Archive | St. Andrew Catholic Church (Milford, Ohio) RSS feed for this section

do you want me to wake you for breakfast?

12 Jun

Riding high in first class, I had a glass of Italian wine, and saluted God, who gives me so often so much better than I deserve, so much more than I deserve. Riding first class, without paying for the upgrade, I kept watching what others were doing. I was new to this world in the air. Exploring on my own all the buttons and prompts, I was like a kid left loose in a toy shop, having been told I could have and play with anything I wanted. The “seat tilt” button took me back and back and back and flat and flat and flat, until I lying in bed. After dinner the flight attendant asked me if I wanted her to wake me for breakfast about an hour and a half outside Paris. Of course, I wanted the quiche. It was free! A real bed, a real pillow, a real blanket and a full tummy, I tucked myself in. I thought about asking her to tuck me in, and read me a story or sing me a song, but no one else seemed to be doing that. The next thing I knew, she woke me for breakfast.

20130612-172201.jpg

Image

1st class treatment

6 Jun

20130606-195157.jpg

On the flight from Cincinnati to Paris I got bumped up to first class. They treated me like I paid for the seat and the service. I told the flight attendant that it was like I died and went to heaven. When she gave me the cheesecake a la creme brûlée dessert that I had chosen, to which she had added a drizzle of chocolate, with a side strawberry and a dollop of whipped cream, she said, “Now you’ve died and gone to heaven.” God is always so good to me, even though and, it seems especially so, when I do not deserve it.

“expectant Father” Solomon

2 Apr

Deacon Suleiman ordination 07

Yes, that is genuine. He is that prayerful and sincere.

We met “Deacon” Sleiman Hassan when we came to Beit Jala to prepare to celebrate Mass in Cremisan Valley. He had packed up everything we needed for Mass, led us to the spot where he set everything up for us, explained the significance of praying in this spot where we were, assisted me at the altar for the entire Mass, packed everything up and took us back to the parish church. He won our hearts, our admiration and our affection. He is a good-looking fellow, a prayerful man, a worthy representative of our Catholic Church and an engaging spokesperson for Annunciation parish and the Palestinian people of Beit Jala.

On March 19, 2013, the feast of St. Joseph (and his birthday), he was ordained a deacon during a Mass at Annunciation Church in Beit Jala.

lying prostrate during the Litany of Saints

Deacon Suleiman ordination 01

laying on of hands by the bishop

Deacon Suleiman ordination 04

vested in the liturgical robes of the deacon

Deacon Suleiman ordination 08

under the eyes of an admiring little girl

Deacon Suleiman ordination 06

Deacon Sleiman (Solomon) will be ordained a priest on June 20, 2013 (my birthday) at his parish church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in his home village of Fuheis, Jordan.

And I will be there. I am flying to the Middle East to be among the priests who will lay hands on his head during the ordination ceremony. What a treat and an honor it will be for me!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

their cross and His cross

29 Mar

P1060001

Jesus never gave up.

And he doesn’t give up on us. 

Jesus always did the will of the Father.

And it is the will of the Father we will all be saved.

During this Holy Week I have carried with me in my pocket a small wooden cross. It has reminded me of the cross that my Palestinian friends in Beit Jala (Bethlehem) carry every day. I wanted to carry their cross with me this week, and, during the veneration of the cross on Good Friday, to touch it to the cross at church.

Today I touched that cross – their cross – to the cross of Jesus, and I held that cross – their cross – in my hands all during the time during which all the others came to the sanctuary to venerate the cross. I asked Jesus to either take the cross of occupation off their backs or to let them know in their arms and legs, in their minds and hearts that he was carrying it with them.

I haven’t decided yet whether I will hide that little cross in the Easter lilies on Sunday or give it to the Catholic parish priest in Beit Jala when I see him in June.

P1060002

 

 

Tags: , , ,

we help to carry it as Simon of Cyrene did

29 Mar

Station 5 Way of Cross Pope Francis 2013Way of the Cross at the Coliseum, Stations of the Cross led by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, on Good Friday: The Passion of the Lord Meditations by Lebanese young people under the guidance of His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Béchara Boutros Raï.

[Whenever I pray the 5th station, I think of our suffering brother and sister Palestinians in Beit Jala. I like to think that, in some small way that might help them to keep hope, we help them carry their cross.]

V Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the Cross

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 23:26

As they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the Cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

Jesus’ meeting with Simon of Cyrene took place in silence, providing us with a lesson for our lives: God does not want suffering and he does not accept evil. The same is true of the human being. But suffering, accepted in faith, is transformed into a path of salvation. Then we accept it as Jesus did, and we help to carry it as Simon of Cyrene did.

Lord Jesus,
you have involved man in the carrying of your Cross.
You have invited us to share your sufferings.
Simon of Cyrene is like us
and he teaches us to accept the Cross
that we encounter on the paths of life.

Following your example, Lord,
we too carry the Cross
of suffering and illness today,
but we accept it because you are with us.
It can nail us to our chair,
but it cannot prevent us from dreaming;
it can obscure our vision,
but it cannot touch our conscience;
it can deafen our ears,
but it cannot prevent us from listening;
it can bind our tongue
but it cannot suppress our thirst for truth;
it can weigh down our spirit,
but it cannot rob us of our freedom.

