Blessed Feast of St Joseph!!  Here is a poem by a Sister that always pops into my head when I think about St Joseph and makes me cry…I am a total crybaby when it comes to sweet, loving emotions.

 Limbo

by Sister Mary Ada, OSJ

The ancient greyness shifted

Suddenly and thinned

Like mist upon the moors

Before a wind.

An old, old prophet lifted

A shining face and said:

“He will be coming soon.

The Son of God is dead;

He died this afternoon.”

A murmurous excitement stirred

All souls.

They wondered if they dreamed –

Save one old man who seemed

Not even to have heard.

And Moses, standing,

Hushed them all to ask

If any had a welcome song prepared.

If not, would David take the task?

And if they cared

Could not the three young children sing

The Benedicite, the canticle of praise

They made when God kept them from perishing

In the fiery blaze?

A breath of spring surprised them,

Stilling Moses’ words.

No one could speak, remembering

The first fresh flowers,

The little singing birds.

Still others thought of fields new ploughed

Or apple trees

All blossom-boughed.

Or some, the way a dried bed fills

With water

Laughing down green hills.

The fisherfolk dreamed of the foam

On bright blue seas.

The one old man who had not stirred

Remembered home.

And there He was

Splendid as the morning sun and fair

As only God is fair.

And they, confused with joy,

Knelt to adore

Seeing that He wore

Five crimson stars

He never had before.

No canticle at all was sung

None toned a psalm, or raised a greeting song,

A silent man alone

Of all that throng

Found tongue –

Not any other.

Close to His heart

When the embrace was done,

Old Joseph said,

“How is Your Mother,

How is Your Mother, Son?”

Lent is once again here…later this year but here it is.  Before Lent I prayed for Jesus to show me what weakness out of my many He would like for me to really focus and work on this year.  Distractions….

Over the past several months I slipped into some bad habits, some lazy habits.  I allowed myself to be mislead to not pray as deeply as I ought, mislead by seeking comfort in things that were not of God.  Instead of seeking Jesus for my emotional whatevers I wasted time online doing silly things.  Anxiety attacks returned and instead of trusting Jesus will help me I allowed myself to miss Sunday Mass knowing… knowing the sin and that it doesn’t matter how many daily Masses I go to they do not make up for Sunday Mass.  Mea Culpa….

Still fighting the panic attacks but forcing myself to make it to Mass regardless how it feels before getting there.  Things always settle down once Divine Liturgy starts, Jesus and Mary calm the inner “aaahhhhh’s”.  Confession is wonderful to help on this also. 

Lent this year also involves 40 Days for Life, had to miss the kick off since I was working out of town, but have had a wonderful day one day was there almost 8 hours and have done several unsigned hours just when time allowed.  It is good for it is to help stop abortion and also helps foster prayer and conversation.

Lent the first week was actually surprisingly good and graced.  10 days in let’s see what path I am lead towards and how well I try to stick to the metanoia attempts hopefully through God’s helping grace…