On EWTN's Journey Home Program

It has been busy with the online Catholic Writing Conference (where I offered a workshop on Writing for Hire) and barbershop guest program; I'm still playing catch up, but imagine my joy when I learned that my conversation with JonMark Grodi taped last July would air on EWTN's Journey Home program on Monday, Feb. 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation. Matt Swaim said, "And it’s particularly poignant to me that because of some scheduling your episode got moved to the feast of the Presentation. I don’t plan these things intentionally! But how fascinating that your episode will be airing on the feast of Simeon letting Mary know that a sword would pierce her soul… given the power of the Pieta in your story, it’s hard for me to not make the connection!" God's timing is indeed perfect. Here it is: Journey Home - Vijaya Bodach - Former Methodist and Agnostic. 

A friend captured this on her TV (I was at barbershop practice) and it has been a joy to watch this again. I loved how beautifully JonMark is able to express the essence of what I was trying to say. He's a wonderful host, putting me at ease. I urge you all--speak or write the story of what God has done in your life. As Rick Warren says in his book, The Purpose Driven Life, "God wants to use you." With Lent just around the corner, perhaps you'd like to pick it up. I've given away multiple copies of this wonderful book. 

Our grandson was baptized on the Feast of St. Paul Miki and Companions (Japanese martyrs) in the baptismal gown that my mother had sewn for us. Given how much Christians are persecuted, I often wonder whether our children and their children will be called to make the ultimate sacrifice for the faith. We live and die in Christ. But will we have courage? I pray for it. 

The material is silk damask and it looks like it could be from the leftover material from my grandfather's priestly vestments. I was the last person in my family to be baptized in this garment until now. My sister brought it when she came to visit me when Dagny was two months old. Poor Max cried because he didn't fit into it. I draped it over him for a picture. I will keep it for a while--until Max and Laura's little one is baptized.

We were atheists then, so it was just a pretty garment to dress Dagny in. We didn't even pretend to baptize her--there's a story about St. Genesius, how he was converted while in a play mocking Christian baptism. The Holy Spirit came upon him and he refused to renounce even when threatened with death. He's the patron saint of actors, of people who work in theatre and movies. Anyway, I have to speak about another movie, Nefarious, that shows the value of baptism, of belonging to Christ. I wrote a review here: Vijaya Bodach: Strawberries and the Sacred Heart. Praise God for not letting us remain in sin, for giving us the grace to repent, to turn to Him. On this Feast of St. Valentine, may we remember to always be guided by Love and Truth Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ. 

On the Journey Home

Several years ago, when I wrote my Love Story, a commentator encouraged me to contact Marcus Grodi, host of the Journey Home Program. It is one of my favorite shows on EWTN and my husband and I watched it every Monday night for many years. So I contacted them (a year later) and I received instructions for writing my testimony for the newsletter, which I subscribed to. I began, only for it to fall off the radar, with the publication of BOUND. So imagine my surprise and delight to be invited to be on the show! I said yes!

 

Much has changed. I didn't realize Marcus retired; his son, JonMarc, now hosts the show. I hadn't watched any for a couple of years because my barbershop practice is on Monday nights, the same night that the show airs. They are archived on their website, so I was able to catch up on a few conversion stories--so very inspiring. 

As I prepared for giving my own testimony, I was first concerned with looking and sounding good, as good as I write, but by the grace of God I realized the focus was all wrong. This is HIS story, what He is doing in my life. So Monday night, after a sumptuous Greek dinner, I tuned in to my barbershop rehearsal. I learned the next morning that Rakhi was running lines for her musical :)

I brought books from my Catholic writing group as gifts to the wonderful staff--Matt Swaim, who contacted me (he's been reading this blog for a while); Rakhi McCormick, communications coordinator; Bill, studio manager (who really needs to share his conversion story more widely); and Alyssa, makeup artist. Don't we clean up nicely? Another convert, Chris Kellam, also flew in for taping so we all had wonderful conversations during the time we had together. I discovered that speaking on air is so very different than writing because it's extemporaneous. I had to back-track; I cried; I wondered whether something I said might hurt another. But I received insights too, that I am still processing. I'll be sure to post a link when my episode is live. Below, Bill and Rakhi and Matt making sure all the technology is working properly. Being in the studio made me want to make an audio recording of BOUND.

