An Apology from Mother Nature

I have a reputation, and I have let everyone down.It seems an apology is in order. My family started pointing out my failing a couple weeks ago, but when a priest came out and mentioned it to me last night it really hit home.

I'm sorry, it is all my fault.

I am responsible for the lack of "spring" in these parts.

Some of you know why, and can have your chuckle; I promise- I will work on the weather. The rest of you who think I am off my rocker can read on.

It started innocently enough, in 2000. June 21st, to be exact. Tim and I were planning a 15th wedding anniversary party for that weekend, complete with renewal of our vows and about 50 people at the house. My father-in-law, Charles, had been visiting us for a few weeks and had decided to extend his stay to be with us for the party.

June 21st was a Wednesday; Tim and I walked out the front door to do a walk-around and plan the yard work we needed to accomplish for the party on the 24th. Our home faces north, so the front elevation doesn't get a lot of light. Because of that, my daylilies in the front beds don't bloom until well into July. Knowing I wouldn't have time to plant any color for the front of the house, I looked at my lily plants and announced loudly to all of them, " Saturday. I need you all open on Saturday." Tim laughed.

Friday, Tim had to go into the office and I had lots to do. I got up early and ran down to the Lowe's to pick up a few things.While I was in line, Jennifer (all of 11 years old) called my cell phone and told me that there was blood all over the bathroom and Grandpa was in his room, covered in blood. To this day, I admire her levelheadedness at what must have been a terrifying sight for her young eyes. Chalres was admitted to St. Rita's and I spent the better part of the rest of the day with him. I knew he wouldn't be out for the party; that really upset me for two reasons. First, he had changed his plans to be there. Second, when his wife was alive, he wouldn't renew their vows, saying " once is all it takes."  I knew it was because he was a softy...but I was really honored that he wanted to be there with us, given his feelings on the subject.

It was a long night; I went to the grocery and started cutting up all the fruits and veggies for the party the next day. At some point, my garbage disposal blew up.

Yes. Blew up. If you have never had it happen, oh it is quite a treat! All the stuff you put down it ends up spewed all over the inside of your under-sink cabinet, in all its ripe nastiness. Never pleasant, and especially not when you are hosting a party in a few hours. I eventually gave up and went to bed, around 3 am.

A few hours later, my mom and friend Nancy (God rest her soul) arrived early. God love them! They both liked cleaning- and their work was cut out for them. I called Fr. Mike and asked him to meet us at the hospital. We would renew our vows there so Charles could be a part of it.

When Tim and I left for the hospital, I looked at the front of the house. The daylilies were in bloom. Every. Last. One. We were stunned.  Renewing our vows privately was a good idea; Tim, Fr. Mike, Charles and I were all in tears. We got it out of our systems.

When we got home, the house was in better shape, and a couple other friends were there to help with food preparation. The party was supposed to be a picnic- I had even hired Chris (God rest his soul), the teen nephew of a neighbor to act as lifeguard so the kids could play in the pool and the adults could be adults. The weather was threatening not to cooperate. We had our  ceremony. My dad finally got to "walk me down the aisle," and our children were our attendants. Emily Rose (all of 26 months) was my bouquet when she spooked at all the people. We started the cookout under gathering grey clouds. My mom wanted to move everything inside; I refused. This party was staying outdoors.

Several times, we felt a few spits of rain, but I looked up and scowled, "Oh, no! You are NOT going to rain on us." And it stopped. Around 9 pm, the last of the company who was leaving left. The weather had held.

Suddenly, the heavens opened and a deluge of biblical proportions began. Tammy was headed north on 75 and had to pull over because she couldn't see the road. The roof of our sun room began to leak profusely. It rained so much that our pool overflowed.

But it didn't rain on our anniversary party.

The following week was Tim's 20th reunion. Friday night was at a bar on Bagley Rd. They have a covered patio, but we were chased inside by a downpour. The next day was supposed to be a family picnic- with an 80% chance of rain. You read that correctly- 80%. Tim said, "Don't worry- Irene will take care of it."

