Saint Joan of Arc - May 30

St. Joan of Arc – May 30

b.1412 – d.1431

Most of us know very little about the Maid of Orleans, except that she led an army and was burnt at the stake.  Although she died nearly 600 years ago, her public life is remarkably well-documented.  You can find a very complete history with quotes, images, maps, etc.  here.  If that's too much information, there have been many films made about her life -- some good, some less so.  Although I have yet to see it, many consider La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc, a silent film from 1928, to be a masterpiece. 

She's a fascinating character -- it's almost impossible to compare her to anyone else in history.  She's been portrayed as divine, insane, a tool of war, and a simple child.  Like us, though, she was a real person with many facets.  I suspect she'd be pleased to be remembered as she was -- an obedient servant who held her faith above all else, without fear of the consequences.  

Prayer to St Joan for Faith

In the face of your enemies, in the face of harassment, ridicule and doubt, you held firm in your faith. Even in your abandonment, alone and without friends, you held firm in your faith. Even as you faced your own mortality, you held firm in your faith. I pray that I may be as bold in my beliefs as you, Saint Joan. I ask that you ride alongside me in my own battles. Help me be mindful that what is worthwhile can be won when I persist. Help me hold firm in my faith. Help me believe in my ability to act well and wisely.

Amen.

Memorial Day Prayers

Shared by Diana K.:

Almighty God, Creator of all things, we place our request for world peace into Your hands.  Continue to be our refuge and our strength as we undertake this challenge.

Bless with Your divine protection our servicemen and women.  Let their faith and trust in You never weaken.  Bring them safely home to their loved ones.  Let Your heavenly wisdom direct our world leaders to seek peace.  Through their actions, may harmony and justice be served.

We pray for people of all nations.  Fill their hearts with the desire to ensure justice and equality for all.  We ask that You watch over those exposed to the horrors of war.  Let Your compassion shine on all who dwell in these war-torn areas. 

Guide our daily path to the way of peace.  Let us all, in some way, be an instrument of Your peace.  Heavenly Father, let peace reign throughout the world.

Amen.  

...

Lord,

Grant that we may hold dear the memory of your servant, never bitter for what we have lost nor in regret of the past, but always in hope of the eternal kingdom where you will bring us together again.  We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.  Amen.

Remember those who have gone before you.  Consider their lives, and imitate their faith.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.    

A Summer Blessing

shared by Fay L:

May our loving God

watch over you

and keep alive in your heart

all that you have learned this year.

Keep your mind on God.

Remember to pray often

and to celebrate your faith,

at home with your family,

and at Mass with your faith family.

Keep your faith in God.

Let all the joyes of summer

remind you of God's goodness.

Never forget that God

is always with you, no matter what.

May the God of all creation,

who comes to us in Jesus,

and lives among us in the Holy Spirit,

keep you safe, happy, and holy

this summer and always.

Amen. 

Weekly Readings for the Whole Family

Over on the right of this page, you'll see a blue square labeled 'Sunday Connection.'  It's well worth linking to (go ahead, take a look!), & I'm happy to share it with you.  It's owned by Loyola Press, which produces some fantastic educational materials.  

This isn't just a reprinting of the weekly readings -- oh no, there's a lot more here.  Each reading has a convenient link to the New American Bible online, in case you'd like to read the selection in its context (gotta love that).  It also offers a brief background & commentary on the gospel.  But there's more (do I sound like I'm going to sell you a Ginsu knife yet?).  The gospel reading is also written up in a simple 1- or 2-sentence summary that's easy for kids to understand. (But wait! There's more!) 

The real gem of this website is the fact that the gospel reading has games, projects, discussion questions, or prayers for kids -- based on their grade level.  Isn't that great?  Print out the discussion questions / games to talk about at dinner one night during the week, and bingo-- your whole family is better-prepared for Mass that weekend, and you've shared some good family conversation that doesn't consist of "So what else did you do in school today?" 