I don't travel much because of my poor head, but I was able to manage pain well. Everything went smoothly, even coming home. I kept noticing that the departure time kept getting delayed and delayed and once I realized I wouldn't make my connecting flight to Charleston, I asked to be re-routed. I did not want to spend the night in Philadelphia. I ended up in DC for a couple of hours and learned that Max was at a rooftop party to celebrate the anniversary of Apollo 11. Oh, how I would've loved to join in the fun--knowing Max, it would've been a blast. See: The Butterworths Man #2 - by Bart - Kill All Foodies. For all I know, he might have had a hand in my interview at Journey Home, by his encouragement to write for The Lamp. I'm highly motivated to write a full-length spiritual memoir because there are so many riches to share. Deo gratias! 

Thanks be to God I arrived home Tue night in time to make my Wed appts. The first thing we did after work was to go to the beach--it was windy and I got smacked down by the waves but so happy to be home with Michael again. I'm encouraging him to write his testimony too. His story. All history is HIS story!!!

Anniversary

That's us, 15 years ago, at our reception into the Catholic Church! JOY! I could not have dreamed of all the blessings God has bestowed upon us as we journey to our heavenly home. Truly, it is as Jesus said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." John 3:5 

And He continues to explain, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." John 3:16 is often emblazoned on billboards. Truth! But it's sobering to read further:

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God." John 3:16-21 Here it is in song by Sir John Stainer: https://youtu.be/m5p2F7P8uTQ

Because we were atheists, I feel the gravity of the Word. Word made Flesh. We did the most terrible thing in the world--killed God. "Forgive them, for they know not what they do," He cried from the Cross. When I cross myself, the first stroke is top to bottom (Father-->Son), I think how Jesus came down from heaven and entered into the depths of my sinfulness. He took upon Himself the punishment I deserved. And because He lives, I can say now I am free! Free! Free to be the person He created me to be. And He has done this for each of you, too! I cannot fathom a love like His. We don't deserve it. But over and over I experience His Love. St. Gemma Galgani, on whose feast day we were received, often signed "la tua povera Gemma" because she felt she loved poorly. Oh, Gemma, we're all poor compared to Love Himself.

It's also the Feast of Pope St. Leo the Great! He's a Doctor of the Church most famous for meeting Attila the Hun and for elucidating the dual nature of Jesus: fully man, fully divine, in complete union, with no confusion or division. It's also the Feast of St. Stanislaw of Poland. He was martyred because he dared to tell the king to not be an adulterer, to repent and live a moral life. Praise God for all His faithful who have the courage to speak truth. Our Lord Jesus has prayed for us to be consecrated in the truth (John 17:17). Let us never fear men and what they can do to us or take away from us. Let us only be in holy fear of the Lord. And pick up our Cross and carry it.   

The Cross! My second stroke is up and toward my right shoulder. I rise from the pit of sin, washed clean in His Precious Blood. And the third stroke is horizontal (Holy Spirit), I think of how His grace flows through me to others. My life has the shape of a Cross, the vertical dimension, eyes raised to heaven, and the horizontal, toward my neighbor. Worship comes first! Praise and thanksgiving! I am so thankful to be a child of Light. I'm always searching for truth and I found it in Christ. And so I sing Exultate justi in Domino... https://youtu.be/6AMUX43EMhI (Psalm 33:1-3) 

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just; praise befits the upright.
Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.
Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just; praise befits the upright.

Views in and from the choir loft at our 15th Easter Vigil.

Strawberries and the Sacred Heart

June, the month of strawberries and rhubarb, is also the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I've written many times about it-- Vijaya Bodach: June is the Month of the Sacred Heart and Vijaya Bodach: Feast of Corpus Christi and Vijaya Bodach: Feast Days --because I'm still trying to fathom the depths of our Savior's love for us poor sinners. I think I'll never know because my own heart is so poor. And I'm about to exhibit my poverty. I'm finding it very difficult to love the sinner but hate the sin. In the past few years the culture is hell-bent on celebrating sin, especially the deadliest--pride. And the more you look at pride month, the more you see demon. Let us remember that it is pride that changed angels into demons. This server would not let me upload a picture showing it. Funny how that works. Not really. But here's something that's truly funny: Eccles is saved: It's WRATH Pride! (ecclesandbosco.blogspot.com) 

Speaking of demons, we saw Nefarious. Talk about truth bombs coming from a demon. Really well done; only two scenes were really difficult to watch but not at all gratuitous. It's really a conversation between the demon and the psychiatrist who's an atheist, more along the lines of My Dinner with Andre or Sunset Limited. What struck me was the progression of evil; the starting point is often parents not baptizing their children and well-meaning people inadvertently opening the door to the demonic by giving children toys like Ouija boards. Michael remembers getting one as a kid. They played only a few times but it didn't hold their interest. Thanks be to God. Still he was completely unprotected until his conversion, when he was baptized. I wish he would write his testimony. It would give parents much hope for their adult children who are far from the Lord, because truly, nothing is impossible for Him. Indeed, with God's grace, even middle-aged people can change, choose virtue over vice. Deo gratias! 

Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi; we had a beautiful High Mass followed by a procession and benediction. Deacon Ludlam gave an outstanding homily on both marriage and the Eucharist. Marriage is the closest analogy for what is occurring in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Our Lord instituted the Eucharist because He loves us so much, He wanted to give us Himself--His most Holy Body and Blood--in a real, physical, tangible way.

It's only in the last year that I began praying this beautiful prayer regularly. I first saw it in a Padre Pio prayer book; it was his favorite way to pray for all the people who asked him to pray for them. This is a wonderful novena to begin tonight and end of the Feast of the Sacred Heart next Friday. 

9/11

Today, on the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, I am especially grateful to Joseph Zaccoli, who lost his father on 9/11 and made this beautiful painting commemorating it. And so we pray: 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Some events are so important, you remember everything about them, where you were, what you were doing. On Sept. 11, 2001, I was at home with my babies--Dagny was just four months old, Max a toddler--listening to the radio when it was interrupted by a news story about the Twin Towers in NYC collapsing from commercial planes flying into them. Holy smokes. When I heard that the pentagon had been hit as well, and that another plane had crashed in PA, I wondered if Michael would be safe in Seattle. He was at an aircraft manufacturing convention downtown instead of at the Boeing factory. I was so relieved when he came home. We didn't have a TV but later that evening, I logged on our dial-up computer and saw the horrific pictures--the smoke, the people jumping to their deaths, the firefighters going in to save lives. I didn't know anybody personally who died there, yet over the years I met many people whose lives were changed by this event. Some who survived because they didn't go to work that Tuesday or were running late left the corporate world to pursue a rural life, others left to pursue a religious vocation, and for some, like us, it was the beginning of a conversion.

I've written about it before: Vijaya Bodach: Tragedy and Grace. But now, what a privilege it is to pray for those who died in that terrible terrorist attack. Yesterday, at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (intentions for Michael), we had the catafalque, that represents all those who died in that tragedy. I thank them for their sacrifice because unbeknownst to them, they've had a share in our salvation. It's a mystery. I hope to meet you in heaven. Requiescat in pace!

So Many Feasts--Nativity of John the Baptist

The time after Pentecost is punctuated with many feasts--Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. John the Baptist, Sts. Peter and Paul, the Assumption of Mary, Christ the King, All Saints, All Holy Souls in Purgatory, and so many more...and I'm missing the wonderful High Masses that would be scheduled for some of these Feast Days. I miss choir practice. This week was to be our chant workshop in Tampa, FL with daily Masses sung, but here I am...wanting more, wanting everything.  

Our pastor gave a beautiful homily for Trinity Sunday, reminding us how God creates, unites, renews. His very nature is love and mercy. It's relational. What does the devil do? He's not made a single thing. He only damages, divides and destroys all that is good. The spirit of evil has taken hold in our country--we're acting as if everybody has the covid, we're acting as if everybody is racist, we're acting as if we can solve problems through govt. programs. No. As Alexandr Solzhenitsyn said, "The line separating good and evil passes...right through every human heart..."

I don't want everything to go back to the way it used to be, rather, I want a revival--a Christian revival. I don't want us to be driven by fear but by love. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We're either with Him or against Him--there's no sitting on the fence. 

I read this beautiful and powerful letter Ap. Vigano wrote to President Trump and agree that we are seeing the eternal battle between good and evil playing out right now. 

We need God to save us. Scripture continually reminds us to obey God's laws or else feel His righteous and divine wrath. I know. I'm a witness. I've lived a life of sin, and I deserve death, but the moment I turned away from sin and toward Him, God showered His tender mercies on me and gave me new life. And so I say, turn to Jesus! Give Him your life and He will give you a new and everlasting life in Him. I'm not very eloquent so I share instead the prayers in honor of St. John the Baptist because he prepared the way for our Lord preaching a baptism of repentance. 

Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Zechariah writing,

 "His name is John". Pontormo, on a desco da parto, c. 1526.

The prayers are in three parts, commemorating his decision to live a life of penance, his preaching to prepare the way of the Lord, and his martyrdom. He is a prophet for all time.



