7 Day-Old Quick Takes.

I see lots of people doing the however-many-days of Thanksgiving thing. I assume it's 28 days? Well it seemed like a good idea for November quick-taking. Since Friday was the 8th, I'll count my gramma bday post as my first day of Thanksgiving. Like I said, gram was always getting us out of jams!

Days 2 through 8 of Thanksgiving:

--- 2 ---

I am thankful for my brother, who at certain times has been my only friend. He can always make me laugh when I'm sad. And he never believed me that January is spelled with 2 r's.

--- 3 ---

Science conference church in San Francisco

I am thankful that my work allows me to attend Mass almost every day, and that I have time to stay for the rosary and divine mercy chaplet. And for 91 year-old Joe who brings me a bag of dried fruit and a granola bar for breakfast every morning and chats with me about the time Micky Rooney flew his airplane.

--- 4 ---

I am thankful for all of my coworkers whom I see every day and my colleagues from around the world. The science community is like a strange family, with the same fun and the same drama. It's such a blessing to go to work with a bunch of people I actually enjoy being around!

--- 5 ---

I am especially thankful for Allison, who is largely responsible for the successful completion of my previous several AGU posters, including Knudsen's Magical Diffuse Aurora Eraser. Without her help there would NOT have been anything magical about it. We survived the mudslides of the Maroon Bells and a trolley car robbery. It will be interesting to see what the next trip has in store.

--- 6 ---

I am thankful for the prison ministry and everyone I have met there. Sometimes people send us poems they've written or pictures of their kids. One person decorated some pottery for me. But most of all they're all so loyal in prayer. Sometimes I wonder what kind of a miserable person I'd be without so many prisoners praying for me!

--- 7 ---

I am thankful for the Happy Fault and for God's mercy. Felix Culpa: "O happy fault. O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer."

"In order to die for us--because as God he could not die--the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Immortal One took on mortality that he might die for us, and by dying put to death our death."

--St. Augustine--

--- 8 ---

I am thankful for the B.I.G. Book Sale in Annapolis, where I can donate all the weird books I've accumulated and pick up gems like "Three by Flannery O'Connor" including Wise Blood, The Violent Bear It Away, and Everything That Rises Must Converge. Her stories are brutally violent and meant to convey the "action of grace in territory held largely by the devil." She also said and wrote amazing things about her Catholic faith. She must have been an introvert. In one of her letters she described so well how I often feel when attending dinner parties and/or explaining the faith:

I was once, five or six years ago, taken by some friends to have dinner with Mary McCarthy and her husband, Mr. Broadwater. (She just wrote that book, A Charmed Life.) She departed the Church at the age of 15 and is a Big Intellectual. We went at eight and at one, I hadn't opened my mouth once, their being nothing for me in such company to say. The people who took me were Robert Lowell and his now wife, Elizabeth Hardwick. Having me there was like having a dog present who had been trained to say a few words but overcome with inadequacy had forgotten them. Well, toward morning the conversation turned on the Eucharist, which I, being the Catholic, was obviously suppose to defend. Mrs. Broadwater said when she was a child she received the Host, she thought of it as the Holy Ghost, He being the "most portable" person of the Trinity; now she thought of it as a symbol and implied that it was a pretty good one. I then said, in a very shaky voice, "Well, if it's a symbol, to hell with it." That was all the defense I was capable of but I realize now that this is all I will ever be able to say about it, outside of a story, except that it is the center of existence for me; all the rest of life is expendable.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Happy All Souls Day--a celebration of death!!

Today is All Souls Day, the final celebration of Hallowmas (the Triduum of Hallows) which started with the Vigil of All Saints Day (All Hallows Eve) and is celebrated as Dia de los Muertos in Mexico.

In celebrating this triduum, we make the bold assertion that death is a gift! As St. Ambrose wrote: "Death was not part of nature; it became part of nature. God did not decree death from the beginning; he prescribed it as a remedy. Human life was condemned because of sin to unremitting labor and unbearable sorrow and so began to experience the burden of wretchedness. There had to be a limit to its evils; death had to restore what life had forfeited. Without the assistance of grace, immortality is more of a burden than a blessing... No longer will the bride be held in subjection to this passing world but will be made one with the spirit." Death is the ultimate display of God's healing and mercy.

I disagree with National Geographic that this is a minor holiday in the Catholic Church. Rather it is one of MANY major holidays in the Catholic Church. Hallowmas was traditionally celebrated as one of several days-long festivals. Fr. Steve Grunow explains that "A holy day of obligation has not always meant spending 45 minutes in church for Mass and then going back to work. Holy Days were times for a party and if you look at the Church’s calendar, past and present, with this ethos in mind you will discover that the reasons for a party happened with great frequency." I think we need to return to the tradition of grand celebrations.