At the picnic, it was like the party: it would sprinkle, I would look up and say, "No," and it would stop. It happened a few times and got to be rather funny. The picnic beat the weather.

That's is how it started, and my family has never forgotten it.

I get requests for snow days, nice weather for weddings and parish festivals (from more than one parish), nice weather (not too warm, no rain, light wind) for Positive Addiction and half-marathons. When Robert's 8th grade class went to DC, the forecast was for rain all week. I began praying about it. It DID rain- but only when they were inside! One of the LCC teachers was lamenting a poor forecast for an outdoor event and Steven told him, "I'll tell my mom. She'll take care of it for you." He did. I did. The teacher was floored- and has sent other requests my way. One Angel Food weekend, we saw a massive storm front moving toward Lima, scheduled to hit  around 4am- right when we would be outside unloading the truck. When I got up at 3:30am, I checked the radar and woke up Tim to see it: the storm had split in two and went around Lima! All three of the DC trips I planned for my 7th and 8th graders for the March for Life had perfect, warm weather. In January. Seriously,  We had our coats off.

And while I was writing this, Robert sent me a text: he wants clear skies tonight for the Lyrid meteor shower.

I will not claim a perfect record, but my record is impressive enough that my family has decided that if I make it to heaven, I will be the patron saint of weather requests.

Taking the blame for bad weather comes with the territory, however. When the weather outside is frightful, the children (most of whom are now adults) will ask if I am feeling OK, or if I am upset about something.

And that is the reason for this post: I am sorry.

I have been very distracted lately, lots on my plate. And my prayer life hasn't been what it should be... I have been slacking. I have come to realize over the years of this weather phenomenon that it is one of those Easter eggs God throws me to let me know he is still here, and he is in control. Even though we laugh about it and my family has dubbed me "Mother Nature," we all know- it is the Lord at work.

FOUR TIMES yesterday, my kids- and my husband- complained, "Will you PLEASE do something about this weather?" Then I hear it from a priest, "Can't you do something about this weather?"

OK. Message received. I am feeling kind of funky today, so I can't promise anything for the rest of the week.  But Mother Nature is back on the job. Give me a few days and I promise- spring will be here!


Update:   I took this photo June 24, 2013. The same day as we held that party in 2000. Note there are no buds! One plant does have a single bloom and several buds. But the day of that party they were all in bloom!

 

Indulge Me ( Part THREE)- The Checkered History of Indulgences

Indulgences get a bad rap, and - considering how they have been abused in the past- perhaps rightly so.

But they are different now- these are not your Grandma's indulgences!

If you are old enough... say- over 50- you may remember rattling off things like:

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" - 3 years!
"Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us." 20 days!
...or even making the Sign of the Cross. A week!

These- and other prayers- are indulgenced, as we discussed in Part ONE. Many a Catholic school student used prayers like these to "take time off purgatory" between classes... and that is the problem.

You see- in the past, indulgenced prayers would have times listed after them. Is was often misunderstood what those times meant.
Three years, 20 days, two weeks- those were not "time off of purgatory," because there is no time in purgatory. Or Heaven, Or Hell for that matter. They all exist outside of time!

So what did the times mean?

They were the equivalent of the old-fashioned sackcloth-and-ashes penances! Say a certain prayer, and it was the same as doing two weeks in sackcloth and ashes on the steps of the church begging alms for the poor!

So, why the change? My guess is one of two things happened:
1. The church steps got too full of sackcloth-clad penitents.
2. Confessions dropped off because people didn't want to do public penance.

Pope Urban II offered a plenary indulgence to the Crusaders who had made a sacramental confession. Makes sense- these guys were risking their lives in defense of the Holy Land.


Pope Leo X offered indulgences to raise money to rebuild St Peter's Basilica. One man working for him took this and ran with it, making outlandish promises to donors in order bring in more money. Throughout the centuries, many unscrupulous men bought and sold indulgences. I won't deny any of that. It is history. The Church is holy, the people with in her? No always.

