First Housekeeping
I wanted to give an update on Nicola and baby Alphonus. They are well. Nicola was very nearly lost and Adam is very grateful for the prayers.
Alphonsus Pádraig William Joseph 5 lb 14 oz, 19 1/4 inches
Please offer up prayers to God in thanks and St Gianna Molla for her intercession.
Next, Please pray for Deacon Paul's wife Laurie. I will provide details if they are given. The novena we can now replace Nicola and Alphonsus' novena with is: Infant of Prague Novena (Infant Jesus Prayer) | EWTN
I will be also asking for prayers for Rebecca H. Curtis' wife. Again details can follow.
Hardship
A good friend in offering parenting advice told me very early on that "boys require hardships to become men, even if manufactured". I agree with him so much and I see this as an essential ingredient in making boys critical thinkers, and resilient in character. When my kids (really not just my boys) haven't had opportunities to 'rise to the occasion' what would make them rise?
For my eldest's 13th birth I decided to take him hiking on the Appalachian Trail (masculine rite of passage, check), in January, in below freezing weather. Despite the roads all being closed along Skyline Drive we parked and hiked into the woods to camp. Within the first mile I slipped on ice and broke my ribs. I didn't say anything, not wanting to ruin his trip, but I was miserable. We got in a few more miles and made camp at a closed shelter as the flurries turned into a near whiteout.
We pitched the tent got a fire started (which promptly blew out after one s'mores). The tent we'd brought was very old and the wind blew right through it the moment the Sun set. Like a 'man' I surrendered and we threw away the food (to lighten our packs) and hiked back out. I was miserable. I didn't cry audibly but internally I was a three year old girl who had dropped her ice cream cone. Because I had planned on a less then one mile hike my pack was near 90 pounds, and my son's near 70; way to much for what we actually hiked which was just short of 4 miles in and another out. I was moving very slowly on the way back to the car and the boy took my pack and my burden and I took his. It was not fun, but the boy had the best time ever. (Here's a video I made of the trip with my obligatory misspelled word or two.)
So if this sounds like fun, and it doesn't I am setting up a camping trip with a shorter hike, lighter packs, and better weather. I suggested that the trip would be for boys only but I think as long as kids are separated, a bit of hardship can do daughters some good too.
Lastly today is the Feast of now one of my favorite saints (thank you Fr S.) who understood all to well embracing hardship.
Ave Crux, spes unica!
We greet you, Holy Cross, our only hope! The church puts these words on our lips during the time of the passion, which is dedicated to the contemplation of the bitter sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world is in flames. The struggle between Christ and antichrist rages openly, and so if you decide for Christ you can even be asked to sacrifice your life.
Contemplate the Lord who hangs before you on the wood, because he was obedient even to the death of the cross. He came into the world not to do his own will but that of the Father. And if you wish to be the spouse of the Crucified, you must renounce completely your own will and have no other aspiration than to do the will of God.
Before you, the Redeemer hangs on the cross stripped and naked, because he chose poverty. Those who would follow him must renounce every earthly possession.
Stand before the Lord who hangs from the cross with his heart torn open. He poured out the blood of his heart in order to win your heart. In order to follow him in holy chastity, your heart must be free from every earthly aspiration. Jesus Crucified must be the object of your every longing, of your every desire, of your every thought.
The world is in flames: the fire can spread even to our house, but above all the flames the cross stands on high, and it cannot be burnt. The cross is the way which leads from earth to heaven. Those who embrace it with faith, love, and hope are taken up, right into the heart of the Trinity.
The world is in flames: do you wish to put them out? Contemplate the cross: from his open heart, the blood of the Redeemer pours, blood which can put out even the flames of hell. Through the faithful observance of the vows, you make your heart open; and then the floods of that divine love will be able to flow into it, making it overflow and bear fruit to the furthest reaches of the earth.
Through the power of the cross, you can be present wherever there is pain, carried there by your compassionate charity, by that very charity which you draw from the divine heart. That charity enables you to spread everywhere the most precious blood in order to ease pain, save and redeem.
The eyes of the Crucified gaze upon you. They question you and appeal to you. Do you wish seriously to renew your alliance with him? What will your response be? Lord, where shall I go? You alone have the words of life.
- St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)
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