Friday Happy Hour, Back Again

I learned about this ad from a fellow blogger and thought I just had to share. I can't imagine all the work that must have gone into the perfecting this! The song is Bach's Cantata 147

Another very cool ad. Some fun production facts: Filming was done over four near-sleepless days in a Paris studio, after one month of script approval, two months of concept drawings and a further four months of development and testing. In took five months of production and design work before "Cog" was ready to shoot. Then the real work began. In the course of a week in a Paris studio, crews agonized through 605 takes!



Just in case you are sitting at work right now and feeling creative, here's a little inspiration to get you off and running for the weekend!



Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

Journey On

The following prayer comes from a beautiful book by Becca Stevens. Becca is an amazing Episcopal Priest from Nashville, Tennessee. I've also included links to one of her many projects, Magdalene House's Thistle Farms. The messages of love she brings to the world are amazing.

I think this prayer is a great place to start as we begin our journey into this Easter season and beyond.

The Closing Prayer

The journey to you, O God, leaves us so tender

a breeze could break our hearts.

So talk to us in whispers and sweet silence

until we can walk again.

Be present with us, even as we take our rest.

Then strengthen our desire for courage.

Enkindle our hearts to meet injustice

in our world and in our thoughts.

Give us tears as a sign of compassion

for the suffering of the world.

Give us laughter as a sign of joy

in your wondrous creation.

Thank you for teaching us

the cost of living in faith and trust.

Teach us to grieve our lives when we need to let go.

You are our God.

Amen.

[excerpt from Hither and Yon : A Travel Guide for the Spiritual Journey by Becca Stevens. Dimensions for Living, ©2007]

If you enjoyed this prayer, read Becca's blog at http://www.beccastevens.org/

or learn more about her work and the work of some amazing women at Thistle Farms.

Consider purchasing some of their products for a Mother's Day gift. It will be a gift that truly gives back.

The Easter Vigil

Some friends recently asked about the significance of the Easter Vigil celebration in Catholic churches held on the Saturday evening before Easter. Since this Mass contains elements of liturgy that are not experienced on any other day of the year, I thought it might be interesting to explain the history and tradition behind a few of these elements.

During the first three centuries of the Church, a celebration of the Lord's resurrection was the only feast observed. The early Christians chose the night time hours to celebrate Christ's victory over sin and death because it was during those dark hours that the mystery happened. It was a common belief within early Christianity that Christ would return during those same hours on Easter Vigil, so his followers wanted to be ready and waiting. They were preparing to experience his final and glorious coming and fulfill the proclamation of "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!"

Our renewed ritual of the modern Easter Vigil Mass echoes the early celebration. Here are a few of the elements and their significance:

1. The vigil begins with the blessing and lighting of the Easter fire. This was not a part of the original ritual. This tradition comes as a counter to a pagan practice of lighting bonfires and praying to deities for the beginning of spring and good crops. This practice was common in pre-Christian times in places like Germany and Ireland. However, St. Patrick , in an attempt to counter the spring bonfires among the Celtic Druids, began blessing a bonfire outside the church on Holy Saturday night. Irish missionaries carried the tradition to the European continent. The tradition eventually spread to Rome and became part of the Easter Vigil liturgy.

The blessed fire also serves the practical purpose of relighting the lamps extinguished on Holy Thursday allowing celebrants and readers to see.

2. The Easter Candle is also lit using this new fire. The tradition of lighting this special candle dates back to the ancient ritual of Lucerne ("lighting of the lamps"). It was present in ancient Rome where people held lit candles to symbolize the risen Christ.

A further symbolism has been added to this candle. A cross is cut or traced into the wax with the proclamation: "Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end," adding the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, "Alpha and Omega." The numbers of the current year are added in the four angles of the crossbars with the proclamation: "All time belongs to him and all the ages; to him be glory and power through every age forever. Amen" Four grains of incense, sealed with wax red nails, are inserted at the ends of the crossbars, and one is inserted where the crossbars meet with the words: "By his holy . . . and glorious wounds . . . may Christ our Lord . . . guard us . . . and keep us. Amen

3. The service then proceeds with the Liturgy of the Word. Here, as in the original ritual, time is spent in Scripture reading and prayer. The readings, usually twelve in all, retell the prophetic timeline of our faith. Stories such as the story of creation, the fall, the flood, the sacrifice of Isaac, the Passover, and the entry into the Promised Land are included.