No wonder Martin Luther was upset. He was right. It was wrong. But the Church was not wrong, the actions by people within the Church and acting in the name of the Church (with or without permission) were wrong. While Luther did not deny the Pope’s right to grant pardons for penance imposed by the Church, he made it clear that preachers who claimed indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation were in error. (Thesis 21) Yep. He was right.

Have indulgences been abused? Yes.
Have indulgences been sold? Yes.
Has the Church's teaching on indulgences changed? NO.

By the mid 1500's, the Pope had forbidden any connection between money and indulgences. This was after some years of phasing it out. Over the next 400 years, the means for obtaining indulgences evolved, but never again has included money. The buying or selling of holy objects is called SIMONY, and it is a sin. And -the really important point here- the definition of an indulgence has remained the same: the full or partial remission of the temporal punishment due for sins which have already been sacramentally forgiven.  The Church has the authority to set the conditions for indulgences by virtue of the authority given to her by the Lord, and by virtue of the infinite merits of Jesus Christ.

Paul VI removed the whole idea of 'time' attachments to indulgences in the late 1960's. He favored focus on the spiritual goods (faith and penitential acts) of the practice of indulgences and wanted to stop people from being so hung up on the concept of time. At that point, indulgences became either plenary (full) or partial. Faith and penance are necessary for both the remission of the eternal punishment due for sin and for the temporal punishment due for sin. In Indulgentiarum doctrina Pope Paul VI wrote: "Indulgences cannot be gained without a sincere conversion of outlook and unity with God".(article 11)

One incredibly important plenary indulgence is the one given by a priest to an actively dying person. It is called the Apostolic Blessing and it is the reason it is so important to call a priest for a dying Catholic. If a priest is not available, the blessing is automatically extended to they dying person who has established a fruitful prayer life. God can do that.

Over the years since Paul VI's changes, the indulgenced acts have evolved. What has not changed is that indulgences are supplements to the Christian life. They do not replace a conversion of heart and a life of prayer and penance and charity. We are human; we fail. Every day. God's righteous justice is tempered by his mercy, for which we must show gratitude. In conjunction with regular, sacramental confession, indulgences aid us is showing contrition before the Lord and a sincere desire to conform our lives to his will.

That can never be a bad thing!

Happy New Year!... Celebrating Advent

Just think- tomorrow is New Year's Eve! Where has the year gone?

Yes, the new year 2013 begins at sundown tomorrow.

No. I'm not missing a page on my calendar. December 2, 2012 is the First Sunday of Advent, it is the Christian Liturgical New Year!

One of the most difficult parts of being a Christian is being IN the world, and not OF the world. One year, I wanted to emphasize this to the religious education children by having a New Year's party on the First Sunday of Advent. Alas, I could find no New Year's party props- the retailers told me it was to early. They kinda made my point for me.

So, as you go about your holiday preparations, remember this: we are not in the Christmas season, despite what Elder Beerman, Macy's and Wal-Mart profess in their ads. Christmas season does not begin until sundown on December 24.

We are in Advent. And when you go to Mass this weekend and the three following, you will notice- there are no poinsettias, no trees. In fact- most churches will be rather bare....save some purple decorations.

Purple? Isn't purple the color for Lent?

Yep. It sure is. Purple is the color for Lent and Advent for the same reason: purple is the liturgical color that calls us to penitence. (That is why Father wears a purple stole when he hears confessions)

Advent is not Christmas- please don't confuse the two. If you do, you run the risk of missing out on the treasure of Advent. It is imperative that we as Christians never forget that the wood of the crib is inextricably tied to the wood of the cross. Advent is the time for us to recall why Jesus had to be born in the first place: to die on the cross...because of our sins. Your sins. My sins. He was born to die for us.

So, this Advent season, take advantage of the opportunities your parish gives you for reflection and repentance. Try to go to at least one or two events- your parish staff works hard to bring them to you. If your parish doesn't offer Advent opportunities, 1. Shame on them and 2. Check other local parishes. And stay tuned to this station... I hope I will be able to enrich the season for you!

