From the Cross

     Anyone who sits by the bedside with a loved one, who is dying, would not find it difficult to recall the words that were spoken to them. Those words would be etched deeply within their memory and cherished as precious jewels. Each word, each sentence would be recorded and recalled as a gift.

     So too are the words of Christ that were uttered from the cross. They are recorded for us in Holy Scripture and are venerated by Christians throughout the world. They were spoken with great effort as Jesus suffocated on the cross. They should hold a great significance for us because they reveal the love, sacrifice and wisdom of God.

     Let us thoughtfully ponder them on this blessed day, Good Friday.

Who, Lord, Do You Say That I Am? -- Part 1

   Knowing who I am and feeling confidant and self assured was normal for me for a good part of my life. I did well in school, had a nice social life, knew my role in my family and had a comfortable relationship with God. I even managed to get through the late 60’s and early 70’s with my faith and morals pretty much intact and marry a wonderful guy, and all this happened by the time I was twenty years old.

     I remember Helen Reddy belting out the song “I am Woman” in 1972 and somehow not really being able to relate to her battle cry. I never felt held down or unable to reach my goals. I never looked at being a woman as something inferior, nor did I feel looked down upon. I was always someone who achieved the goals I had set for myself. I did not feel like I had missed out or was limited by life’s choices because I was a woman and now, a wife and hoped to be a “stay at home” mother.  The role and identity of women seemed to take an even greater shift in the late 70’s and 80’s and by the 90’s, finding fulfillment in “just” motherhood was almost extinct.

The way it shapes my life

     I can't even fathom, nor would want to imagine, what my life would be without God and my Catholic faith! The impact they have had, has been all encompassing. . .most especially in my adult years. I don't believe I would be the woman I am today without them.

     I have been shaped, formed, and stretched in ways that I would not have chosen on my own. I have been called to love, when I would have preferred to lash out; to seek forgiveness; when I did not think I was the guilty party; to give, when I just did not feel like it. I am called to love others as God loves me, which will be a challenge until the day I die - it may kill me trying to do that!