10,000 Difficulties

 "10,000 Difficulties do not make one doubt." -Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman

Being Catholic is HARD I say that to those who I have taught wanting to come into the Church. But it's WORTH IT!

We may have a difficult time understanding all the whys and hows and the PEOPLE of the church (past and present) who make it difficult. I don't doubt that it's not true though.  I've come to believe it's true through my own measly scrutiny and study.  My free will led me here. My mind is not smart enough to grasp all we teach and it's prideful of me to think I can understand it all. Some things are left for mystery.

It's mind blowing to try to understand the Blessed Trinity or how Jesus comes to us is body and blood truly present in the Eucharist. Or how a Church can be full of so many conspiracies and bad people. But I don't doubt it's not true.  I trust my pea brain is not capable of knowing everything.

St. Aquinas, one of the smartest Catholic theologians ever said "it's all straw". Meaning all this theology doesn't mean anything compared to the basic eternal truth that Jesus came to show us another way, died for our sins and we have souls that were made for heaven. Jesus gave us a Church to help guide us on a road map to heaven. Focus on that.

Can you let go of the need to know everything and just believe?

Motives of Credibility and Fr. Mike Schmitz's Catechism in a Year

I realized I didn't post once in all of 2022! I'm surprised this blog is still available for me to use.  Lately, I've been feeling the urge to write again.  My head full of thoughts, writing helps me sort it out.

If you haven't been following Fr. Mike Schmitz's Catechism in a Year podcast, you are missing out on some mind blowing material! One phrase talked about the other day was "Motives of Credibility". I'd like to hash this out in my pea brain, hope someone gets something out of it.

Motives of Credibility

"Motíva credibilitátis" is a new phrase I have learned.  I've always believed this but just now found out there is a word for it.  Our faith is definitely reason and reasonable but it's more than just as the Catechism says 'a blind impulse of the mind' or an idea or philosophy.  Motives of credibility are 'external proofs' of our faith. There are 'facts' or historical evidence of signs and wonders.  These signs and wonders continue to today.  There are credible, scientifically proven signs of Jesus and his powers, not only did He raise from the dead, but he performed miracles of healing and rising others from the dead. Reference the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 156 for more information.

Saints and others have gifts of signs and wonders. Some saints like St. Philip Neri brought someone back to life and many, many saints and lay people have miraculously healed people of ailments. Other signs and wonders from the saints include:

Levitation (lifted in air while praying) St. Joseph of Curpertino and others

Bilocation- (being 2 places at one time) St.Anthony of Padua and others

Reading of Hearts - (not to be confused with psychics) St. Catherine of Siena and others

Stigmatas - (physical, visible signs of Christ's wounds) Padre Pio and others

Marian Apparitions and Exorcisms

There's no denying that our Blessed Mother Mary has came to many different people in many different areas of the world in many different times. Our Mother still cares for us and comes to teach us and to sometimes warn us.  The Blessed Mother appears privately and publicly to many people, not all are recognized by the Church. The most popular apparitions include:

Our Lady of Lourdes in France - appeared in 1858 to St. Bernadette and left us the miraculous healing waters at Lourdes (I pray I get to go there some day!).

Our Lady of Fatima- appeared in 1917 to 3 shepherd children in Portugal to warn us of the dangers, which have come true and maybe not all yet fulfilled. The miracle of the sun dancing was seen by 70,000  people. She urges us to pray for sinners and conversion of Russia.

Our Lady of Guadalupe- appeared in  1531 to St. Juan Diego. The Aztecs, who practiced human sacrifice, reported 6,000,000 in 7 years, converted to Catholicism. 

Our Lady of Good Help- a lesser known apparition appeared in 1859 to Adele Brise in Champion, Wisconsin.  Her counsel was to teach the children their catechism and to pray for sinners.

One other sign and wonder worth mentioning is Exorcisms.  There's a joke that goes 'no one pays attention to the Catholic Church until they need an exorcism'.  It's true though. An exorcism is a prescribed ritual of prayers to cast out evil spirits from the body just as Jesus and the Apostles did.  Not all priests do this. There is supposed to be one exorcist priest in each diocese. They are specifically trained to perform this duty.  Sadly, I have heard more and more exorcisms are being done today. We can only guess why.  Father Chad Rippenberger has put out some outstanding videos on his role of an exorcist.  Evil does exist, many forget.

Scrutiny

Any Marian Apparitions, healings, visions, etc are put under scrutiny from the Catholic Church for scientific and spiritual study because we have rational minds.  We don't want our faith to be all about emotion but to include reason and logic. 

