In our side of the United States, the bishops decided to move Ascension Thursday to Sunday. It never seems quite the same but there you have it. It is still a feast day to be honored so I'm sharing two of my favorite quotes in honor of the day.
"Be present, O Lord, to our supplications; as we trust the Savior of mankind is seated with Thee in majesty, so may we feel that, according to His promise, He abideth with us until the end of the world."
(Collect from Leonine Sacramentary 5th century)
"Today above the sky He soared, alleluia.
The King of glory, Christ the Lord, alleluia.
He sitteth on the Father's hand, alleluia.
And ruleth sky and sea and land, alleluia."
(Anonymous: Coelos ascendit hodie. 13th century)
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Summer weather, barbecue, food . . .
Although I didn't lit up the outside barbecue grill for dinner today, I did put a rack of pork ribs in the oven at 300 degrees to cook them low and slow in hopes of some juicy ribs. The fact that I marinated them in soy sauce and white wine didn't hurt that hoped-for result either. To further enhance the summer taste of barbecue, I did a quick mix of a basting sauce.
I usually like to fuss over the sauce starting from scratch and mixing and inventing. Today was one of those days so I took my sneaky easy route. Depending on how many ribs you are making, you may want to add or subtract the ingredients a bit. Basically, I mixed 1 cup of bottled barbecue sauce with three tablespoons of coarse Dijon mustard, dried onion flakes, and a good pinch of chili flakes. After the ribs had cooked for an hour, I brushed the sauce liberally over the meat. Every 15-20 minutes I added another brushing of the sauce. Since I am roasting them in the oven at such a low temperature, it will take about two to three hours to cook. My quick combination gives it good flavor and tastes like you fussed.
I had leftover wild rice mixture from dinner last night. I mixed it with three eggs, onion, cheese, salt, pepper, and some chili flakes. I am gently frying it in a pan heated up with a bit of butter.
It's not hard to come up with a good dinner and still keep some recreation time for the Sunday afternoon. I've come to realize, however, that I like to provide healthy, tasty food for my family and approach my cooking as a vocation not a job.
I usually like to fuss over the sauce starting from scratch and mixing and inventing. Today was one of those days so I took my sneaky easy route. Depending on how many ribs you are making, you may want to add or subtract the ingredients a bit. Basically, I mixed 1 cup of bottled barbecue sauce with three tablespoons of coarse Dijon mustard, dried onion flakes, and a good pinch of chili flakes. After the ribs had cooked for an hour, I brushed the sauce liberally over the meat. Every 15-20 minutes I added another brushing of the sauce. Since I am roasting them in the oven at such a low temperature, it will take about two to three hours to cook. My quick combination gives it good flavor and tastes like you fussed.
I had leftover wild rice mixture from dinner last night. I mixed it with three eggs, onion, cheese, salt, pepper, and some chili flakes. I am gently frying it in a pan heated up with a bit of butter.
It's not hard to come up with a good dinner and still keep some recreation time for the Sunday afternoon. I've come to realize, however, that I like to provide healthy, tasty food for my family and approach my cooking as a vocation not a job.
Free isn't always worthy . . .
As
long as you don't forgive, who and whatever it is will occupy rent-free space in
your mind.
- Isabelle Holland
Fanciful Celebrants and wayward Masses . . .
A priest once went to great lengths to emphasize to us that Sunday Mass doesn't begin when you walk into the door of the church. He said we should prepare for the Mass through our dressing and drive to the church. I think he meant we should consider the day totally a holy one and approach the Mass with preparation and dignity. Seems like a good way to look at things, doesn't it?
So, how come so much of the circus atmosphere in our churches today come at the suggestion of the celebrating priest? Nothing worse than trying to do a little praying before Mass and being disturbed by the joking and conversation by the priest as he awaits his 'cue' to begin.
It also seems that obeying the Rubrics assigned to the celebration of Mass would make life easy for the priest. Doesn't work that way as so many priests start adding or taking away bits and pieces of the set liturgy to make it 'friendlier' or 'in tune' with the times.
We hit a rock bottom level on piety and rubrics one Sunday. We were about to sit down for the readings and the priest stopped us short and insisted we all greet each other and welcome each other to our home. I always figured it was God's home, myself! At this point, we have shaken hands with the greeters when we came in the chuch and now were greeting pretty much the same people once more. Things got worse from that point!
We were informed that God is our Father so we are all princes and princesses. I always thought we were God's people and, since Jesus came to earth as a human, we were His brother and sisters. God didn't send His son down to impress the crowds with power and might so why would we be considered royalty? The priest sauntered up and down the aisles, elaborating on his theory in simple terms that we couldn't fail to understand. In other words, he tended to talk down to us like a class of small children. About 15 minutes later, we get to the Our Father and, guess what??? It is hand holding/greeting time, again. My husband figured we could have a goodbye greeting before Mass was dismissed along with the farewell greeters waiting at the back of the church.
