Our Hearts Are Restless

CC0 Public Domain via Pixabay The current condition of the world forced me to turn over a conundrum in my head on the way to Mass after work.  You can probably, like me, list the locations of the last half-dozen major acts of international terrorism, the recent ethical and moral rulings of SCOTUS, and at least three of Pope Francis’ confusing statements.  There’s a lot happening in this world, and with the help of mass media, we see little that is good. Many of my friends and colleagues have no optimism left.  Accurately, perhaps, they predict an oncoming storm of chaos, fear, amorality, and death.  In the current day and age, many feel that the world is rolling down a steep hill, picking up speed as it nears destruction at the bottom.  Hope has faded into a dull resignation.  But when I hear comments like “This is the end of civilization as we know it” and “Martial law is coming”, and I listen to the underlying tone of despair, something in me...

Tomorrow is really exciting, and a bit scary.  Tomorrow happens to be a very special day, but not as special as the one that will follow thirty three days from tomorrow.  If you happen to know what I'm talking about, or you are an amateur numerologist perusing your liturgical calendar, you are now nodding your head and smiling a little. Tomorrow begins a very important journey for me.  On December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, I will renew my consecration to Jesus through Mary.  If you've seen me at all in the past year, you'll notice that I wear a silver chain bracelet on my right wrist.  That chain is a visible, concrete reminder of a promise I made to our Blessed Mother that I am hers, her slave, handmaiden, and child, now and forever.  I've given her my whole life and all that I do, all my stress and my prayer intentions, all my hopes and fears.  She is my Queen and my Mother, always! Perhaps you're making the Consecration too, thi...

I've started to recite the Lorica or Breastplate of St. Patrick every morning.  It is the best morning prayer for me, since it pretty much covers anything that can happen in a day and asks for the blessing of God on every aspect of our lives.  It also involves Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity, filling the traditional elements of morning prayer.  The imagery and wordplay of the prayer are beautiful - sometimes a phrase will catch my eye afresh and make me meditate on it a little bit.  I needed something that caught my attention in the haze of morning enough to help me concentrate!  Here it is below, as I wanted to share it.  Thanks are merited by Dr. O'Donnell for giving us a copy of the prayer at summer program and then in History 101.  I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism, Thr...