If I'm not off hiding somewhere with a good book, chances are I'm chasing a toddler or a Jack Russell (or sleeping, because every mom can use a nap!). I found Prince Charming and married him, and now we enjoy the idiosyncrasies of life in an old farmhouse. Oh yeah, and we root for the Buckeyes. Every time.
Catholic Carnival 124: A Bloomin’ Garden of Posts
I dedicate this bouquet of posts to the fathers – spiritual and actual – who we honored this week. (And I thank you all for your patience, as I have been alternately distracted and just plain busy getting this carnival up!)
Daylilies – brief in length, intense in color
They bloom for only a day, but the daylilies I have in my garden are bursts of sunshine and joy. The plants will often bloom longer with the small effort of deadheading; a little extra work to get the extra days These posts, like the daylilies all around me, don’t take long to read, but their intensity is no less for their brevity..
We read about “freedom: a meditation on Bonaventure’s Breviloquium v. 1-3” at Revolt in the Desert. Just what is freedom? Here you’ll find food for thought, conveniently packaged with a great illustration and three paragraphs.
Has it ever occurred to you that “Real Men are Like Hobbits”? Over at Domestic Vocation, you’ll find a compelling argument in favor of the strengths of hobbits, complete with excerpts from The Lord of the Rings. Gives me a whole new way to gaze lovingly at my dearly beloved.
At A Catholic Mom Climbing the Pillars, “A Word about Evenings WITHOUT Television” we see the beginnings of the endless possibilities an evening presents for a family with the TV turned off. Like a bed of daylilies, the list could go on for weeks without becoming dull (but thankfully, she’s not as wordy as me!).
M.O.M.S. Mothers of Many Saints brings us “God Bless You,” a lovely little bloom about a five second ritual that has “brought much beauty and blessing to us.” Acknowledge your baptism, spread beauty and blessing – what a winning combination. Bonus for you: it won’t take much effort for a great reward! “This simple gesture is a reminder in our busy lives that we have a purpose beyond whatever fun or work is at hand; we have a mission in Christ.”
Though you might expect to find “Mary Poem,” at 50 Days After, in with the roses, I found it tucked in among the daylilies. In actuality, this poem/prayer could be in our garden anywhere, and is a must-read and a must-pray for all of us!
What does it mean to turn the other cheek? “Weapons of Righteousness,” at Bryan Murdaugh: Songs, Stories, Spirit, holds that it’s not a call to passivity, but rather an invitation to fight violence with love. (In a post of less than 500 words, no less!)
Roses – beautiful to read, inspiring more thought
Roses are a lot of work, aren’t they? There’s pruning and feeding and covering and all that poking that happens when you get too close to the thorns. These posts must have been a lot of work for the bloggers too – not all of them are long, but all of them represent a lot of deep thought and careful editing.
“Why Don’t You Buy from a Catholic Store?” asks Musings from a Catholic Bookstore. This is first in a series of posts, and explores the common objections to purchasing from non-Catholic stores. You might find a few pricks as you read it, but it’s worth going over for the considerations you’ll find. Hmm, just what was my excuse for ordering from Amazon last time? I gotta say, I’m rethinking it for next time…(“Habit” isn’t on the list, but that’s my excuse.)
Kicking Over My Traces brings us “Jacob Neusner’s Commentary on B16’s “Jesus of Nazareth”,” which in her submission she describes as “Rabbi Neusner is happy to have met his match in Pope Benedict XVI.”
If you’re looking for something good to read, you need only look as far as Book Reviews and More. This week, in “Time for God: A Guide to Prayer, by Father Jacques Philippe.” Reading this review will make you want to drop everything and head to a library or bookstore. And oh, what joy! There’s a section of quotables from the book…what roses indeed!
“Filthy Rags and Fine Linen” over at Postscripts from the Catholic Spitfire considers whether are deeds are indeed filthy rags. This short-but-deep post will give you the apologetics you need when you get the sola fide line from someone. The facts are there; keep them in a handy place.
