Thank God our daughter Sonja did not get in the wrong gene pool line; unlike me, she is organized. We planned our vacation last year, but when I came down with COVID the trip was postponed twice. Sonja wanted to make sure that we were occupied the entire time. I had other ideas. I’m not a pool-or-beach type girl. Although we live 15 minutes from Newport Beach, you will rarely see me make an effort to go to the beach. I don’t particularly care for sand in my feet and, after my near-death experience in Cabo, I never go into the water.

We were staying at Waikiki Beach, and I loved walking on the sidewalk with the cool breeze brushing against my face. The spring sun was kind and welcoming, but you still needed to lather up with sunscreen. On the second day of the trip I walked nine-and-a-half miles. Most of these racked miles were because I got lost while I was trying to make my way to the Ala Moana Mall. I finally gave up and joined the rest of the family at poolside. Then out of nowhere, (after my pleading) Mike said he would go with me. This mall was overwhelming, way too big for my taste. This is why I prefer mid-size department stores.

Outward Beauty

Our adjoining rooms faced the lagoon, and we had a pretty good view of part of the beach as well. Directly under our hotel, The Hawaiian Hilton Village luau performed nightly. We could see the crowds of people lining up early to get good seats. That’s why we decided to arrive early for the luau at Disney’s Aulani the following day. The Aulani did not disappoint, and just like in true Disney form , it was beautiful. As we all walked all along several private lagoons, we noticed how serene and quiet it was. I thought that it would be wonderful for us to stay here the next time we visited. Then I remembered the ugly internal turmoil Disney is allowing. They’ve gone “woke” and many of the Disney employees are not keeping their anger to themselves. They want to overturn the Florida bill that was recently passed. This bill would prohibit classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity. This bill has caused an uproar with the LGBTQ community. Why do children need to learn about this in the first place? In this situation, it’s simply a systemic problem deep within the executives of Disney like LaToya Raveneau, who recently was quoted that her “not at all secret gay agenda is adding queerness to the Disney shows.” Disney was once known for its clean-cut image: its programming was a safe haven for children. Not any more! I will never frequent anything Disney again. Keep grooming the lawns, plant beautiful flowers, and trim the topiaries, but now Disney has opened the door to darkness.

I’m Not A Racist

“Gramma, you’re a racist!”  I heard this numerous times on this recent vacation. I do not take this statement lightly because that’s the last thing I am. I found myself explaining and defending my positions on several “hot button” issues. Defending my beliefs on positions that are true as opposed to what is being forced upon us as “truth” are two different matters. The desensitizing of young minds is the beginning of indoctrination. After the entire Critical Race Theory is radically shoved down the throats of the innocent, it’s washed down with a gay agenda. Together these two groups make a perfect potion to poison and distort who we are and what we represent as a human race. Am I racist for taking a stand for what I believe is right in the eyes of God? So be it!

Love

As Christians we are called to love the sinner and hate the sin. But at what point did sin become acceptable?  The more we allow our children to hear the constant chatter about how racist the world is, the more our children are going to believe it. This is why the fight for our children has to start in kindergarten. The Left must start early in order for their plan to take hold. Many parents do not take the time to read or understand the severity of this indoctrination. I read one of the books that is being introduced to first graders. This book is about the different pronouns that children should be using. I was so confused with the diction and the characters calling themselves they/them or the explanation that when they wake up they can choose their own pronouns. How can this be acceptable? I can’t sit back and allow this to take place. It’s my godly duty to protect my grandchildren. I’ve boycotted many companies in my lifetime, because I will continue to take a stand against immoral, confused teaching that endangers the future of our children.

Family Time

Our trip was filled with precious memories. Both of the boys turned into animal protectors reminiscent of  St. Francis of Assisi. The last couple of  days they shared their Gold Fish Crackers with a variety of birds. There were so many pigeons that we named them: Snowball was homely; La Quanda was the friendliest; Eguardo was shy, and Hercules, was so huge and dominated all the other birds.  Ne Ne was a sweet sparrow that held her own. The boys created a birds sanctuary, but it was so entertaining to watch them feed these native Hawaiian species.

My Prayer

Lord, thank You for allowing us to vacation as a family together. The bond we created is because of You. You hold us together, and we know that we can trust You to guide us. I continue to pray for all families, especially those who are still battling cancer, as well as  those that You have called home. Heavenly Father, continue to protect Your family in Ukraine. Please put an end to this war. Amen.