4. Next comes the ritual blessing of the Easter water, with the chanting of the Litany of Saints, by plunging the Easter candle into the water and by mixing it with holy oils. Then those catechumens who have been preparing to join the faith are baptized and confirmed.

5. The Mass continues with the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Understanding the elements of our faith helps we Catholics learn more about who we are and where we come from. Like with any family, the more we know about our history, the more we understand ourselves, and our place in it.

Continued Easter Blessings on this first Wednesday of Easter.

[Source: Catholic Customs & Traditions: A Popular Guide by Greg Dues. Twenty-Third Publications ©2000, 1989.]

Easter Season, continued!

Technical difficulties have delayed today's post. Perhaps that was for the best. I started the morning feeling empty of words. It seems too soon to have run out of ways to say Happy Easter. Yet with Easter only a few days past, I already sense the joyful expressions of the season slipping away. Of course, all signs and symbols of Easter have been long removed from stores. If any remain they are stashed in haphazard piles on endcaps or stuffed less-than-delicately into shopping carts and parked in front of register lines in the hopes of catching the eye of thrifty shoppers or starry-eyed children.

Like the day after Christmas, we've already moved on to the next holiday. But if you happen through the doors of any Catholic church, you will find the beauty and blessedness of Easter lilies and spring flowers, white cloth and freshly blessed waters of Baptism to remind us that Christ is risen and the Easter season has only just begun. Perhaps we need to remember this even more this year. Times are difficult for many. While we are all poor and needy in our own ways, many more of us are feeling the pains of real hunger and thirst.

Lingering long on joy is certainly harder in tough economic times. But with this reality in mind, I take comfort in the words of Raymond Brown, a wonderful priest and Biblical scholar. He reminds us, "Even after the Resurrection we may have to carry the cross and experience suffering and rejection before we reach a real understanding of the Jesus in whom we say we believe."

This thought makes me realize how important it is to hold tight to these days of Easter. Don't let them fade too quickly into the fabric of another season past. They hold for us the tangible threads that make real, even in difficult times, the promise of the risen Christ, "I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

Don't stop saying Happy Easter. The season continues!

[Source: Reading the Gospels with the Church by Raymond E. Brown. St. Anthony Messenger Press ©1996]

Easter has Come!

The stone is rolled away. The tomb is empty. There is no need to search for the living among the dead. We weep no longer.

See what love the Father
has bestowed on us
that we may be called
the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world
does not know us
is that it did not know Him.
1 John 3:1

I am going to my Father, and your Father, to my God and Your God
John 20:17b

In this moment we ask ourselves, "Will the world recognize us as the children of God? What lessons have we learned from this Way of the Cross? How will our lives change because of what we have witnessed? The greatest sacrifice has been made on our behalf. Never have we been asked to be worthy, only willing. By God's infinite grace, we are given favor. Are we ready to live the Resurrection? How will we make ourselves known in this world?

Amen.

Good Friday

Today is a solemn day in the Church.
Here is a short explanation of the services happening in Catholic churches today.





Now just a simple but beautiful meditation. Stand beneath the cross and share a moment with our Lord.



Have a blessed weekend!

The Fourteenth Station

Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

You lifted so many in Your life. With Your words and deeds You carried the broken and the weak. Now it is others who carry You. They clean You with great gentleness and wrap You in white cloth. You are laid in a garden tomb.

Amen, amen, I say to you,

unless a grain of wheat falls

to the ground and dies,

it remains just a grain of wheat;

but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

John 12:24

Adam's sin buried and through the compassion of others, a garden is prepared for the Resurrection.

