Dalan Chiut

Friday, October 2, 2009

Freebie Friday

Feast of Guardian Angels

Painting by Denice Taylor Rinks, "Guardian Angel"

Today is the Feast of the Guardian Angels.

Now some nowadays might well dismiss this as just a sentimental notion, wishful thinking, or peter pan-never grow up syndrome. Me, I just find it a comfort. I love the teaching that we each have a Guardian Angel to watch over us, I need all the help I can get and to know that my children have them as well is even more of a comfort. And yes, I believe it. I like being able to ask them for prayers and protection, I like being able to tell my kids to do so as well if they waken from a bad dream or are worried. It's a divine comfort. Really, a Divine comfort. And such a gift.

Now angels are pure spirit so we cannot begin to know what they look like. Which I think is cool as we can imagine them in different ways. As a child we might imagine them in the more traditional or storybook images. As we age we might have very different ideas, or not. But no matter, I think the imagery and the concept and the actuality of Guardian Angels is very powerful and strikes a chord deep within us. At least, I know it does for me. We are taught as a small child in our church this simple prayer:

"Angel of God, my guardian dear
To whom God's love commits me here
Ever this day, be at my side,
To light, to guard
to rule and guide."

Now, I'm 47. But that can still provide some comfort on those frightening dark midnights or those worried days - to know that I am not all alone, utterly. I have a helper who is far smarter than myself. I'll take it.

So I give you this, from the Office of Readings:

"The Lord will send his angel to accompany you and to guide you safely on your way."

Happy Feast Day!
Guardian Angels, pray for us!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Thursday’s Freebies

Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux

It's the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux!

You all know I just love her! You all know she has heard more than one novena from me this past year (and so have you!). But you might not know that she is also a patron, we feel, of our Marta. They both have suffered from TB and from being "little and unseen." And so we are grateful for St. Therese for her example of joy and hope in even those difficulties. We have given Marta, with her permission and understanding, the middle name of "Therese," after this dear saint.

And just to clarify...for years I had a hard time approaching St. Therese. Her autobiography was written in the Victorian era and just TOO florid for my taste and I simply couldn't get through it. It made me nuts and impatient and I put it down. I started wondering "Whats the fuss? Why, exactly, is she a Doctor of the Church?" Finally I read a biography of her instead, by Guy Gaucher, and that was so much better. Then I read commentaries on her life and writings and I braced myself to get break through the stylistic barrier and really read her life and words. And now I know. I know why her "little way" is so powerful; so full of hope and encouragement for each of us, for me.

And I just say this to encourage any of you who find yourself in that spot, to give her writings or the writings about her a try. The tone deafness, if you will, of our modern ear and eye, its narrow scope when judging what is and is not worthwhile....is a false constriction that forces a loss of much richness and beauty, without even realizing it. So, if she pulls at you at all...give it a try.

It's hard to feel like you're doing much, or even enough nowadays. Even if you are doing all you can and then some. But by refocusing, with St. Therese's comforting encouragement and true conception of "the little way," we (ok, me) can find value even in what seems like the most mundane of days. And man, that just gives me hope and helps me keep stepping forward.

Mother Theresa even chose St. Therese as her patron. Right there, that tells you something, eh? No surprise, a dominican puts it well:

"Her mission was in fact, just that: her testimony to hope, to the joy of faith, amidst the darkness and unbelief of the 20th century. Her little way was the tightrope of faith she walked on, through illness and obscurity, over the abyss of meaninglessness, and into the heart of God, and she did that with joy." Father Bill Garrott, OP

Happy Feast Day Marta Therese!
St. Therese of Lisieux, pray for us!