Lord,
we want to be your disciples
so as to carry your Cross every day;
we will carry it with joy and hope
because you are carrying it with us,
because you have triumphed over death for us.

We give you thanks, Lord,
for every sick or ailing person
who knows how to bear witness to your love,
and for every “Simon of Cyrene”
whom you place on our journey.
Amen.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Good News for Good Friday

29 Mar

Good Friday

at St. Andrew

 Morning Prayer: 8:00 am (in  Church Hall)

Way of the Cross: 12 noon

Good Friday Liturgy: 1:30 pm

Night Prayer: 10:00 pm (in Church Hall)

We adore your Cross, O Lord,

we praise and glorify your holy Resurrection,

for behold, because of the wood of a tree

joy has come to the whole world.

Tags: , , ,

“I am at your service”

28 Mar

Pope Francis kisses foot of prisoner at prison for minors in Rome

During the evening Mass at a prison for minors in Rome, Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 young people of different nationalities and faiths, including at least two Muslims and two women, who are housed at the juvenile detention facility.

“I am at your service,” the pope said.

The pope greeted the residents with hugs and gave each of the young detainees a large chocolate egg and a traditional Italian Easter cake shaped like a dove.

The detainees, who range in age from 14 to 21, then gave the pope a wooden crucifix and kneeler they made in the detention center’s woodshop.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

“Shadow” Stations by 7th grade at SASEAS School

28 Mar

Shadow Stations 2013

The Fifth Station:  Simon Helps to Carry the Cross

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

Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Jesus, as you grow weaker, the soldiers grow impatient.  They worry this execution will take too long.  They grab a random man from the crowd, Simon, traveling from Cyrene for the Passover festival.  Simon does not want to help – he does not want to become involved, but the soldiers force him to help you carry your cross.   Simon’s strong hands somewhat lighten the heavy load for you, dear Jesus.

How many times has God placed an opportunity to help someone else in my path and I ignored it?  I walked past another student whose books are scattered in the stairwell.   I failed to share my lunch with a student who forgot his.  I ignore papers or trash I’ve left on the floor, expecting someone on clean-up duty to pick it up.  I dash to the bus and don’t bother to hold the door for someone behind me. At home, I ignore the basket of clean laundry as I head upstairs.  I make myself scarce when it’s time to carry in groceries or set the dinner table.  I ignore the needs of my younger siblings. 

Let us pray:  Lord, help me notice the needs of those around me.  Help me to do more than just stand there and watch.  Help me to see the needs of others as opportunities to show my love for you; that in loving others, I will surely find you. 

We pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Holy Week at Busted Halo and at St. Andrew

23 Mar

 

Holy Week

at St. Andrew

Holy Thursday, March 28

Mass of Our Lord’s Supper: 7:30 pm

Night Prayer: 10:00 pm

Good Friday, March  29

Morning Prayer: 8:00 am

Way of the Cross: 12 noon

Good Friday Liturgy: 1:30 pm

Night Prayer: 10:00 pm

Holy  Saturday, March 30

Morning Prayer: 8:00 am

Easter Vigil Mass: 8:30 pm

Easter Sunday,  March 31

8:00 am

9:30 am

11:00 am

12:30 pm

We should glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,

in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection,

through whom we are saved and delivered.

 

The Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

To him be glory and power

for all the ages of eternity, alleluia, alleluia.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Put yourself in their shoes. Look at the world through their eyes.

22 Mar

Obama israeli flag

from U.S. President Barack’s Obama speech to Israeli university students in Jerusalem on Thursday, March 21, 2013

– on script –

But the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, their right to justice must also be recognized. (Cheers, applause.) And put yourself in their shoes. Look at the world through their eyes.

It is not fair that a Palestinian child cannot grow up in a state of their own (Cheers, applause) living their entire lives with the presence of a foreign army that controls the movements, not just of those young people but their parents, their grandparents, every single day. It’s not just when settler violence against Palestinians goes unpunished. (Applause.) It’s not right to prevent Palestinians from farming their lands or restricting a student’s ability to move around the West Bank (Applause) or displace Palestinian families from their homes. Neither occupation nor expulsion is the answer. (Cheers, applause.) Just as Israelis built a state in their homeland, Palestinians have a right to be a free people in their own land. (Applause.)

– off script –

But I — I’m going off script here for a second, but before I — before I came here, I — I met with a — a group of young Palestinians from the age of 15 to 22. And talking to them, they weren’t that different from my daughters. They weren’t that different from your daughters or sons.

I honestly believe that if — if any Israeli parent sat down with those kids, they’d say, I want these kids to succeed. (Applause.) I want them to prosper. I want them to have opportunities just like my kids do. (Applause.) I believe that’s what Israeli parents would want for these kids if they had a chance to listen to them and talk to them. (Cheers, applause.) I believe that. (Cheers, applause.)

Obama Palestinian flag

There is a video clip of this sction of the President’s speech at the CBS new website. 

Tags: , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →