The Lord has given another Easter Gift

When I headed out this morning I discovered that we had rain mixed with snow. A little later I found that we had huge flakes coming down ... about 1 to 1 1/2 inches across. It looks like large feathers drifting down ... or like an immense snow globe. I always feel like a child when this happens. I would love to declare a "play day". "Frost and chill, bless the Lord. Ice and snow, bless the Lord."

While last week I was meditating on Passion Week this week my meditations have been on the resurrection appearances of Jesus and also on the incidents in the Acts of the Apostles. In the simple gradual (see "By Flowing Waters" an english version of the simple gradual) there is a hymn that can be used as a processional. It seems to be based on the Easter Sequence. This sequence "Victimae Paschali Laudes" is beautiful. Check it out here

Christians, to the Paschal victim

offer your thankful praises!

A lamb the sheep redeemeth:

Christ, who only is sinless,

reconcileth sinners to the Father.

Death and life have contended

in that combat stupendous:

the Prince of life, who died,

reigns immortal.

Speak, Mary, declaring

what thou sawest, wayfaring:

"The tomb of Christ, who is living,

the glory of Jesus' resurrection;"

Bright angels attesting,

the shroud and napkin resting.

"Yea, Christ my hope is arisen;

to Galilee he will go before you."

Christ indeed from death is risen,

our new life obtaining;

have mercy, victor King,

ever reigning! Amen.

This week has been busy and will continue. The celebration of Easter, Easter visits to friends, Square Dance class, Tax Day, receiving a new LMC, a Phase II round dance night, and finishing it off with another glorious Paschaltide Sunday (Mercy Sunday, Low Sunday).

Forty years ago I stepped inside a Catholic church for the first time (acually on Low Sunday April 11th in 1964) on the day Holy Family Parish in Margarita, Canal Zone had an open house. We received a tour of the church. My Latin teacher from Cristobal High School was one of the tour guides and my friend Nancy Largent and I went there together. I was soooo excited. I had decided about 4 or 5 years before this that I would become a Catholic but was going to have to wait until I reached the age of legal majority (21 at that time). Even before then I made what I called "pilgrimages" by the church especially after dark when you could see the light from a tabernacle candle in the window of the rectory. I knew Jesus was there.

My big goal is for my house to be ready to receive Jesus by the Feast of Corpus Christi.

In the Heart of my Spouse,

Val