Especially if you have young children, try not to decorate too much too soon. Take the opportunity to teach them- Christmas doesn't come until 12/24. Save the decorating for later in Advent. If you must put up the tree early ( as I do...but that's another story for another day...), make a point of not plugging it in this early. ( I was actually criticized by a member of our parish for not decorating the hall where we held classes. I told the woman that I would not decorate because we were through with classes before Christmas came, and didn't re-start until Christmas season was over. She thought I was a terrible person :-)  )

A good old-fashioned Advent Calendar ( preferably a religious one) is wonderful to help children anticipate the big day.

Go ahead and put out the creche (but leave baby Jesus out until Christmas Eve). It is a wonderful tradition to have the children put a piece of straw in the manger when they do some good or kind deed. I did this with the children in my religious ed program- we had strips of paper on which they wrote their kind actions and we placed them in the manger each week... then when the Baby Jesus was placed in the manger Christmas Eve, it was overflowing with the things we had done to prepare out hearts for him.

Because that is really what Advent is all about.  You see- the Mayans may or may not be right about the world ending 12/21/12... but the point is that Christ is coming. Soon. It may not be his second coming- it may be him taking us to our judgement.

We must live each day of our lives with our hearts ready.

Is yours?

We the People- Election 2012

We the People...
     ...Not  individuals, but a whole. Not a collective, but a group of people with a common goal.

...in order to form a more perfect Union...
     ...Not absolutely perfect- more perfect. We know there's work to do along they way, and that's OK.

...establish justice...
     ...Justice. That doesn't mean everything is fair to everyone. It does mean common sense and common decency and that every human being is treated equally under the law. But remember: equal does not mean the same.
 
...ensure domestic tranquility...
     ... This does not happen with leadership bent on creating division among the people at every possible turn. There can be no domestic tranquility when people racially stereotype themselves to play on others' consciences. There can be no domestic tranquility when people of faith are demonized because of that faith. There can be no domestic tranquility when those who have worked hard and accumulated wealth are demonized because they- GASP- have worked hard and accumulated wealth. (We can be a tad snarky about inherited wealth. I'll give us that one :-) )
 
...provide for the common defense...
     ... Common defense, the defense of all human life. From the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. Without exception. Without compromise. Without apology. Sometimes that means war. I'm a very proud US Air Force Mom, so I understand that. You're welcome.
 
...promote the general welfare...
     ... Again, the best for all involved. This does not mean a re-distribution of wealth. It does not mean forcing people to act against their deeply held beliefs, religious or otherwise. It does not mean policing what people put on their plates. I does mean acting in the best interest of the society as a whole. It means making sure that those who possess the talent for college can find a way to pay for it, not discriminating against middle-class students while giving a free ride to others, simply because their skin is darker or they are 'disadvantaged.' Not everyone is college material, not everyone should go to college. It means basic medical care at affordable prices- NOT taxing everyone else to death to pay for it. It doesn't mean murdering children because they will be born disabled, or poor- or a girl. It does not mean dispensing Class- A carcinogens to 15 year-old girls without their parents' knowledge and calling it 'healthcare.' It does not mean promoting destructive lifestyles and calling them 'normal.' It does not mean re-defining the basic unit of all society and calling it 'progress.' Above all, it does not mean vilifying anyone who holds traditional beliefs by calling them a racist, homophobe, misogynist, or -heaven forbid- a Jesus freak. Ok, we'll wear that last one with pride. 
 
...and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity...
     ... Isn't funny-sad that the first liberty given to us by the Constitution...the very reason so many people came to this land in the first place... is the first one to be so boldly challenged that it could become extinct? If we lose the freedom to practice our religion how we see fit, if the government seizes the power to come in and tell us what we can and cannot do in terms of our relationship with Almighty God.... I don't know how to finish that sentence, because every option that has crossed my mind scares the hell out of me. All I can think is ---If we lose Freedom of Religion, what's next? Freedom of speech? Freedom of the press? Freedom of assembly?

