True flesh and blood

Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”  John 6:53-58

As Catholics we take this revelation by Jesus to heart.  We believe that through transubstantiation, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ at consecration.  The Mass is not a memorial of the Last Supper, it's not a representation, it is truly our Savior in the flesh and blood.

Just as we need food to nourish our body, we need the Eucharist to nourish our soul.  We have no eternal life without Him.

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:47-51   

Jesus is the bread of life.  We who believe will indeed have eternal life.  If you have never read the miracle of Lanciano, read this site.  http://miraclerosarymission.org/lanciano.html.  It is the miracle that was performed because a priest had doubt that the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Christ.  This time, it physically changed into a blood type of O negative (universal blood type) and the body was tested and it is heart tissue.  It is still in it's same form today without external preservation.  What more proof is needed?  

Alexandrina Maria da Costa (1904-1955)

Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa lived on the Eucharist alone for 13 years, receiving no other form of nourishment.  To read about her fascinating devotion to suffering for our sins read http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20040425_da-costa_en.html.  These mysterious and miraculous occurrences are given to us so we may see and believe.    

I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13

Today's blessings

Seeing my teenager play in his Orchestra concert (dressed in a tux)
Getting hugs from the 4 year old and hearing him laugh when I teased him
Combing the Princess' hair and hearing her try to repeat what I was saying
Assuring my 9 year old that I would help him with subtraction because he forgot it all from last year
Joking with my husband

There are so many things I am grateful for.  Life is so short, we need to recognize the small daily blessings God has given us.  Friends and Family are priceless.  Don't take them for granted.

God bless.

Resurrection Rolls

As Catholics, we celebrate Easter longer than most people.  For us it is not just one day then we return to life as normal.  Our churches stay decorated, our homilies and songs still have the Easter theme, and our readings are related to the days following His resurrection. 

Children especially need to hear how the Lord rose from the dead.  We focus a lot on the Passion and Suffering but also need to put as much emphasis on His rising.  He beat death, something no mere mortal can do.  He is truly human and truly divine. 

To help children understand, I found a wonderful article about Resurrection Rolls.  The article can be found at http://beautyandbedlam.com/resurrection-rolls-easter-recipe/.  This is a marvelous idea to help children visually see "the tomb was empty". 

For smaller children, they are especially amazed at how when you open the “tomb,” it is empty. He has risen!
Enjoy the simple, yet profound truth that can be shared through this memorable hands on cooking tradition experience.
Share the truth of how Jesus was placed into the tomb (crescent rolls), and then explain how they prepared his body by putting oil and herbs on him (cinnamon and sugar represents the oils and spices).  As you wrap the marshmallow, you can explain how this represents the wrapping of Jesus body after His death.  Then after waiting three long day (or twelve minutes, which feels like days to the children), we know that death could not hold Him in the grave, and He was alive. (The marshmallow melts and the cresent roll is all puffed up, BUT empty!!
The tomb is empty! He is risen. He is Risen Indeed. Matthew 28:1-8

Resurrection Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 8 large marshmallows
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.  Lightly grease a baking sheet.
3. Separate crescent rolls into individual triangles.If you can fin the big and flaky ones, the marshmallows will fit better)
   
4. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
5. Dip a marshmallow into melted butter, then roll in sugar mixture. Place marshmallow into the center of a dough triangle. Carefully wrap the dough around the marshmallow. Pinch the seams together very tightly to seal in the marshmallow as it melts (or cut a bit of the marshmallow off to fit). Place on a baking sheet. Repeat.
6. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
7. Makes Eight Resurrection Rolls
8. ** I have made these without dipping them in any butter, cinnamon/sugar mixture and they are still delicious. The butter just makes them an extra special treat.
   

Make sure you seal the seams really well. If you don’t, the marshmallow will ooze out the sides, which is just fine in our home. You have the option of making the rolls bigger by using two crescent roll, but still use one marshmallow. This way, the marshmallow won’t come out at all. Have the kids play around with making these. On some of them we wanted the empty tomb effect, so we left a little part of the roll open but made sure the side had a little lip to contain the melted mallow.

Resurrection Eggs

One Wednesday evening a month I meet with a group of Catholic mom's for our small faith group.  We have a wonderful time discussing our faith and getting ideas off each other.  This week, one of the girls asked how you instill a love of our faith into your children.  There were several answers and one of the girls mentioned Resurrection Eggs at Easter time. 

I had never heard of Resurrection Eggs and she described to us how you take regular plastic eggs and insert into each one something related to the passion of Jesus and a scripture.  Here is the info. I found on  http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/resurrection-eggs.html. 