Posts like “Does Pope Benedict XVI Endorse Apokatastasis?” at Apokatastasis are what make the garden of this week’s Carnival interesting. Here’s a bit to get your nose ready, and then you can go off and smell the rest of the lovely fragrance for yourself: “The
We see it at sporting events and it is perhaps one of the top most often quoted Bible verses: John 3:16. But what does it mean? Lest you go to bed without the answer, Deo Omnis Gloria has it answered for you in “Christianity’s Favorite Bible Verse: John 3:16.” A case of context, as it turns out…and to find out more you’re going to have to go see what Jay has to say.
“The Solemnity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,” at Catholic Fire, reflects on what makes this feast day so special, both to Jean and to the world, and gives us a listing of the many beautiful titles Our Blessed Mother has been given by many saints. And for no extra charge, there’s a link to a video on the history and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and links to prayers.
The “iRosary – Audio Rosary Roundup” continues at A Third Way, as Melissa reviews Praying the Rosary with St. Therese of Lisieux. Missed the first four? Never fear! She’s a conscientious blogger and has included the links (which are well worth following).
Daisies – bright and cheerful with hearts of gold
Seeing daisies blooming, carefree and happy, always rubs off on my mood and swings me around to optimism, no matter how much gloom may surround me. When I read these posts, I smiled in much the same way that my daughter smiles when she picks my daisies. Do daisies have hearts? Yes, I think they do. See what you think.
Summer brings reading, whether you have time or not. In “Announcing the Catholic Summer Reading Program,” Musings from a Catholic Bookstore shares the details of how you can keep your faith with you, from the beach to the theme park, while you whittle away your summer reading. It’s not just about fiction, either. Not that I know anyone who likes to read…
Here’s an eternal truth of my life summed up in a lovely little paragraph: “I was in the shower when an idea came to me! It’s funny (as in funny ha-ha, not funny in a weird way), what you can come up with while in the shower, as if the act of massaging shampoo in your hair stimulates your brain that results in the formation of ideas, or the water pouring on your head are actual words that penetrate through your follicles and into your brain. An idea pops up in your head the instant the hot (mild or cold) water (words) hits your head. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. I wonder how many inventions came about from this ritual? Jokingly, I made a mental note not to think of anything heavy while in the shower from now on. (God really has a sense of humor) I was so excited that I could not wait to get started.” (I suggest bath crayons to you who share this shower inspiration phenomenon.) So what was the great inspiration? You’ll have to go read the rest of the post over at “Memento Mori” at Ever Hopeful, Ever Thankful.
Tales of family lore are always so delightful, and what could be more of a tale of family lore than the tale of how Jewish we Christians really are? CatholicLand takes a peek at this in “Shabbat Shalom.” “Jesus was the most observant Jew in the history of
Adoro te Devote takes us on a journey through a garden of her youth in “Bleeding Hearts and Bluebells.” This walk through the garden will make you look at those bloomers differently next time you’re on a walk. She writes, “Sadly, I do not have a green thumb, and my complete inability to keep plants alive makes me appreciate God's creation that much more, for I know that where I fail, God is perfected, so I am content to simply allow creation to bloom around me.”
Forgiveness is wonderful, isn’t it? At HMS Blog, we find a reflection on the June 17 Mass readings in “Forgiveness, Justification, and Love.” Just what is the meaning of forgiveness and justification? What’s the importance of cooperating with Christ in love? How do we get free of that harm we do to ourselves through our sins? Go – the answers are there! And it’s good news!
Irises – elegant and classy, but tough to the bone
I have accidentally tried to kill the irises in my garden. They just won’t go. They’re beautiful, but they’re tough, and though I may transplant them at the wrong time of the year or let them become buried in weeds, they continue to burst with beautiful blossoms. Just like irises, the posts in this section are full of truths that I won’t be able to get out of my mind, for their beauty and for the insights they share.
