Anniversary, Annunciation, Waiting, New Birth, New Book

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Gemma and our anniversary of reception into the Catholic Church 17 years ago. So many blessings! Deo gratias!!!

It's been the best Lent ever. On the Feast of the Annunciation, we were all in prayer awaiting the birth of Max and Laura's baby girl. After a long labor (starting on 24th evening), Laura delivered a beautiful baby girl in the wee hours of March 26th morning. All is well. Praise God! 

The new parents are home, getting adjusted to life with a newborn. We can't wait to make a trip to DC to snuggle this little one and take care of Max and Laura. It just so happens that this baby's birth coincided with an email from my editor--she sent me proofs of Shunya Means Zero. And I was able to dedicate it to both my grandkids before it went to the printer. Deo gratias! It's coming out this summer.  I can't wait to share it with my two little grandbabies, when they're not mouthing everything. I didn't give them Ten Easter Eggs...next year is a perfect time! And just you know folks, the Easter season lasts for 50 days so it's not too late if you want to buy a copy. 

Now for the reward to going through some shameless self-promotion. I'm attaching a few pictures for you to enjoy! I'm over the moon--to have two little grandbabies so close in age feels like an answer to my own prayers about having twins. Now all that God has to do is arrange for a job for Max down here in Charleston so we can all be together :)

The beginning of labor--March 24th. Max and Laura take a walk to speed things up. All the pain and struggle is worth it once they get to hold their precious little baby. They went for a short walk the day after the baby was born!

 
Laura's mother and sister were able to come for Easter--they sent these beautiful pictures. To gaze and gaze upon your baby is the closest thing that comes to Adoration of our Lord. 

We can't wait until our DC family can come to the wilds of SC. 

Happy Easter, all!!! He is Risen!!! Alleluia!!!

Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy

What a wonderful Easter! I only just learned about the Via Lucis--the Way of Light--and it is so wonderful meditating on the Resurrection and all that He promises. From Mary Magdalene mistaking the Risen Christ for the gardener to recognizing Him (Noli me tangere by Fra Bartolomeo) to telling the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" Peter and John running to the empty tomb (Disciples Running by Eugene Burnard) and discovering the folded napkin (it means He's coming back) to the Apostles receiving the power to forgive sins and Thomas believing because he can see and touch our Lord (Incredulity of Thomas by Caravaggio). I am so grateful for Confession, where our Lord's Divine Mercy is poured out on us, making us as new as the day of our baptism. 

Some pictures from our Easter Octave: a visit with my friend from CA, practice with my quartet, Adoration, singing at a wedding, enjoying a meal out, meeting the kids at a brewery (very important for Michael's research), and with my barbershop sisters, dancing on the pier! Every day I am grateful to God for bringing us to beautiful Charleston, where we've grown so much in our faith, thanks to our good and holy priests and our friends.

Happy Easter!!!

He is Risen!!! Alleluia!!! Happy Easter!!! I'm so grateful for the many graces showered upon us this Lent and especially during the Sacred Triduum. I love the Exultet that's chanted during Easter Vigil. It's an encapsulation of our salvation history. Some of my favorite verses are:

O truly necessary sin of Adam,
destroyed completely by the Death of Christ!

O happy fault
that earned for us so great, so glorious a Redeemer!

The sanctifying power of this night
dispels wickedness, washes faults away,
restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners,
drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.

On this, your night of grace, O holy Father,
accept this candle, a solemn offering,
the work of bees and of your servants' hands,
an evening sacrifice of praise,
this gift from your most holy Church.

It always reminds me that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. How paradoxical, yet I see it operating in my own life. Grateful to be His beloved. We've had a lovely time in prayer, in choir, with our family and friends.

I just learned this morning that Pope Francis died. Let us pray for his soul and a good and holy new Pope. 

Easter, the Annunciation, and the Solar Eclipse

What a wonderful Easter Octave it has been! So much to celebrate. First Friday Mass is in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus followed by Divine Mercy Sunday. Fr. Jeffrey Kirby had a lovely meditation on how the message of both is the same: God's love for each and every one of us. Divine Mercy and the Sacred Heart Share a Common Message| National Catholic Register (ncregister.com) And then came the solar eclipse on the Feast of the Annunciation! I was so grateful I received the grace to get up early to hear morning Mass at St. Clare of Assisi and renew my consecration to Jesus through Mary. After Mass, the priest invited us to take some of the flowers home as well as venerate the relics of several saints: two of St. Clare of Assisi, one each of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, St. Francis Xavier Seelos, and the True Cross. Oh, to have these powerful friends in heaven praying for us, interceding to our Lord! It is true what my kids say--I have more friends in heaven than on earth :) 

Catholicism is full of strange practices, but they all make sense because they are steeped in truth and point to Truth Himself. The Immaculate Conception, the Annunciation, the Incarnation, the Passion, the Resurrection, the Eucharist, the Redemption--you can't make this stuff up. Fr. Raymond de Souza had another beautiful meditation, how the moon is like Mary, the sun, her Son: The Eclipse and the Annunciation - The Catholic Thing. Yet, Mary never eclipses her Son, so there the analogy fails. My first thought was how Mary hid Christ within herself for nine months. The Holy Family led a hidden life in Nazareth until Jesus begins His public ministry and revelation. All I can say is the beginning of Psalm 19: The heavens declare the glory of God!!! And the firmament showeth His handiwork. Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your Will. 

Below some pictures from my family. My sister (in Texas) said it was a cloudy day but every so often the clouds would part and they could see with their naked eyes the moon shadowing the sun. I really loved the colors. My sister-in-law, also in Texas, sent us this picture of her red lily! So pretty! It reminded me of the Sacred Heart of Jesus! And His Sacred Blood! Oh how He lets me know how much He loves me.  

Max and Dagny sent these from Washington DC and N. Charleston respectively. It was sunny in Charleston so Michael got the colander out. I love seeing the crescent sun patterns. It was a warm day but I could feel the temperature drop during the eclipse. And there wasn't any discernable change in the behavior of the animals, like the last time: Vijaya Bodach: Solar Eclipse 2017  

Please do share your thoughts and pictures if you got to see the 2024 eclipse.