ONE OF US. ONCE WHEN ASKED WHAT MADE A GOOD FRANCISCAN, CHRIS HAD REPLIED A GOOD FRANCISCAN NEEDS TO HAVE LONG ARMS – TO HUG OTHERS AND A BIG HEART. USING THIS CRITERIA, CHRIS CERTAINLY WAS A GREAT FRANCISCAN WHO HAD A WIDE OPEN HEART; HE WAS A MAN LIKE FRANCIS WHO SOUGHT OUT THE LEPERS, THOSE WHO SOCIETY HAD PUSHED ASIDE, ESPECIALLY THE MENTALLY ILL AND THE POOR. HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS HUMBLE ENOUGH TO KNOW HIS OWN WEAKNESSES AND COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO NEVER STOP TRYING TO SEEK JESUS IN HIS LIFE. CHRIS HAD FOUGHT MANY BATTLES IN HIS LIFE AND HAD MANY ADMIRABLE QUALITIES: HIS UNSELFISHNESS, HIS BEING SO DOWN TO EARTH, HIS CREATIVITY AND HIS HONESTY STAND OUT. HE WAS SO REAL AND NEVER HID HIS STRUGGLES, BUT RATHER USED THEM TO HELP OTHERS. FR NERI THEN SHARED A POEM CALLED ‘UPHILL’ FROM THE BOOK CHRIS HAD SHARED WITH US CALLED ‘GOD CALLING.’ THIS POEM WAS OFFERED IN THE REFLECTION FOR THE NIGHT BEFORE (FEBRUARY 28TH) , BUT IN SOME WAYS SPEAKS OF SOMETHING OF CHRIS’ LIFE.
DOES THE ROAD WIND
UPHILL ALL THE WAY?
YES TO THE VERY END.
WILL THE JOURNEY TAKE
THE WHOLE LONG DAY?
FROM MORN TO NIGHT, MY FRIEND
C.G. ROSETTI
ALTHOUGH I FEEL I HAVE NOT REALLY BEGUN TO MOURN FOR MY FRIEND AND BROTHER, AS WE HAVE BEEN BUSY MAKING ARRANGEMENTS AND PREPARING LITURGIES, I FEEL BLESSED TO HAVE KNOWN HIM AND EVEN MORE BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN WITH HIM IN HIS FINAL MOMENTS. I KNOW WE STILL HAVE A FUNERAL MASS AND BURIAL TO CELEBRATE IN BOSTON BUT I WANTED TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS WITH THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. MY DEEPEST FEELING NOW IS ONE OF GRATITUDE FOR KNOWING SUCH A FAITHFILLED MAN WHO DESPITE HIS ROUGH SPOTS HAD SUCH AN INCREDIBLY TENDER AND LOVING HEART. I WILL MISS HIM VERY MUCH BUT I FEEL HIS SPIRIT POWERFULLY RESIDING HERE AT THE VALLEY -NOW MORE THAN EVER- AND KNOW THAT HE WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF VALLEY OF THE ANGELS.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Yipee! Three new Nineras start tomorrow!
Since the end of January we have been under staffed. Today we hired three new nannies that will start tomorrow! What a blessing!
It's all about Him
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
(attributed to Mother Teresa)
Monday, February 20, 2012
God's Love
I spent some time this weekend with the kids. I marvel at the love that I feel for them. They are not my own babies, but a handful of them have deep ties to my heart. I try not to play favorites, but it is hard not to naturally gravitate towards some. Tony, Haroldo and Katerina are my natural favorites.
If I can have these strong feelings and emotions after just a few years with them, I can't imagine how much our Father in Heaven loves each of us. His love and patience for us is truly amazing. Thank you God!
If I can have these strong feelings and emotions after just a few years with them, I can't imagine how much our Father in Heaven loves each of us. His love and patience for us is truly amazing. Thank you God!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Another day... another adventure...
I flew in Thursday night and plugged back in the past two days. I just helped carry a 24 year old Carlos from the outside play are to the infirmary. He had a pretty bad convulsion and was really out of it. I have not written much about convulsions because they are very sad and disturbing. The kid feels really drained and weakened after the episode. It is even harder when it is one of the kids you are closer to and know better. About one quarter of our population suffers from convulsions. In theory, when properly medicated they should not be convulsing. I know that in the States they use precise electroshock therapies and even surgery in extreme cases. Apparently, each time a person has a convulsion they have some brain cells that die.