So let's visit a cemetery and remember where we came from and where we are headed!

7 Quick Takes: Happy Bday Gram and Andy!!

Today is one of the awesomest days of the year. It's my brother's birthday AND my gramma's birthday AND All Saints Day. Happy Birthday to Gramminator and IndiAndy Jones!! :o) Perhaps someone in the family could show gramma my Quick Takes? Thank you in advance. (Is this a Quick Take rather than an intro? Am I cheating?)

--- 1 ---

My brother's girlfriend made him a totally amazing cake! Last I heard, she was the only one brave enough (er... "hungry" enough) to eat any of it. But I still think it's a HUGE success.

--- 2 ---

Dear Andy, let me send a much belated response to a letter you wrote (quoted below) and say that I would, in fact, like to do something fun while I'm home for the holidays.

I want fun! :o)

No fun! :(

Dear Sarah,

Sorry to keep

Bugging you

But there's

Nothing to do.

--- 3 ---

Dear gramma, I remember you always helping us out of jams. I particularly remember gramma reading Andy the literary classics that were required for school because he just hated reading. I would hear her voice start to tremble and she would pause and say "This is really sad!" at the tragic death of yet another faithful canine companion. But gramma persevered through Where the Red Fern Grows and Sounder and a host of other traumatizing youth fiction novels.

--- 4 ---

One year my class at school had an International Food Day. We were divided into groups and instructed to choose a country. Someone in my group decided to make Swedish meatballs, forcing the rest of us to identify and produce some other Swedish dish. (Seriously??? Name another food with the word Swedish in the title.) In a small Vermont town of about 3000 people, we did not have a Scandinavian store within a reasonable driving distance. So I did the only thing I could think of in that situation: whined to gramma! She found the one Swedish recipe in her old cookbook, for cookies that we had never heard of and certainly couldn't pronounce. But wouldn't you know, those sandbakelsers were amazing!

--- 5 ---

In my senior year of high school I took a French class which included a French Food Day. I remember one guy basically made grilled cheese sandwiches out of French toast, which is apparently something that French people do. Again gramma came to the rescue making a Strawberry Glace Pie. To this day we do not know if the word glace has two syllables or one. UPDATE: the word glace does have two syllables, like the McDonald's Frappe. THANK YOU GRAMMA FOR COMING TO OUR RESCUE!

--- 6 ---

I found this picture of me and Andy looking very serious outside of our indoor play tent. Bed Bath and Beyond sells play tents but they look way too high in quality. Simply scaling a grown up product down to a child's size takes some of the fun out of it. How about stretching the imagination?

--- 7 ---

I have to admit that All Saints Day overwhelms me. How am I to celebrate ALL of the Saints in one single day??? This year I went with friends to a beautiful vigil service (All Hallows Eve!) at the Dominican House of Studies. I did not see Fr. Justin this time but I did see a Brother who happens to be the godfather of my landlords' baby. But, speaking of Saints, the Bishop of Northampton has begun the fact-finding necessary to open the cause for canonization of Gilbert Keith Chesterton!! This gigantically wonderful and brilliant man is not your typical image of a Saint. But I'm rooting for him, along with Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Dorothy Day, Blessed Mother Teresa and some others (like Mother Angelica and His Holiness Benedict XVI, whenever the Lord decides to take them).

"Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to that arrogant oligarchy who merely happen to be walking around."
--Orthodoxy, GK Chesterton, 1908--

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 Quick Takes: Seinfeld Spirituality

The shut down is over. Just when I was getting used to retired life!

--- 1 ---

Much to my surprise, several super nice people read my Quick Takes last week. So I've decided that everyone who comments on (or just reads) my blog will be added to my book of prayers. Here it is relaxing in my prayer nook which, it turns out, is not a nook at all for it is not a corner or recess and does not offer seclusion or security. My prayer book is decorated with stickers commemorating satellite missions--All for the Glory of God!! ;o) Holy Mary, St. Monica, St. Anthony, and I will intercede for you each night--expect amazing things!

--- 2 ---

My snazzy prayer book reminds me of His Holiness Benedict XVI, a great lover of science. Here is a small portion of his interview of the ISS crew. Cutest Pope EVER!! Now that he has some free time he should come visit NASA. Check out his Coat of Arms HERE--really interesting stuff!