Glory to be to the Father,

and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

We pray. Dear Lord, the tomb is sealed. The time of waiting has begun. We have faith that these hours of waiting are necessary. We must pause and be patient. So often in our lives we struggle with patience. We plant the seeds of our ideas, efforts, and good intentions but expect an immediate and predictable harvest. How we are like the disciples who believed in Christ, but did not expect a Cross, a death, or a burial. Teach us Lord, as You did them, the lesson of the tomb. Help us to see that while we tend our seeds, we cannot control when or how the fruit of our efforts will grow. Show us again that patiently and lovingly tending the garden will make it, and us ready for the Resurrection.

Amen.

We are often not a patient people. In this station, Christ teaches us a valuable lesson in waiting.

Let nothing disturb you,

Let nothing frighten you,

All things are passing away;

God never changes.

Patience obtains all things.

Whoever has God lacks nothing;

God alone suffices.

~Saint Teresa of Avila

For in hope we are saved. Now hope that sees for itself

is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if

we hope for what we do not see, we wait with patience.

Romans 8:24–25

The Thirteenth Station

The Body of Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

As on the day of Your birth. You are once again placed into Your mother's arms. She looks intently into Your face, trying to memorize every line and every crease by heart, but knowing that too quickly her senses will fail her and these final memories will fade. The last of her tears bathe You as she wonders if she can ever forget and how she will ever remember.

I remember the days of old;

I ponder all your deeds;

the works of your hands I recall

I stretch out my hands to you;

I thirst for you like a parched land.

Psalm 143:5–6

With goodbye, the final sword pierces her heart.

Hail Mary,

Full of grace,

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit

of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary,

Mother of God,

pray for us sinners now,

and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

We pray. Father in heaven, these final acts remind us that while Your Son is divine, He came to share completely in our humanity. With death, His pain ended. But as in any family, His loss was the beginning of grief for those left behind. We know this pain. We have felt this loss. Comfort us Lord, in our sadness. Remind us that while the sharpness of memories may fade, the mark of those we love remains. Assure us that one day, we will be reunited to rest forever in the loving arms of Mary our Mother.

Amen.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

The Twelfth Station

Jesus Dies on the Cross

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Darkness falls over the land. Even nature mourns. With final gasps, You struggle.

My God, my God,

why have You abandoned me?

Why so far from my call for help,

from my cries of anguish?

Psalm 22:2

Death is near, coming mercifully to claim Your faithful but broken body and heart.

Father, into Your hands

I commend my spirit.

We pray. My God, we feel the pain of Christ's last moments. We stand beneath the Cross with His mother and loved ones at our side. We are struck empty by the loss. In this moment, we imagine that nothing can ever fill us again. Death is an ending. But because of this Cross, death is also a beginning. We stand ready to be filled by the living waters made possible through Your selfless sacrifice. By conquering death, You offer eternal life.

Amen.

Sit for a moment in silence and listen for God's voice.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

The Eleventh Station

Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

You have taken Your final steps. For Your mother, Your disciples, and Your friends this must seem like a terrible dream. But these nails are very real. Those who love You watch and feel lost. They can no longer hope for a different end.

Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands

and put my fingers into the nailmarks

and put my hands into His side, I will not believe

John 20:25

Hammer on iron through tender flesh affixed to a tree. Lord, how You suffered for us!

Under this Cross I felt the weight of sin, but with these nails I am torn apart by its devastating power. With such agony, it is no wonder that sin separates Your children from You. I accept these nails, Father. Will Your children as eagerly accept Your gift of salvation? Do they know how much they are loved?

We pray. Dear Lord, in sin we lose our identity. We turn away from Your embrace and feel naked and alone. It is during these times that we doubt. We think our shame and disgrace is too great. But seeing Your Son nailed to this Cross, how could we not believe in Your love? Help us Lord, to recognize ourselves as Your children. We stand before You with humble hearts and ask for Your forgiveness. Comfort us in our anxieties and give us the courage to trust and believe.

Amen.