I have been working on walking with Haroldo and Roberta. Both can take some steps with help to balance. Haroldo is doing far better and can make progress with just one hand for balance. He had an operation on his tendons and can flatten his foot, but he still lists significantly to the left. Roberta has good strength for remaining standing, but lacks the stimulus in her brain to want to propel herself forward. The effect of autism, low intelligence and a lifetime of institutionalized care. She waits for the world to come to her.
There is progress on some of the macro issues. We still have many needs and challenges, but more than anything we need to bring the joy and love of Jesus to each of the kids.
I have been working on walking with Haroldo and Roberta. Both can take some steps with help to balance. Haroldo is doing far better and can make progress with just one hand for balance. He had an operation on his tendons and can flatten his foot, but he still lists significantly to the left. Roberta has good strength for remaining standing, but lacks the stimulus in her brain to want to propel herself forward. The effect of autism, low intelligence and a lifetime of institutionalized care. She waits for the world to come to her.
There is progress on some of the macro issues. We still have many needs and challenges, but more than anything we need to bring the joy and love of Jesus to each of the kids.
Monday, February 6, 2012
How to find a bottom
How to find a bottom
A prevailing theory in the treatment of alcoholism or drug abuse is that the patient cannot be successfully treated until they have reached a "bottom." Many family members and friends often think the patient has raced past a bottom long before the patient themselves recognize a bottom that they truly accept as sufficient. Many treatment centers, legal systems and therapists try to change the patient’s perception of where their bottom really is. It is anybody's guess as to how successful these initiatives are. Perhaps in the next life God will explain precisely how He orchestrates the final bottom. For the time being the topic will continue to be debated and compelling anecdotes will sway most of us to one side or the other.
Finding
a bottom is a metaphor for much of life. How bad does anything have to
be before we decide to take action? For some, the first glimpse of pain
and off they go to the doctor. For the stoics amongst us they often wait
far too long thinking a symptom will rapidly pass. Sometimes they find
out that they waited too long and what would have been a treatable
cancer is now inoperable and fatal. Organizations too can be
dysfunctional and looking for a bottom. Actually, the very definition of
an Organization is dysfunctional! An organization can be defined as
anything that has two or more people. In other words, once you have your
second employee, teammate, club member or whatever, you start down the
road to dysfunction.
So
how low can you go? How bad does it have to be before you change? How
bad does it have to be before you leave the affiliation? How bad does it
have to be before the various stakeholders scream, "Enough!?” This is a
mystery to each of us and can ebb and flow with age and circumstance.
There
is only one bottom that really matters. Christ paid the price with his
crucifixion on the cross. That was a low that none of us could endure.
His sacrifice was perfect and his blood covers all our sins and
transgressions. In prayer and dialogue with God each of us can determine
what a bottom means to us in our lives. Only with His guidance will we
know what He has in mind for us. Only He can tell us when an
organization has become too dysfunctional. Only He can guide us to make
good decisions that challenge the status quo and how to help people more
than hurt them when we need to pull the ripcord.
May the Lord bless your contemplative time and guide you through your wilderness.
How to lift children without hurting your back
It's something that many of us take for granted- our backs. When our kids were babies we lifted them easily. When they grew they started to walk. The kids here may never walk or even assist with their physical movements. They are growing and getting heavy.
Today Carmen Marie and her Physical Therapy Student Interns offered employees a class on how to lift and move the children without getting hurt. We will have similar classes each day this week.
God is good... All the time!
Today Carmen Marie and her Physical Therapy Student Interns offered employees a class on how to lift and move the children without getting hurt. We will have similar classes each day this week.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Where is God???
Why he is right here.....
I wrote this paragraph in this note to my old friend Ellis Moss. We started High School together
42 years ago. We went to study in Spain together when Francisco Franco was still alive and in power.
"Thanks for the kind words on the work we do here. It's not really us, but Him. It is such a Blessing to work with and love on these kids. These handicapped abandoned kids are so loving and full of God's Grace. When I look into the eyes of the ones that are unable to speak I know that He is there and he loves me (and you too!!) As always it's the adults and the bureaucrats that are the challenge....."
I wrote this paragraph in this note to my old friend Ellis Moss. We started High School together
42 years ago. We went to study in Spain together when Francisco Franco was still alive and in power.
"Thanks for the kind words on the work we do here. It's not really us, but Him. It is such a Blessing to work with and love on these kids. These handicapped abandoned kids are so loving and full of God's Grace. When I look into the eyes of the ones that are unable to speak I know that He is there and he loves me (and you too!!) As always it's the adults and the bureaucrats that are the challenge....."
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