--- 3 ---

I've been scanning images from my old children's books and The Almost-Forgotten Teddy Bear by Ann Harler is a book that seems way more creepy to adult Sarah. I think Toy Story ruined it for me. This looks WAY too much like Sid's room. Spoiler alert: Teddy almost gave up on life but somehow made his way back into the light and avoided lifelong imprisonment with the misfit toys under the bed.

--- 4 ---

This past weekend I went on an Opus Dei retreat for young professional women. The Opus Dei ladies leading the retreat were pretty much the opposite of the creepy albino guy from The Da Vinci Code in every way I can think of. I suggest that anyone wanting to know the truth about Opus Dei read John Allen's book. He covers the good, the bad, and the ugly. I guess any spiritual direction that is good enough for Scott Hahn is good enough for me.

--- 5 ---

Part of the retreat focused on living a life of integrity, which is a goal that can be embraced by anyone. If I want to be respected at work and, therefore, avoid telling crude jokes then maybe I should seek to be equally well respected outside of work rather than allowing my mind to dive into the gutter. Rather than lower my standards whenever I can get away with it, why not always hold myself to the highest standard? Something to consider.

--- 6 ---

Public Service Announcement: this item tastes like neither pumpkin nor cider. It tastes like ginger. If you like carbonated ginger juice then this is the product for you. You can find it at Aldi. Happy Fall!!

--- 7 ---

My mom is on a spiritual retreat called Walk to Emmaus, which is apparently based on Cursillo. I've been told that Cursillo is pretty much the coolest thing in the whole world. So hopefully mom is experiencing a similar level of coolness this weekend. Anyway, I wrote a poem for her which I guess I can post here since she doesn't have internet access on the retreat. It's based on I Love You More Than Applesauce by Jack Prelutsky.

I love you more than internet,

Than Facebook and my blog,

Than cheap used books,

And knowing looks,

And going on a jog.

I love you more than power naps,

And caffeinated tea,

Than winter hats,

And fluffy cats,

And laughing til we pee.

I love you more than corned beef hash,

Than smashed up eggs on toast;

I love hugs and ladybugs,

But I love you the most.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

7 (moderately) Quick Takes

Since I'm horrible at communicating with long distance friends I'm starting 7 sort-of-Quick Takes on Fridays. I don't promise regularity or that the 7 takes will necessarily be from the last 7 days. 

--- 1 ---

I have begun a two year formation period with the Lay Missionaries of Charity (LMCs)! This is an extension of the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The LMCs make annual vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and free and wholehearted service to the poorest of the poor. The formation period involves discernment (Am I really called to make vows as a Lay Missionary?), spiritual formation (Am I able to live by the statutes of the Lay Missionaries?), and integration (adoption into the lay community and closer collaboration with the Missionary of Charity Sisters). In other words, a lot more of this.

--- 2 ---

The Sisters asked me to stay and serve dinner to the residents after our September LMC meeting. The Gift of Hope houses roughly 10 men, many of whom were previously homeless, suffering from HIV/AIDS and a myriad of other ailments. Fortunately the guys are good at helping each other because I must have been the slowest volunteer they've seen in a while. Fortunately Albert, one of the LMCs, was there to supervise the house for the night and helped serve while the guys continued to ask me, "Have you been here before??" But I must have served well enough because the Sisters allowed me to come back and serve breakfast during the shutdown. The guys were a little slower moving early in the morning so I was able to keep up.

--- 3 ---

As we cleaned up after dinner, Albert began to explain the Sisters' view of the vow of poverty. Not only do the Sisters try not to own or spend money on anything they don't absolutely need, but they also live in the spirit of poverty. They want to be united to the poor in their suffering, something that makes little sense without an understanding of spiritual communion. However, the Sisters also claim that the more "comfortable" we are, the less we think about the poor. So the Sisters try to use hot water as little as possible, wash and reuse everything including foil and plastic bags, and turn down even hand-me-down donations of things like electric mixers--"We do this by hand." Good thing I've got two full years of formation!

--- 4 ---

One Sunday the Sisters needed a ride to Mass and I readily agreed. Turns out the Mass was of the Syro-Malabar Rite and was celebrated by the Cardinal from that Rite. Pretty neat experience but 3 hours long! Fortunately the other Latin Riters next to me, who had driven the Missionaries of Charity from Gift of Peace in DC, were just as incapable of following the translation in the book since we had no clue how the swirly written language related to the syllables that were uttered.

--- 5 ---

Perhaps inspired by Pope Francis' example of how to live a vow of poverty, I decided to downgrade from my apartment. Why spend three times as much money on rent when I live alone and would be perfectly happy renting the master bedroom in a Cape Cod style house with a young couple and their baby and two cats? And PERFECT timing. I was able to weather the government shutdown.