Do you allow yourself to be loved unconditionally? Do you love yourself the same? Can you feel God's love within you--even at your darkest hour?

Tax Day!

Give to Caesar what is Caesar's . . . I just wish he didn't claim so much of it!
Here are a few to make you smile.









Happy Tax Day!

The Tenth Station

Jesus is Stripped of His Clothes

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

You were paraded through the streets, battered and bruised. Now standing at Your final destination, You are stripped of the last remaining possessions of this world. The robe Your mother lovingly made is no more than bloodied strips of cloth now. Yet still they divide and wager for it.

They stare at me and gloat;

they divide my garments among them

for my clothing they cast lots.

Psalm 22:18

How much more must You withstand, Lord? What remains to be taken away?

Father, I have no possessions in this human world. Even the clothes are now gone from my back. Does it seem more painful because they were brutally taken away? I stand here, in my nakedness, for all who have been stripped of their possessions, their dignity, their self-esteem, and their innocence. Let them know that upon myself I take their shame, their fear, their humiliation, and their loss. Give them hope where none seems possible. I have suffered in their name. Father, give them peace.

We pray. Heavenly Father, the things of this world are so fleeting. In an instant everything can be taken away. So many have suffered because of what they have lost. Lead us to bring comfort and peace to those in need. Help us to remember that we are not what we own or how much we earn. We have worth far beyond value in Your eyes. Even standing stripped of all that is considered valuable and measurable, we are still infinitely precious.

Amen.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

A beautiful acoustic version stripped down to touch your soul . . .

The Ninth Station

Jesus Falls for the Third Time

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

For the third time, You fall. From where will You find the strength to stand? Who will help You now?

I raise my eyes toward the mountains.

From where will my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

the maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1–2

When all human strength is gone, when all hope is lost, it is only in the Lord that You find your solace. Emptied of all You could accomplish on Your own, You rise. You walk these final steps toward the loving arms of Your Heavenly Father.

I feel you now, Father, as I fall for the third time. I feel the agony of Your children who fall again and again. I know they believe it is worthless and hopeless. You wanted me to show them the way. This path I walk is their path, too. So from this ground, I raise my eyes to You. I am empty. I am tired. But I am not alone. I give myself to You--for them. I rise. I walk.

We pray. Father, our pride can make us believe that we are in control. We set goals, make demands, give orders, and dictate results. Yet despite our best human effort, we still fail. Defeated, we cry out to You. Sometimes we cry in anger, other times in desperation. From the hard ground, we raise our eyes to You and beg for help. Despite our weakness, You answer lovingly. You give us Your hand, You help us to rise, and with us--You walk.

Amen.

When there seems to be no more to give, we must give up control and surrender all to God.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

Sit back and listen.

The Eighth Station

Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

The crowd grows. Some are sickened, some are heartbroken, and some are energized. All these feelings course through Your body. Suddenly You are aware of a group of women and children. They are weeping and mourning.

But when, at a distance, they lifted their eyes

and did not recognize him,

they began to weep aloud;

and threw dust upon their heads.

Job 2:12-13

You sense their sadness, but in their cries You also hear guilt and regret. What do they see when they look at You? How long will they remember?

Is it for my benefit that these women mourn and lament so loudly? Do they comfort me, or do they comfort themselves? Will they change their lives because of what they have witnessed? It is not enough to cry out for the sufferings of the world and then let life go on as usual.

We pray. Dear God, how often we allow ourselves to become stuck in a state of mourning. We ache with regret and guilt for the mistakes we have made and the chances we have lost. We pity and weep for those who are suffering and lament the state of the world. Yet these sentiments alone do not bring comfort, restore peace, or effect change. Help us, Lord, to be more than just a companion who walks alongside the distressed. Give us the courage and the desire to take action and make a different reality possible.

Amen.