The Eucharist

The most amazing motive of credibility is the Eucharist.  Over centuries, Eucharistic Miracles (google it, I dare ya) have occurred.   Different miracles such as:

A 'cracker of bread'  to many or the "Consecrated Host" for Catholics has floated into the air.

The Consecrated Host has turns into flesh. The flesh was studied to be the pericardium of the heart.

The Consecrated Host beating in the monstrance.

Most common is blood on or running out of the "Consecrated Host". The blood type has been tested from bleeding hosts, passion relics, and an 8th century miracle.  All the blood came back as AB. How can we NOT believe what Jesus told us? "This is my body, this is my blood."

Prophecies and Fruit

Prophecies have come true. Too many to mention. The Church has continued and still bears fruit after 2000 years ( Jesus said "I will be with you until the end of time'). She is stable and holds fast to her teachings regardless of the culture (very difficult these days).

Are not the motives of credibility external proofs that the Catholic Church is true?

How can it be just a mere emotional belief or philosophy or assent of the mind?

Is there enough evidence that something outside of ourselves exists that can only be explained by the supernatural?

Life, Liberty, and Baby Birds

Poor Dead Baby Bird 

After a storm, a dead baby bird lay in the grass, naked, twisted, dead to the world. The winds the night before were too strong for the mother to protect her baby.  They were both vulnerable and helpless to the power of the storm.

The baby bird came from a little egg, maybe the egg was a beautiful blue.  The mother took care to sit, hatch and feed the innocent creature but destruction came and destroyed the life.  

Think, Choose, and Love

In 2nd grade, the Catholic Church teaches the children that we are made in the image and likeness of God.  What does that mean?  We are rational souls because we can think, choose, and love. What makes us different than, say a dog?  Dogs can most certainly love, and somewhat think, but they don't really get to choose.  The owner feeds them, takes them on a walk, ties them up and so on.  The can't really choose because God gave us dominion over the animals of the Earth.  

Free Will and Our Purpose

Since we have rational thinking, we have free will.  We have to make decisions every day that effect our lives and others lives.  The freedom of choice is a wonderful thing!  The United States of America has to be blessed by God because he wants for us all the freedoms available so we can freely choose him.  Each and every decision we make has a consequence, good or bad.  We do not live in isolation but as community.  Respecting others and their freedoms is also key to living in community.

How do we view our freedom to choose?  Are we concerned only about our little bubble? Are we compassionate to take care to protect the baby bird and rescue it from the storm?  Sometimes we don't know the baby bird is in trouble, so do we take care to clean up after the storm?  Each of is made in the image of God.  He made each of us for a purpose.  The first purpose is to be born in a world with others. The other purpose, as we also teach the 2nd graders, is to know, love and serve God.  To know God is to also find your specific purpose here during this lifetime so you can love and serve God and others.  When you live a life of purpose, you can live a life of abundant joy.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Our forefathers in this country had it right when they wrote that we have the right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.  To live, be free, and be a joy to yourself and others is truly what God intended.  Let us be born, truly live, choose wisely and let freedom ring.

"The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb, he gave me my name."  Isaiah 49:1

"I give you thanks because I am fearfully and wonderfully made."  Psalm 139:14

Simple Country Catholic: Bee Happy

Simple Country Catholic: Bee Happy: How can we be happy when the world around us is in chaos? People are divided, cruel, and argumentative. What do we do when there's no ci...

Bee Happy

How can we be happy when the world around us is in chaos?

People are divided, cruel, and argumentative.

What do we do when there's no civility, love and we fear for our safety?

We look to the bees...

Every bee has a role and knows their place.  One of the jobs is to guard the hive entrance and guide the field bees back home.  The bee will stay at the entrance and if a bee from another colony lands, they will allow her in if she has food, but will not allow her to pass if she does not.  The guard bee will also raise her rear end and fan the hive scent to the field bees to help guide them back home.

We should guard our hearts and minds like the bee guards her hive entrance.  What do we allow in? Do we invite discourse and chaos or do we block it?  Do we engage in civility or allow ourselves to lose our temper?

Allow us to follow the hive scent of our Lord.  He calls us back to the smell of his Sacred Heart.  There we rest in his peace and love.  The harmony of his hive is where we can truly BEE happy.

Hive entrance

"Happy the people whose God is the Lord."  Psalm 144:15

Simple Country Catholic: Moo Moo Prayers

Simple Country Catholic: Moo Moo Prayers: Last week my neighbor was weaning her calves.  Three days straight, night and day, we heard the cries of the mothers and calves in their sep...

Moo Moo Prayers

Last week my neighbor was weaning her calves.  Three days straight, night and day, we heard the cries of the mothers and calves in their separation.  Got me thinking about prayer.

Oh those pathetic moos...