RESURRECTION EGGS

(1) a small plastic branch or leaf
Mark 11:8-10 “Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

(2) a dime
Matthew 26:14-15 “Then one of the Twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.”
 

(3) small bite size saltines sealed with shalaque or something similar
Matthew 26:17-19 “On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.' So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.”
 
(4) a small piece of wash cloth
John 13:4-5 “so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
 
(5) a small plastic communion cup or let children form small cups from clay
Matthew 26:39 “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this b>cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
 
(6) a small strip of leather like they use to make bracelets
Matthew 27: 2, 26 “They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.” (26) “Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”
 

(7) a small thorn or piece of a small rose bush stem
Matthew 27:29 “and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said.”
 
(8) hot glue two small twigs together to make a cross that will fit into the egg
John 17:18-19 “Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 
 

(9) a die (can be purchased in boxes of six by decks of cards at most stores)
Matthew 27:35 “When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”
 
(10) a small piece of linen cloth or gauze
Matthew 27:59 “Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.”
 
(11) a stone (you can purchase pretty ones in bags in the craft section of stores)
Matthew 27:66 “So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”
 
(12) leave this egg empty
Matthew 28:5-6 “The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

What a wonderful way to teach children about the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord.   

Peace be with you

Fr.'s homily on Thursday was about the words Jesus spoke to his beloved ones, "Peace be with you".  As Catholics we say it in Mass.  When the Priest says it, we respond "And with your spirit".  But do we really ever stop to think about what it means?

Fr.'s question to us was, "Do you really know what peace is?".  Have you ever truly experienced peace?  Most of us have had a peaceful moment or two, but it unfortunately seems to be short lived.  With all the stresses of family, work, finances, and relationships, it is often hard to find even a moment of true peace.

Countries don't seem to know peace either.  Between countries there is war, tension, fear and threats, and many countries never experience peace.  Even within the country itself there can be civil unrest and corrupt politics.  Look at our own parties within our own country.  No one is truly trying to promote peace.  It is all greed and who can win the most toys.  My husband says there is no money in peace.  I think he's right.  If there was, can you imagine our world? 

Back to families.  With divorce rates up, single parents, unemployment, underemployment, murders, hunger, and homelessness, it's no wonder families can't catch a break.  But there is one place to find true peace.  One Person can offer true peace and that is Jesus.  His peace is the true peace, not the one that is temporary and fleeting.  Families who know Jesus and ask for His peace find this world more tolerable.  He helps us cope with our daily struggles and offers refuge.   

I love this verse. 
"Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31

Wow, where else in this world can you find such a hopeful promise of peace and strength?  And can anyone in this world deliver on that promise.  I think not.  Only our Lord can deliver something that amazing.  We have to continue to pray; asking the Lord for peace for ourselves, our Church, and our world.  

 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

 

Amen.

Importance of Women

The homily at daily Mass today really struck me as poignant.  The Gospel was about Mary Magdalene finding that the Lord was no longer in the tomb and she was distressed.  She asked who she thought was the "gardener", but who in fact was the risen Jesus, where her Lord was taken.  He responds with "Why are you weeping?"  Then, all Jesus had to do with say her name and she immediately recognized Him.

Back to why I was so intrigued by the homily.  Father asked the congregation if we knew why Mary was the one who discovered the empty tomb and was the first to encounter the risen Lord rather than a blessed Disciple such as Peter. 

He mentioned, think back to the Gospel from Holy Week speaking to her using a jar of expensive perfumed oil on Jesus.  She was chastised by Judas, who would later betray Jesus.  He scolded her saying that she wasted the oil and it could have been sold for almost a year's wages and given to the poor.  We all know that is not what he would have intended for the money as he controlled the purse strings and was motivated by greed. 

However, what did Jesus say?  We would always have the poor with us but He would not be with us for long?  "Let her do it".  She showed tremendous love of our Lord and wanted to show her love in a very special way.  She was raised up by Jesus.  Given forgiveness and a second chance, she showed her appreciation in a most loving way.   
Father went on to say that Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus were both perfect examples of the importance that God has placed on women.  There were other strong or important women in the Bible but these two played such a special role.  Mary the mother of Jesus, conceived without sin and saying "Yes" to God's wishes without question.  Mary Magdalene, a sinner, receiving forgiveness and changing her life for the Lord.    

Let us pray that we may be as open hearted as these two women to hear God's call and accept the Lord's forgiveness and special blessings He has in store for us.

"He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay."

                                                                                        ~Matthew 28:6