This was a special week for me. On Wednesday night our parish arranged for eight priests to come and hear confessions. Half of these holy men are retired, but out of duty and love of God they sacrificed  their time to hear many of us divulge our indiscretions. While waiting my turn, I prayed and silently wept for all those on my prayer petitions. The priest who heard my confession was an elderly sage whose wisdom brought me to tears. God knows all of my struggles, but this time something was different. My spirit was yielded to the wisdom of this priest. I felt the true presence of God as the venerable pastor absolved me of my sins. I go to confession because it clears my mind, heart and spirit; it frees me to continue to mature in my Christian walk. Nothing is more spiritually rewarding!

The Eighth Station of the Cross: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem 

When Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem, they are moved with compassion. In their sorrow, they attempt to comfort Him. At this point on the Via Dolorosa (The Way of Pain) Jesus has just gotten up from falling the second time. We are now entering into a much narrower and steeper passage for this station. The military and police escorts usually hold us up here to allow the crowd to clear the area, so when we make our turn, we will not be trampled.

As the women of Jerusalem approach Jesus, He gives what will be His last sermon. Jesus receives two different types of punishment because under Roman discipline He will be crucified. Pilate had Jesus scourged to appease the Jews; then he had Him crucified to avoid a riot. The cruel scourging included a whip similar to the cat-o’-nine tails. This device was made of pieces of stone and broken glass embedded in its ends.  As it made contact with the skin, it would shred His skin and open to expose His arteries; this caused immediate swelling. So by the time the women of Jerusalem met Jesus, He was unrecognizable. Jesus had been abandoned by his friends, yet even until the end He shared a message of repentance. (Luke 23:28-31)

The Ninth Station of the Cross: Jesus Falls a Third Time

To make our way up to the Ninth Station we need to walk back to the main cobblestone path and make our way up a flight of stairs. I always remember this station because we pass through a shop where feral cats live on the rooftops. Jesus falls a third time. At this point Jim, the gentleman who is carrying the Cross, is exhausted. As a team we allowed him to catch his breath while Linda, one of the ladies in our group, sang “The Day He Wore My Crown.”

Jesus is crucified at the Eleventh Station of the Cross. We are not allowed into the area of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where the actual Crucifixion took place, so we reenact in an open area not far from the original site for all the world to see. At this time the crowd is thick with tourists from all over the world who have followed us most of the way.

As Jesus (Jim) reaches out to touch them, many of these people are moved to tears. I have witnessed many Israeli soldiers’ countenances change into sadness when experiencing the Via Dolorosa. Our Lord was hung on the Cross between two criminals. Even then that the last minute he saves one of the criminals. Lord, Your mercy is so great!

Luke 23:39-43   New American Bible (Revised Edition)

³⁹Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” ⁴⁰ The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? ⁴¹ And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

 

The Twelfth Station of the Cross: Jesus Dies on the Cross

When Jesus and the two criminals were hung on the Cross, it was urgent that they die quickly so their bodies could be taken down from the crosses before the Sabbath, which began at sunset. For the Jews the spectacle of crucifixion would have been seen as desecration of the holy day. At the Jews’ request, Pilate commanded the soldiers to break their legs.

John 19:31-36   New American Bible (Revised Edition)

The Blood and Water. ³¹ Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, ³⁴ but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. ³⁵ An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may [come to] believe. ³⁶ For this happened so that the scripture passage might be fulfilled:  “Not a bone of it will be broken.”

 

The Thirteenth Station of the Cross: The Body of Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

Our Blessed Mother Mary is at the foot of the Cross. She has been with her precious son every step of His life. Mother Mary was the one that initiated the first miracle at the Wedding in Cana. She is the perfect example of how we should love our children.

The supernatural events that took place after Jesus’ death:

Luke 23:44-46  New American Bible (Revised Edition)

⁴⁴ It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon ⁴⁵ because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. ⁴⁶ Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

 

The Fourteenth Station of the Cross: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man who was secretly a disciple of Jesus, asked Pilate for Jesus’ body for burial. Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jews that had jurisdiction over religious, civil  and criminal matters.

And this my friends is why we celebrate Easter. He Rose Again!

My Prayer

Dear Lord, through all the Stations of the Cross You come alive to us. We see all the suffering You were made to go through. In this world so many are suffering with their crosses. Lord, help us all to carry our crosses with grace. Help those who are battling cancer or other life threatening-illnesses. Help those who are lost and wandering in the desert of life. Lord, Your precious people in Ukraine cry out to You daily; please intervene on their behalf and stop this war! Amen.