V. O glorious St. John the Baptist,
R. Greatest prophet among those born of woman, * although thou wast sanctified in thy mother’s womb * and didst live a most innocent life, * nevertheless it was thy will to retire into the wilderness, * there to devote thyself to the practice of austerity and penance; * obtain for us of thy Lord the grace to be wholly detached, * at least in our hearts, * from earthly goods, * and to practice Christian mortification with interior recollection * and with the spirit of holy prayer.
V. St. John the Baptist, precursor of Christ, R. Pray for us.
V. St. John the Baptist, shining lamp of the world, R. Pray for us.
V. St. John the Baptist, angel of purity before thy birth, R. Pray for us. 

V. O most zealous Apostle,
R. Who, without working any miracle on others, * but solely by the example of thy life of penance * and the power of thy word, * didst draw after thee the multitudes, * in order to dispose them to receive the Messias worthily * and to listen to His heavenly doctrine; * grant that it may be given unto us, * by means of the example of a holy life * and the exercise of every good work, * to bring many souls to God, * but above all * those souls that are enveloped in the darkness of error and ignorance * and that are led astray by vice.
V. St. John the Baptist, intrepid preacher of truth, R. Pray for us.
V. St. John the Baptist, voice crying in the wilderness, R. Pray for us.
V. St. John the Baptist, miracle of mortification and penance, R. Pray for us. 



MURILLO, Bartolomé Esteban (1667-70). 

Even now, return to Me with your whole heart. ~ Joel 2:12

V. O Martyr invincible,

R. Who, for the honor of God and the salvation of souls, * didst with firmness and constancy * withstand the impiety of Herod * even at the cost of thine own life, * and didst rebuke him openly * for his wicked and dissolute life; * by thy prayers obtain for us a heart, * brave and generous, * in order that we may overcome all human respect * and openly profess our faith * in loyal obedience to the teachings of Jesus (☨) Christ, * our divine Master.
V. St. John the Baptist, example of profound humility, R. Pray for us.
V. St. John the Baptist, great defender of holy matrimony, R. Pray for us.
V. St. John the Baptist, glorious martyr of zeal for God’s holy law, R. Pray for us.

V. O God, we rejoice at the apostolate of Saint John the Baptist, through whom we came to know our Redeemer and King. Through his intercession we implore... (Name Your Request) V. We offer this prayer to Thee (☨) God the Father, through Christ Our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God forever and ever. R. Amen.

Conclude with an Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.V. Pray for us, Saint John the Baptist
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ
Let us pray.
O God, who hast made this day to be honorable in our eyes by the commemoration of blessed John the Baptist, grant unto Thy people the grace of spiritual joy, and direct the minds of all Thy faithful into the way of everlasting salvation through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

A Hole in My Heart

Shalom tidings Mar/Apr issue has published my conversion story: A Hole in My Heart. It's our tenth anniversary and I couldn't be happier to be in the bosom of Holy Mother Church. I feel as if my real life began 10 years ago, it's as if I were reawakened from a deep and deadly slumber all those many decades.

This beautiful Catholic magazine is a labor of love and they are looking for original pieces regarding all aspects of Catholicism. Take a look online to get a feel for it. I met a few of their people at the Catholic Writing Conference and it was such a joy. Until then, I'd not even known about them. This is what I love about writing conferences, the opportunity to get to know other writers and editors. I'm pitching some talks for this year so wish me luck!  

And speaking of conversions, I can't believe I've not shared Why I Am Catholic (and you should be too) by Brandon Vogt in more detail. I received an ARC a couple of years ago and this is one of the BEST books I've read because the author lays out not only the case for Christ, but also for Catholicism. He organizes his arguments around the three transcendentals: Truth, Goodness, Beauty. It's probably the one resource I recommend to most people who are looking for an explanation for my faith. I know lots and lots of Protestants in the South and they rightly wonder why we would do such a thing because from childhood they've been taught to only believe in the Bible, and here we are with our traditions. People forget that it's the Catholic Church that compiled the books of the Bible and our faith and traditions can be traced all the way back through the Church Fathers to the Apostles and Jesus Himself. But as the Venerable Ap. Fulton Sheen said, "There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate The Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.”

Brandon Vogt does a good job of dispelling some of the misconceptions in a clear manner as well as elucidating some of the basic truths of Catholicism. He writes, "Most self-aware people know they fall way short of the Church's moral demands and could never close come to meeting them." He reminds us that "the Church exists for sinners...It isn't for the perfect but for the struggling...Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future." In the end, there are many reasons to love the Church, but the principal reason is that it's true. Tonight we celebrate!