It hit me "that's exactly how I sound when I pray!"  "God, why did this happen, give me this, Jesus, why can't you heal this person, Holy Spirit, I need your wisdom"...mooooo, mooooo, mooooo.  My pathetic wailings and ramblings sound like those cows.

Even though my 'moos' may be annoying to me, they are never to God. He tells us to 'moo' to him.   

 "...pray continually" 1 Thessalonians 5:17

"Whatever you ask for in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."                                            Matthew 21:22  

"Ask, and it will be given you, seek, and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to who knocks it will be opened."        Matthew 7:7-8

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."  Philippians 4:6-7

Those are just verses from the top of my head. I'm sure there's plenty more that's in the Good Book.  He WANTS to hear from us. God, the Almighty, cares about us, every little thing we care about, He cares about.  

He answers our 'moos.'  Not always in the way we want because he knows a better way.  Just recently I've had a HUGE prayer answered.  My prayer of mooing has turned into a prayer of thanksgiving that sounded like the song of a beautiful bird. 

Peace in prayer

Now the mama cows and calves have calmed down. They are weaned and a sound of peace and quiet is in the air. I can't count how many times I feel a supernatural peace when I come out of prayer. Peace is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  We can always use that gift.

Psalm 131:1-2 "My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.  But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child I am content."

So offer up those moo moo prayers, God cares for you.

Have you recently had a prayer answered? Don't forget to sing a songbird prayer of thanksgiving.

Simple Country Catholic: Un-Civil War

Simple Country Catholic: Un-Civil War: A side effect of the Covid-19 pandemic will be a civil war. Not a war fought with guns, but with words. It is an 'uncivil' war. ...

Un-Civil War

A side effect of the Covid-19 pandemic will be a civil war.

Not a war fought with guns, but with words.

It is an 'uncivil' war.  The rotten fruit of social media has ripened.  Everyone has their opinion (like me) on what everyone else should or should not be doing.  I'm guilty.  The battle ground is on all social media outlets, blogs, news stations and the like.

Jesus warns us brother against brother but I thought that was about the faith, not a virus.  Uncivility towards neighbor wounds the soul.

Words of war:

Wear a mask, don't wear a mask.
Vaccinate now, i'm not taking a vaccine.
Open up, stay closed.
Test me, don't test me.
My research is the correct one, no mine is.
It's about being pro-life, no, it's about freedom.

Satan loves division.

Are you guilty of dividing God's people?  Is your opinion really contributing to the betterment of mankind?  Opinions don't have to be in the form of your own written words, but sharing memes, liking comments, or spewing your opinion in anyway.  Yes, you should be informed and make your own decisions.  However, opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one (someone pointed out to me the kind way to say that).

People are upset, I get it.  America is the greatest country in the world because we are based on freedom, God's total will for us is to freely choose.   Our freedoms have been limited these days and it's frustrating.  We do not have control and there's really little we can do about it. It's good some people are questioning how much is too much.  Ranting on social media isn't productive. Contact the people that can make a difference.

As I sit back with my bowl of popcorn and observe I have come up with these two questions:

What is it you are really fearing?
Can you allow yourself to suffer?

Fear

Death is scary, it is unknown.  Rightly justified to fear it.  Seeing loved ones die or the thought of dying yourself is a great cause for anxiety.  As Christians, we are taught to not fear death, embrace it, something better is after this life.  Martyrs across the timespan of the faith walked bravely to their deaths.  Tertillian said "the death of the martyrs is the seed of the faith."  Jesus rose FROM THE DEAD to show us he's the real deal.  There is a heaven.  I feel like we forget heaven. We get caught up in this world and live for this world when we are not made for this world.

Or maybe your fear is the loss of freedoms? Every day something we never dreamed of being taken away is being reported.  There is no consistency in what is allowed and not allowed. People are making up things as they go along.  It's to the point of ridiculousness.  Guess what, we don't have control.  Our freedom is under attack from this virus.  The freedom we still have is to choose how we react to it. Are you respectful to those who have to make these difficult decisions?  Or are you jerk who just flies off the handle adding to the uncivil discourse?  This verse provides me comfort.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides for ever." 1 John 2:15-17

Maybe along the lines of questioning fear is do you trust?  Do you trust that God will provide for your family if you pass away? Do you trust that you will go to heaven if you lived a life worthy of heaven?

I recently started keeping bees.  The first thought of being around the little stingers caused me fear.  The more I studied, I realized there's nothing to fear if you approach them correctly.  Gear up in your beesuit, be gentle with your movements, and smoke them if you open the hive.  I now sit next to the hive unsuited and can watch them buzz in and out of the hive for hours.  I have no fear. If I get stung, I'll only suffer a little.  I will be sad because my sweet bee will have gone to her death thinking I was going to harm her (they only get one sting and they die).  The point is I have conquered my fear.

