Our Holy Thursday Mass was bilingual and the second language wasn't Latin! Although the Mass and service were okay, I just wish everyone would get together on what is correct for various liturgies.
Holy Thursday is one of my favorite days of Holy Week. I love the brighness that is soon dimmed with Christ being taken away by the soldiers. Most years, I've attended a Holy Thursday where a lone voice in the choir intones, "My God, my God . . . Why have You forsaken Me . . ." while the altar is stripped, the lights extinguished and the tabernacle emptied and left open and bare. For some reason, the priest extinguished the Sanctuary light BEFORE Mass even began and had already stripped the tabernacle.
After the Gloria, with the ringing of the bells, the wooden clapper was used for the Consecration to indicate we were heading for a time of sorrow. The choir? It switched from using the organ to . . . a piano!
The procession to the Adoration Chapel, after Mass, was dignified (except for the continue use of instrumentals) but the majority of the congregation was more interested in bailing out and racing to the chapel rather than getting the full impact of the event as the altar was stripped.
In spite of the 'annoyances', I do feel sorry for anyone who only goes to Mass on Easter and misses out on Holy Week. It's like missing out on the whole story!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Success!
As a follow-up to my receipe posted yesterday . . .
I made it for dinner last night and it was a great success with my panel of resident gourmets - two of my children and my husband! I didn't have the refrigerated-type biscuits on hand so went with making my own from Bisquick. I think it probably turned out better that way.
I made it for dinner last night and it was a great success with my panel of resident gourmets - two of my children and my husband! I didn't have the refrigerated-type biscuits on hand so went with making my own from Bisquick. I think it probably turned out better that way.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Recipe Rescue . . .
A fun recipe that is easy on Mom, especially, after chasing down Easter eggs and children all weekend. A few minutes at the stove and it is in the oven - all in one dish. Serve with a big salad or lots of carrot and celery sticks.
BACON CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
1-2 pounds ground beef
6 strips of bacon, crisply fried anad drained
1/4 cup onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and chopped
8 ounce can of tomato suace
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup favorite barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 ounce can refrigerated biscuits
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
Combine ground beef and flour in skillet. Add onions, garlic, and brown. Pour out most of the drippings. Add tomato sauce, catsup, barbecue sauce, salt and pepper. Mix until heated through. Spread into a large casserole dish. Crumble and top with the prepared slices of bacon. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Top with cheese and biscuits and bake for 10-15 minutes longer or, until the biscuits are golden.
BACON CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
1-2 pounds ground beef
6 strips of bacon, crisply fried anad drained
1/4 cup onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and chopped
8 ounce can of tomato suace
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup favorite barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 ounce can refrigerated biscuits
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
Combine ground beef and flour in skillet. Add onions, garlic, and brown. Pour out most of the drippings. Add tomato sauce, catsup, barbecue sauce, salt and pepper. Mix until heated through. Spread into a large casserole dish. Crumble and top with the prepared slices of bacon. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Top with cheese and biscuits and bake for 10-15 minutes longer or, until the biscuits are golden.
Glad and Sad news . . .
The glad news is that over two million red envelopes were mailed to the White House in the campaign for Pro-Life. The sad news is that I have yet to find a major publication/newspaper carrying the information. A mail handler at the White House said that it was the largest mailing received on a particular topic in 35 years yet the news reporters do not find this news worthy. It used to be the news reporters reported ALL the news not just the news to promote pet agendas. We are certainly becoming a world of compromised values.
A friend told me she has prayed a Rosary a day for our current president and it has been a difficult task - not the prayer, itself, but the recipient! It does seem, sometimes, that our prayers are falling into a bottomless pit and nothing seems to 'stick'. We just have to keep on keeping on and know all is in God's Time not ours. Easier said than done in our human thinking!
A friend told me she has prayed a Rosary a day for our current president and it has been a difficult task - not the prayer, itself, but the recipient! It does seem, sometimes, that our prayers are falling into a bottomless pit and nothing seems to 'stick'. We just have to keep on keeping on and know all is in God's Time not ours. Easier said than done in our human thinking!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Quotes to Ponder . . .
"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future."
-- Niels Bohr
"Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul."
-- Marilyn Monroe
"Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame."
-- Laurence J. Peter
"The average man, who does not know what to do with his life, wants another one which will last forever."
-- Anatole France
-- Niels Bohr
"Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul."
-- Marilyn Monroe
"Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame."
-- Laurence J. Peter
"The average man, who does not know what to do with his life, wants another one which will last forever."
-- Anatole France
Thoughts as Lent comes to an end for 2009 . . .
When I was growing up, the two high points of the year were Christmas and Easter. At that time Midnight Mass was offered at both Holy Days. These late night Masses seemed, to my youthful thinking, to be hurdles to the main events— Christmas presents and Easter candy.
Christmas always seemed the easiest to attain. The most we did was open Advent calendars and burn Advent candles during dinner time. A big return for little effort!
Now Easter was preceded by weeks and weeks of somber Lent. The usual meatless Fridays seemed even more meatless and we were urged to give up something. To my unformed mind, the return on Easter was very small in comparison to the ‘suffering' I had to endure!