Every Friday during Lent  most Catholic parishes celebrate the tradition of Lenten devotion by prayer and reflection through the Stations of the Cross. Though I have known about this service, this last Friday was my first time experiencing this liturgy at St. Norbert. My sister Norma and I were both spiritually moved by the beautiful service. As each station was announced, I’d close my eyes and imagine what our Lord endured. The Via Dolorosa, also known as The Way of the Cross, is the most famous of all the holy sites in the Holy Land.

For years our ministry had dedicated and sacrificed to travel to the Holy Land to reenact the Carrying of the Cross down the Via Dolorosa. It was never easy to get our finances to make this annual trip. It took a lot of prayer and, after traveling over 20 years to the Holy Land, people did not understand why we had to go every year. I could never explain my calling other than it was part of my Christian obligation to participate in this historic pageant. After so many years of service, our director decided to step down and hand me the role of Mary, the Blessed Mother. So I know by heart and sight all the Stations of the Cross.

Accepting Our Crosses

At the First Station of the Cross Jesus is condemned to death. At the Second Station of the Cross He accepts the Cross. Life could not exist without trials because it is the manner in which we handle our crosses that we grow. I’ve had my share of crosses, but just when I’m ready to give up, the Lord comes to help me carry it. My burdens are lighter because of prayer, but that does not necessarily mean that I will be free of my crosses. In my Christian walk I’ve come to the realization that the closer I get to the Lord, the bigger the crosses. God has a plan for all of our lives. Once we master carrying the small crosses of life, He trusts us with the bigger crosses, the ones that make us stumble because of  their weight and size. It is never easy or comfortable to carry a cross because it’s a training in your Christian growth. Most of us don’t realize that we are in training because we are burdened with our crosses.  Some of the most difficult crosses to bear are conflicts with family members and co-workers. This can manifest in many ways with sibling rivalry, a difficult  in-law, and problems in  marriages.

The Third Station: Jesus Falls The First Time

At the Third Station just before Jesus meets His Mother on the Fourth Station of the Cross, He falls. We all fall when carrying our crosses. At this point, you have a decision to make: are you going to get up, or allow the cross to hold you down? If you decide on the latter, you will get stuck in blaming others for your cross. God gives us a free will to choose, and if you choose to stay down, your cross will eventually become part of your daily routine, something that you’ve made a crutch. You will use the cross as an excuse not to get up and finish the Via Dolorosa.

We all  struggle with people in our lives who cause strife. And unless you understand how to accept and love that difficult person, you are keeping them and yourself in a spiritual prison. We think of hurtful things that were said; we play them over and over in our heads. Or if you get a mean-spirited text message, you read it over and over again. We need to stop this behavior because it can keep us from receiving blessings. If someone in your life does not like you, move on and leave it to the Lord. If you get caught up in the drama, this little cross will hinder your spiritual growth. Pray for them and ask God to help you through this.

The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Mother

The Fourth Station of the Cross is where Jesus meets His Mother. As I prepared for this small role, my friend Jim took the role of  Jesus. In the real life scenario Jesus has just gotten up from His first fall. His face is bloody and his body is covered with welts from all the beating. As Mary, I would gently touch his chin and turn it toward me and ask, “Why are they doing this to You?” I looked toward the crowd of onlookers and said, “Look what they have done to my Son! He is innocent, please help Him!” My dialogue was always improvised, but my tears were real. I could never fill the Blessed Mother’s sandals, but I believe that she would not have remained silent in the agony of seeing her Son in such pain. Jesus’ Mother Mary was there to support her Son, all mothers must follow her example by loving their children, even those who are difficult and hard to love.

The Fifth Station:  Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

At the  Fifth Station of the Cross Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry His Cross. We are surrounded by Simons of Cyrene; they are our friends and family members who feel our burdens and come alongside us in prayer. They will spiritually help us carry our crosses in life because they love us and want us to be free. That does not mean that the cross no longer belongs to you; it simply means that, at times when it is the hardest, God will send down the Simons to help us endure the pain of the cross. We are never abandoned on this lonely path; the Lord is there every step of the way.

The Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

After Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross, the Via Dolorosa transitions to a much narrower steep path. Many of the shops have boarded their doors to make way for the crowd. The Cross becomes heavier, Jesus’ face is covered with His blood and His vision is impaired. At the Sixth Station of the Cross, Veronica wipes His beautiful face. This is what we are to do to help our loved ones who are in so much pain that they cannot think or see clearly. The original Veronica’s Veil is believed to be stored in the Church of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Italy, where it is displayed daily.