...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.  
     ...For nearly 230 years, our Constitution has been the blueprint for freedom. I cannot believe how it has been abused in my lifetime. From an imaginary 'right to privacy' that somehow allowed for the legalized murder of a child in the womb, to forcing the entire working population to pay for something many do not want under the federal government's taxing authority, to the whole idea of the judiciary on every level creating legislation from the bench in violation of separation of powers... I am floored. I cannot believe how many people care so little for our country that they place their personal agendas above the good of the country as a whole. 
     As Catholics, we faced persecution for a long time in this land. We hear stories every day of the persecution and martyrdom of Christians around the world. We are next.
     Buckle up. The time for our complacency has ended; the time to act is now. The 2012 election was not a defeat, it was a wake-up call. Our bishops are united- when's the last time THAT happened? The next year may radically change not only our country, but our Catholic Church in our country.

It scares me. I admit it.  

We may see an end to Catholic hospitals, Catholic schools, Catholic charitable work. But that is what this government wants. They want the Catholic Church to go away. We are a thorn in their side, and boy- do we make them look bad!

We educate over 2 MILLION children in our primary and secondary schools. One in five patients are cared for in Catholic hospitals. I can't even begin to guess how many millions of people receive help in the form of food, clothing, shelter and counseling from Catholic social service agencies. And we do it far more efficiently and less expensively than the federal government could ever hope. We are their competition because when we heal, educate, feed, clothe and shelter people...well, the government doesn't get to. They don't get people depending on THEM for help- which is exactly what they want... to ever so slowly take the fiercely independent people of the United States and turn every last one of us dependent on mother country for everything we need.

It is a sad fact that over half of self-reported Catholics voted to keep this administration. But think about that. How many people do you know who call themselves Catholics, yet we see them at Mass only twice a year?  Something has changed for the better: our Protestant brothers and sisters are united with us. Heck we even have NON- Protestants like Glenn Beck (fallen-away Catholic, practicing Mormon) and Mike Huckabee ( Baptist- they do not consider themselves Protestant)...saying WE ARE ALL CATHOLICS NOW.   

That is a really bold statement. In a way, we should thank Mr. Obama. He has given the faithful Catholics- and other Christians- of this country an opportunity to educate the general public on the dangers of artificial contraception and abortion- and infringement on religious freedom. We can be out there- loud and proud- and speak the truth. Truth they have no defense against, save "it's a woman right to choose." A disgusting, weak platitude with nothing to back it. 

So, in closing, thank you, Mr Obama. You have united faithful Catholics. You have brought our separated brethren closer to us in our defense. You have given us a chance to share our faith in a very public forum. You have made for us the opportunity to stand up boldly for our faith in an unprecedented manner. 

I pray we do not waste what you have so generously provided.

May Our Lady spread her mantle over our country under her titles of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn.  Amen.

 

The Third Glorious Mystery- Pentecost

The Third Glorious Mystery- Pentecost

Acts 2

Just as we celebrate Christmas for nearly 2 weeks after December 25th, we can't be content to give Easter just one day. The Church celebrates Pentecost on the 8th Sunday of Easter ( which is the 7th Sunday after Easter, 50 days- hence, PENTEcost), the entire time between Easter Sunday and Pentecost is the Easter season.

It is so much fun to wish everyone "Merry Christmas" after January 1st, and "Happy Easter" well after all the chocolate bunnies have met their demise! Try it sometime....

Pentecost is actually a Jewish feast ( this will be important to remember next paragraph). Recall that Jesus' death and resurrection occurred at the time of the Passover feast... giving a Christian meaning to the shedding of the Blood of the Lamb to save the people. Immediately after the first Passover, what did the Israelites do? They left Egypt and began their Exodus.

And what happened as they began that journey? Moses went up the mountain ( think back to the blog entry here on the Transfiguration) and received the Ten Commandments. Fifty days after the Passover. That is why there were Jews from all over in Jerusalem in Acts 2: they were there to celebrate Pentecost, the giving of the Law. It is called the Festival of Weeks, and is considered by many Jews to be the birthday of their religion. (remember that!)