Prudence my sweet bee.

The world will go on without you.  Your family will go on living.  Maybe now is the time to ask yourself what will I have left for the world?  A better place or a complete mess?  Maybe it is the time to ask yourself what is it that I really believe?  What is is that I truly fear?

Immunity 

Since this is my blog, I'm contributing to the 'uncivil' war I'll assert my opinion on the virus.

It is my humble, doesn't really matter, opinion that we are under reporting the survivability of this virus.  I'm sorry for those that have died.  It is sad and unfortunate.  If you are a survivor of the virus, you will have suffered.  Are we afraid of suffering a sickness? Mind you, I don't want to suffer this!!  It seems our culture has a pill or vaccine for everything that we don't even want to suffer from a common cold.

Remember the chicken pox?  I had my friend come over and play with me when I was little so she could 'catch it'.  I have a degree in Community Health Education  (now it is called Public Health). By no means does this make me an expert, but I have studied health. Immunology 101 says to expose yourself to a little bit of the virus to build up immunity.  That's the idea of vaccinations.  In my humble, doesn't really matter opinion...vaccinations are a good idea BUT we have to be careful with them.  A true vaccine is fine. However I question pharmaceutical vaccines: is the vaccine made with aborted baby parts (yes, it is a thing)? Are there preservatives (like mercury) or any other added-in chemicals that could cause serious side effects?  How well was it tested?  Not trying to be a conspirator, but these are actions from the past that we need to look at before we mass vaccinate.  If we are nation of freedom, we also have to respect those that choose not to take the vaccine.

The most natural way to vaccinate yourself is to expose yourself a little to the virus.  Guess what, if you do, you probably will get it.  If you are someone with a weakened immune system I wouldn't recommend it.  Just like the chicken pox, it is highly contagious.  My husband 'had' terrible seasonal allergies.  He went through the series of weekly shots to try build up his immunity to pollen.  It wasn't effective.  About 4 years ago he started taking local bee pollen.  It exposes his immune system to little bits of the 'enemy' so they know what defenses 'antibodies' to create to kill the enemy.  It's natural (also another reason we decided to keep our own bees) and proved to be highly effective. In order for this virus to go away, we all might have to expose ourselves to it.

Suffering

Why do I bring all of this immunity/vaccinations up? Because we will have to suffer if we are to be around people.  We will have to chance ourselves that we might get sick.  We can live up in a hole for only so long because we were made to be social.

Can you suffer? How well do you suffer?  Some people are suffering from isolation, some are suffering from their favorite meal at a restaurant, from church, from seeking other medical care, from unemployment, from not being able to visit family, from being denied so many things we take for granted.

How well do you suffer? Do you complain and moan? Assert your opinion?  Or are you a saint who embraces every suffering that comes your way?

Our Lady of Lourdes said to St. Bernadette "I cannot promise you happiness in this world, only in the next."

I once written a blog titled "Redemptive Suffering" (you can search it).  As Catholics we are called to offer up every sufferings as a prayer to God.  We unite our sufferings with Christ's sufferings.  I really HATE wearing a mask but I will offer it up if means that is my access to attend Church.  I really HATE the idea that I have to wear a mask because others who think differently than me. As an act of charity, I will offer it up and wear the mask so that it helps others feel safe and protected from the virus.  These are little sufferings.

Yes, I'm a hypocrite

In inserting my opinion on my little blog, just adds fuel to the fire.  I'm as guilty as contributing to the 'uncivil' war as anyone.  My hope and prayer is that one person will read this and ask themselves what do I fear? how can I conquer it? how well do I suffer?...because we have and will all suffer from this virus in some way.

If you or I catch the virus, I pray that we will not fear death and our sufferings we would endure will be embraced and united with Christ's sufferings on the Cross.  Help us Lord, endure the sufferings imposed on us during this pandemic. Amen.

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the Church."  Colossians 1:24


What do you fear? Can you suffer well?

Corona Creativity

We are in the midst of the Corona "Stay at Home Order" from the Governor.  It's April 2, 2020.  I am not going to lie...I'm enjoying myself and my family. You tell me to stay home in my house on 5 acres down a dead end gravel road with 60+ acres of woods in the beginning of mushroom season without having to worry about practices, working concession stands, going to meetings...Yes SIR! I'll stay home.  (I think that was run-on sentence).

However, we and our extended family are currently blessed with good health. I pray daily for a cure and complete healing of COVID-19. I pray for all those who can't stay home and are the front line warriors in this battle of an unseen enemy that floats around attacking the most vulnerable.  Thank you health care workers. You are loved and appreciated.

