Category: My Heart of the Matter

Well, we made it through another COVID year. We’re all still confused as hell about this malignant pandemic. The division in families has made for interesting polarization during the holidays, but we survived that as well. What we have learned about this COVID  is that it has superseded the discussions about the common cold or flu.  So I quietly sit on the fence, waiting for some sensible resolution. There are many like myself who want nothing more than to comply and do what is right but, the mass confusion is the factor that keeps us in our fighting corners. I have long grown tired of all the paid ads our government is spending on putting the word out about the vaccines. Yes, I get it! But no one can force an American citizen to accept vaccines they do not trust. I’ve started to wear a mask in church again and when I go shopping; I continue wiping down the shopping carts and washing my hands more than ever. I still have not figured out if I am doing this out of fear or out of compliance.  I know that there are many who  are overly cautious because of real underlying health issues, I empathize because I understand that their intentions are just.  But it’s the radical, political side that throws us all off balance. They have the ear of the ever delusional media pounding fear that can be heard around the world. Real facts are distorted to make room for half-truths. I know about 20 persons who are COVID-positive, but out of these only one has been hospitalized.

“But by the same token I am against forcing people to be vaccinated,” Musk said. “You know, I think this is just not something we should do in America. I think we should encourage people to be vaccinated, strongly try to convince them to be vaccinated, but not force them to be vaccinated, or for example, for them to get vaccinated or get fired.” Elon Musk

I agree with the above statements of Elon Musk.

We who choose not to get the jab will suffer the consequences. I did. This was my choice because I do not want to relive the outcome of what was caused by the flu shot. After two and a half years, I still suffer from this autoimmune disorder.

Children and COVID

One subject that is being distorted by the news media is the misrepresentation of the facts about children and COVID. According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, The number of COVID cases for children Is extremely high and increasing; but the article also states that severe illness due to COVID is uncommon among children.

Included in this report are these facts:

• Among states reporting, children ranged from 1.8%-4.1% of their total cumulated hospitalizations, and 0.1%-1.8% of all their child COVID-19 cases resulted in hospitalization
• Among states reporting, children were 0.00%-0.27% of all COVID-19 deaths, and 5 states reported zero child deaths
• ​In states reporting, 0.00%-0.03% of all child COVID-19 cases resulted in death

The real purpose of  these highly exaggerated news reports is to put the fear of COVID in parents so that they will run to get their kids vaccinated. I pray that we get the correct information to better equip us to fight COVID.

The Salvation Army

A couple of years ago when Target decided not to allow the Salvation Army’s Red kettles outside their stores, it really upset me. The Salvation Army’s Red Kettles are a staple around Christmas time, and I have always supported their efforts by donating. Sadly, due to a few executives catching the “Woke” fever, their revenue suffered a great impact. These “woke-crazed’ executives thought that it would be a great idea to add “Let’s Talk About Racism” to their global agenda. These new guidelines were written to white privileged members of the Salvation Army, stating that  white Christians should repent and offer a sincere apology to African-Americans. Why would an organization that depends on the donations of good-hearted people jump on the Critical Race Theory wagon? As bad as I felt, I stopped giving them donations. The irony is that by the narrow-minded decisions of a few weak executives, many organization stopped donating. I learned about this behavior in a business management class in college; it’s called  “Group Think.”

Group Think

It’s almost as if all these Critical Race Theory believers have fallen into this “Group Think.”  Group think is a phenomenon where people comply because they are frequently under the leadership of someone who is unwilling to accept alternative ideas. They cannot receive or listen to others because they reject any opposing information that does not support what they already believe. Whether they are liberal or conservative, they have the same mindset, no plan “B.”   The practice of this thinking is dangerous because it does not allow for individual creativity. These decisions are the result of irrational or dysfunctional thinking.  The Salvation Army and all other organizations are examples that have complied with “Woke” and their unrealistic spreading of these socialist beliefs. Group Think encompasses both the right and left.

Having The Mind of Christ

As Christians we use this term as a guide to live by the Word of God. I get angry, I pray, and that produces peace. I dismantled my soap box because no one wants to hear what we as Christian stand for. An example of this is how Christian are being mischaracterized  because of our positions on controversial issues that are fully accepted by the world.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, in this year of Our  Lord 2022 bring healing from this pandemic. I pray for all who have been affected by this illness.  Please heal them! To those who are in the valley of decision, appear to them in a dream and manifest Your real existence to them. Allow those who question Your existence to experience Your Holiness. Father, I continue to pray for all those who crowd my prayer list for healing of body, mind and soul. Amen!

Happy New Year!