So, Jesus' disciples were gathered together and a "noise like a strong, driving wind" came and "tongues as of fire" came to rest on each of them ( Acts 2:2-3).  We know the fire was the Holy Spirit... but remember the Jewish feast? Immediately before giving the Ten Commandments to Moses, we read in Exodus 19:18, "Mount Sinai was all wrapped up in smoke, for the Lord came down upon it in fire. "  The presence of the Lord, symbolized by fire.

Then the disciples began speaking in "foreign tongues." "Staying in Jerusalem at the time were devout Jews of every nation under heaven. These heard the sound and assembled in a large crowd. They were much confused because each one heard the men speaking in his own language." (Acts 2: 5-6)

Think about this for a moment... the listeners could each understand what the disciples were saying. 

****The following I say as my own observation about the event: the miracle of Pentecost was not the gift of speaking in tongues, it was that everyone understood.  I make this point because I have been present at conferences and prayer gatherings of Catholic and ostensibly rational people who announce "I am going to speak in tongues now," as if they can turn the Holy Spirit on and off like a light switch.  I even had one woman tell me that I did not have the Holy Spirit indwelling because I have never spoken in tongues.  Well, I gotta tell you, I believe the Lord God can do anything he pleases, whenever he pleases. I also believe that speaking in tongues ( known as glossolalia ) is pointless unless the people understand the message. I am more likely to listen to someone filled with the Holy Spirit speaking words I can take to heart than I am to someone who claims the un-intelligible words they mutter are of God...because we just never know.  *****

In  the first week of December of 2008, I was planning a retreat for the 7th and 8th graders I was taking to Washington DC for the March for Life. It was an overnight lock-in that I dubbed the "Lock-in for LIFE." Throughout the evening, we were going to have a LIFE marathon, with game sessions interspersed with discussions about the various life issues we face as Catholic Christians: genocide, euthanasia, death penalty, suicide, birth control, pre-marital sex, and- of course- abortion.  Forty youth were supposed to be there, so I needed SEVEN  LIFE games, and with so many varieties, I knew I just needed to buy them, I didn't want to deal with different sets of rules. Besides, you have no idea how few teens know how to play board games anymore!

So, I went shopping. In our town, we are blessed to have many places to choose from, all close. I checked WalMart ( $17), KMart ($18), Meijer ($20), Big Lots( no luck). I needed to watch the money.  I was southbound on Cable Road at the 309 light. Toys-R-Us was to my left. I had intentionally NOT gone there. 

Something inside me said- go to Toys-R-Us.

No, I said. I'm not wasting my time.

Go to Toys-R-Us.

No. They are overpriced on everything.

Go to Toys-R-Us!

Ugh. FINE. I will go- but only to prove to myself they are too expensive.

So I made the turn and went into the store...only to find that original LIFE was the loss-leader game for the week. At $7 each. I bought seven of them...despite the looks I received.

When I got into the car, I sat for a moment and thought about what had happened. I could have ignored the message and would have spent the extra money at WalMart, believing I found the best price. 

I called our pastor at the time, and when he answered the phone, I said, "Never, ever,ever,ever,ever,ever,ever,ever,ever,ever...doubt the Holy Spirit when he tells you to do something." He laughed at me. Come to think of it, he does that a LOT. 

Some may call it coincidence.

Some might say I saw it in the Sunday ads and my sub-conscious recalled it.

Some might say it was just common sense to at least check.

I still believe it was the Holy Spirit: the $70 I saved was 1/3 the cost of one student's way to Washington. This trip was for students from two inner-city parishes, and we worked very hard to raise 90% of the money for each of them, so no one had to stay behind because of money. And every time we met, every fundraiser we held- we prayed. We prayed to St Therese, Blessed JPII ( although he wasn't a blessed at the time), and Our Lady of Guadalupe. And we prayed to the Lord, too. We needed help raising that money, and we knew the heavenly intercessors would speak up on our behalf. You see.... Therese of Lisieux is patroness of the missions, and this was a mission trip....JPII loved young people and traveled the world... and Our Lady of Guadalupe? She is patroness of the Americas and of the unborn.  And, of course, we can go to the Lord for anything... but how nice to have a cheering section!