Revolt in the Desert takes a peek at “Saying the Impossible” in a comparison and review of two very different portrayals of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This might be a little controversial for you…but I found it refreshing in the same way as the wafting lavender through my kitchen window; it’s an examination of more than just two paintings, if you take a closer peek. See what you think.
Let’s take a look at the scientific method and the problem of trying to apply it to disprove God, shall we? Head on over to Politics & Religion’s post “God and Science: Oil and Water?” for a complete examination of how science tries to apply their theories to God and the problems of doing so.
I’m not one to follow politics, but who needs to when you can get a commentary-turned-metaphor in “Lightning Strikes, Giuliani Jokes, and the GOP Debate Rages: Tobit Revisited” at Fighting Irish Thomas. Taking the story of the Book of Tobit as his starting point, Tom weaves the parallels in and makes the politics into quite a delightful little
story.
Reflecting on the priesthood, “Priests – We Need Them” at My Journey considers the impact priests have on all of us and looks at some of the common objections and problems people have with their parish priests. The conclusion might be tough for some, but contains wisdom.
Lavender – fragrant and long-lasting
When lavender blooms, the bees and butterflies and hummingbirds and I all flock to it. It smells delightful all the time, and it’s a slice of heaven when it’s in bloom. These posts are surprising in the same way that blooming lavender is – they present things a little differently, they make you want to save them for later, and they prick something in your brain with their presentation.
From hamelife, we have a discussion about the claim that “Everyone Believes In God - Some Children Are Just Angry At Their Parents.” Just what is atheism’s flaw? Well, undoubtedly, there are many, but this post explores the impact of our formative years and later choices. Here’s a little scent of what’s included: “Atheism is the drug of choice for the 21st century. What is the term? Intellect Abuse? Just as some abuse alcohol, and some abuse drugs, this is Abuse of the Mind. But the goal is the same: To escape from the realities of life.”
“It becomes clearer for me,” we find in “The Story We Live and Celebrate, Part I” at Mind, Heart, and Mysteries, “that we, more often than not, have the tendency to be trapped in the ordinariness and business of life day after day. We are caught up working for security and stability. Things and events get routinary, structured, and raw. The world for the majority becomes an enemy to wrestle with. The time becomes short. We succumb to fear, insecurity, and anger – unable to make sense of and come to grips with the fact that we are living in a symbolic and resurrection world full of vitality, activity, and meaning. It is in this world where every experience of dark and light, abundance and poverty, pain and comfort, sorrow and joy, as well as life and death count and is significant when lived.” In this personal review and reflection on liturgy and sacraments, you’ll find ideas that will linger on, just like the blossoms from a bleeding heart.
Discussion of art is continued with Revolt in the Desert’s post “A Letter and Some Background.” Though it starts out admitting that it’s proof of a nerdy blog (hey, what’s wrong with that?), these reflections on the Seventh Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787, tied in with the philosophy of art, is just too good not to get a whiff of.
Trusting God is never easy, and this week, in “The Worries, the Comfort, the Hope,” here at Just Another Day of Catholic Pondering, I share some of my fears during my pregnancy, and the journey to Who I must trust for my hopes.
In reflecting on the “World Day of Prayer for Priests,” A Catholic Life writes “The priest is more than just a social worker or a therapist. Above all, the priest is a doctor of souls, whose sole purpose is to work for the salvation of the people of God.” Are you praying for priests, especially your local priest? It’s what Jesus would do (and what his mother is already doing!), and this post reflects on the gifts and importance of priests.
In “Father’s Day,” Protomonk gives us a look at a different kind of fatherhood, virtual fatherhood. I call it lavender because it got me thinking about how many friends I have who are virtual mothers and fathers to me, and the fragrance of these friendships – and of the sentiments expressed in this post – are worth considering.
Join in next week! The Catholic Carnival isn’t exclusive (although it is intended for Catholic bloggers), and you’re welcome to join in if you’re a Catholic blogger posting about things Catholic (and some things just life-related). Our founder and master gardener Jay has all the information conveniently posted here.
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