Up until a few years ago, Lent still felt like a long, grey period of time. If you gave up something, it seemed even longer until you could indulge again. If you didn't follow through on a ‘give up' you felt guilty and Lent was still unending. I concentrated on what I had to do or couldn't have instead of looking forward to the ultimate reward of Easter. Although God offers us all the riches of Heaven, our human nature tends to tolerate hardships merely for the attainment of earthly goods.
I am slowly coming to the realization that Lent is not so much a time for giving up as for giving and forgiving. Lent should be a positive experience, building up to the hard to express but all too real joy of the Resurrection. The world, after all, waited centuries for the Coming yet we have trouble waiting out less than two months until Easter Sunday.
I looked up repent in the dictionary and discovered through it a viewpoint I had never taken into consideration. According to Webster's:
Repent — To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.
I can't find the negatives in this that are usually associated with talking about Lent, repent, etc. It calls for avoiding sin and getting on with one's life to the betterment of it. You can accomplish this though extra sacrifice and doing without during the Lenten Season and this is good. It seems to me an even better approach to Lent would be extending happiness in anticipation of the miracle to come in addition to sacrifice. God gives us this chance each year. Are we building our place in Heaven or are we waiting for the perfect year in which to begin?
Christ walked on this very earth by His own free Will. He lived as a man knowing each step took Him closer to terrible suffering and death on the Cross. As I read though the Bible and listen to the readings on Sundays, I cannot find any negatives in Christ's journey on earth. He did it all for us without any thought for Himself. He gave up His life in order to give in to our need for Him. I am hoping this year that I tried for a Lent that made my sacrifices a joy, and my joy a potential path to Heaven.
Christmas always seemed the easiest to attain. The most we did was open Advent calendars and burn Advent candles during dinner time. A big return for little effort!
Now Easter was preceded by weeks and weeks of somber Lent. The usual meatless Fridays seemed even more meatless and we were urged to give up something. To my unformed mind, the return on Easter was very small in comparison to the ‘suffering' I had to endure!
Up until a few years ago, Lent still felt like a long, grey period of time. If you gave up something, it seemed even longer until you could indulge again. If you didn't follow through on a ‘give up' you felt guilty and Lent was still unending. I concentrated on what I had to do or couldn't have instead of looking forward to the ultimate reward of Easter. Although God offers us all the riches of Heaven, our human nature tends to tolerate hardships merely for the attainment of earthly goods.
I am slowly coming to the realization that Lent is not so much a time for giving up as for giving and forgiving. Lent should be a positive experience, building up to the hard to express but all too real joy of the Resurrection. The world, after all, waited centuries for the Coming yet we have trouble waiting out less than two months until Easter Sunday.
I looked up repent in the dictionary and discovered through it a viewpoint I had never taken into consideration. According to Webster's:
Repent — To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.
I can't find the negatives in this that are usually associated with talking about Lent, repent, etc. It calls for avoiding sin and getting on with one's life to the betterment of it. You can accomplish this though extra sacrifice and doing without during the Lenten Season and this is good. It seems to me an even better approach to Lent would be extending happiness in anticipation of the miracle to come in addition to sacrifice. God gives us this chance each year. Are we building our place in Heaven or are we waiting for the perfect year in which to begin?
Christ walked on this very earth by His own free Will. He lived as a man knowing each step took Him closer to terrible suffering and death on the Cross. As I read though the Bible and listen to the readings on Sundays, I cannot find any negatives in Christ's journey on earth. He did it all for us without any thought for Himself. He gave up His life in order to give in to our need for Him. I am hoping this year that I tried for a Lent that made my sacrifices a joy, and my joy a potential path to Heaven.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Interesting find . . .
We prefer vitamins, healthy food, and exercise to using too many over-the-counter medications. People laugh at our pill cupboard as we do have an array of herbs and vitamins we have found helpful for our needs. I thought I'd share some of our favorite sources that offer good prices and quality items.
Our favorite source for vitamins, etc., is Puritan's Pride. You can search them out on-line just by using their name. They always have a sale going and if you have a question or concern, you can talk to a real person! I've compared prices and they beat the health stores and even Wal-Mart most every time.
We recently discovered Beeyoutiful.com which deals in homeopathic and more natural methods. In spite of the 'cute' name, we have now made Tummy Tune Up a staple in our home. It is a powerful acidolophilus that seems to work quickly for stomach upsets. The nice thing about this particular brand is that you don't need to keep it refrigerated like other types. Our other favorite is a Miracle Salve that is very pleasant to use and really helps with minor burns, scrapes, and itches.
Our favorite source for vitamins, etc., is Puritan's Pride. You can search them out on-line just by using their name. They always have a sale going and if you have a question or concern, you can talk to a real person! I've compared prices and they beat the health stores and even Wal-Mart most every time.
We recently discovered Beeyoutiful.com which deals in homeopathic and more natural methods. In spite of the 'cute' name, we have now made Tummy Tune Up a staple in our home. It is a powerful acidolophilus that seems to work quickly for stomach upsets. The nice thing about this particular brand is that you don't need to keep it refrigerated like other types. Our other favorite is a Miracle Salve that is very pleasant to use and really helps with minor burns, scrapes, and itches.
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