In the end, we raised $200 per student. for 35 students. Not bad for a bunch of junior high kids!

That was a sidetrack, but I wanted to show how it all came together. We all worked together: the Lord, the Saints, and our hard work.

The Holy Spirit is pointless unless we are open to his working in our lives. This is called being docile to the Spirit, and it takes work on our part...and trust. That is the lesson of the Third Glorious Mystery.

All Souls Day- The Church Suffering

Well, this is where some of our non-Catholic friends will get a little miffed. But here goes!

Yesterday we celebrated all the holy souls who are rejoicing in the presence of the Lord.

Today is All Soul's Day. This is the day we remember and pray for all the holy souls who are still waiting to enter heaven; they still need some final purification before they can make that last step past the metaphorical pearly gates.

We call the condition they are in now purgatory.

Yes- I know the word purgatory is not in the Bible. But then again, neither is Trinity- and it most certainly is a tenet of the Christian faith. Like Trinity, purgatory is a word assigned to something that is very explicitly described in scripture- yet never named.

First, know that at the moment we die, we have only two choices: heaven and hell. I say choices because God does not decide where we spend eternity, we do. Choose wisely.

Souls in purgatory are saved. That is a very important thing to remember- they will get to heaven. Eventually...and with a little help from those of us still working out our salvation with fear and trembling ( Philippians 2:12).

If you would like to read about the scriptural evidence for purgatory, you can find it HERE, along with evidence from the early Church fathers. There is simply far too much to go into here. As you read, remember- purgatory is proof of the grace, mercy and justice of God! And- as I said before- the souls in purgatory are saved, purgatory contradicts nothing in the Bible.

A few years ago I attended a non-Catholic funeral. The thing that surprised me was that nowhere in the funeral service was a single prayer offered for the souls of the deceased ( a father and his young son). Not a one. Only prayers for the wife/mother and siblings. Top that off with the fact that both preachers emphasized the separation from the two who had, how sad it was that it will be so long until they are together. You get the idea. It is, I'm sure, how many people feel about the death of a loved one.

How sad!  How terribly sad to wallow in your own sense of loss, when that is the last thing one should be doing.

You see... as Catholic Christians, we believe that when someone we care about leaves this life, WE have work to do, we have our marching orders....and we are still connected to those we love through the Communion of Saints.

So, we pray for them because we believe our prayers have value and are efficacious (meaning, they actually accomplish something) . We say prayers for their souls. We have Masses offered for them.
We offer up our own sufferings. We might obtain an indulgence for them ( more on that next week).

When I picture a metaphor for purgatory, I think of a great, flat wall. No foot or hand holds, nothing to grab.  We are below, boosting up the souls in purgatory, and the saints are above, reaching for their hands to pull them the rest of the way.  Those above and those below are there by the grace of God for those who need the help to get up the last bit of the wall. The purification itself has often been called the refiner's fire- an expression found in the Bible. It is not pleasant, and sometimes it does take place here on earth. God can do that if he wants. And he allows us to maintain that sense of connection with each other by offering prayers and good works on their behalf... boosting them the rest of the way.

Not long ago, the brother of an acquaintance passed away from a heart attack. He had suffered great physical and mental anguish over the years from PTSD. Before the funeral Mass, I was talking to a mutual friend and told him that I thought this man had done his purgatory here on earth and God would be merciful to him...but I was still planning to pray for him every day.

Another friend passed away this summer, and I have no idea what her relationship with the Lord was at that time. None of us can ever even know the answer to that question about ourselves. ( if you say you do, that is presumption, and it is a sin)  So I pray for her. Every day.

Imagine the additional sorrow of a soul in purgatory who has no one to pray for him! Imagine being so close to heaven, yet unable to enter because no one will pray for you because they mistakenly believe that once you take your final breath, you are in heaven.

So, when I pray for the holy souls, I pray for those I care about by name. But I also pray for people I have never met.
The soul closest to heaven.
The one farthest from heaven.
The one who most deserves it.
The one who least deserves it.
Just for fun, the 5387th from heaven.
...and- most importantly- all the souls who have no one to pray for them.