We mourn, we grieve, we live in a state of regret, paralyzing our future by the mistakes of our past. But what good comes from looking only behind? Forgive yourself as God has forgiven you. Then move forward and bring comfort, restore peace, and effect change. Labor for love--not loss.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

The Seventh Station

Jesus Falls for the Second Time

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

You prayed in the Garden for this cup to pass. Only for a moment did You imagine a different fate. Despite Your ultimate acceptance, the reality of this agony is great. Your mind and heart are strong, but Your body is weak. You fall for the second time. Who could fault You if this ground became Your resting place?

Whenever I lay down and slept,

The Lord preserved me to rise again.

I do not fear, then, thousands of people

Arrayed against me on every side.

(Psalm 3:6-7)

Ragged breath fills Your lungs. On trembling legs, You stand. Met with blows and beatings, pushes and shouts, You begin once more.

I have fallen again. Do I have the strength to stand? I am tired. Like so many of Your children Father, I am tired. There are a thousand reasons to let this be the end. Yet I know the one and only reason that it cannot be. You are calling me. Your loving embrace awaits. You are calling all Your children home. Giving up too soon would mean they would never know the fullness of Your plan and the comfort of Your love. I hear You Father, and I get up.

We pray. Heavenly Father, falling is a part of life. We fall as we begin to walk. We fall in love. We fall on hard times. We fall away from what is right. We fall into the wrong hands. We all know how to fall. The struggle is not in the falling, but in the rising and the moving forward. You call each of us to rise again and again. We are never lost to You. Help us not fear the pain, embarrassment, or humiliation that comes from falling. Remind us that even when we are down, You are beside us, taking our hand, and lifting us up.

Amen.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

It's Friday. Are You Happy Yet?

For those new readers, Friday Happy Hour is meant to send you into the weekend with a smile. Today's first video gives us a glimpse at the beauty and majesty of things sometimes unseen.

This guy's work is amazing. Makes me want to grab my camera and head outside.



AMEN!

To end things today, let's stick with the "water" theme. Okay, so this one is a stretch, but it will make you smile!!



Happy Friday!!

The Sixth Station

Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Blood and sweat run down Your face. Your eyes sting and Your wounds burn. You are almost unrecognizable. But one among the crowd wishes to restore a bit of dignity while bringing You comfort. Veronica fights the soldiers' restraint and pushes forward to wipe Your face and soothe Your ache.

Be brave and steadfast:

have no fear or dread of them,

for it is the Lord, your God,

who marches with you;

he will never fail you or forsake you.

Deut 31:6

Cleansed and comforted, You move on. Your face is now visible to all who stare. No one can deny Your humanity. You are flesh and blood, body and soul, with value, worthy of dignity.

This fragile human body is so easily wounded. But do they not know that the heart and soul are also precious and equally delicate. They beat me with whips and chains. Then they cut me with words and betrayals, actions and inactions. Bless this woman who took courage and showed me tenderness. In my moment of need, she found a small way to give me some relief.

We pray. Dear God, all life is precious. We have a great responsibility to shelter and defend it. Remind us that every person is worthy and deserving of protection, without regard to race, creed, age, or gender. Help us always to guard against injustice and care for those who are unable to defend themselves. Give us courage to act in big and small ways to uphold the dignity of every human being.

Amen.

Seeing the face of the suffering makes it very real. While physical wounds are obvious, emotional and psychological pains are far less so. The heart and soul are equally delicate. A seemingly small act, like that of Veronica wiping Christ's face, can provide comfort. Small gestures do count--even in what seem like great and complex matters.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

The Fifth Station

Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

You are weak and wearied. Strangers and loved ones watch You struggle forward. The soldiers also watch intently. They see Your condition and worry that You might not live to reach the place of crucifixion. In the midst of the chaos, they grab a man from the crowd and thrust Your Cross upon his shoulder. In a matter of moments, Simon is forced from spectator to servant.

Whoever serves me must follow me,

and where I am, there also will my

servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

John 12:26

With this servant at Your side, the journey continues.

This man beside me bears the weight for a time. Father, bless him in his service. While he did not willing choose this, he willingly accepted it. For a time, we share this Cross and together we are stronger.