We are told that only essential workers and essential travel is allowed.  The definition of essential is what everyone is trying to define.  Sadly, many non-essential workers are now without work.  The essential workers are also front line soldiers exposing themselves to the virus so we can get our food and home supplies. Thank you.  Teachers, thank you also for finding creative ways for my children, who love school, to continue to learn.  May the Holy Spirit come upon you and inspire you.

This time is not all gloom and doom.  It is time of detachment.  We are in Lent and we are to detach ourselves from life's luxuries.  This is good.  We have a lot of 'extra' time on our hands from the mundane responsibility of every day life.   Also, 'non-essential' persons who need to still make a living are coming up with clever ways to still provide an income.   The fruit of all of this I am seeing is creativity! 

Creativity is the Holy Spirit

I can't remember who said this but it is something that I have always remembered that inspires me:
"Creativity is the Holy Spirit".

Businesses, restaurants, teachers, churches are thinking outside the box and creating inventive ways to stay in business, continue learning and still worship together. 

I was listening to the radio the other day and commercials show this creativity.  A bar now is encouraging people to buy their t-shirts, have a beer in their home and when this is all over to come back and have a drink with them later.  The commercial ends with 'now, go wash your damn hands."  Yes, they cussed, but it was clever, creative and just funny.  Listen to the radio commercials and be mindful of the creative solutions that people are dreaming up.

I tried to lessen my time on social media for lent...failed! This is an historical time we are living in and our family did give up TV so I have to stay in touch somehow, right?  I am seeing so many wonderful, funny, heartfelt memes, videos, articles being shared.  Creativity is at it's height!  The phrase 'social distancing' really isn't accurate. With social media we are closer now more than ever! It should be called "physical distancing". 

Where does creativity come from?  

Above. God made humans like no other creature.  We can think, chose, and love AND CREATE!  Monkeys can't find a cure for this virus, only humans can.  My prayer is that the brilliant creative minds of scientists and doctors can create a cure soon.  The Holy Spirit is the inspiration, the teacher, the creativeness of God.  It is sent down to us from heaven.  We can pray for the Holy Spirit to come into our lives. Just as this invisible virus drifts around and lands on whomever it wishes, so does the Holy Spirit. Just as those that expose themselves more to the virus, the chance of getting it is greater. The more someone exposes themselves to the Holy Spirit, the chance of growing more in creativity, love and grace is greater. 

Pray specifically to the Holy Spirit to enter your life so that you may find God's life to guide you in joy, love, peace and creativity.

My son's creativity won him an ice cream cone!

Fear Kills Creativity

I really need to pay attention to who says what so I can give that person proper credit.  I heard the other day that fear kills creativity.  If you are living a fearful life, you can't think clearly.  If fear kills creativity, and creativity is the Holy Spirit, you are killing the chance of the Holy Spirit to enter your life.  Living life in the Spirit brings about peace, purpose, and allows creativity to flow.

I may not be the most creative person, but I love writing.  It is a chance for me to use the creativity that was given to each of us in our unique way.  I feel a release when I get the thoughts out of my head.  Creative persons aren't just your writers, musicians, dancers but they are your every day people who find creative ways to live life.  My husband is very logically minded and finds creative ways to fix something that is broken usually with a zip tie (not duct tape like many).

Be Creative

If you are blessed to have a little extra time on your hands during this historical season we are in, find your creativity.  What's your passion?  How do you spend your time?  What inspires you? Are you using creative ways to use this time that has been given to you? 

May the Holy Spirit come upon you and guide you to live a creative, abundant life.

"And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to divise artistic designs, to work in in gold and silver and bronze."  
                                                                                                                   Exodus 35:31-31

What ways do you like to be creative?

Simple Country Catholic: Finding Peace in the Coronavirus

Simple Country Catholic: Finding Peace in the Coronavirus: I have found a profound peace in the midst of life's circumstances which I have no control.  There will always be a virus, war, sufferin...

Finding Peace in the Coronavirus

I have found a profound peace in the midst of life's circumstances which I have no control.  There will always be a virus, war, suffering, tragedy, illness and ugliness.   It's times like these that one should reflect on the bigger picture of life.  Times like these one should hug their loved ones a little tighter, be kinder to their neighbor, ask themselves what and who am I living for?  what am I doing with my life? how am I treating others? what's my purpose? what is missing from my life?

Suffering is good

I truly believe that good comes out of suffering.  Throughout history when there is great tragedy, humanity seems to come together. We remember we belong to each other.  Pettiness seems to disappear, the big picture emerges.  It's like we need to be reminded that we are made for love.  We need to be reminded we are all connected. We need to be reminded of the frailty of our lives.