I know most of these priests mean well but you have to wonder why they fear quiet prayer and moments of solitude during the Mass? While I'm on a rant, I do not think the dismissal at Mass should be changed to "Go the Mass is just beginning!" If we don't instill a sense of awe in our children, how can we bring them to continued belief?
So, how come so much of the circus atmosphere in our churches today come at the suggestion of the celebrating priest? Nothing worse than trying to do a little praying before Mass and being disturbed by the joking and conversation by the priest as he awaits his 'cue' to begin.
It also seems that obeying the Rubrics assigned to the celebration of Mass would make life easy for the priest. Doesn't work that way as so many priests start adding or taking away bits and pieces of the set liturgy to make it 'friendlier' or 'in tune' with the times.
We hit a rock bottom level on piety and rubrics one Sunday. We were about to sit down for the readings and the priest stopped us short and insisted we all greet each other and welcome each other to our home. I always figured it was God's home, myself! At this point, we have shaken hands with the greeters when we came in the chuch and now were greeting pretty much the same people once more. Things got worse from that point!
We were informed that God is our Father so we are all princes and princesses. I always thought we were God's people and, since Jesus came to earth as a human, we were His brother and sisters. God didn't send His son down to impress the crowds with power and might so why would we be considered royalty? The priest sauntered up and down the aisles, elaborating on his theory in simple terms that we couldn't fail to understand. In other words, he tended to talk down to us like a class of small children. About 15 minutes later, we get to the Our Father and, guess what??? It is hand holding/greeting time, again. My husband figured we could have a goodbye greeting before Mass was dismissed along with the farewell greeters waiting at the back of the church.
I know most of these priests mean well but you have to wonder why they fear quiet prayer and moments of solitude during the Mass? While I'm on a rant, I do not think the dismissal at Mass should be changed to "Go the Mass is just beginning!" If we don't instill a sense of awe in our children, how can we bring them to continued belief?
Government Control vs. our Children . . .
There has been an international treaty encroaching on our freedoms as parents for several years now. This item came from the Home Schooling Legal Defence Association. Our current administration is much in favor of this and it could be signed as soon as this year. It could and probably would change a lot of aspects of our lives. Our child raising would be taken over by the government. Senator Barbara Boxer is in favor of this. For more information, access the HSLDA home page and search CRC to keep informed. Our freedoms are being taken away in bits and pieces and now our very family life is threatened. Even if your children are grown up, think about the future generations.
******
Why should you think twice about supporting an accepted international human rights treaty? On today’s Home School Heartbeat, host Mike Farris exposes how the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child could affect your child and your parenting choices.
Mike Farris:
On the last program, we introduced the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child—known as the CRC. While the use of any international law for domestic purposes in the United States is a threat to American self-government, proponents of parental rights should pay the most close attention to the CRC—especially since it appears that significant effort on this treaty will be made under the Obama administration.
So what does the CRC actually say about the rights of children?
Article 3 subsection 1 provides that in all actions concerning children, all decision-makers need to employ the legal standard known as the best interests of the child. What this means is that the government can substitute what it thinks best for that of the parents in every situation.
Article 12 subsection 1 declares that the child’s views must be taken into account in every situation. When we read further, it means, taken into account by the government, because they’re the ultimate decision-makers.
In two very important areas of parental choice—religion and education—the CRC interferes with parental choice and elevates a child’s wishes over that of the parent. Realistically, it is neither parents nor children who make the final decision in the case of conflict—it is the state that has the power and duty under the CRC to make ultimate choices for kids.
******
Why should you think twice about supporting an accepted international human rights treaty? On today’s Home School Heartbeat, host Mike Farris exposes how the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child could affect your child and your parenting choices.
Mike Farris:
On the last program, we introduced the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child—known as the CRC. While the use of any international law for domestic purposes in the United States is a threat to American self-government, proponents of parental rights should pay the most close attention to the CRC—especially since it appears that significant effort on this treaty will be made under the Obama administration.
So what does the CRC actually say about the rights of children?
Article 3 subsection 1 provides that in all actions concerning children, all decision-makers need to employ the legal standard known as the best interests of the child. What this means is that the government can substitute what it thinks best for that of the parents in every situation.
Article 12 subsection 1 declares that the child’s views must be taken into account in every situation. When we read further, it means, taken into account by the government, because they’re the ultimate decision-makers.
In two very important areas of parental choice—religion and education—the CRC interferes with parental choice and elevates a child’s wishes over that of the parent. Realistically, it is neither parents nor children who make the final decision in the case of conflict—it is the state that has the power and duty under the CRC to make ultimate choices for kids.
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