We pray. Father, like Simon, we are often spectators to life. We see great need around us. We feel for those who are hungry, persecuted, lonely, and suffering. But are we just observers? Do we bow our heads and watch with sympathy, or do we force ourselves into action? It is not always an easy first step. Having good intentions is not enough. Help us Lord, to step from the safety of the crowd and willingly carry another's Cross for a time.

Amen.

Simon didn't choose his fate that day. Likewise, many times we do not choose those God puts in our path or the situations in which we meet them. But we do have a choice in the way we act, interact, and react with them. Will you open yourself to the people God puts in your life--those in need and those that need you? Will you treat every moment as if it could change someone's world?

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

The Fourth Stations

Jesus Meets His Mother

We adore You, O Christ and we praise You.

Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

A crowd forms. So many faces, so many strangers come to stare. Shouts and curses mingle with the sounds of sadness, sympathy, and fear. Together they rise in a vibration You feel to Your core. Amidst all this strangeness, You sense a quiet, familiar light.

As a mother comforts her son,

so will I comfort you;

in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

(Is 66:13)

Your mother draws You with her eyes. You see her pain but know more deeply her love. For a moment, You are a child. She takes a bit of Your suffering and carries it on her heart as only a mother can.

I see my mother standing in this crowd. How I wish she could have been spared this. But she knows, more than anyone else, that I was meant to bear this Cross. Someday she will love it as I do. For she is more than just my mother, she is mother to all who seek You, Father. This Cross is weighted with their sins and sorrows. I carry its burden to set them free.

We pray. Dear God, how Mary's heart must have broken to see her only Son beaten, bloodied, and bearing the Cross. While no stranger to violence, she could never have imagined this reality. In spite of her pain, she stood among the crowd who mocked her only beloved child. She stood for Him, to give Him comfort and strength, peace and power. She stood for us, as a model of faith, loyalty, and unconditional love. Help us to stand beside her.

Amen.

The pain of watching one we love suffer is often greater than feeling pain ourselves. We cry out to God asking why us, and why them. It can seem so unjust. This station reminds us to look to Mary in our times of deepest pain and greatest struggle.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

The Third Station

Jesus Falls for the First Time

We adore You, O Christ and we praise You.

Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Stumbling and falling are realities of life. Having the strength and courage to stand again is a choice.

Those whose steps are guided by the Lord,

Whose way God approves,

May stumble, but they will never fall

For the Lord holds their hand.

Ps. 37:23–24

The wounds on Your body are many. They have weakened You. The weight of the Cross bears down and Your legs betray You. The ground rises to meet You as You fall for the first time. How much You must ache: Your body and Your heart.

The road is long before me. Each step seems so small. Then without warning, I stumble and fall. Looking around, I see no one to help me. I feel the loneliness of Your children when they fall. I am filled with the pain they suffer from their shame and their sorrow. I understand what it is to feel alone. I understand why some find it hard to stand again. For them, I lift myself and walk on.

We pray. Dear Lord, at times we feel far from You. We are tried by temptation. We suffer illness and loss. We experience the pains of loneliness and depression. These are the moments when we stumble, and on occasion we fall. But in these times, like in all others, we are not really alone at all. You are waiting and watching over us. You are ready to hold our hand and help us to rise and walk again. We must only choose to call Your name.

Amen.

Falls come so unexpectedly. It's the shock that lingers in your memory. You're left feeling helpless, out of control, and totally alone. Now you know the world from a different perspective. Falling will forevermore be a possibility. But you can't live your life in fear of falling. You need to find a way to stand and walk again.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

Happy April Fool's Day!

Did you ever wonder where all this April Fool's stuff came from? Here's a little history.

Unlike most of the other nonfoolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. It is not like Halloween, where despite an interesting history, most people just put on Halloween costumes, get candy, and leave it at that. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.

However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.

This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

For more on April Fool's Day traditions, check out the link below.

[source: April Fool's Day--History, Tradition and Foolishness]

Now that you know the history, how about a real historical April Fool's Day prank.