I have a new friend named Lion Heart. Or is it Lionheart? Anyway, Charlamagne is not quite my friend because he's much crazier. But he is also orange.

--- 6 ---

The shutdown gave me extra time to check out the new neighborhood. One day I visited the Belair Stable Museum which is far more entertaining than I expected. Who knew that Gallant Fox is not just the name of a street near McDonald's but also the name of a triumphant racehorse? His brother Fighting Fox was apparently quite a stud too. Most interesting was the history of black jockeys in the 1800s.

--- 7 ---

The other day (and by the other day I mean three weeks ago), I was grabbing something from the back seat of my car and noticed an old cigarette butt on the floor. Eventually I remembered that while walking through Baltimore with FrC one night, a homeless man asked for prayer and a ride to the hospital. Of course, FrC jumped at the opportunity (in his mind, the privilege) to give this man a ride somewhere. On the way to the car he informed me that I would be driving the three of us, which was surely my penance for calling him a maniac Baltimore driver. Some time between picking up Aaron on the street corner and leaving him at the ER the cigarette butt must have fallen on my floor. As I picked it up I thought that if I could only bring FrC with me wherever I go then I might seem like a compassionate person.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

St. Francis of Assisi.

St. Francis was a small and lithe Italian who lived during the middle ages (1181-1226).  He was a courteous man, often praised for his impeccable manners, but he was also spontaneous and full of energy.  In having nothing, St. Francis was the freest man who ever lived. In Chesterton's book on Thomas Aquinas he describes St. Francis:

"St. Francis was a lean and lively little man; thin as a thread and vibrant as a bowstring; and in his motions like an arrow from the bow.  All his life was a series of plunges and scampers; darting after the beggar, dashing naked into the woods, tossing himself into the strange ship, hurling himself into the Sultan's tent and offering to hurl himself into the fire.  In appearance he must have been like a thin brown skeleton autumn leaf dancing eternally before the wind; but in truth it was he that was the wind."

If St. Francis resembles Christ, then Christ resembles St. Francis.

The Triumph of the Cross

Yesterday was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which is apparently a much bigger deal in the Orthodox Church. This is probably because it was inspired by the Emperor Constantine's mother, Helen, finding the remains of the cross used to crucify "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews." At least that's the story. But it's a big enough feast in the Catholic Church to get me musing about the triumph of the cross. This is probably boring, so I should mention that at the very bottom there is an awesome excerpt from a letter about the gruesome torture of early Christian martyrs.

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How radiant is that precious cross which brought us our salvation. In the cross we are victorious, through the cross we shall reign, by the cross all evil is destroyed, alleluia.

[Morning Prayer, Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Antiphon 3]

This life is an epic spiritual battle between forces of good and evil. But Jesus has already won the battle for us.

God did not create sin or evil or death but rather creatures capable, by an act of free will, to choose sin and commit evil deeds. Sin always results from a turning away from God and, therefore, "is nothing short of cooperation with evil, a willful act of assent to the force that wishes to destroy every good thing and leave nothing but death and destruction in its wake." [Conversion Diary] This communion with evil rather than good is a poison that brings death.

The role of Jesus is not to step in and free humanity from any responsibility for our actions, even though our collective sins cause the innocent to suffer. In fact, Jesus is the greatest example of a suffering innocent. Jesus does not remove all Earthly suffering. It's wrong to think that if I'm faithful enough I will never enduring suffering (and certainly not unjust suffering!). Jesus himself said, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." [Luke 9:23] In fact, Jesus insists that anyone who wants to follow him needs to start suffering.

It is wrong to think that if I just pray often enough, or loudly enough, or with enough emotion God will always give me what I want. To expect that I will receive whatever I want if I just believe that God will give it to me is not Christian thinking. It is the type of new age spirituality touted by The Secret. Instead, when we look to Jesus, we find that he himself prayed, "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." [Luke 22:42] Let's just say the cup was not removed…

The plans of God are all ordered toward the salvation of souls. Sometimes it's easy to see the spiritual goods that come out of suffering. But sometimes the goods are hidden and all we can see is fruitless anguish. In the Old Testament, Job demanded that God provide an answer as to why he was suffering. God replied with many more questions: "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth??? Tell me, if you have understanding." Job finally got the message: "I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." Sometimes it's just too much to comprehend.

John Lennon may have imagined a world with "no religion" and "all the people living in peace." However, from the Christian point of view this is nothing but mystical wishful thinking. We work toward alleviating suffering because we love our neighbors, not out of a hubristic expectation that we can create heaven on Earth (if only there were no religion and everybody drove Volvos and never criticized anyone and only bathed once per week and so on and so on).