Peace

I have found this peace because of my faith.  Believing that my soul will live on after my body dies helps me navigate this world.  Anxiety and fear dissipate.  The path that leads to a true and everlasting peace is supernatural.  There is no logical reason why I should be so content. The help I receive is only a result of looking into my soul and asking if I will allow something bigger than me to enter. 

Hope

My hope is that those who are suffering great anxiety and fear will look at their lives and contemplate what could be missing.  I have an answer.  Peace is real. Joy of life is real. There is more to life that just what is on the surface. Go deeper. Allow yourself to be vulnerable to something bigger than yourself. 

Never lose hope. A new day will dawn and we will have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

A new day

Stay calm, rejoice and pray

"Rejoice in the Lord, rejoice...Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made be known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:4-7

St. Augustine said "our hearts are restless until they rest in thee." 

Is your heart restless? Do you have peace?

Simple Country Catholic: Dirt, Water, and Bernadette

Simple Country Catholic: Dirt, Water, and Bernadette: February 11th is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. I have a special devotion to our Lady of Lourdes because I chose Bernadette as my c...

Dirt, Water, and Bernadette

February 11th is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. I have a special devotion to our Lady of Lourdes because I chose Bernadette as my confirmation name and named one of my daughters after her.

If you are Catholic, you have to believe in the crazy, supernatural.

In 1858, Our Blessed Mother appeared 14 times to St. Bernadette who was a poor and poorly educated girl. She appeared to Bernadette in a dump. The 'Grotto of Massabielle' was a place were soiled linens were burned from the hospital. Bernadette prayed with our Mother and obeyed her command when she told her to dig in the dirt. Bernadette was laughed at and left. Shortly after, a well sprung up. A woman's hand was instantly cured.

There have been more than 7000 documented healings from this water. Many scientifically studied and can provide no explanation. Many more undocumented healings have occurred physically and spiritually because of this water.

Build me a Church and Let Processions Be Made to the Grotto

Our Lady asked Bernadette to inform the priest she wanted a Church to be built on that spot. Wow! What a church that was built! I've never been to Lourdes and would love to go this side of Heaven. This beautiful Church was built on top of a dump. Let that sink in. God takes the ugly, filthy, trash of our humanity and makes it magnificent.

Dirt and Water, Ordinary Miracles

Our Lord uses the simple things of this Earth to bring about his glory. Dirt and water are ordinary, everywhere, once again he uses the ordinary to bring about the extraordinary. The older I get the more I see the unseen, supernatural, the celestial. I love reading the lives of the mystics and contemplatives. Many people have a hard time with Christianity, Catholicism in particular. They claim it is a 'man-made' religion. Yes, it is full of men, corrupt men, sinful men, men who make terrible mistakes, men who think they have the answers. But men can't cure people with dirt and water. Men can't make lovely ladies appear in the sky. Skeptics can say it's a delusional person who sees things. How is it that for centuries and in different cultures a Lady appears to usually the most lowly of persons? In Guadalupe, in France, in Ireland, in Wisconsin, Paris, Belguim, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bloomington, IN, Argentina, Sweden, Japan, Germany, Poland, Italy, New Mexico, Spain, Domincan Republic, Lithuania, New Orleans, Georgia, etc. Sometimes this Lady leaves behind sweet scents for us to smell.

Not just appearances of Our Blessed Mother, but other supernatural occurrences like every Mass turning the bread and wine into his body and blood. I can write another blog on Eucharistic Miracles. Throughout the centuries (remember the Catholic Church has been around for 2000 years) there has been occurrences of the bread (hosts) bleeding, suspended in air, turning into flesh, spontaneous healings, etc (google eucharistic miracles for more info).

What about the miracles of the Mystics? Catholic Mystics have been known to bi-locate (be two places at once), have a gift of prophecy, levitate (fly) in the air, dream visions that come true, have dead bodies that don't corrupt, have visions of hell, I could go on and on.

The Catholic Church is smart and very skeptical. Much research is gone into declaring something supernatural. Scientific study and theological study have to be thoroughly investigated before something is officially declared a 'miracle'.

Man-Made VS God-Man Religion

So, are some religions Man-Made? Yes, and everyone declares their religion is not. What makes Catholics different? We believe in supernatural, unexplained miracles. I know others do also, but I boldly say this because I'm a convert, and I know how others mistake our 'superstitions' and call some of what we believe hokey pokey.

