This is a gift for...giving

As we journey through Lent, many of us are denying ourselves--everything from chocolate to coffee to not watching TV as much, among other things we normally might enjoy.
Many also perform acts of charity: giving away clothing or food to the poor, jumping in to help those in need wherever we find them.

These interior and exterior expressions of our faith help us discover our capacity to "give of our substance, not only of our abundance," as St John Paul the Great had said.
But, how about forgiveness? How does this fit into our Lenten journey?

I admit I had been struggling to forgive someone for the last several months. Yes, months! The inability to forgive this person has been like a stone weighing on my heart.

I tried to pray for her, and wish for her a good day. I offered up my morning prayers for her, and continued to pray for myself to find this seemingly elusive forgiveness. I reminded myself that I have often been forgiven as well, and that the mercy of our God is more limitless than our human mind can ever grasp, and for this reason alone, I should forgive. I'm sure Our Lord saw into my heart, saw me struggling.

A few weeks ago, someone who also knows this same person shared with me some insight into this woman's life. And it had to do with her own suffering.

Shortly after, I had a dream. In this dream, this person whom I could not forgive looked unwell and was full of sorrow. My reaction while in the dream was sadness for her situation and much concern.

When I awoke, it was like the stone had been lifted. The dream was a real grace, a gift.
God often speaks to us in our dreams. He helps us work out some of our troubles this way. He gives us the most authentic spiritual direction!

I had also heard that when faced with a struggle to forgive someone, picture them as a little child. Picture them in a way when they are their most vulnerable, most in need of protection, mercy and care. This could lead us to remember that often those in need of forgiveness truly suffer at their own hands.

This is a gift "FOR GIVING" to ourselves. God's grace working through us so that we might have peace. The deepest hurts can come to us from within our own families, and they can inflict the most profound wounds. In some cases, it may even be that the person who wronged us never even knows we have forgiven them.

This Lent, if you've also been struggling to get over a past hurt, know you are not alone. Take your hurts, your wounds and your sorrow, and bring them with you as we follow Jesus to Calvary. Bring them with you and lay them at the foot of the cross.

Prayer to Forgive Someone Who Has Hurt Your Feelings

Dear God, please help me to forgive this person for hurting my feelings. Help me to see the greatness in [him] and to love [him] the way that You do. Help me to relinquish the anger that I’m experiencing so that I can walk in the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Help me to heal from this incident and to release any bitterness that I may be harboring. Please give me guidance in this situation, Holy Spirit, so that I can approach it in the way that is most pleasing to You. Help me God to do Your will. Thank You, and in Jesus’ mighty name, I pray. Amen. 


 With love and prayers, 

Simple Soul

Holy Family Dinner Night

The best lessons we can teach others, especially children, are integrative---using as many hands-on tools as possible which appeal to our senses in order to create long lasting memories. Food itself can evoke the most wonderful memories in all of us. Think back to your childhood: do you recall a special dish that your mom or dad or grandparent made, and what feelings does it brings back to you today, all these years later?

On meatless Fridays during Lent, instead of the usual pizza or fish sticks, consider having your family enjoy meals which include foods that the Holy Family ate.

What did Mary prepare for Jesus and Joseph?
In doing some research, the following foods were considered staples 2000 years ago in Nazareth: Bread, olives, figs, grapes, legumes (lentils / beans), melons, pomegranate, dates, nuts, raisins, milk, cheese, eggs, cucumber, fish (and lamb and beef on occasion as well).

Here's an idea: Surprise your family with a HOLY FAMILY DINNER night! Make sure the kids are involved during the preparation for the meal. Explain that during Lent on Fridays, not only are we abstaining from meat, but we are also going to enjoy some of the foods that Mary cooked for her family.

Here are 2 delicious recipes to start with:

Fig Crostini
Finely chop fresh figs and toss with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and salt to taste. Let the figs sit while you cut baguette slices and toast them. Top the toasts with the fig mixture and a grind or two of freshly ground black pepper. You can spread a bit of fresh goat cheese on the toasts first, if you like.

Rosemary-scented lentil and barley stew (Serves 2-4)
4 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1 small onion, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
• ½ cup chopped celery

• 2 ½ cups peeled and chopped fresh ripe tomatoes

• 2 cups water

• ½ cup lentils, picked over and rinsed

• ⅓ cup barley

• Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

• ½ sprig fresh rosemary, or a large pinch of dried rosemary to taste

• 1 small carrot, grated

In a large heavy pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion over medium-low heat until tender.Add the celery and cook five minutes longer.Add the rest of the ingredients except for the carrots, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until barley and lentils are tender. Stir occasionally.Shut off the heat, add the carrots and let stand undisturbed for five minutes to steam the carrots.ENJOY! 

Over dinner, maybe mom or dad can ask the family:
"Do you think the Holy Family said a prayer before eating?" 
"What kind of prayers do you think they said together?" 
"What do you think Jesus talked about with Mary and Joseph at dinner?"
"If the Holy Family was here for dinner, what would you ask them?" 

Use meal time as one way to draw closer to the Holy Family, and to allow them into the hearts of our own family. Bon Appetit!    

With love and prayers,

Simple Soul

The visible sign of Ash Wednesday: a beautiful sacramental!

In receiving ashes today, it’s a beautiful way to begin our Lenten journey with the profound reminder, “From dust we came, and to dust we shall return.” 


As an aside, it’s also the one day of the year when we Catholics are easily identifiable. Think about it: no one usually goes around wearing a sign on their back that says, “Hi, I’m Catholic!” 

In your workplace, did you ever have the experience on Ash Wednesday when one of your co-workers walked by with ashes on his forehead, and you thought to yourself, “Hmmm….I didn’t know Jim was Catholic! Cool!” It’s like finding out who else belongs to the family. 

This is a beautiful thing! 

I always feel such a deep connection with others who walk by with their ashes, even if I don’t personally know them.  Ashes, Holy water, palms, candles and other examples serve legitimate liturgical purposes and serve as elements which enhance individual and communal prayer. These are sacramentals. But of all of these, ashes offer a visible sign.

When I bump into anyone on Ash Wednesday who has the smudge on their forehead, I think I’ll give them a knowing smile and a wink, as if to say, “You’re my sister or my brother in faith.”  

Let's remember to pray for those Christians in other countries who, by receiving this visible sign today, will put themselves in direct danger--simply by outwardly living their faith. And they do so with heroic courage and grace.

With love and prayers,

Simple Soul

A heartfelt welcome to all of you on Ash Wednesday!

It’s an honor and a joy to welcome you here. This is not “my” blog, after all. This blog is for all of us, the entire family of St Gregory’s!

When I was asked by the Family Fully Alive ministry to start a blog, I said yes. Just one little caveat: I wanted to remain anonymous and be known only as “a simple soul.” I'm no theologian or philosopher. As I said, just a simple soul on a journey like you: to increase in holiness, to take one step at a time in old worn out sneakers, one step more toward sainthood.

WHEW! (Daunting, isn't it?!) 

How can we, every day people, just stumbling along, falling and failing so often--how can we ever hope for sainthood? Let's find out together, as a parish family. Are you ready? 

As the Lenten season begins, let’s start this journey with a question, the same one Nathanael asked 2000 years ago: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” And with Philip, let’s respond with joy and with wonderment, “Come and see!” 

With love and prayers,

Simple Soul