Joseph Mohr, a Catholic priest from Austria wrote the lyrics to Silent Night. The choir director of St. Nicholas Church in  Oberndorf, Austria, Franz Xaver Gruber composed the melody. Silent Night was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818 at St. Nicholas Church.

This past Sunday we celebrated the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

The Holy Family

The divine providence of God was in perfect order when He picked this family. Mary was visited by the Archangel Gabriel heralding the great news of her Immaculate Conception. Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, but when he discovered  that she was with child (by the Holy Spirit) Joseph had second thoughts. It was not until an angel appeared to him in a dream that he understood the importance of his role as the holy foster father of Jesus. He was called to protect his family from all harm. St. Joseph is mentioned in the Bible, but he was never quoted in the Word of God. He was the silent example of holiness. He listened to the messages sent from God through holy angels and departed to Egypt to save the Christ Child from the hands of King Herod.

It was through Joseph’s obedience that Jesus’ life was spared from the hands of the evil King Herod. That’s what holy fathers do; they protect their children from all harm. Joseph serves as a role model on how to be a great father. The idea that he was a foster father to the Son of God gives us an insight as to how deep the Lord wants fathers to exemplify Joseph’s fatherhood. Not only did he raise Jesus as his own, he handed down his trade of a carpenter to his Son. It is a misconception that Jesus had brothers and sisters because in the times of the New Testament close relatives were referred to as brothers and sisters. Mary was set aside to carry the Christ Child in her womb; this was her main purpose in life, and Jesus was her only begotten son.

St. Anne and St. Joachim 

Mary was born to St. Anne and St. Joachim. St. Joachim was a wealthy man who benevolently gave to the work of God. He gave  one-third to the Temple, one-third  to the poor, and kept one-third for St. Anne and himself. They were judged harshly by their Jewish community because they were elderly and they could not bear children. They both fasted and prayed for a child. St. Joachim went to the desert and prayed for 40 days and 40 nights, while his wife fasted and prayed at the Temple. An angel appeared to St. Anne first to announce that she would bear a child. St. Joachim experienced an angel apparition around the same time telling him to go back home to his wife because she was with child. When Mary was three-years-old she was consecrated to the Temple.

Jesus’ Grandparents

As parents, St. Anne and St. Joachim made the ultimate sacrifice of consecrating Mary to the Temple. They understood that Mary was a special gift from God. Their role as grandparents was to pray for the future of the Mother of God, their daughter Mary. St. Anne must have known that Mary would become the most famous woman in the world. Mothers have a God-given intuition for their children.

Mike and I have four grandchildren. Each one is different, and we have learned that we cannot treat them the same. We love them the same but our involvement as grandparents is to be available to help at any time. I will drop everything when it comes to the needs of our grandchildren. I want to teach our grandchildren to love the Lord and to be an example of serving God. All grandchildren are special because we as grandparents have a great opportunity to witness what we have experienced in life. We have grown from all of our past hurts and pains and can offer great wisdom. The many times that I have served as the taxi for our grandkids, I always have the radio on a religious station. None of them seem to mind.

Our grandchildren help us with technology; what seems impossible for me  comes so easy for them. I do not like to cook or bake, but now that has become a tradition with our grandkids. I don’t mind the mess because the time spent in the kitchen is worth all the labor of cleaning up. So as grandparents we are working at coming alongside their parents, making sure that we are part of raising good, honest citizens who will honor their parents and love God.

 We Pray As A Family

Last year we lost a dear friend. This was not COVID-related but it was an unexpected departure. The sad irony is that our friend had recently lost his oldest son as well. Our friend left behind his younger son who is suffering the lost of his beloved father and brother. My heart aches for this precious young man because he was so close to his father and brother. I have been praying for this young man for months, but when he stopped returning my text messages, I realized that he had gone deep into the mournful pain of loss. We all grieve differently, but his pain is too much for him to bear alone, and the holidays are a harsh reminder of this great void in his life. We miss our friend so much, but I cannot imagine the pain his son is going through. All that is left is prayer because we trust that God will pull him out of this deep grief.

Psalm 147:3-5   New American Bible (Revised Edition)

³ Healing the brokenhearted,
    and binding up their wounds.
⁴ He numbers the stars,
    and gives to all of them their names.
⁵ Great is our Lord, vast in power,
    with wisdom beyond measure.

 

My Prayer

Dear Lord, we know that the Christmas season brings so much pain to those who are alone, who are suffering from illness, or are not on speaking terms with close family members. Lord, we ask that You send Your Holy Spirit to comfort them and to help them to understand that there is nothing impossible for You. You heal the broken hearted, and restore the faith in those who looks to You for help. I pray for our friend’s son, Lord.  You know his pain and every tear that he has shed for his family. Lord, comfort his broken heart and give him peace. Amen.