St. Bede the Venerable - May 25

Doctor of the Church

b 672 or 3 – d 735

Born at Weadmouth-Jarrow, England (in the modern county of Northumbria), Bede was dedicated to the monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul at the age of 3, and spent most of his life there as a scholar.  He was referred to as ‘the venerable’ as a nod to his wisdom and learning.  This title was actually formalized at the Council of Aachen in 853.  He read widely, compared sources before drawing his conclusions, and referenced his sources – an unknown practice at the time.  His best-known work is ‘Historia Ecclesiastica,’ a history of the English Church and people, which he completed in 731, four years before his death. It is an account of Christianity in England up to 729 and is a primary source of early English history. 

So… I couldn’t find any 8^th- century British cookbooks out there (go figure!).  The best I could determine about cuisine in Northumberland during Bede’s time is that oatmeal would have figured largely in his diet.  Also, sheep entrails.  But let’s not go there.  How about a nice rustic oatmeal bread recipe?  Play some Gregorian chant while making it, and say thank you to the Venerable Bede for helping to keep the light of Christ shining in the Dark Ages. 

FYI – Gregorian chant is based on the traditional songs sung in synagogues all over the East from before Jesus’ birth.  Many of the melodies we still hear today would have been sung by Jesus while He was on Earth.  Chant was adopted by the Christian church in the 6^th century, and named after Pope Gregory, who unified the chants into one collection.    
Listen to some Gregorian chant here

Venerable Bread

Ingredients

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, plus extra for sprinkling
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons honey
2-2.5 cups unbleached bread flour (or a mix of bread flour and oat flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1 envelope (2.5 teaspoons) quick-rise yeast
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon water

Directions

Place the oats in a stand mixer fitted with dough hook.  In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the milk, 3/4 cup water, and the butter and bring to a boil.  Pour over the oats and let stand about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lukewarm.  Using dough hook, stir in the honey, 1 ½ cups of the flour, salt, and the yeast.  Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough that holds its shape.

Knead by hook, adding flour as needed, until the dough is no longer sticky and pulls away cleanly from the bowl sides, 6-7 minutes.

Form the dough into a ball and place in a clean, greased bowl, turning to coat on all sides. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45-60 minutes.

Dust a baking sheet with flour. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press flat. Cut in half, knead briefly, and form each half into a ball, stretching the sides down and under to form an oval. Place loaves well apart on the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425F.

Uncover the loaves, brush with the egg-yolk mixture and sprinkle with oats. Bake until golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottoms, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

The Legend of the Three Trees, by Catherine McCafferty

buy The Legend of the Three Trees at amazon.com

We bought this board book when my son was a toddler, and it never fails to make me feel incredibly small (in a good way!), and yet integral to God's 'big picture.'

Three young trees have dreams of what they will become when they are fully grown.  Their wishes are granted, but not in the way that they originally hoped.  It's a beautiful reminder of how God has a plan for each one of us, and that our wishes for ouselves are often much smaller than what He wishes for us.

This lovely story was made into a 30-minute video narrated by Hal Holbrook.  Broken up into three parts, you can see the entire story starting here:  http://youtu.be/_mHXS1XvMrM

The Weight of a Mass, by Josepine Nobisso

buy The Weight of a Mass at amazon.com

My friend Diana just shared this lovely children’s book with me.  I had seen it in the Catholic Child catalog, but was unfamiliar with the story. 

In short, a ragged old beggar woman enters a bakery, and tells the owner that she has no money, but is very hungry.  If he would give her a crust of bread, she will offer a Mass for him.  The baker scorns her offer.  To tease her, and prove how little a Mass is worth, he takes a tiny slip of paper and writes ‘a Mass’ on it. He places that worthless scrap of paper on his scale, and a miracle takes place. 

This charming story (with beautiful watercolor illustrations by Katalin Szegedi) is based on a family legend from a certain Father Stanislaus in Luxembourg.  It gently reminds us of the priceless value of the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.