So what was the role of Jesus if not to prevent sin and evil? The role of Jesus is to restore us to perfect communion with God--i.e. redemption, regaining possession of the ultimate good. The result is becoming what God created me to be, which is free from sin and death. That is the ultimate prize, and something that clearly doesn't come to fruition in this life.

Sin results from disobedience to God's ways. As St. Paul explained so well in Romans, no human being was capable of perfect obedience to God's laws, and so everybody was condemned. God became man to fulfill the requirement of perfect obedience. And so Jesus is the only person who can enter Heaven (perfect union with God) by his own merit. By obedience he atoned for the sins of mankind. "As one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men." [Romans 5:18] Through communion with Jesus in his human nature we are also in communion with Jesus in his Divine nature and, therefore, achieve communion with God. Freedom from death without communion with God is a curse. As St. Ambrose said, "Without the assistance of grace, immortality is more of a burden than a blessing."

Theologians argue as to whether or not Jesus had to be crucified in order to restore that communion. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said that by taking his first breath as a baby he had saved the world. Couldn't he have been perfectly obedient to God in his carpenter shop until dying of old age? But the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate triumph of good over evil. The cross mocks the devil because his plan backfired.

Think about it. The devil tempted humanity to turn away from God and to serve worldly gods, seeking passing goods rather than eternal ones. Then God decided to be born as a human being, limiting himself (as St. Paul said, Jesus did not deem equality with God something to be grasped) so that he can interact directly with his creatures on the worldly/temporal level. But the devil was able to foil God's plan again, by manipulating the humans into committing the worst possible evil. They decided to kill God! (Now Jesus was not "killed" so much as gave up his spirit when the Father decided it was time, but as far as the humans were concerned they were killing Jesus.) It was not until the evil deed was done that the centurion finally realized its severity, as he exclaimed "Truly, this man was the Son of God!" [Mark 15:39] And for about three days the devil must have been elated. But then somehow Jesus was alive as if nothing had happened. He was different because he could walk through walls, but he was alive and could eat and run and hug his friends. And he promised the same to anyone who came after him so long as they are his friends (something he himself will judge). That is the good news that people are willing to proclaim even under penalty of death. This is what allowed the martyrs to face death without fear.*** They were eager for the eternal reward!

In the Triumph of the Cross, we see that even the worst sin can be forgiven and every evil transformed into a greater good. It's a transformation rather than a manipulation. Every suffering is a mini crucifixion through which we can be transformed by suffering, dying, and rising. "Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." [Hebrews 12:1-2]

For the joy set before us, let us endure the cross, despising the shame, and run the race with perseverance until we too are seated at the right hand of the throne of God!

***From a letter by Saint Cyprian, bishop and martyr (from the Divine Office, OOR August 13):

With what praises can I extol you, most valiant brothers? What words can I find to proclaim and celebrate your brave hearts and your persevering faith? Examined under the fiercest torture, you held out until your ordeal was consummated in glory; it was not you who yielded to the torments but rather the torments that yielded to you. No respite from pain was allowed by the instruments of your torture, but your very crowning signaled the end of pain. The cruel butchery was permitted to last the longer, not so that it might overthrow the faith that stood so firm, but rather that it might dispatch you, men of God, more speedily to the Lord.

The crowd in wonder watched God’s heavenly contest, this spiritual battle that was Christ’s. They saw his servants standing firm, free in speech, undefiled in heart, endowed with supernatural courage, naked and bereft of the weapons of this world, but as believers equipped with the arms of faith. Tortured men stood there stronger than their torturers; battered and lacerated limbs triumphed over clubs and claws that tore them.

Savage and prolonged beating could not overcome such invincible faith, even when the bodies of God’s servants were so mangled that no whole members were left to suffer punishment, but only wounds remained. Enough blood flowed to quench the fire of persecution, a glorious river to cool even the burning heat of hell. What a divine display it was, how sublime and magnificent! How pleasing did the sworn allegiance and loyalty of his soldiers render the dead in God’s sight! In the psalms, where the Holy Spirit speaks to us and counsels us, it is written: Precious in the sight of God is the death of his holy ones. Rightly is that death called “precious,” for at the price of blood it purchased immortality and won God’s crown through the ultimate act of courage.

How happy Christ was to be there, how gladly he fought and conquered in such servants! He protects their faith and gives strength to believers in proportion to the trust that each man who receives that strength is willing to place in him. Christ was there to wage his own battle; he aroused the soldiers who fought for his name; he made them spirited and strong. And he who once for all has conquered death for us, now continually conquers in us.