From my experience, if you are looking at a faith in the eyes of men, it would be made from men. But if you look at the teachings, the doctrine, and get to the core of a religion, then that is where you find it is ordained by men or by God. If you focus on the rules of the religion rather than the supernatural spiritual side, you will always find it missing because you have taken the soul out of the faith. If your faith is based on whether you like a man's sermon, whether or not the people or friendly in your Church, whether or not the priest offended you, then you have a man-made religion. Take men out of the equation, and see what is left. I see miracles. I see Truth, I see 2000 years of steadfastness-not giving to the whims of the day that men create, I see one Man and he is on the Cross, this God-Man uses every day, ordinary things to create miracles for those that have eyes to see, I see Him in the Catholic Church.

St. Bernadette, Our Lady of Lourdes, you provided avenues for us to see the supernatural. Thank you. Pray for us.

Do you believe in the supernatural?

In honor of Friday's March for Life (which you will probably not hear much about on the news unless Nick Sandman shows up again). The following is my rant on abortion.

Doe AND Roe

Jane Roe's (of Roe VS Wade) real name was Norma McCorvey. She was never raped, she decided not to have the abortion she was fighting for, and she eventually converted to the Catholic faith. In Doe VS Bolton, Sandra Cano (Jane Doe) was not aware she was the plaintiff, she did not have an abortion, and started a pro-life ministry called Wonderfully Made Ministry. Both women have since passed. January 22 is the anniversary of Roe VS Wade and the same day Doe VS Bolton made abortion legal.

Yesterday we celebrated Martin Luther King Day. A man who fought for injustice. His daughter, Alveda is a pro-life advocate. Slavery was an injustice, the Holocaust was an injustice, civil rights had to be fought for just so people would not be treated as 2nd class citizens. History will show that abortion was the injustice of our time.

Are we at war?

I will never, ever understand how a choice has to be made at the expense of a life. I am not an uncompassionate person. I care about the mother AND the father. There are many, many people and agencies willing to help when a women has an unplanned pregnancy. Whenever a choice has to be made and an innocent person may be killed, that's usually what commanders in armies have to factor in during war. They decide if the casualties are worth the risk.

Are we at war? Is it a war on women or a war on babies? or both? What are we fighting for? The right to choose to end a life for the sake of convenience? Do we not know how to suffer for the sake of others anymore? It's my body, you can't tell me what to do. Still, will never, ever understand that once a life is forming inside a womb, women can't understand they share their body with another person. It's not just theirs anymore. Call me a jerk but that's human biology.

I've experienced this 6 times, losing one at 11 weeks and one was unplanned. It does take great sacrifice. The power, strength and beauty of a pregnant woman's body should be celebrated. She brings forth life. How amazing is that?!

Right to choose?

Is it a right to choose? When so many women really don't get to choose. They are either coerced, manipulated, and forced into the abortion. Yes, some freely choose and have no regrets, but when we have a country with laws on our books that say its ok to end a life (kill) then the culture thinks it must be moral. It makes it easier to do an immoral action.

And what about the fathers? Yes, some are jerks and 'force' the woman to abort or abandon the mother and offer no help. But I'm guessing there are many men that don't even know about the pregnancy and are probably told you have no say, it's my body. I like to believe some men would step up but that's were women have the control. Men, fight for the unborn. You do have a say.

Cultural Civil War

Abortion is the cultural civil war of our times. We do have bloody casualties in this war. We can't deny that. It's heartbreaking because the casualties don't even get to fight.

Great article on Norma McCorvey the Jane Roe in Roe VS Wade.

https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2017/02/life-conversion-roe-v-wades-norma-mccorvey-remembered/

Thank you for reading. I appreciate you.

My youngest of 5. Born on Jan 22, 2010. The anniversary of Roe VS Wade.
What a wonderful way to celebrate life than a birthday!

Will you pray for the unborn and the mothers?

Simple Country Catholic: God Searches for Us

Simple Country Catholic: God Searches for Us: God Searches For Us I've recently discovered a Catholic author, priest, and professor of psychology, Henri Nouwen.  I've been read...

God Searches for Us

God Searches For Us

I've recently discovered a Catholic author, priest, and professor of psychology, Henri Nouwen.  I've been reading his "The Dance of Life" book. He's got some gems of ideas.

We often talk about the 'search for God', how our souls are looking for him, trying to understand Him, longing for Him. While that is all true, I had never thought about the flip side of that, God is searching for us, longing for us.

Nouwen asks "The question is not "How am I to find God? but "How am I to let myself be found by him?" The question is not "How am I to know God?" but "How am I to let myself be known by God?" And, finally, the question is not "How am I to love God? but "How am I to let myself be loved by God?"

God searches for Adam and Eve, the lost sheep, finds the lost coin, eats with the sinners.