One day, I hope to look up and see their hands reaching down to pull me up that wall.

All Saints' Day- The Church Triumphant

Why do Catholics pray to the dead?

It's a question I've fielded many times, and one based on some simple misconceptions about the Catholic faith specifically- and Christianity in general.

First, a definition. To pray means "to make supplication or entreaty, as to a person or for a thing."  In short, "to pray" means "to ask." You may recall back in high school lit class, reading something like "Pray tell, dear sir...."  These days, the word is generally used in a religious context- we pray to God. We offer our petitions to the Lord, we also offer praise, thanksgiving, and contrition for our sins.

So, I ask again: why do Catholics pray to the dead?

The answer is quite simple: we do not "pray" to the saints in heaven in the same sense of the word PRAY that we use when praying to the Lord.

When any Catholic addresses a prayer to Mary or any other saint, we are doing the same thing as when we ask YOU to pray for us.... it is a request to join our prayers together to place before the Lord.

Let's find an example...

Suppose you are going to take a special girl out for a first date. You drive what my mother-in-law would have called a jalopy, I call them beaters. A car held together with chewing gum and baling wire: basic transportation  This is no car for a first date. You want to make a good impression and Dad has a late-model sedan that would be perfect.

You could walk right up to Dad and ask him. Nothing is stopping you from doing that. However, you know Mom understands your situation and you ask her to run the idea past Dad on your behalf.  Mom may even throw a few supporting arguments in there for you...you have good grades, you have been working hard, Dad remembers wanting to make a good impression with a girl.   These are all things you could point out to your father on your own. When Mom presents them, they become something of a character reference...and an additional voice is making the request.

Isn't it the same when we pray for each other?  If I ask you to pray for me for a specific intention, will you answer, " Don't come to me, just ask God yourself!"  I sure hope not! I would expect you to say, " Of course I will pray for you!" And...if you are like me...you will offer a quick prayer immediately, followed by a petition later. Sometimes I'll throw things into my prayer like, " Lord, you know how much so-and-so loves you..." or  "She's really been trying to live out her faith..."  You know- the character reference thing.

And how many Facebook and email prayer chains have you seen?    We pray for each other, and the saints pray for us. If the meager prayers of a friend can help you in any way, imagine how effective the prayers are of someone who stands before the throne of God!

You may have heard a favorite: Tony, Tony, come around. Something's lost and can't be found!  That's a prayer to St Anthony of Padua to help us locate lost items. It works.

Therese of Lisieux? When she has joined her prayers to yours, a rose will unexpectedly appear to let you know she is working with you. I have had it happen, more than once. A friend and I once got a DOZEN roses total when we were praying a novena together.

St. Jude ( patron of hopeless situations)? He can be a real powerhouse. Danny Thomas founded the St Jude Children's Research Hospital as a thank you for Jude's help in finding success in his field. His daughter now continues the gratitude. (BTW- St Jude helped me become a stay-at-home-mom 21 years ago this month.)

We ask St Francis of Assisi to watch over our pets for us. He's my personal favorite.

We ask St Michael the Archangel to guide and protect our military and police officers.

The list goes on and on. The canonized saints, the ones whom the Church has declared we know are in heaven have specific days for celebration, generally the day of their death, which is their birthday into heaven.

All Saints' Day, today, is the day we honor those who have not received that official designation. There are so many men and women in heaven who are indeed saints, and their sanctity is known to God alone. Today is their day, and we honor them along with the canonized saints for being our holy examples. They are the Church Triumphant; they have run the race and the victory is theirs!

So why can't we ask the saints in heaven...the very souls who stand in the presence of Almighty God... to pray for us?

We can. And we do. You see, they are not dead! This life, this existence is only a shadow... they have the eternal life we hope for, the promise given to us by Jesus Christ.  We are not "praying to the dead." We are asking those who are more alive than we are- those who stand before the throne of God- to add their prayers to our feeble prayers, to throw in a character reference or two, and to help us storm heaven with our requests.

When we do, we are living out the Communion of Saints!