Romans 8:18   New American Bible (Revised Edition)

¹⁸ I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.

 

 

 

I’m sharing this story for those who need a deeper understanding of the Eucharist.

When Mike and I were a young married couple we once attended Mass at St. John Eudes in Chatsworth, California. We had not been to Mass in a while yet one thing remained unforgettable: the overwhelming joy I felt after received Communion. The  sensation was profound, and though I lacked the spiritual maturity to comprehend what was truly happening – That I was receiving the Body of Christ Himself. For years, I carried that memory of joy without truly understanding its source. Bas as I slowly returned to my Catholic roots, the meaning became clear: What had been missing form my life all along was not merely a feeling, but the Eucharist – the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Novice Eucharist Minister

To serve as a Eucharistic Minister (EM) requires training – a brief tutorial on positioning, words, and how to properly distribute. I thought it would be simple. I was wrong.

The first time I stood at the altar, I felt inadequate. Every eye seemed to fixed on me, scrutinizing my every movement. As a  communicant approached with mouth opened and tongue extended, fear gripped me. What if I touch her tongue? What if the Host fell short of her mouth? My anxiety proved prophetic; during my first week, I dropped a consecrate wafer on the floor.

Thank the good Lord, the lady picked it up immediately and consumed it herself. I was mortified. Training had taught us to handle the dropped Host with reverence, but in the moment, I froze. When it happened again, I quickly retrieved the Host, held it carefully in my hand, and after distributing to the remaining communicants, brought it to the priest and explained, he took it reverently and consumed it.

The Lesson

I learned a powerful lesson: the reverence belongs to the Lord.

Six years later, I continue server as a Eucharistic Minister. With each week, confidence has grown – not in my technique, but in the sacred responsibility itself.

Our parish serves bothe the parish community and an attached Catholic school, so I minister multiple times weekly often to young students. And what began as a fear has become a privilege.

Not  Again

Several years ago, while distributing Communion to a student, I noticed a small particle of the Host fall to the floor. My heart beach to race – not from embarrassment but from the weifh=ght of what has happened.

I couldn’t simply pick it up,  the altar was surrounded by people, and I didn’t  want to disturb their communion with Christ. But my mind was crazed with worry. What if someone stepped on it? What if I lost it entirely? My eyes remained fixed on that spot for the next several minutes, I was a wreck!

After Mass, as I was still watching that area, Alan, one of the sacristans, approached and asked what I was looking for. I explained that I’d seen a particle fall during distribution. Together, we searched the floor. I found something small and, in a moment of reverence – or perhaps because I was looking too hard  –  placed it in my mouth, genuflected, and walked away.

Something was immediately wrong.

Whatever I place in my mouth did not dissolve like the Eucharist. It had a grainy, almost fibrous texture –  like a fingernail or toenail. As I exited the church my stomach churned. Gagging, placed the object in my pocket to investigate further.

At home, the horrible truth became clear: it was indeed someone’s discarded toenail!

Transubstantiation

Transubstantiation is the Catholic core belief that the bread and wine used for Communion become the Body and Blood of Christ. That’s why I experienced such joy when receiving Communion at St. John Eudes. It was the body and blood of Christ!

In a recent Pew survey, it was discovered that 69% of Catholics do not understand the holy concept of transubstantiation. These Catholics are under the fallacy that the Body and Blood of Christ  is merely a symbol. I am happy to report that out of the 31 % who believe in transubstantiation, I am one of them.

The Reverence 

After experiencing the mishaps, I investigated the proper protocol for when one accidentally drops the Eucharist, so I could be better prepared. According to he General Instruction of the Roman Missal #280:

1. Priest and Eucharist ministers mist be extremely alert during the distribution of the holy communion, ensuring that the recipient consumes the sacred host immediately and retrieving it if an accident occurs.
2. When receiving holy communion, a recipient must extend his or her tongue sufficiently so that the sacred host may be placed securely on it, or make a proper cup with his or her hand to receive it securely. The recipient should then step aside while still facing the altar and consume the sacred host before returning to the pew. I always practice this, even before realizing it was part of the official rules.
3. If the sacred host falls to the floor, or even a piece of it, its should be retrieved and given to the priest at an appropriate time – such as the end of communion when the priest is preparing to purify the vessel. The Eucharistic minister can also consume the host if it has fallen on the floor.

What I found particularly interesting is this: if the host that has fallen on the floor is too soiled to consume, it should be placed in water until it dissolves. The water is then discarded into a special drain that does not feed into the sewer system, but rather disperses into the ground.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, continue to shed light on our crazy world. May You Holy Spirit open the hearts of those who do not understand that it is truly in the Eucharist. May we fall on our knees in reverence to Your Holy presence. Amen.