He is searching for US. 

In my experience, often what leads someone to the faith isn't as much reason, history, scripture, etc. but rather a longing.  That longing will never be filled unless God encounters that person. God seeks and finds them and calls them as His own. There really is no rhyme or reason on how Jesus seeks out others. It's random. There's no pattern that I see.  Some encounters take years, others happen in a flash (like Paul).  Backgrounds of people seem not to matter.

God can penetrate a harden heart.  

We still have to choose Him.  But if he encounters us, we have no choice but to embrace the encounter.  I've seen two instances of this.  A man I met once said he felt the Lord calling him specifically to my Church, he came for awhile, I haven't seen him in months (not so say he didn't encounter God and is doing something else). Another man said he had no choice but to come to my Church, he didn't want to be there, but he couldn't ignore it anymore. God encountered him and he couldn't deny it.

When God encounters us, we must listen, it may seem crazy, but God is crazy. He is crazy in love with us.

My new prayer. 

This reflection has taught me another way to pray to bring people to the faith.

Lord, search for my loved ones, those that are lost,  find them, encounter them. Amen.

My silly brain has a vision of a classroom where students are holding up their hands saying "pick me, pick me!"  I'm the teacher behind the student pointing to them and mouthing 'choose this one'.  How do we get Gods' attention so he may choose us? Hello God, I'm right here! Do you see me? This verse from Psalm may answer that question.

God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.  Psalm 53:2

God encounters us first so we can encounter Him for eternity.

How are you allowing God to find you, to know you, to love you?
How will you answer when God calls you by name and says 'where are you'?

Simple Country Catholic: Holy Innocents and Mother Teresa

Simple Country Catholic: Holy Innocents and Mother Teresa: December 28, Catholics celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents.  We remember those innocent males ages 2 and under who were massacred unde...

Holy Innocents and Mother Teresa

December 28, Catholics celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents.  We remember those innocent males ages 2 and under who were massacred under King Herod.  Sadly, not much has changed.  We still continue to massacre Holy Innocents today through abortion. 

I came across this speech given by Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1994 at the National Prayer Breakfast. She was bold enough to give this in front of President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary.

"...And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?  How do we persuade a woman to not have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts.  Jesus gave even His life to love us. So, the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love...the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world.  The father is likely to put other women in trouble.  So abortion just leads to more abortion.  Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want.  This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.

"But there were those children, radiating joy, sharing the joy and peace with their mother because she had the love to give until it hurts.  And you see this is where love begins-at home in the family....From here, a sign of care for the weakest of the weak-the unborn child-must go out to the world.  If you become a burning light of justice and peace in the world, then really you will be true to what the founders of this country stood for..."

"...but to use any violence to get what they want."  Not any different then what King Herod did.

For the entire speech go here:  https://www.priestsforlife.org/library/4386-whatsoever-you-do

My heart breaks when I think of all the unwanted babies.  All the mothers who feel like they have to resort to this.  The love that is not shared.  Unplanned babies can bring the biggest blessings. Never should anyone feel like they are a burden. Our mothers chose to be burdened with love.  Some fathers don't even know they conceived a child.  Fathers are often forgotten. 

Have we evolved?

Herod killed babies, Aztecs, Gauls, Celts had child sacrifice, the Greeks left their unwanted babies out for exposure, if someone wanted the child they would take it otherwise it would die, China practiced sex selection by drowning the baby in 'baby water', in India they would throw their babies into the river, Japan practiced 'mabiki', Africans would kill babies if they thought they would bring a bad omen, twins were thought to be bad luck and if a woman died in child birth, the baby was buried alive, Nazis would either kill the pregnant mother, force an abortion, or drown the newborn babies in buckets often in front of the mother.  Have we evolved? 

At this point in history, the United States of America and many other countries will have been known in the history books to allow killing babies through legal means under the guise of 'women's rights'.  The difference now is the woman is not 'forced' but is allowed to choose. I dare to say many women feel forced and  have no choice.  Any society that cannot protect the most innocent from death, is not a free society and lacks love.  I am obligated to speak for those that cannot speak, to protect those who need protection, I am unapologetically passionate about this issue.  Injustice, exploitation, oppression of the unborn rouses my mama bear anger.




"When the Magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."  Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.  He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled.  Out of Egypt I called my son. When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the Magi, he became furious.  He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the Magi.  Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the Prophet: A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled since they were no more."   Matthew 2:13-18

Will you pray for the end of abortion and for the mothers to choose life?

Simple Country Catholic: The Light of Advent

Simple Country Catholic: The Light of Advent: Isaiah 2:5 “Oh house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” Romans 12:12 “Let us then cast off the works of darkne...